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251. The Imperative of International Cooperation for EU Competitiveness and Resilience in Technology-Driven Industries

Author:
Matthias Bauer, Renata Zilli, and Dyuti Pandya
Publication Date:
11-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE)
Abstract:
The EU must embrace international cooperation and collaboration in technology-driven industries to ensure competitiveness and global relevance, while also considering the drawbacks of isolationist policies. The EU’s commitment to open markets and global cooperation has historically been its strength, and EU policymakers should continue to prioritise on these principles. Global markets, international R&D collaboration and global industry-led standards are crucial for innovation and efficiency in technology-intensive industries. Various sectors, including pharmaceuticals, ICT, aerospace, and defence, heavily rely on global partnerships to stay competitive and advance technologically. International cooperation in economic and security affairs, as exemplified by EU participation in global value chains of advanced semiconductors, the traditional EU approach to industry-led technology standardisation, and EU involvement in the international F-35 fighter development program, is critical for leveraging industry expertise, sharing technological advancements, and collectively addressing challenges in strategic sectors, thereby enhancing Europe’s economic resilience and security capabilities. Trust and legal certainty form the foundation for international partnerships in high-tech and defence sectors. Collaborations among like-minded partners enable secure information sharing, intellectual property protection, financial commitments, and compliance with regulations, while ensuring adherence to key EU values like human rights and the rule of law.
Topic:
International Cooperation, Science and Technology, European Union, Trade, Resilience, and Competition
Political Geography:
Europe

252. National Science Foundation Technology Innovation Partnership Evaluation

Author:
Barry Bozeman, Nick Hart, Randolph Lyon, Theresa Pardo, and Janet Weiss
Publication Date:
11-2023
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA)
Abstract:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency established in 1950 by Congress "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense." NSF supports research and the fields of fundamental science and engineering, except for medical sciences, and helps the United States drive leading discoveries. In March 2022, NSF established the Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP). TIP was created to focus on significant challenges and opportunities across the entire science and engineering enterprise and to strengthen and scale the critical research that will drive future technologies and solutions. The NSF required an assessment of the organizational and management structure of the NSF's Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships. The Academy: Evaluated and made recommendations to efficiently and effectively implement the Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships; and Evaluated and made recommendations to ensure coordination of the Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships with other directorates and offices of the Foundation and other Federal agencies.
Topic:
Government, Science and Technology, Innovation, Management, Performance Evaluation, and Public Administration
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

253. Chipping Away: Assessing and addressing the labor market gap facing the US semiconductor industry

Author:
Dan Martin and Hamilton Galloway
Publication Date:
07-2023
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Oxford Economics
Abstract:
Thanks in large part to enactment of the landmark 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, a significant share of expected new chip manufacturing capacity and R&D is expected to be located in the US. We project the semiconductor industry’s US-based workforce will grow by nearly 115,000 jobs by 2030, from approximately 345,000 jobs today to approximately 460,000 jobs by the end of the decade. We estimate that roughly 67,000, or 58%, of these new jobs risk going unfilled at current degree completion rates. Of the unfilled jobs: 39% will be technicians, most of whom have two-year degrees or less; 35% will be computer scientists, or engineers with four-year degrees; and 26% will be engineers at the master’s or PhD level. For the US economy as a whole, we estimate that 3.85 million additional jobs in these three technical fields will be created by the end of 2030. Of those, 1.4 million jobs risk going unfilled unless the pipeline for such workers is expanded. To address the skills gap facing the broader economy and the semiconductor industry, we present three core recommendations to strengthen the US technical workforce: Strengthen support for regional partnerships and programs aimed at growing the pipeline for skilled technicians for semiconductor manufacturing and other advanced manufacturing sectors. Grow the domestic STEM pipeline for engineers and computer scientists vital to the semiconductor industry and other sectors that are critical to the future economy. Retain and attract more international advanced degree students within the US economy.
Topic:
Economics, Science and Technology, Regulation, Manufacturing, Labor Market, Workforce, and Semiconductors
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America

254. New Technologies and the Protection of Civilians in UN Peace Operations

Author:
Agathe Sarfati
Publication Date:
09-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
International Peace Institute (IPI)
Abstract:
The United Nations has increasingly focused on the modernization of peace operations, including through the Strategy for the Digital Transformation of UN Peacekeeping. However, the full potential of the link between digital transformation, new technologies, and peacekeeping has not yet been realized, particularly when it comes to the protection of civilians (POC). Too often, the Department of Peace Operations (DPO) deploys new technological tools first and only then determines how to apply them to POC objectives. As a result, mission staff are often harnessing technologies for POC in an ad hoc manner. One of the main ways new technologies can contribute to POC is through timely and effective early-warning mechanisms. Platforms like SAGE and Unite Aware can help missions analyze data on threats and violence against civilians. Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance tools like satellite imagery and unarmed aerial vehicles (UAVs) can aid in the collection of such data. The monitoring of communication platforms can also provide contextual information and insight into trends in public opinion, giving clues about future waves of violence. This paper attempts to contribute to the ongoing reflection on the interaction between new technologies and POC, particularly in relation to early warning. The paper reviews peace operations’ use of new technologies and data, which could be further used for early warning for POC. It then discusses the limitations and risks of the use of new technologies for POC, particularly around data protection and privacy. The paper concludes by calling for a theory of change for how new technologies can contribute to POC in peacekeeping operations.
Topic:
Science and Technology, United Nations, Peacekeeping, Civilians, and Protection
Political Geography:
Global Focus

255. Responsible Management and Use of Data in UN Peace Operations

Author:
Kseniya Oksamytna
Publication Date:
10-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
International Peace Institute (IPI)
Abstract:
In recent years, the UN has embarked on an ambitious project to use data more extensively and effectively to improve the safety of peacekeepers and the implementation of peace operations’ mandates. The increasing availability of various types of data in UN peace operations and the development of new tools for its acquisition and analysis present novel opportunities, enhancing peace operations’ ability to predict and respond to violence; understand the population’s sentiments towards peacekeepers; and provide better analysis to senior mission leadership, UN headquarters, and the UN Security Council. However, UN peace operations’ greater use of data also increases their vulnerability to irresponsible handling of data, information leaks, and cyberattacks and raises ethical challenges over data ownership, host-state sovereignty, the potential to cause social harm, and algorithmic biases. This issue brief provides an overview of how UN peace operations acquire data and use it in their decision making. It also discusses UN policy frameworks on responsible data management and analyzes the challenges peace operations face in acquiring, using, and disseminating data. It concludes with recommendations for member states, UN headquarters, and peace operations personnel to manage and use data more responsibly and effectively: Improve the data-management skills of UN personnel; Strengthen the policy framework for the effective and responsible use of data; Provide adequate and predictable funding for data acquisition, analysis, and use; Enhance internal and external communication about the ways in which UN peace operations gather and use data; and Encourage the proactive use of data in strategic decision making.
Topic:
Science and Technology, United Nations, Peacekeeping, Data, and Management
Political Geography:
Global Focus

256. The Comeback of Industrial Policy. The Next Geopolitical Great Game

Author:
Alessandro Gili, Davide Tentori, and Paola Magri
Publication Date:
12-2023
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI)
Abstract:
Industrial policies are the key element underlying today’s geopolitical scramble and a pillar of national security. Reacting to Western weaknesses and bottlenecks in the global supply chains, highlighted by multiple shocks such as the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the recent Israel-Hamas war, the US in first place and the EU later have started to introduce new industrial legislation aimed at making up for lost ground with respect to other industrial powerhouses, such as China. Besides being policy tools to accelerate the green and digital transitions, however, the US Inflation Reduction Act and the Net Zero Industry Act, as well as the US and the EU Chips Acts, entail subsidies, local content requirements and export controls targeted at strengthening the domestic industrial base for critical technologies, fostering strategic autonomy and de-risking from excessive foreign dependencies. This race poses risks for the weaponisation of industrial policies and fragmentation of international trade and also potentially jeopardises technological development. How can we strike a balance between economic security and efficiency? Which sectors are the most critical and which ones are the leading global powers pursuing? What will the consequences be for global value chains and international trade? Is it possible to reach an agreement on rules for a new level playing field to prevent economic competition turning into economic warfare?
Topic:
Development, Industrial Policy, National Security, Science and Technology, European Union, Geopolitics, Trade, and Supply Chains
Political Geography:
China, Europe, and United States of America

257. Australia’s north and space

Author:
Malcolm Davis
Publication Date:
08-2023
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI)
Abstract:
This report examines opportunities for the development of sovereign space capability in the Northern Territory, Queensland, and Western Australia. Given that those northern jurisdictions are closer to the equator, there’s a natural focus in the report on the potential opportunities offered by sovereign space launch, particularly in the Northern Territory and Queensland. However, I also consider the potential for other aspects of space besides launch, including space domain awareness, the establishment of satellite ground stations, and space industry. I explore the potential for the co-location of space industry—domestic and international—within or close to launch sites, which would result in the development of ‘space hubs’ in strategic locations in Australia. Benefits are gained by situating space-launch sites as close to the equator as possible, and two sites—Nhulunbuy near Gove in the Northern Territory and Abbot Point near Bowen in Queensland—are now under development. The closer a launch site is to the equator, the greater the benefit in terms of reduced cost per kilogram of payload to orbit, due to velocity gained by a rocket from the Earth’s rotation. The report then explores the transformation of Australia’s space sector that’s occurred within the past decade, from one solely dependent on foreign-provided satellite services and locally developed ground-segment capabilities, including for space domain awareness, to the growth of sovereign space industry and the establishment of the Australian Space Agency in 2018. I note that, since the establishment of the agency, Australia’s commercial space sector has expanded rapidly, but now faces headwinds, with the recent cancellation of the National Space Mission for Earth Observation being a serious blow to Australia’s space industry. The Australian space industry sector must now fight to sustain funding. In this report, I argue that the best way to achieve success is to emphasise sovereign launch as a focus for Australian space activities and to reinforce the potential opportunities offered by the north, including for defence and national-security requirements in space.
Topic:
Defense Policy, Science and Technology, Space, and Emerging Technology
Political Geography:
Australia

258. Infrastructure Challenges in the Alaskan Arctic

Author:
Henry Lee
Publication Date:
08-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University
Abstract:
Infrastructure in northern Alaska requires special attention. Challenging weather conditions— including cold temperatures, remote conditions, limited transportation and logistical support, and inadequate technical capacity—result in higher costs and less reliability. These challenges are exacerbated by climate change. Permafrost thaw undermines the stability of foundations, causing building subsidence. Portions of roads are sinking, pipelines are being damaged, and utility poles are toppling over. In addition, climate change is accelerating the disappearance of sea ice, resulting in storm-caused tidal surges that erode and flood the land, causing buildings to collapse and people to lose their homes. Before discussing the current and future challenges caused by climate change, it is useful to briefly discuss the patterns of development in northern Alaska. Most of the population lives in small villages either on the coast or along small rivers. The largest “cities”—Nome, Kotzebue, and Barrow (Utqiagvik)—have populations of around 3,000 people.1 Most of the villages are not connected by roads, and there is no interconnected electricity transmission, water, or sewerage system. Transportation between villages for both goods and people is by boat or plane—the latter can be quite expensive. Hence transporting materials and equipment for infrastructure assets can add significantly to the costs of the services that they provide. The absence of regional electric grids means that each village must rely on either mini-grids or self-generation, which are neither efficient nor cheap. The primary source of energy is diesel fuel. Except for larger coastal communities, diesel oil must be flown into villages, increasing fuel costs to more than double the cost of similar fuels in the lower 48 states. Providing adequate water and sanitation services is a major challenge due to the inability to bury pipes. There is a wide range of sanitation services. Some villages have relatively modern systems, while others are dependent on primitive systems which haul away sewage in buckets. The cost of installing adequate water and sanitation services in northwest Alaska can be several times higher than installing similar systems in the southern part of the state.
Topic:
Environment, Science and Technology, Natural Resources, Infrastructure, and Public Policy
Political Geography:
North America, Alaska, and Arctic

259. Biosecurity in the Age of AI: What’s the Risk?

Author:
Janet Egan and Eric Rosenbach
Publication Date:
11-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University
Abstract:
“The biggest issue with AI is actually going to be … its use in biological conflict,” according to former Google CEO, Eric Schmidt.[1] And he’s not the only AI expert worried. In his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, the CEO of Anthropic, Dario Amodei, warned that in just two to three years, AI has the potential to “greatly widen the range of actors with the technical capability to conduct a large-scale biological attack.”[2] OpenAI’s Sam Altman has called for regulation on AI models “that could help create novel biological agents.”[3]President Biden’s recent Executive Order on Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence explicitly tasks relevant agencies with assessing the ways in which AI can increase, and potentially help mitigate, biosecurity risks.[4]But what exactly has experts and officials so worried?
Topic:
Defense Policy, Science and Technology, Biosecurity, and Artificial Intelligence
Political Geography:
Global Focus

260. Action on AI: Unpacking the Executive Order’s Security Implications and the Road Ahead

Author:
Janet Egan and Diletta Milana
Publication Date:
11-2023
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University
Abstract:
On October 30, 2023, President Biden issued Executive Order (14110) on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence.[1] Directing agencies to take action within existing resources and authorities, this order seeks to empower the U.S. to realize the full benefits of AI, while still mitigating critical risks. Alongside a focus on civil rights, consumers, workers, competition and privacy, the Executive Order also aims to promote national security by addressing AI safety and security risks, bolstering U.S. technology leadership, enhancing government AI capacity, and leading international cooperation efforts. This article provides an overview of key national security initiatives contained in the new Executive Order and explores issues relevant to their implementation, including: Ensuring Safe and Secure AI; Maintaining U.S. Tech Leadership; Building Government Capacity.
Topic:
Security, Defense Policy, Science and Technology, and Executive Order
Political Geography:
North America and United States of America