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2132. Paving the Road to Paris? What the EU Can Do to Facilitate A Political Climate Deal
- Author:
- Olivia Gippner
- Publication Date:
- 10-2015
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- LSE IDEAS
- Abstract:
- On the road to the Paris climate change conference in December 2015, what are the prospects for a deal among the key international players - the United States, China, and India? This Strategic Update asks what the EU can do to influence a higher level of ambition and continue to have a leadership role in the global climate community.
- Topic:
- Climate Change
- Political Geography:
- European Union
2133. Common EU Policies on Authorised Immigration
- Author:
- Georgia Mavrodi
- Publication Date:
- 10-2015
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- LSE IDEAS
- Abstract:
- The idea of 'Fortress Europe' has dominated debates on EU immigration policies from the 1990s to current concerns in the Mediterranean. However, this focus on security and illegal migration has obscured important developments in EU policy on authorised migration. This strategic update analyses the construction of common EU policies that recognise the need for particular categories of international migrants.
- Topic:
- International Cooperation and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- European Union
2134. The Third Way: Japan’s Policy on Nuclear Energy
- Author:
- Shinsuke Tomotsugu
- Publication Date:
- 05-2015
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- East-West Center
- Abstract:
- On April 14, 2015, a Japanese court ordered a halt to the government’s plan to restart the Takahama Nuclear Power Plant. The ruling cited safety fears, whereas the Japanese nuclear regulatory watchdog had given the opera on its consent. There are currently 48 commercial reactors in Japan, all of which remain offline a er the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011. The Japanese government has been cri cized for its insistence on viewing nuclear energy as an important base‐load power source despite its official policy of reducing dependence on nuclear energy. But restar ng nuclear reactors—assuming that they meet the revised safety requirements—does not necessarily contradict that policy inasmuch as the transparency of the safety review process is guaranteed. Moreover, the issue is intertwined with broader concerns that extend beyond Japan’s borders, including U.S.‐Japan rela ons and the interna onal nonprolifera on regime. It is this interna onal context, o en overlooked in Japan and elsewhere, that makes it unrealis c and rather dangerous for Japan to immediately abandon nuclear energy altogether.
- Topic:
- International Security and Nuclear Power
- Political Geography:
- Japan
2135. The Engagement of Arab Gulf States in Egypt and Tunisia since 2011
- Author:
- Sebastian Sons and Inken Wiese
- Publication Date:
- 10-2015
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP)
- Abstract:
- This study documents the various forms and measures of political and economic assistance provided by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Qatar to Egypt and Tunisia since the upheavals of 2011. It also analyzes the impact Gulf donor countries had on political and economic development within Egypt and Tunisia, particularly with regard to democratization and inclusive socio economic change. Economically, efforts undertaken by the Gulf states were inten ded to stabilize the two countries, for example by helping them overcome budget de cits. While their business investments are not trickling down to the economi cally marginalized segments of society, some of the Gulffunded development projects have been geared toward fueling more inclusive growth. Due to limited coordination between Arab and Western donor countries, however, there has thus far been little alignment of projects taking place in the same sectors. As a result, the potential for synergies between these projects has remained untapped. In po litical terms, as was expected, the Gulf states did not engage in efforts to promote more democratization. Indeed, in Egypt the assistance provided by Saudi Arabia and the UAE even contributed to a return to the pre2011 order. For Germany and its partners to engage the Gulf states more intensively on governance matters and to create incentives, deeper knowledge is required about how political decisions are made in the Gulf. This is also essential for developing Germany’s muchneeded general strategy toward the Gulf states, which is currently lacking. The Deauville Partnership is a useful forum for improving and increasing future coordination.
- Topic:
- International Cooperation and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- Gulf Nations
2136. The Value of Alternatives: Why the EU is Indispensable to Central Asian Security
- Author:
- Luba von Hauff
- Publication Date:
- 08-2015
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP)
- Abstract:
- The security risks of post-Soviet Central Asia are pronounced and therefore pres- ent on the agendas of most international actors, including the US, Russia, and China. The EU is also concerned, although it has hitherto not been known for political success in the region, especially in terms of security. Indeed, the EU’s approach to the region – oriented toward transformation, liberalization, and de- mocratization – has been largely labeled a failure, with minimal impact and prog- ress. Against this background, this article will review and discuss the nature of the threats to Central Asia’s security, establish the extent of the EU’s actual “failure” by examining the distinct characteristics of the EU’s security approach, and, finally, reflect on how European policy can have an impact on the local security situation in the future.
- Topic:
- International Security
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Asia
2137. The Long Road to Tehran: The Iran Nuclear Deal in Perspective
- Author:
- Brian Gibson
- Publication Date:
- 01-2015
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- LSE IDEAS
- Abstract:
- This Strategic Update traces the story of this major diplomatic breakthrough, through the historical context of long term US-Iran relations and the tireless international effort to prevent domestic political crises from derailing the negotiations.
- Topic:
- International Political Economy and International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
2138. In Policy in the Post Crisis Era
- Author:
- Vinod K Aggarwal
- Publication Date:
- 12-2015
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Berkeley APEC Study Center
- Abstract:
- In the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis of 2007- 08, observers of international markets disagreed about the likely response of the World Trade Organization.1 Pointing to a contraction of global trade flows by 9 percent in 2009, some commentators suggested that the WTO’s rules were incapable of stemming a tide of increasing protectionism.2 Still, others cautioned that overzealous regulation of national industrial policies by the WTO would limit distressed governments’ ability to cope. Who was right?
- Topic:
- International Affairs
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
2139. The Tibetan Nonviolent Struggle: A Strategic and Historical Analysis
- Author:
- Tenzin Dorjee
- Publication Date:
- 09-2015
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- International Center on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC)
- Abstract:
- Contrary to a perception—fueled by Chinese propaganda during the 2008 Tibetan uprising that the Tibetan struggle is heading toward extremism—this study shows that the movement for Tibetan freedom has since the 1950s moved toward a tighter embrace of nonviolent resistance. The study traces this evolution, analyzing the central themes, purposes, challenges, strategies, tactics and impacts of three major Tibetan uprisings over the past six decades. Tibetans are now waging a quiet, slow-building nonviolent movement, centered on strengthening the Tibetan national and cultural fabric via what the author refers to as “transformative resistance.” This is happening in an immensely repressive political environment, which shows that there is a way to mobilize people power against even one of the most ruthless regimes in the world.
- Topic:
- Human Rights
- Political Geography:
- Tibet
2140. Foreign Fighters
- Author:
- The Soufan Group
- Publication Date:
- 12-2015
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- The Soufan Group
- Abstract:
- In June 2014, The Soufan Group (TSG) released its initial Foreign Fighters in Syria report, which identified approximately 12,000 foreign fighters from 81 countries. Nearly eighteen months later, despite sustained international effort to contain the Islamic State and stem the flow of militants traveling to Syria, the number of foreign fighters has more than doubled. Based on its own investigation, TSG has calculated that between 27,000 and 31,000 people have traveled to Syria and Iraq to join the Islamic State and other violent Salafist groups from at least 86 countries. This increase is evidence that efforts to contain the flow of foreign recruits to the Islamic State and other extremist groups in Syria have had limited impact.
- Topic:
- International Security
- Political Geography:
- Europe