In The News

Climate-Change Challenge for the Poor – Part II

Mira Kamdar September 28, 2007
Increased consumption by rich and newly rich nations combined with effects of climate change set the stage for a global food crisis. Decreased supplies of world dietary staples like wheat, corn and rice have already increased prices significantly this year, and a few nervous governments brace for possible social unrest by hungry citizens. In this second article of a two-part series that explores...

Huge Effort Urged on Global Warming

Chrystia Freeland September 28, 2007
Contrary to a recent United Nations report that the fight against global warming will be costly, former US President Bill Clinton argues that a serious and ambitious program will save money and create jobs. For example, businesses investing in new, energy-efficient technology can dramatically decrease their utilities costs. Other analysts have also noted that the costs of future natural disasters...

India Tries Outsourcing Its Outsourcing

Anand Giridharadas September 26, 2007
India was an early leader in benefiting from the technology-driven globalization of the job market, but now positions such jobs all over the globe. A traditional recipient of outsourced labor, India has experienced rising worker wages and competition from other developing countries. As a result, writes journalist Anand Giridharadas, Indian firms have opened offices in countries such as Mexico,...

Climate-Change Challenge for the Poor – Part I

Chandrashekhar Dasgupta September 26, 2007
Although climate change has been brought about largely by development in industrialized rich nations, it will impose the most hardship on the poorest countries. In the first article of this two-part series, Ambassador Chandrashekhar Dasgupta of India argues that accelerated social and economic development may offer the only hope for poor nations who have a long way to go in adapting to climate...

Burma’s Growing Dilemma

A. Lin Neumann September 25, 2007
Burma has endured harsh military rule since 1962, which has devastated the economy, making the nation, since re-named by its rulers as Myanmar, an embarrassment among the fast-growing economies throughout Southeast Asia. Over the years, pro-democracy activists participated in various protests, only to face brutal crackdowns from the authoritarian government, with protestors facing long prison...

Trading Ritual and Reality

Alan Beattie September 25, 2007
Trade agreements are often contentious, raising heated protests from those fearing job loss and eagerness from businesspeople anticipating record profits. Yet since major reductions in manufacturing tariffs were instituted following World War II, trade agreements have been more about style than substance. The decline in the importance of bilateral and regional treaties can be attributed to the...

Still Hanging On

Satoshi Kambayashi September 24, 2007
American foreign policy may have an independent streak, but the US depends on huge amounts of foreign capital. Despite some recent dire reports, the dollar’s recent decline has been small, considering recent volatility in the markets and tightening of credit worldwide, reports Satoshi Kambayashi. America’s tendency to accumulate debt contributes to the dollar’s dropping value. Kambayashi points...