近年来,随着中国建造燃煤发电厂速度的加快,有关全球气候变化的担忧也接踵而至。但对新发电厂的仔细考察显示,中国大规模建造清洁燃煤电厂的计划事实上将有助于减少碳排量。许多新发电厂较之旧发电厂有更高的效率,同时要获得政府批准建造新厂还必须符合政府提出的一项条件,即陈旧而低效的发电厂应予淘汰。此外,中国还对风能进行了投资,并且不久将可能成为世界最大的风能设备市场。所有上述举措都已促使国际能源机构(简称IEA)降低了对中国在未来几年内碳排放年增长量的预测。但这并不意味着碳排放量正在降低,因为减排的障碍依然存在。中国将一直依赖比天然气“更脏”的煤碳发电;在中国,具备碳分离技术的燃煤电厂还尚待建立;...
点击这里,阅读《纽约时报》上的原文。
阿拉伯之春(The Arab Spring)激发了逊尼派叙利亚人对阿拉维派的独裁者巴沙尔?阿萨德(Bashar al Assad)的不满,阿萨德此后动用了坦克和武装部队,对抗议进行了毫不留情的镇压。在最近的自杀式爆炸发生之后,叙利亚政府迅速地谴责了基地组织,然而却没有任何组织出面声明承担责任,而与此同时,反对派领导人则质疑政府精心策划了这些袭击,以掩饰政府对抗议的暴力反应。根据联合国的估计,自2011年3月份以来,已经有超过5400人遭到杀害,而阿拉伯联盟为了制止冲突,采取了前所未有的措施。恐怖主义分析家法哈德?纳泽尔(Fahad Nazer)认为,网络报道和视频正给怒气火上浇油,...
监督独裁者:叙利亚的独裁者阿萨德的坦克向示威者开火(上图);阿拉伯联盟的监督员们没有能够影响到阿萨德。
华盛顿:十个月以来,全世界震惊地看到,巴沙尔·阿萨德的政权在整个叙利亚境内,对手无寸铁的平民实施了惯常的屠杀,以平息这场正在波及全国的动荡。毫无 疑问,由于受到了他国阿拉伯同胞的成功案例的启发,成千上万的叙利亚人举行了抗议,要求自己的权利和尊严得到尊重。虽然叙利亚政府在加强镇压和假意满足人 民的一些要求之间摇摆不定,但有一点是清楚的:阿萨德不太可能会追随埃及的穆巴拉克或者突尼斯的本·...
China invests billions on Confucius Institutes and CCTV broadcasts to spread Chinese language, culture and perspectives on world news. But China’s harsh authoritarian rule, exposed by a few incidents or individuals attracting global attention, can undermine efforts to build soft power through a...
HONG KONG: Buoyed by its massive foreign-exchange reserve, China has spent billions of dollars to boost its soft power. Direct Chinese television broadcasts and Confucius Institutes around the world are aimed at winning the world’s respect. But a...
Brexit and Donald Trump’s presidency both rode to success on a wave of nationalistic fervor, based on the view that globalization on balance harms the UK and the US. Yet the histories of those countries demonstrate that economic protectionism can lead to political instability and worse, total war....
Read the article.
The British government officially notified the EU of its intention to leave – an admission that a prominent and pragmatic member could not influence the larger governing structure or find agreement with other European members. The decision is a tragedy for both sides “Even if the exit negotiations...
The Chinese are eager for television shows about China, and development of new content – reality shows, game shows, gossip shows and more – attracts millions of yuan in investments. “After years of being accused of ripping off foreign television hits, Chinese variety show producers have started...
India tested its first nuclear device in 1974 and then in 1998 conducted three nuclear tests, defying an international ban and prompting condemnation. India’s experiences over the next two decades demonstrate the futility of restrictions against a very determined nation, explains independent...
Invitation to the club? Having developed its own intercontinental ballistic missile, India seeks entry to the global Missile Technology Control Regime, while rival China parades its own ICBMs
WELLINGTON, TAMIL NADU: India test-fired a long-range...
New digital technologies known as “deepfake” can manipulate images and faces in realistic ways that trickl viewers. Governments and companies have long adjusted photographs and videos for propaganda or advertising purposes. However, Moisés Naím explains that deepfake is more dangerous, with...