By: Evan Cooper, Columnist Photo Credit: Task and Purpose In a 2014 Department of Defense document, then Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel sounded the alarm that “Rising global temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, climbing sea levels, and more extreme weather events will intensify the challenges of global instability, hunger, poverty, and conflict.”[i] Hagel’s warning has borne … Continue reading National Security Figures Need to Explain the Impacts of Climate Change
Category: Environment & Health
As October Revolution Centennial Passes, Belarus Clings to Soviet Past
By: Patrick Savage, Columnist Photo Credit: Eurasianet As the 100th anniversary of the October Revolution, one of Russia’s most significant and traumatic historical events, came and went this month, Moscow was quiet.[i] The scene was far different, however, in neighboring Belarus, the former Soviet republic where “Revolution Day” is still a public holiday.[ii] President Alexander … Continue reading As October Revolution Centennial Passes, Belarus Clings to Soviet Past
Chinese Global Governance Leadership is Only a Win-Win for China
By: Theresa Lou, Columnist Photo Credit: Asia News Held from October 14-24, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) 19th Party Congress solidified President Xi Jinping’s leadership and set the party’s priorities and goals for the next five years. During his three-hour speech,[i] Xi waxed poetic about China’s great national rejuvenation, which he mentioned 27 times,[ii] and … Continue reading Chinese Global Governance Leadership is Only a Win-Win for China
Assessing US Credibility in the Trump Era
By: Stephanie Pillion, Columnist Photo Credit: BBC Within the first seven months of his term in office, President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from three critical international agreements: the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Paris Climate Accord, and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The TPP, Paris Climate Accord, and JCPOA are all multilateral … Continue reading Assessing US Credibility in the Trump Era
The Need for Realpolitik in US-Turkey Relations
By: Mark Bhaskar, Columnist Photo Credit: Voice of America From October 8th-9th, the United States and Turkey suspended each other’s visa services after the latter arrested a second US Consulate employee of this year. On October 16th, the United States sent a diplomatic team to begin negotiations to end the crisis, yet a solution has … Continue reading The Need for Realpolitik in US-Turkey Relations
Preventing Russian Dominance in the Arctic
By: Will Chim, Columnist Photo Credit: CIMSEC The lands and seas of the Arctic Circle remain one of the last great frontiers on Earth and hold up to 13% of total undiscovered oil and 30% of undiscovered natural gas in the world.[1] Out of all the countries with an interest in the Arctic, the Russian … Continue reading Preventing Russian Dominance in the Arctic
Sri Lanka: Battleground for an Asian Power Imbroglio?
By: Husanjot Chahal, Columnist Photo Credit: BBC Japan and India’s growing bonhomie is often touted as a counter to China’s geopolitical clout across Asia, particularly in the Indian Ocean region, where the former’s recent Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) is cited as in direct competition with Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).[i] Such a power struggle … Continue reading Sri Lanka: Battleground for an Asian Power Imbroglio?
Damming the Mekong: Environmental Degradation and the “Build First, Talk Later” Approach
By: Trisha Ray, Columnist Photo Credit: Mongabay The Mekong River, in particular the proliferation of Chinese dams along it, has become a source of conflict between the upstream countries of China and Laos and downstream countries of Cambodia and Vietnam. The basis of this conflict is the environmental impact of hydropower projects on the river’s … Continue reading Damming the Mekong: Environmental Degradation and the “Build First, Talk Later” Approach
Opportunities and Challenges for Europe’s Energy Union
By: William Haynes Photo Credit: European Commission On February 25, 2015, the European Union (EU) announced its intent to establish an Energy Union aimed to create a unified energy market to strengthen Europe’s leverage in trade agreements, to integrate the energy market, and to support its 2020 target of increasing the use of renewables to … Continue reading Opportunities and Challenges for Europe’s Energy Union
Europe’s New Approach to Energy Security
By: Andrew Johnian, Reporter Photo Credit: SolarServer Last week, Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service hosted Sascha Muller-Kraenner to discuss international climate and energy collaboration in the Trump era. Mr. Muller-Kraenner, a top European energy and environmental activist, spoke at the BMW Center for German and European Studies. Over the course of his career … Continue reading Europe’s New Approach to Energy Security