Les atouts de la France .

(J'ai trouver cet article très intéressant dans le numéro de cette semaine du "Point" (n° 1903), mais je n'ai pas réussi à trouver le lien sur internet ... L'article étant très long, je le diviserai en plusieurs article sur le blog pour permettre à tout le monde de tout lire sans se perdre =) .)

   La crise économique actuelle affecte toutes les puissances économiques Européennes, même la France. Cependant, cette crise permet aussi de repérer quels sont les  nombreux atouts de la France par rapport aux autres pays, et pourquoi la France devrait devenir, à l'horizon 2035, la première puissance économique Européenne.

1 - Des enfants par milliers :     En effet, avec un taux de fécondité de 2 enfants par femme et 884 000 naissances en 2008, la France compte désormais plus de 64 millions d'habitants, chiffre prévu pour l'année 2015 ! La France représente près de 65 % de la croissance naturelle Européenne. Ainsi, dans une vingtaine d'années, la France sera le pays le plus peuplé d'Europe.

Avantages : Plus d'influcence car plus nombreux, constructions de logements, croissance du marché intérieur qui reste le principal moteur de la croissance française...

2 - L'indépendance énergétique :     Quatre des plus grands groupes leaders dans l'énergie sont français : Areva, EDF, GDF-Suez et Total. Grâce à son parc de réacteurs, la France atteint un taux d'indépendance énergétique supérieur à 50%, moins que les USA, mais plus que l'Allemagne, l'Espagne, l'Italie ou encore le Japon. Le choix du nucléaire s'est révélé être un pari totalement adapté au monde de demain. De plus, la France dispose du deuxième parc hydorélectrique Européen, après celui de la Norvège, et le deuxième potentiel de vent après le Royaume-Uni.

3 - Un réseau de transports moderne :   Premièrement, concernant le traffic aérien, l'aéroport Paris CDG est désormais le 6e aéroport mondial, et le deuxième Européen concernant le transport du fret. De plus, contrairement à d'autres grands aéroports européens, CDG dispose encore de larges espaces pour s'agrandir.  Ensuite, avec 955 000 kilomètres de routes (troisième mondial pour km/hab), la France dispose surtout d'un des réseaux routiers les moins encombrés. Enfin, sur le plan ferroviaire,  le traffic à grande vitesse français représente la moitié du traffic européen. Tous ces réseaux sont surtout liés à l'excellence des entreprises françaises, l'industrie ferroviaire étant représenté par Alstom, leader mondial devant Bombardier et Siemens, et les BTP par Bouygues, Vinci et Eiffage, respectivement premier, deuxième et troisième mondiaux.

   (aéroport Paris Roissy CDG)

Ces trois premiers atouts montrent en effet que la France dispose encore de capacités formidables pour se relever de cette crise, mais aussi d'assurer son statut de puissance Européenne et mondiale dans les années à venir. Il est important que tout le monde est conscience de ces atouts, surtout le gourvernement français, car ces capacités devraient être utilisées et valorisées dès maintenant pour assurer à la France son influence en Europe et sa croissance économique.

The Middle-East's changes of objectives.

After having invest a lot of money in Occidentals companies (principally in banks), the Middle-east sovereign-wealth funds (which represent more than 2000 billions dollars) stop their investments in Occident, and go back to their countries (who start to face the financial crisis) to help them, but also realize that they can invest a lot in their economy (which are now well-developed).

The "Dubai holding" (who has invested in EADS, HSBC and Daimler) is helping the Dubai emirate to avoid a bankrupt. Indeed, the emirate now hasn't got any hydrocarbons, and facing some problems like the fall of asiatics demands in real estate, and the indifference of Occidentals to it. As results, Sheikh Mohammed (Dubai's sovereign) has ordered to stop some real-estate projects, and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) is also helping the real estate developers.

But the crisis is also affecting others Middle-east countries: for example, the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA) has given money to the Gulf Bank, the second of the country which is in difficulty. Qatar's companies are also facing financial problems.

However, even if the Middle-East suffers the crisis, the sovereign-wealth funds prefer invest here where the economy is growing, whereas the Occident is facing recession. The middle-east stock exchanges are modern, the islamic finance is protected of the speculation and the Occidental protectionism have influenced this temporary change of objectives.

This article shows us that finally, and on the contrary of some economists predictions at the beginning of it, the crisis is not only an Occidental one, but a global one. Indeed, after China's, the Middle-East countries' problems prove once again the dependance of the others financial powers of the world to Occident (specially to the USA), and maybe show the end of the actual globalization, and the beginning of a new one, more controlled and more nationalist.                                                                                                                                                    

Mondial press reactions about G20

Mondial press is saying that the conclusions of the G20 are " a first step" but they are waiting for more concrete facts. Indeed, for them the conclusions seem a bit too vague.

The Observer : it's a good thing that big developed countries and emerging ones are discussing about a coordinate action about financial problems. If it's too vague it's mainly because they could not resolve in one day what has been done in one generation.

Spain: It's a first step but the principles are too generals about reforms and actions.

France/America : no editorial about it

Italy : they ask if the cordinate relaunch is sincere and they are seeing very well a "new oder" coming : the power of Europe, the old continent, would not be as strong as before on the international stage.

India : Everything's quite good. New Delhi influence on the international stage is growing and they're hoping to be protected from the protectionism od developed countries.

Brazil : they see the proposal made by their leader as a very good thing : G8 becomes G20

Japan : they are anxious that Tokio would be isolated because it wouldn't have enough margins to act in order to participate to the relaunch actions.


We can see that the conclusions of the G20 rise many different opinions which, however, agree on one point : they ar etoo vague, there is no concrete plans. Well, I think that it would come but it would be hard because, as we can see it from the international press, all the countries are trying to keep their own interests and to be "winner" of these new plans to restructure the economy. Everybody would need to make concessions. I think that te G20 is a good symbole as the election of Mr Obama was, of "open minding". some emerging countries are heard. The world changes. This could be linked with the "swap of power" from the West countries to the East countries, or from the rich countries to the porr ones, as it's thought by Italy, according to its press.
To come back to the G20 and its conclusions, before it I heard politics and economists on radio saying that there won't be some miracle from this meeting. The same kind of point of view expressed by The Observer. I'm wondering if this kind of no expactation set up before the meeting had an influence on the conclusions of it, or if on the contrary because people were not hoping so much about this meeting they are happy that a first step has been taken.

The first "green" farm in Italy

To deal with the worsening global warming, a pioneering carbon-neutral farm is set up in Italy. Being carbon neutral, refers to achieving net zero carbon emissions by balancing a measured amount of carbon released with an equivalent amount sequestered or offset. It takes place at the Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio olive oil farm, north of Rome. What is so special about it is that there is a battery centre, for the first time, which can store solar-sourced electricity for up to three days. So the electricity generated by the sun no longer has to be used immediately. By doing so, the farm can continue to operate through foggy days. Farm workers can take golf carts and electric bikes which run from solar energy. "But we think that we will start getting our investment back after five years or so. From then on, our fossil fuel bills will disappear," says Lorenzo Fasola Bologna, Monte Vibiano's chief executive. What's more, a range of new technologies is being applied at the farm. For example, using miniature tractors that consume a new generation of bio fuels and renewable energy wood chips instead of methane gas.

It is relieving to know that this farm is doing something to cut the effects of climatic change. Thanks to this farm that discovered the unlimited solar energy, we no longer have to rely heavily on fossil fuels. The greenhouse effect is formed by gases include methane and carbon dioxide which is emitted by fossil fuel burning. Economically, the farm owners would gain profit from this ground-breaking technologies. It benefits all of us and protects the planet. It would be great to pass on this great, green enterprise for generations.

Carbon neutral:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_neutral

The breakdown of the Giants

Two of the American "Big Three" , General Motors and Chrysler, are looking for a fusion. Indeed, these two giants of the American industry have big problems concerning cash assets.

Cerberus, homeowner of Chrysler, and JPMorgan , the principal creditor of these two companies, press to find an accord. If this project reach, it will enable General Motor to conserve its leadership, whereas Toyota preempt it for the first mid-year.

A fusion between these two giants will allow GM to access to Chrysler's cash assets (more than 11 billiards) and to a big part of the 25 billiards of the governmental help for this sector. The problem of cash assets is, firstly, the consequence of the economic slowdown and the competition with asiatic constructors.

Then, these companies need a lot of money to change their production : indeed, they try to reduce the construction of 4x4, because the demand of it has completely fallen (because of oil's prices).

In the USA, these "Big Three" (General Motors, Chrysler and Ford) who were omnipresent have now "only" 50% of the market ...

This future fusion is a new example of the fall of the American industry of its first place in the world. After banks, it's now cars sector who has got problems and who needs an intervention of the government. These problems come from the fall of American demands: Indeed, these three companies made more than a half of their turnovers in North America, which is now in a period of crisis. However, even if they will never become again what they were, the fight is not finished. GM is still the first seller in emergents countries, and it doesn't want to lose this place, whereas Chrysler and Ford are looking for to progress in these countries (like the "BRIC" Brazil, Russia, India and China). However, after Banks, it's the end of an American dream...

Links :

GM, Ford and Chrysler in the "BRIC"

EU and NATO actions about the Georgian conflict

I'm sorry but I don't find the article I read, the first link seems to be the nearest article in relation with the one I read.

A little remember about Georgia : after a series of clashes, Georgia tried to retake South Ossetia by force. This led to a Russian counter attack. A cease-fire has now been signed but problems remain into the area.

- The EU gives a help of €500m (it will conern displaced people, rehabilitation, economic recovery and new infrastructures) and settles 200 ceasefire monitors into the buffer zones.

- NATO refuses the Georgian membership until the conflict is resolved.


- Russia recognised South Ossetia and Abkhazia independence but troops remain into the buffer zones. This situation isn't accepted by NATO who supends its meetings with Russia until it withdraw from South Ossetia and Abkhazia.


-NATO also criticises the EU ceasefire which allowed, according to NATO, Russia to stay in the buffer zones. The EU ceasefire is told to be in contradiction with the earlier plan of "status quo" (come back to the situation which existed before the fighting).



The Georgian conflict shows us that it is more about than an independence war from South Ossetia and Abkhezia. It seems that tensions from the cold war still remain. Indeed, Georgia has received help from the US and that as well as its want to be part of NATO has created tensiosn between Moscow and Tiblissi. The US economic and political influence has been a source of concern for Russia and the fact that Moscow has peacekeeping toops into the independentist areas has been a source of concern for Georgia. Another implicit (it's not told as a possible origin of the conflict) possible origin to the conflict is oil. The US has invested heavily in a oil pipeline which goes through Georgia and so has important interest into the country. Another pickly point between Moscou and Tbilissi about petrol is the Bakou-Tbilissi-Ceyhan pipeline which takes the petrol from the caspienne sea to Turkey, in avoiding Ruia territory. When it is completed in 2009, it will transport one million barrel per day. Moscou doesn't like it because a part of the petrol from the Caspien sea is taken in skirting its terrytory ( Le Monde n°19764, Tuesday 12/08/08 ; cf photo beneath). Therefore, we can see that a conflict has many different origines but that they're all linked with possession of richess.
The conflict also shows us mondialisation. Indeed, the conflict eventually involve the EU and NATO. These two are also "fighting" because they disagree. This conflict shows how problems can add to each other and then involve many people with many different interests.

LINKS :

nearest article
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7616576.stm

to know more about Georgia http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/1102477.stm

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