In The News

Global Citizenship Catching Fancy of Super-Rich in India, China: Report

PTI May 6, 2014
The wealthiest in the world have the means and will to seek out new locations offering the most in comfort or tax relief. China and India together have more than 25,000 citizens with ultra high net worth, accounting for one of seven worldwide, according to an inaugural report on the super-wealthy from Wealth-X and UBS. “With each country already having large non-resident populations, the...

Water Scarcity Challenges to Business

Arjen Y. Hoekstra May 2, 2014
Water – so essential for living and business, from agriculture to mining and high-tech manufacturing – is under-priced. Scarcity is on the horizon due to growing populations and economic growth as well as climate change. Greater efficiency and improved storage encourage demand. Businesses recognize the risks and anticipate greater competition over allocation. “Countries such as the USA, Brazil,...

Profitable Development Solutions: How the Private Sector Can Contribute to the Post-2015 Agenda

Laurence Chandy, Kemal Derviş, George Ingram, Homi Kharas and Steven Rocker May 1, 2014
The United Nations posed eight millennium goals, including elimination of extreme poverty. Progress has been made, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon convened a meeting in August 2013 to analyze how to achieve that goal by 2030. The Brookings Institution offers a special report on the meeting with focus on better coordination of private and public funding for development aid: “the developing...

The Rise of Asia Means You Need Different Style of Leadership

Rick Lash April 29, 2014
The challenges of globalization and global markets require new leadership – of broader collaboration among diverse players. “Countries and organizations can no longer operate under the outdated notion that they are surrounded by intact borders and bear sole responsibility for taking charge over what happens on their turf,” writes Rick Lash for the Globe and Mail. “Leadership in the new world...

Globalization Responsible for Factory Tragedy

Grahame Lucas April 28, 2014
A year has passed since the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory complex that killed more than 1100 workers – the worst accident in Bangladesh history. Activists in Bangladesh report some improvements in wages, inspections and worker training. Yet wealthy consumers around the globe fail to see the connection between their quest for affordable fashion and the workers who toil for low wages and...

Agreement Reached on Deep Sea Mining

David Shukman April 28, 2014
A Canadian mining firm has finalized a deal for deep-sea mining with Papua New Guinea, despite environmentalists’ warnings of long-term damage. Environmentalists note that much of the sea floor has yet to be explored. “The mine will target an area of hydrothermal vents where superheated, highly acidic water emerges from the seabed, where it encounters far colder and more alkaline seawater,...

Global Food Security: Debunking the “China Threat” Narrative

Zhang Hongzhou April 24, 2014
In assessing food security, analysts point to two challenges – climate change along with rising demand in China. Zhang Hongzhou, associate research fellow with the China Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, argues that “playing up the China threat narrative is rather misguided and unhelpful to global food security.” Food self-sufficiency is not an option for growing...