
Turning off the Lights
The threat to community electricity in Sri Lanka
Practical Action Publishing
Will be published approx. on 15. December 2005
Book
Paperback/Softback
48 pages
978-1-85339-594-9 (ISBN)
Description
The World Trade Organization's General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) could threaten services and projects specifically aimed at or managed by poor communities. This book explains the nature of that threat, taking community-run electricity schemes in Sri Lanka as an example. It will help to galvanize support for a pro-poor agenda in future negotiations by illustrating the dangers if the concerns of poor communities are not taken into account. Twenty years of privatization and liberalization have weakened poor communities throughout the developing world, while strengthening business and the private sector. Civil society groups and service user groups have struggled to ensure that their legitimate concerns are heard. Now international pressure through the GATS negotiations could threaten the survival of even those projects which have focused on poor communities, such as off-grid micro-hydro power schemes which are widespread in Sri Lanka. This book explains the background to the GATS negotiations and the international context across the globe, and looks in detail at the case of Sri Lanka, just embarking on the liberalization of its electricity sector. Turning Off the Lights will provide valuable ammunition to campaigners for a fairer approach to GATS, and to energy policy planners and researchers. About the Authors: Stephen Thomas is a senior research fellow at the University of Greenwich. He has researched widely in energy policy and planning. Iromi Ruana Rajepakse is a lawyer specializing in public, civil and labour law. She is the author of An Introduction to Law in Sri Lanka.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Rugby
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 297 mm
Width: 210 mm
Thickness: 3 mm
Weight
200 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-85339-594-9 (9781853395949)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Stephen Thomas is a senior research fellow at the University of Greenwich. He has researched widely in energy policy and planning.