Month: March 2017

A recent report by the Department for International Development (DFID) discusses the potential benefits and constraints of the use of technology for civilians and humanitarian organizations in Syria. DFID conducted a qualitative research study which analyzed the use of mobile technology in Syria. They compiled their findings from interviews with Syrian-based respondents and aid workers.

Smartphone ownership and internet access is still widespread among civilians despite the conflict. Eighty-one percent of Syrians own a cell phone. Social media apps help civilians and refugees communicate with their families, but also allows them to connect with humanitarian organizations. Additionally, humanitarian organizations use technology to communicate with and provide services to aid beneficiaries.

Despite internet disruptions and security drawbacks, international organizations are strategically using technology to help address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Syria. Technology is especially helpful in inter-agency coordination and the exchange of information.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel isn’t the warm and cuddly type. She famously winced when President George W. Bush decided to massage her shoulders during a G-7/8 meeting. And she got along ok with him. She made almost no effort to disguise her contempt for/revulsion toward President Trump during their joint press conference a couple of weeks back. While Ms. Merkel clearly likes her space, she isn’t going to let the Brits walk away from the EU easily–or cheaply– as this piece in Business Insider (summing up a piece in the FT, which has a paywall) explains neatly.

See you Monday at the Grad Center to hear Anne Applebaum. You can read her latest columns here. Well worth it.

Due to North Korea’s recent actions, some in Japan is advocating Japan to gain the ability to launch offensive attacks. This is a rare attitude in Japan, as most Japanese are pacifists because the aftermath of World War II. Japan is forbidden by their Constitution, written by Americans after World War II, to have an army to attack. Its military forces are only allowed to act in defense to a threat. The Japan-U.S Security Treaty provides for protection for Japan from the United States. Interestingly enough, the bilateral treaty makes several references to the the U.N charter and the Security Council. Such as Article V in the treaty:

Each Party recognizes that an armed attack against either Party in the territories under the administration of Japan would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common danger in accordance with its constitutional provisions and processes. Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall be immediately reported to the Security Council of the United Nations in accordance with the provisions of Article 51 of the Charter. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security.

According to the article, “Acquiring strike capability might be legally permissible under international law, but it will be difficult to sell to the Japanese public.” It seems the international law binding Japan to be unable to act on the offensive, is its own Constitution and the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.

If Japan has the capability to launch offensive attacks, it is almost certain that China, North and South Korea, and other countries in the region will have issues.

 

The featured story in today’s NY Times, “Fleeing Boko Haram, Thousands Cling to a Road to Nowhere,” illustrates the dire conditions of thousands of people displaced by Boko Haram who settled along National Route 1. Times journalists interviewed and documented the stories of more than 100 people who fled Boko Haram and now live along the paved stretch of deserted highway north of the city of Diffa, Niger. Food and water is scarce in the region, but residents feel a sense of safety and security because Niger’s military regularly patrols the area.

International humanitarian agencies, including Doctors without Borders and the International Rescue Committee, provide some aid, but are limited in their capacity to help. Despite being one of the poorest areas in the country, local communities help an estimated 80 percent of the displaced with food and shelter. UNICEF set up 27 schools in the region, but fewer than half of the 137,000 children in the area attend school.

Earlier this month, the UN urged long-term action in the fight against Boko Haram and pledged its support to Nigeria’s government. Aid services are desperately needed to help 8.5 million people affected by the fight with Boko Haram and resulting humanitarian crisis.

This is one of the projects that I worked on when I was in Poland. We interviewed Ukrainians and Poles to see the perspective on the Ukrainian employment in Poland. It is not as comprehensive as we would have like, we would have like to ask a question about Syrian refugees but limited to our topic on employment in Poland.

It seems that the people we interviewed have a positive view of Ukrainians in Poland. It is important to point out that we were mostly in an university setting and most of the people that we came across are educated. We did not have access to the different demographics that we initially wanted to interview.

Thanks for watching!

The Paris Climate Agreement was historic in part because both China and the U.S. agreed to participate and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. China and the U.S. are the top two emitters of greenhouse gasses. This is a huge step from the Kyoto Protocol in the 1990’s, where neither China, nor the U.S. participated, even though the U.S. has consistently been a top emitter and China’s emissions were increasing exponentially at that time.

As the Trump administration rolls back climate regulations, making it nearly impossible for the U.S. to hit our reduction targets under Paris, China is taking the lead in reaffirming its commitments and even hitting benchmarks ahead of schedule in fossil fuel reduction and the incorporation of renewables into its energy supply.  As the U.S. recedes from its global leadership role, China is ready to take the lead on multiple fronts.

 

ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) is a 30+ year multinational project in the making. It’s goal is to harness nuclear fusion and turn it into energy. It was first discussed in 1985 in the U.S.-Soviet Union summit, and is now based in France. The project is heavily financed by the EU, who has a 45% stake. The U.S., Russia, and China each contribute 9% to the project. The support of the U.S. remains in doubt in light of the Trump administration. This project is expected to produce energy in 2035 and is a decades-long project due to its complexity and various support of stakeholders over the years.

“U.N. talks aimed at banning nuclear weapons, but the big powers — US, Russia, China and other nuclear-armed nations are sitting out a discussion they see as impractical.”

U.S. Ambassador argued that a treaty would end up disarming nations “trying to keep peace and safety,” while “bad actors” wouldn’t sign on or comply. For example, North Korea might been seen as “the bad actor”.

Again, international politics is Realism. You get the power and you can make the rule.

http://time.com/4714710/united-nations-nuclear-waeapons-ban-boycott/

The 60 year old EU is facing many problems. Eg, the euro crisis, the refugee crisis, the rise of populism party (advocating nationalism and abandoning EU), an aggressive Russia under Putin and a “betrayed” US under Trump… What’s worse, some issues above increases EU’s members crisis of faith to EU. In this situation, “a closer union” may not be the right antidote to EU.

The article gives us an interesting proposal: “What is really needed is a creative rethink of the entire European project: The most obvious idea is to drop the rigid one-size-fits-all model and adopt the greater flexibility of a network. ” In other words, there will be a multi-speed, multi-tier Europe under this model; members of EU could be bound to each other with different levels of integration.

http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21719188-it-marks-its-60th-birthday-european-union-poor-shape-it-needs-more?zid=307&ah=5e80419d1bc9821ebe173f4f0f060a07

A recent study by the Yale Program on Climate Communications  shows that Americans view climate change as an issue that will effect the country, but not them personally. This disconnect is especially worrying in states like Texas and Florida, that will be hit by climate change the most, yet only 57% of its residents view it as an imminent threat.

This relativist mindset is actually understandable. The U.S. will be impacted by climate change, but the countries that will be hit the hardest are China, India, Bangladesh, Somalia, etc. The urgency of climate change is hard to grasp anyway because of how large the scope is, but seeing research that developed countries won’t be impacted as much is very dangerous since it will undermine their efforts to reduce emissions.