CIRSD Recommends

The World China Wants

Does China want to transform the global order to advance its own interests and to reflect its own image? That may be the most important question in geopolitics today, yet the answers it elicits tend to reveal more about modern biases than they do abo

Sustainable Development: GOAL OF THE MONTH

Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

The world's fastest-growing source of food

The green fronds that grow along much of India's shoreline have large potential as a sustainable food source, while helping to fight climate change.

Jack Ma Makes Ant Offer to Placate Chinese Regulators

Trying to salvage his relationship with regulators in a Nov. 2 meeting, the Chinese billionaire said he was ready to do what the country needed

Global Markets Are Partying Like It Is 2008 (But a Crash Is Coming)

After the 2008 U.S. housing and credit market crisis, Chuck Prince, the former Citibank CEO, explained his bank’s speculative activity during the bubble by noting that when the music is playing you have to dance. Today, with the world’s major central

To end the pandemic, WHO says $28 billion ACT project is ‘the best deal in town’

“This is the best deal in town. No question. This will pay itself off within 36 hours, once we get international travel and trade mobility moving again”, said Dr. Bruce Aylward, Senior Advisor to the WHO Director General and lead for the coalition, k

Sleepwalking Toward the Nuclear Precipice

COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the fragility of the international mechanisms for managing transnational risks and underscored the need for new cooperative approaches to anticipate and deal with threats. One lesson of COVID-19 is that the unthinkable d

What Will a Joe Biden Presidency Mean for the Balkans?

One can expect that the Biden team will be far more involved in transatlantic affairs. The Balkan countries should be involved in the resulting conversations.

A Revolutionary Change in Thailand: Protests Against the Monarchy Signal a Break With the Past

Since February, protesters have taken to the streets of Thailand to demand reform of the country’s political system. Demonstrations swelled in recent months as activists grew more forthright in criticizing the government and the monarchy—an instituti

The Countries With the Most to Gain—and Lose—Under a Biden Administration

Donald Trump may not be over the U.S. elections… but plenty of other countries sure are. As the congratulations for president-elect Joe Biden and vice president-elect Kamala Harris from foreign leaders stream in, here’s a quick look at which world le

Contribution of life in soil ‘remains largely underestimated’, says UN agriculture agency

Even though soil organisms play a crucial role in boosting food production, enhancing nutritious diets, preserving human health, and combating climate change, the real contribution of these tiny life forms remains largely underestimated, the UN agric

Brexit: Are both sides running out of road to make a deal?

These are unsettling days for those of us watching, waiting and occasionally nail-nibbling, constantly calling sources, perpetually checking social media, for hints that an EU-UK trade security deal is nigh - or off the table completely this year.

Pubs and venues may turn away people not Covid-vaccinated, says minister

Customers who have refused a Covid-19 vaccine could be turned away by hospitality and sports venues, the government’s vaccine minister has suggested, as he discussed the idea of using technology to reopen the economy.

The Unprecedented Challenge of Coronavirus Vaccine Distribution

The countries that get the vaccine first will also be the first to end their lockdowns, open up schools and restaurants and restart their economies.

How to Save Democracy From Technology

Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Twitter, already powerful before the COVID-19 pandemic, have become even more so during it, as so much of everyday life moves online. As convenient as their technology is, the emergence of such dominant corporatio

Market milestone: Dow closes above 30,000 for the first time ever

The Dow Jones Industrial Average roared past a major milestone and closed at a new record high after US President Trump gave the green light to the transition of power to President-elect Biden’s administration.

Why U.S. Security Depends on Alliances—Now More Than Ever

To achieve defense in depth, simply strengthening the U.S. military is not enough; nor the even more urgent task of strengthening U.S. diplomacy and other civilian elements of national power. Enhancing national security must start with the fundamenta

Climate change: Biden should establish a carbon price benchmark

A carbon price benchmark — which could be set initially at $50 per ton and rise over time — would reflect the benefits of reducing the pollution causing climate change. Biden would ensure that decision-makers across government rigorously consider the

A deep dive into Zero Hunger: farming the seas

With the world population expected to rise to 9.7 billion by 2050, food production will need to keep pace, and experts believe the Ocean can provide much of the sustenance we need. The second story in our two-part series on aquaculture focuses on the

Covid-19: Oxford University vaccine shows 70% protection

The coronavirus vaccine developed by the University of Oxford stops 70% of people developing Covid symptoms, a large-scale trial shows.

Climate crisis: ‘Nowhere near the finish line’

“The European Union, Japan and the Republic of Korea have pledged carbon neutrality by 2050, along with more than 110 other countries”, he elaborated. “China says it will do so before 2060”.

Repairing the World The Imperative—and Limits—of a Post-Trump Foreign Policy

Asuccessful candidate for president of the United States has plenty of choices to make. He can select his vice president, the members of his cabinet, and the text of his inaugural address.

This Is How Ukraine Will Destroy the Rule of Law While Claiming to Defend it

In the year following his election, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s approval has fallen from 73 percent to a new low in the latest local elections. Although several run-off elections have yet to be held, it is already clear that the presiden

U.S. formally exits global climate pact amid election uncertainty

The United States formally exited the Paris Agreement on Wednesday, fulfilling an old promise by President Donald Trump to withdraw the world’s second-largest greenhouse gas emitter from the global pact to fight climate change.

US election 2020: Why don't we know the result yet?

In fact, because of the time it takes to count the huge number of postal votes cast during this pandemic election, it could take days.

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