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Key Reads
A Path for Climate Change, Beyond Paris
Justin Gillis / The New York Times
The pledges that countries have signaled they will make in Paris over the next two weeks to cut emissions will inevitably fall short of what is needed to solve the problem of climate change.
Russia approves detailed Sanctions against Turkey over Downed Plane
Reuters Justin Gillis / The New York Times
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev approved a raft of sanctions against Turkey in retaliation for the downing of a Russian warplane, but the measures stuck largely to what Moscow had previously threatened and had several notable omissions.
Obama: climate change an economic, security imperative
Reuters
U.S. President Barack Obama said on Tuesday the world needs an enduring framework for addressing climate change and that he would seek an agreement that would boost economies as well as help the planet’s environment.
American Competitiveness
The Choice Facing China as Its Currency Becomes More Global
Neil Irwin / The New York Times
There is surely some clinking of Champagne glasses, or perhaps a Chinese celebratory equivalent, taking place in the hallways of China’s finance ministry and central bank. Those officials will now be the proud guardians of a “global reserve currency,” after a long-sought decision Monday by the International Monetary Fund.
India’s Economic Growth Accelerates
Anant Vijay Kala and Raymond Zhong / The Wall Street Journal
India’s economic expansion accelerated last quarter as robust growth in manufacturing helped it pull further ahead of China as the world’s fastest-growing big economy.
Dollar, RMD, Euro: A New World Economic Order
Linda Yueh / Forbes
That’s essentially what the inclusion of the Chinese currency, the RMB or yuan, as the fifth global reserve currency in the IMF’s SDR basket, signals. Whether it’s a symbolic or deeper shift remains to be seen.
Today may be as good as it gets for Canada’s economy
Michael Babad / The Global and Mail
Savour this morning’s third-quarter GDP report from Statistics Canada because it may be as good as it gets.
National Security Strategy
Obama Defends Presence at Climate Change Talks While Syria War Rages
Gardiner Harris / The New York Times
President Obama on Tuesday defended his willingness to undertake climate talks in the midst of a war in Syria, saying it was “because this one trend, climate change, affects all trends.”
U.N. tribunal ends hearing on South China Sea issue, hands Beijing Jan. 1 rebuttal deadline
AFP – JIJI / The Japan Times
The Philippines has sought to debunk China’s claims to disputed islands in the South China Sea, court officials said Monday as an international tribunal wrapped up a five-day hearing.
Asymmetric Operations
Iraqi Forces Prepare Next U.S.-Backed Attack on ISIS, With Mosul on Horizon
Michael R. Gordon / The New York Times
In Sinjar, Iraq, fighters from the Islamic State carved a network of tunnels. To defend Hawija, Iraq, they erected a 10-foot sand wall. And virtually everywhere they have surrounded their positions with dense minefields of I.E.D.s, backed by machine guns, mortars and suicide bombers.
Moscow alleges Turkey shot down plane to protect oil trade with ISIS
Brian Walker / CNN
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he’ll resign if Moscow can prove its claim that Turkey shot down a Russian plane to protect its oil trade with ISIS.
President Obama ‘Confident’ US-led Coalition Has Momentum to ‘Degrade and Destroy’ ISIS
John Parkinson and Arlette Saenz / ABC News
A week after Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet near the Syria border, President Obama continued his effort to refocus the battle against the Islamic State, while deescalating tensions between Russia and Turkey.
Climate Security
Two-Thirds of Americans Want U.S. to Join Climate Change Pact
Giovanni Russonello / The New York Times
A solid majority of Americans say the United States should join an international treaty to limit the impact of global warming, but on this and other climate-related questions, opinion divides sharply along partisan lines, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.
Nigeria: Climate Change Threat to Food Security in Nigeria-Buhari
Jonathan Nda-Isaiah / All Africa
President Muhammadu Buhari has warned that climate change poses a threat to food security in Nigeria as extreme events such as flooding and drought are on the increase.
Is There Really a Link Between Climate Change and National Security
Madeleine Thomas / Pacific Standard
Following the terrorist attacks in Paris that claimed 130 lives, and in anticipation of the COP21 climate summit, Prince Charles spoke candidly last week of the ties between one of the worst droughts in Syria’s history, the country’s civil war, and the rise of the Islamic State.
Narendra Modi Could Make or Break Obama’s Climate Legacy
Coral Davenport and Ellen Barry / The New York Times
Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power, President Obama has not missed many opportunities to convey what a warm rapport he has forged with the Indian leader.
Energy Security
India unveils global solar alliance of 120 countries at Paris climate summit
Athur Neslen / The Guardian
India’s prime minister has launched an international solar alliance of over 120 countries with the French president, François Hollande, at the Paris COP21 climate summit.
AF researchers aiming to increase energy security through microgrids
Holly Jordan / U.S. Air Force
The Air Force Research Laboratory, in conjunction with the Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies, is exploring microgrid and alternative fuel technologies in an effort to move military operations towards greater energy independence.
RWE to Sell Part of its Renewable Energy Business
Monica Houston-Waesch and Hendrik Varnholt / The Wall Street Journal
German utility RWE AG said Tuesday it plans to pool its renewable energy, grids and retail business into a new company and sell off a minority stake in the new unit by the end of next year.
Nuclear Security
Pakistan accords highest importance to nuclear safety, security: Aizaz
Web Desk / The Express Tribune
Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said on Monday that Pakistan attaches highest significance to its nuclear safety and security.
U.S., S. Korea, Japan to Meet on N. Korea Nuclear Issue
Kim Hwan Yong / Voice of America
Representatives of the United States, South Korea, and Japan will meet in Washington this week to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue, a senior official in Seoul said on Monday.
On Our Flashpoint Blog
Spencer Shweky
Both E&E News and Bloomberg BNA recently published articles on an American Security Project Perspective Paper entitled Alleviating the Resource Curse. The Paper is principally concerned with how best to design new Dodd-Frank regulations on transparency in resource extraction.
Low Turnout at Polls Challenge Legitimacy of Egyptian Government
Anil Powers
A little over a month ago, for the first time in four years, Egypt held parliamentary elections. Since a popular revolution toppled President Mubarak in 2011, political participation in Egypt had risen immensely. Yet on October 18, 2015, few turned out to vote, leaving the lines at polls short or nonexistent. In spite of the government’s insistence that these elections were part of Egypt’s democratic transition, the low turnout indicates an erosion of political participation that has challenged the legitimacy of the nascent government.
Christine Todd Whitman Quoted in Politico Article
Anil Powers
Politico recently published an article about President Obama’s role in the upcoming climate change conference held in Paris and how he will be able to juggle the dual threats of climate change and terrorism, with or without Congress’s help. The article discussed the challenge the president faces in leading the fight on climate change as well as terrorism, as well as the obstacles posed by congressional and partisan pushback.
The Weekly Fusion: A Look at Current Advancements in Fusion Energy
Ricky Gandhi
The future of fusion is constantly being unfolded in front of our eyes, as every week there is some breakthrough in new technologies and designs in the nuclear fusion sector of energy. Since there is such a wealth of information, I have gathered and consolidated a list of articles geared toward the advancement of making fusion energy a reality, from within the past week.
Sam Hickey
On Monday, November 16th, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) hosted the Global Security Forum 2015 in Washington, DC. The event featured panels of government officials, think tank fellows, and business professionals to discuss the major national security issues facing the nation and the possible solutions to these bedeviling quandaries.
Upcoming Events
December 11 @ 12:00pm – 1:30pm
One year ago, the Department of Defense released its landmark Climate Adaptation Roadmap, which outlined the steps that all areas of the DoD must take to prepare for a changing climate. On Friday, December 11, ASP will host Maureen Sullivan, Director of Environmental Management in the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Installations & Environment), responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Department’s climate change adaptation efforts. She will give an update on DoD efforts around Climate Change.
ASP Recently Published
Perspective – Alleviating the Resource Curse
American Security Project
Very soon, the Securities and Exchange Commission is expected to announce new proposed regulations under Section 1504 of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Act. The goal is to increase transparency and provide the public with greater access to information related to the payments that U.S.-listed companies make to foreign governments to extract oil, gas, and mineral resources. The rulemaking has been delayed by lawsuits and SEC inaction. But now the SEC has an opportunity to put in place a policy for disclosure that is accessible and effective.
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