In The News

Race for Resources: Deciding the Arctic’s Future Behind Closed Doors

Christoph Seidler April 7, 2010
As the Arctic changes dramatically, Canada, Russia, Denmark, Norway, and the United States met last month to discuss and plan its future. Melting ice has created new border disputes along with opportunities for mineral extraction, the latter exacerbating tensions as countries stake rival claims. Still, all five agree on one thing: no guarantees of expansive environmental protection for the region...

Cutting Climate Change's Gordian Knot

John C. Topping Jr. April 2, 2010
Black carbon, commonly known as soot, a byproduct of incomplete combustion, is a major contributor to global warming. It also can have significant, deleterious effects on one’s health. Now, several environmental groups are asking the US Environmental Protection Agency to regulate black carbon under the Clean Water Act on the grounds that it affects sea ice and glaciers. While this proposal may...

Roots of Copenhagen Failure: Nature Does Not Recognize Nations

Bo Ekman March 24, 2010
The Copenhagen climate summit was not just a failure to achieve meaningful results to avert climate change, it was also a failure for national actors to find solutions to supranational problems, according Tällberg Foundation Chairman Bo Ekman. Indeed, the summit was likely to fail from the beginning not simply because national self-interest often trumps global common interest, but because the...

Europe's Green Diplomacy

Sascha Müller-Kraenner and Martin Kremer March 11, 2010
After Copenhagen, Europe learned that leading by example is not enough. Lacking the power of a China or a US in the environment debate, Europe will need to balance shifting alliances in a multipolar world to combat climate change. Such green diplomacy is even more important in an interconnected world where climate change affects not only the environment but also economic growth, energy supply,...

Sands Shifting for Africa's Nomadic Herders

February 12, 2010
A recent study undertaken by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) found that African pastoralists produce goods more efficiently than their peers who practice “modern” farming techniques. For example, while cattle ranchers specialize solely in meat, pastoralists utilize their cattle's milk and blood, and produce manure from their excrement. Moreover,...

Will Japan Emerge from its Shell? – Part I

Edward J. Lincoln February 3, 2010
For the world’s second largest economy, Japan takes a decidedly backseat approach to involvement in global affairs. While there are no rules to force global intercourse, Japan-specialist Edward J. Lincoln believes that as a key beneficiary and user of global public goods, Japan should become more involved. But the hurdles preventing greater interchange between the world and the Japanese are many...

China’s Strident Tone Raises Concerns Among Western Governments, Analysts

John Pomfret February 1, 2010
China’s response to Washington’s plans to sell weapons to Taiwan is part of the recent change in tone in China’s relations not only with the US, but also the world. That change likely stems from China’s ever increasing importance on the world stage as well as new confidence generated by its survival of the financial crisis relatively unscathed. But domestic insecurity over unrest in its western...