In The News

The Persian Complex

Abbas Amanat June 7, 2006
Nation-states exist in the context of collective memory. In the case of Iran, this includes a history of “at least two centuries of military aggression, domestic meddling, skullduggery, and, not least, technological denial by the West.” Such a milieu colors all relations between Iran and the rest of the world, and must be kept in mind if countries such as the US and UK hope to deter that country...

Cooking the Climate With Coal

Jeff Goodell June 7, 2006
Recognizing limited energy supplies, the world turns to coal for fuel. Coal meets about half of US energy needs, about 70 percent for China. Anticipating strict regulatory limits, countries like the US have stepped up coal mining and construction of coal-burning power plants. But Author Jeff Goodell suggests that relying on coal is dangerous, from mining accidents to air and ground pollution....

In China, Globalization Can Be Green

Saleem H. Ali June 1, 2006
China and Taiwan’s economies have benefited immensely from growth in the manufacturing sector and produce all sorts of goods used both domestically and abroad. But the two countries’ have vastly different ranks in an environmental performance index created by Yale University, with Taiwan ranking two places above the US and China ranking 70 places below Taiwan. Before outsourcing work, foreign...

Russia's Energy Diversification Moves

Vladimir Radyuhin May 31, 2006
Blocked from investing in Europe’s retail energy market, Russian firms seek other customers in Asia, including Japan and China. The nation has substantial natural gas and oil reserves, and Gazprom, Russia’s natural-gas firm, anticipates acquiring stakes in the EU distribution network. However, the EU has balked, expecting Russia to open its own energy markets and abide by western standards of...

A Climate of Our Own Making

Scott Barrett May 25, 2006
Climate change grabs international attention, but spurs little action. In this article, environmental economist Scott Barrett urges governments to confront the inevitability of global warming and points to key shortcomings in global climate-control policy. To slow climate change, experts generally argue for stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. Such progress, however,...

Don’t Exaggerate Iranian Threat

Thomas W. Lippman May 25, 2006
Most world powers want to prevent Iran from producing nuclear weapons. Yet at the same time, those opposed to Iran nuclear capability cannot resort to unrealistic fears. For example, US policy should not focus narrowly on the threat that nuclear Iran poses for Israel. Without nuclear weapons, a military confrontation would inevitably turn in Israel’s favor: Israel has state-of-the-art...

Managing Globalization: How Diversification Can Act as a Hedge

Daniel Altman May 18, 2006
Bolivia’s steps to resume control of its natural gas industry from foreign multinational companies have not led to a drop in stock prices. Like the investors who protect portfolios with diverse investments, multinational firms rely on globalization and diverse geographic regions to protect their bottom-line profits. Of course, energy firms face limitations when it comes to diversifying based on...