In The News

Precious Wetlands Rapidly Disappearing

Hiroaki Sato August 30, 2006
Some deride wetlands as swamps, and others regard them as invaluable habitat providing a buffer during floods, a system that contributes to climate moderation and a habitat for diverse wildlife. The US Clean Water Act was supposed to prevent the discharge of pollutants into rivers, lakes and coastal waters of that nation – and later expanded to include wetlands. In 1988, US Congress devised a...

In Europe, Universities Struggle to Compete and Adapt

Nicole Itano August 18, 2006
Publicly funded European universities can no longer compete with top schools in the US, yet angry students oppose proposals for reform. Increasing unemployment makes entry-level jobs for college graduates scarce. Because of limited funds available for university development, some nations implement fees to improve programs. However, most European students expect free tuition and resent the fees....

Skills Outweigh Natural Resources – In Attracting Foreign Investment, Says Afeti

Bennnett Akuaku August 17, 2006
Africa is rich with oil, minerals and wildlife, but with adult literacy and child labor rates at just over 50 percent, the continent remains impoverished. By coincidence or not, Africa’s share of worldwide foreign direct investment in 2005 was about 3 percent, and the same percentage of the African population possesses higher education. Globalization places a premium on skills, suggests higher-...

Drop the “War on Terrorism” Metaphor

Richard N. Haass August 17, 2006
Although terrorists have yet to launch another attack on the scale of the September 11th attacks, the arrests in London remind the world that extremists still plot. Globalization allows would-be terrorists to move around easily, and modern technology such as weapons of mass destruction increases the potential for destruction and loss of life. The Bush administration insists that promoting...

A New Brand of Power

Sebastian Mallaby August 8, 2006
Some product brands, from Apple’s iPods to Nike Air Force Ones, attract fast, global popularity. For many modern products, corporate value centers on patents, skill and brands – and yet firms have less control over brand popularity than ever before. Consumers tend to rely on word of mouth and blogs more than advertising. Customer opinions matter, according to columnist Sebastian Mallaby, and...

Managing Globalization: A New Trade Bandwagon – Are Rich-Poor Pacts Fair?

Daniel Altman August 8, 2006
Following in the wake of the failed Doha Round trade talks, negotiators turn their energy to bilateral trade agreements, which usually pair rich and poor countries. The US is eager to participate in bilateral agreements, recently making deals with Chile, Jordan and Singapore. In addition to creating more employment opportunities, the agreements also increase exports from each country. Less...

Letter from Britain: Lack of African Dream Lets a Nightmare Prevail

Alan Cowell August 2, 2006
At the 2005 G-8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, leaders from the world’s most industrialized nations promised increased aid for the countries of sub-Saharan Africa, while African leaders pledged to clean up corruption in government – kicking off the “Make Poverty History” campaign with high hopes. A year later, donor nations have not followed through on their promises, and some charge that...