CIRSD Recommends

Is inequality bad for the environment?

From buying stuff to eating meat to wasting water, there is growing evidence that countries with a bigger gap between rich and poor do more harm to the planet and its climate, writes Danny Dorling

North Korea Says It Has Successfully Tested ICBM

North Korea said on Tuesday that it had successfully conducted its first test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, claiming a milestone in its efforts to build nuclear weapons capable of hitting the mainland United States.

Russia and NATO: A Paradoxical Crisis

Future historians analyzing the collapse of our relations after the Ukrainian revolution will certainly find it paradoxical. This is one of those rare and unpredictable cases where a crisis occurred under conditions that were entirely conducive to co

The Development of Cyber Norms at the United Nations Ends in Deadlock. Now What?

The prospects of developing norms of state behavior in cyberspace have been looking positively bleak recently. The Lazarus Group, which appears to have ties to North Korea, is suspected of being behind the WannaCry ransomware attacks that spread to 1

Europe’s Gradualist Fallacy

Europe is at the mercy of a common currency that not only was unnecessary for European integration, but that is actually undermining the European Union itself. So what should be done about a currency without a state to back it – or about the 19 Europ

Petya Or NotPetya: Why The Latest Ransomware Is Deadlier Than WannaCry

The world suffered another ransomware nightmare Tuesday, with pharmaceutical companies, Chernobyl radiation detection systems, the Kiev metro, an airport and banks all affected. One U.S. hospital also appears to be a victim. Worse is expected, thanks

The Brexit Vote, One Year Later

On June 23, 2016, citizens in the United Kingdom voted 52 to 48 percent to leave the European Union, sending shockwaves around the world and raising concerns about a new type of populism on both sides of the Atlantic. The common explanation of Brexit

The size and location of Europe’s defence industry

There is growing debate about a common European military policy and defence spending. Such moves would have major economic implications. We look at the supply side and summarise some key facts about the European defence sector: its size, structure, a

Death of Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi could see jihadis' resistance crumble

If it is confirmed that Baghdadi has been killed in a Russian air strike, it would also be a major coup for Vladimir Putin

Rolling Back Democracy

What must Angela Merkel be thinking? What must Xi Jinping be thinking? What must Vladimir Putin be thinking?

In our backyard: The Caribbean’s statelessness and refugee crisis

The migrant crisis in Europe has placed the issues of refugees and migration firmly on the global agenda, with estimates that over 1 million people entered Europe in 2015 as refugees or migrants. Fleeing war, generalized violence, or repressive gover

How Brazil’s political and economic crisis affects its military spending

SIPRI’s recently published data shows a decrease of 7.2% in Brazil’s military expenditure in 2016 compared to 2015. The reasons behind this cut are quite complicated, since the country is embroiled in a mix of a political and economic crises. This bl

Big Oil Steps Up Support for Carbon Tax

Some of the world’s largest oil companies and the country’s biggest auto maker are joining a group pushing the U.S. government to tax carbon in an effort to slow climate change.

US oil groups feel Russia sanctions freeze more than Europeans

Rivals gain ground with less aggressive EU stance

As U.S. Adds Troops in Afghanistan, Trump’s Strategy Remains Undefined

When President Trump made his first major decision on the war in Afghanistan, he did not announce it in a nationally televised address from the White House or a speech at West Point.

Start-Up Palestine: How to Spark a West Bank Tech Boom

For decades, Israeli and Palestinian politicians have pursued a political solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, only to see their hopes dashed again and again. Today, the prospects for a comprehensive peace agreement remain dim. Policymakers must th

Glencore Can Snatch Rio’s Coal, but Might Regret It

Knowing when to go in with cannons blazing and when to hold your fire is essential for all businesses, but especially for big miners. That makes Glencore’s gambit to poach Rio Tinto’s Australian coal assets from rival Chinese suitor Yancoal for $2.55

Meet the Two Princes Reshaping the Middle East

The dramatic and sudden effort to isolate Qatar, like the fateful intervention before it in Yemen, sprang from the shared vision of two princes. Depending on your point of view, they may be the harbingers of a new and better Middle East—or reckless a

Excess oil inventories to last until 2018 – IEA

Oil demand should outpace supply in the second half of this year but excess inventories will persist well into 2018, dealing a blow to global crude producers enacting output cuts to bring down stubbornly high stockpiles.

Xi Jinping’s Marco Polo Strategy

Last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over a heavily orchestrated “Belt and Road” forum in Beijing. The two-day event attracted 29 heads of state, including Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and 1,200 delegates from over 100 countries. Xi called C

What Brexit Means

Brexit supporters argue that the EU threatens sovereignty and stifles growth, while opponents counter that EU membership strengthens trade, investment, and the UK’s standing in the world.

How Muslim Extremists Exploit European Liberalism

Islamism and Salafism have become part of Europe’s Muslim landscape, affecting its hues and shape.

Shadowy rebels extend Myanmar’s wars

The little-known Arakan Army, one of the country's newest insurgent outfits, is responsible for rising violence in the country's remote western regions

Tehran Terrorist Attacks Risk Unleashing All-Out War Between Iran And Saudi Arabia

And President Trump’s backhanded condolences and hypocrisy aren’t helping.

SPY VS. SPY The Game Is Afoot

How spies, terrorists, and criminals could leverage gamified intelligence networks to wreak havoc in the 21st century.

Highlights