In The News

The Rising and Falling Power of Hydrocarbon States

Dilip Hiro July 3, 2007
The global economy runs on oil. Unequal distribution of oil throughout the world bestows power on the few states with ample supplies. Venezuela is one example of a nation that uses oil as leverage in foreign affairs: Besides consolidating his popular base at home, President Hugo Chavez has helped debt-ridden countries in that region, openly mocks the US and signed an arms-procurement deal with...

Europe/Plan B – For a Carbon-Free Economy Independent of Arabic Oil, Russian Gas or Chinese Coal

Juraj Mesik July 2, 2007
Demanding more studies on climate change and delaying are easy. Action to reduce dependence on nonrenewable energy sources requires leadership. “Our task is hard – our task is unprecedented – and the time is short…. Speed will count. Lost ground can always be regained – lost time, never. Speed will save lives… speed will save our freedom and our civilization.” The 1942 State of the Union speech...

The Double Edge of Globalization

Nayan Chanda June 28, 2007
Activists have long accused global corporations of being bad environmental citizens. But the problems of climate change and deforestation are part of a larger phenomenon, in which globalization is but one factor among many. As Nayan Chanda, editor of YaleGlobal, discusses in his new book “Bound Together: How Traders, Preachers, Adventurers, and Warriors Shaped Globalization,” international...

Africa and the “War on Terror”: Policing the Undergoverned Spaces

June 26, 2007
Large swaths of land throughout Africa go ungoverned by conventional powers and could offer havens for terrorist groups. A new US command force, known as AFRICOM, plans to unify military deployments in Africa, partner with NGOs and other development agencies, and train local forces, with the goal of creating stability throughout the Saharan belt. Some US analysts worry about terrorists...

Both Sides Say Project Is Pivotal Issue for Brazil

Larry Rohter June 23, 2007
A proposal to build two dams on Brazil’s Madeira River has sparked debate about the value of economic growth versus environmental protection. An environmental agency denied the construction license, but the government ordered more studies. Environmentalists cite many concerns about building the dams. The river that winds through rainforest is said to have more distinct types of fish than any...

China Overtakes US as World's Biggest CO2 Emitter

John Vidal June 22, 2007
Nations seek to achieve superiority in all sorts of endeavors – but not with carbon-dioxide emissions. A report released by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency recorded China’s emissions as 8 percent higher than those of the US. China’s reliance on coal contributed to the high rates, as did cement production, which produces 9 percent of China’s total emissions. China’s lead in...

In Ukraine, Illegal Mines Beckon the Jobless

Andrew Matheny June 21, 2007
Under communism, miners in Ukraine earned three times the national wage average, and mining jobs included perks like an apartment and early retirement. The transition from communism to capitalism has not been easy for Ukraine’s state-run mines, since the nation gained independence in 1991. Independence brought new competition from competing energy sources, mostly gas and oil from Siberia. The...