U.S., Russia at odds on who is blocking U.N. probe of suspected chemical attack in Syria
Karen DeYoung / Washington Post
The United States and Russia, escalating their disagreement over responsibility for Wednesday’s alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria, sharply differed Friday on which of Syria’s warring camps was preventing United Nations inspectors from investigating the incident.
Pakistani Educator Takes Risks to Promote ‘Culture of Peace’ in Schools
Viola Gienger / United States Institute of Peace
Nadeem Ghazi came to peace education in Pakistan as a practical necessity, an alternative to futility.
Natural gas could be a bridge fuel to $1 solar
Financial Post
Natural gas could be the dominant power source for the next two decades in the western United States, even under the most aggressive climate scenarios, before making way for solar, findings from the University of California Berkeley suggest.
Will Washington Politics Kill The US Energy Revival And Shale Gas Revolution?
Forbes
Although there is no gas yet being mined in the state, it’s been one of the major beneficiaries from the economic revival that has rippled across the country.
The Economist
TO MEXICANS, state ownership of their oil is a bit like gun ownership in the United States—steeped in history. So President Enrique Peña Nieto’s proposal, unveiled on August 12th, to change the constitution to allow private investment in Mexico’s oil industry for the first time since 1960, is a taboo-buster.
Petrobras outspends Exxon researching next oil frontiers
Bloomberg
On a seabed off Brazil, Petroleo Brasileiro SA is separating water from oil as it pumps the crude from beneath the Atlantic. No company had done that before.
ASP Recent Publications
PERSPECTIVE: The U.S. Tight Oil Boom: Geopolitical Winner or Long-Term Distraction?
Advancements in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have already unlocked vast new natural gas resources from shale rock. Drillers are using the same innovations that brought about the “Shale Gas Revolution” for oil, leading to a surge in shale oil (or “tight oil”) production. ASP’s Perspective Paper, “The U.S. Tight Oil Boom: Geopolitical Winner or Long-Term Distraction?” highlights these contradictions – the U.S. tight oil boom has short-term geopolitical benefits, but over the long-term it does not provide real energy security.
FACT SHEET: Academic Exchange: A Pillar of Public Diplomacy
This fact sheet outlines the national security benefits of academic exchange, highlights the types of government sponsorship programs, and explores the metrics surrounding these exchanges.
FACT SHEET: Iranian Ballistic Missiles
Though initiated with a great deal of foreign assistance, Iran is increasingly capable of developing and improving its own ballistic missile technology. This fact sheet provides a useful inventory of the ballistic missiles and space delivery vehicles that the Islamic Republic of Iran deploys and has developed.
On Our Flashpoint Blog
ASP’s Top Energy Posts of the Summer
Andrew Holland / ASP
From Oil Disasters to Fusion, Energy in 1776 to Hydrogen, and the Tight Oil Boom, ASP has covered it all this summer. These are 6 of the best. Thanks to all our contributors!
Leading Scientist: Fusion is Now a Viable Energy Source
Andrew Holland / ASP
Steven Cowley, the Chief Executive of the UK Atomic Energy Authority and the Director of the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, home to the UK’s JET tokamak. Cowley said earlier this month in Dublin that nuclear fusion will be a viable energy source. He thinks the target of viability can be achieved sooner than the targeted date of the 2040s.
Tight Oil Boom Not the Answer to Energy Security
Nicholas Cunningham / ASP
U.S. domestic oil production has jumped 30% since 2009. This has had some geopolitical benefits but it is not the answer to long-term energy security
Fusion Power: Search for the Ultimate Energy Source, by Steve Dean
Andrew Holland
Dr. Steven O. Dean, one of the leading voices on fusion energy, has a great book out about the history of fusion, “Search for the Ultimate Energy Source.” The book is a comprehensive history of the American Fusion Energy Program.
Champions of Change: Nominate a Veteran Working on Clean Energy and Climate Protection
Andrew Holland
The White House is asking for nominations to their “Champions of Change” program for veterans working on building resilience to climate change and moving to mitigate climate change by deploying clean energy sources.
ASP in the News
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Andrew Holland in RealClearEnergy: The Promise (& Peril) of Advanced Biofuels
Andrew Holland’s article, “The Promise (& Peril) of Advanced Biofuels” was published by the Christian Science Monitor and RealClearEnergy on August 12, 2013.
ASP’s Andrew Holland Cited in Washington Post
Brad Plumer, of The Washington Post’s WonkBlog wrote an interesting article on the ongoing academic research on the link between climate change and violence, and linked to a blog post written by ASP’s Andrew Holland.
Paul Rockower in the Huffington Post: The Public Diplomacy of Free France During WWII
ASP Adjunct Fellow Paul Rockower’s piece on Free France’s public diplomacy during WWII has subsequently appeared in the Huffington Post.
Op-ED from ASP Board Member Christine Todd Whitman Featured in NY Times
ASP Board Member Christine Todd Whitman contributed to a recent NY Times op-ed piece regarding the Republican case for climate change action.
ASP cited by the Climate Desk
The Climate Desk cited ASP recently in an article on the increasing frequency of superstorms in the future.
ASP CEO BGen Quoted in “Breaking Energy”
ASP’s CEO Brigadier General Stephen Cheney, USMC (Ret.) was quoted in an article in “Breaking Energy” about the connection between climate change and national security.
Adjunct Fellow Dan Grant Writes Op-Ed on TTIP for “The Hill”
ASP Adjunct Fellow Dan Grant recently published a blog for “The Hill” on the impact of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) on China.
