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English should not be a barrier for texts of broad international appeal. Access is merely a matter of translation. Unfortunately, the market for translations is frustrated by piracy. Non-English publishers cannot compete with a photocopier charging 3 cents per page. The economic result is that translations rights are not bought and English-language texts, not translated. The absence of translations means that non-English speakers are effectively denied access.

To enhance accessibility, Professor Vogel has foregone his claim to royalties in exchange of translation rights into all languages. Interested foundations or agencies can sponsor a translation and the translated text will be placed into the public domain via the internet.

Of urgency is the translation of The Economics of the Yasuní Initiative: Climate Change as if Thermodynamics Mattered. The background studies were financed by the German government, i.e. German taxpayers, and the book has profound implications for all the countries of the Amazon basin (Spanish and Portuguese-speaking). Yet it has been launched only in English. Funding is sought for translation into German, Spanish, and Portuguese, according to the following terms of reference:

1.$8,000 per language translated, payable in four equal installments (signing contract, first installment)

2.25,000 words delivered four weeks after signing contract (second
installment)

3.7,500 additional words delivered at end of fifth week (third installment)

4.remaining 7,500 words delivered at end of sixth week (fourth installment)

5.translator review of copyeditors' comments/suggestions at end of seventh week

6.$1,000 per copyeditor (two) whose work begins in week four and continue through to week eight [total budget for translation and copyediting: $10,000]

7.title of translator in title page of translated work and mention of copyeditor in acknowledgments

8.no royalties claimed by translator on translation

9.placement of the translated text into the public domain via the internet

10.acknowledgment of the funding organization in the translated book.

Three scholars have been identified as ideal for this translation project: Ivan Jimenez Williams (Spanish),                Camilo Gomides (Portuguese), and Johannes Gnann (German).  Interested foundations/agencies should contact josephvogel@usa.net and identify the subject as “translation of ‘The Economics of the Yasuní Initiative.’

Translation Project