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Impacts and Risks of Migration and Refugee Flows in Africa
From the thesis abstract: "Conflict and human rights abuse associated with poor governance have become the key factors that contribute to mass migration in Africa; and it is no coincidence that conflict-ridden countries are often those with severe economic difficulties. Similarly, domestic strife and civil war frequently produce large population dislocations and refugee flows across national boundaries. Population displacements, refugees and migration are not only common phenomena, but are also on the increase in sub-Saharan Africa. Although explanations for the causes include political oppression, economic adversities and environmental degradation, conflicts and wars account for the bulk of sub-Saharan Africa's refugees and migration in recent years. These explanations are themselves dependent on the problem of the African states and their failure to address the region's environmental crisis. This paper will identify the impacts and risks of mass migration and refugee flows in Africa, climate change on economics and security. The paper will conclude with recommendations on how to mitigate these problems."
Army War College (U.S.)
Mbite, Joseph Patrick
2012-03-12
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Critical Issues in Disaster Science and Management: A Dialogue Between Researchers and Practitioners
From the Forward of the book: "The practitioner is hired by the public to serve it. Public institutions of higher learning remunerate faculty from student tuition and tax dollars. Grants are primarily funded by tax dollars. Each of us is therefore ethically called to contribute to the greater good. This is all the more necessary going forward. Why? U.S. and world population growth translates into an ever-increasing pool of potential victims contributing to an ever-greater urgency for enhanced mitigation and disaster management based upon the scientific method. An additional, perhaps even more salient issue is the changing earth's climate that is expected to result in ever-increasing challenges to those charged with mitigation, preparation, planning, and response. The book you are reading is the quintessential model of practitioner-academic interaction. As you read each chapter, you will find a historically uncharacteristic partnership between practitioner and academic. This book is the next logical step in the science and practice of disaster management. This work is truly building not only a literature, but also a practice for the field."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
Trainor, Joseph E.; Subbio, Tony
2014?
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 4679, Climate-Ready Fisheries Act of 2019
This is the Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate as ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on January 29, 2020. From the Document: "H.R. 4679 would direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study and report to the Congress on the efforts taken by the regional fishery management councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change on U.S. fishery resources. The bill would require GAO to submit their findings within one year of enactment."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2020-03-10
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National Strategy for Civil Earth Observations
"Each year, Federal agencies invest billions of dollars in civil Earth observations. Through these investments, the U.S. government ensures that the Nation's decision makers, businesses, first-responders, farmers, and a wide array of other stakeholders have the information they need about climate and weather, disaster events, land-use change, ecosystem health, natural resources, and many other characteristics of the planet. Taken together, Earth observations provide the indispensable foundation for meeting the Federal Government's long-term sustainability objectives and advancing U.S. social, environmental, and economic well-being. As the Nation's Earth-observation capacity has grown, however, so has the complexity of this endeavor. Today, U.S. Earth-observation efforts are distributed among more than 100 programs under the purview of Federal agencies and non-Federal entities that both produce and use these data. The National Strategy for Civil Earth Observations, developed in response to congressional direction, is designed to maximize interagency coordination, increase efficiency and efficacy of future Earth-observation efforts, and promote environmental and economic sustainability."
National Science and Technology Council (U.S.)
2013-04
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21st Century Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for America's National Security
"Leadership in science and technology has been the foundation of American national security since World War II. This leadership--coupled with America's capacity for innovation and the ability to translate new ideas into deployable weapons, systems, and concepts of operation--has long ensured the Nation's military advantage. […] A new generation of threats and opportunities has emerged, moreover, which will continue to evolve in unprecedented ways. The United States must continue to lead in developing science and technology solutions to effectively address global problems, such as infectious disease and climate change, which will ultimately affect U.S. national security. The U.S. national security ST&I [Science, Technology, and Innovation] enterprise must continue to evolve to meet these emerging threats and challenges. America's national security research and development system is structured to respond to the military threats and economic opportunities of the last century. Recognizing the crucial role of technology in the Second World War, postwar America created an extensive infrastructure for national security science and technology that provided the foundation for the nuclear triad, the intelligence gathering infrastructure, and an array of other military capabilities and advanced tools to meet the threats of the Cold War era. This enterprise nurtured transformative technologies, including stealth technology, integrated command and control, and precision-guided munitions, all designed to counter peer adversaries in large-scale military conflicts. […] This document […] lays out the needs, opportunities, and challenges facing America's national security ST&I enterprise and sets forth a vision for its health and sufficiency enterprise in four critical areas: (1) workforce; (2) facilities and infrastructure; (3) governance roles and responsibilities; and (4) innovative capacity to transform ideas into working technology."
United States. White House Office
2016-05
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Plan Bee--Understanding Threats to the Honey Bee Population and Examining Strategies to Promote and Protect Pollinators
From the Thesis Abstract: "In the early 2000s, a series of pollinator colonies, including honey bee colonies, collapsed--an early warning of a serious threat to our nation's environmental, economic, and food security. Two national initiatives (the creation of the White House Pollinator Health Task Force in 2014 and the subsequent implementation of a national strategy to promote pollinator health in 2015) demonstrate that the government is serious about improving pollinator health. This thesis seeks to determine if pollinator health is a homeland security issue, and reviews policies in the United States and the European Union that protect the health of pollinators. These topics are explored through a comparative policy analysis centered on four considerations: a holistic focus on all pollinators, pesticide regulation, the inclusion of regional plans in national policy, and climate change. Research indicates that decisive governance in the quest for pollinator health is essential for national security. This thesis offers a limited scope that must be enhanced to attain a more robust and resilient national pollinator plan and to improve environmental, economic, and food security in the United States."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Pfrogner, Mildred G.
2019-12
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2011 Minerva Research Summaries
From the Minerva Initiative website: "Just as our military forces could not effectively operate without understanding the physical terrain and environment, detection of radical actors and regime disruptions is limited by our understanding of the cultural and political environments where those threats develop. The Minerva Research Initiative, initiated by former Secretary Gates in 2009 and now supported by Secretary Leon Panetta, seeks to build deeper understanding of the social, cultural, and political dynamics that shape regions of strategic interest around the world. Deeper understanding of global populations and their variance as provided by Minerva-funded research will yield more effective strategic and operational policy decisions. Minerva scholars have already briefed valuable, warfighter-relevant insights to senior officials such as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, decision makers in the defense policy community, and on the ground to our combatant commands. As the nascent program continues to grow, university-driven Minerva research will further enable critical social and cultural understanding to help decision makers effectively address today's known and tomorrow's unknown challenges." This document from the Minerva Initiative provides the summaries of the projects undertaken by various research fellows concerning a wide-range of topics, including conventional arms control, nuclear weapons, climate change, migration, extremist organizations, and more.
United States. Department of Defense
2011
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Contained or Contagious? The Future of Infectious Disease in Ageing Societies
From the Introduction: "Increased longevity should be celebrated as one of society's greatest accomplishments. However, there is still a lot of work to be done to adapt to the new profile of our ageing society if we are to maximise the potential benefits of longevity. And health systems have a key role to play in this. [...] [A]lthough we've made huge strides in combatting infectious disease, through improvements in hygiene and sanitation, clean water and preventative health interventions such as vaccinations, there is no room for complacency. Recent decades have seen renewed infectious disease pandemics. A number of risk factors are currently increasing the likelihood of future outbreaks: these include complacency around vaccination uptake, lack of awareness of the risks of infectious disease, anti-microbial resistance, climate change and global population migration. In an ageing society, in which more of the population have multiple conditions, there tends to be a higher incidence rate of infectious disease as well as a higher rate of medical complications resulting from disease."
International Longevity Center UK
Parsey, Lily
2019-09
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COVID-19 & Humanitarian Response: Leave No-One Behind
From the Synopsis: "'As more countries become affected by the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease] pandemic, it is important to keep in mind vulnerable groups and those already affected by other humanitarian emergencies such as conflicts, disasters and climate change placing them in acutely precarious situations.'"
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
Cook, Alistair D.B.
2020-03-20
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Clean Jumpstart to Rebuild State Economies: Voters Support Flexible Aid for Cities and States
From the Executive Summary: "The coronavirus crisis has taken a sledgehammer to state budgets. Business closures have plummeted tax revenue at the exact same moment that expenditures are spiking. [...] States urgently need aid from the federal government so that they can, among several things, keep essential services running in the midst of this pandemic and continue to invest in long-term goals like fighting climate change."
Data for Progress
Winter, Ethan; Ganz, Jason; NoiseCat, Julian Brave
2020-05
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COVID-19 and the Food and Agriculture Sector: Issues and Policy Responses
From the Document: "The COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic is a global health crisis that is already having devastating impacts on the world economy -both directly and through necessary measures to contain the spread of the disease. These impacts are also being felt by the food and agriculture sector. While the supply of food has held up well to date, in many countries, the measures put in place to contain the spread of the virus are starting to disrupt the supply of agro-food products to markets and consumers, both within and across borders. The sector is also experiencing a substantial shift in the composition and -for some commodities -the level of demand. How damaging these impacts turn out to be for food security, nutrition and the livelihoods of farmers, fishers and others working along the food supply chain will depend in large part on policy responses over the short, medium and long term. In the short term, governments must manage multiple demands -responding to the health crisis, managing the consequences of the shock to the economy, and ensuring the smooth functioning of the food system. While the pandemic poses some serious challenges for the food system in the short term, it is also an opportunity to accelerate transformations in the food and agriculture sector to build its resilience in the face of a range of challenges, including climate change."
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
2020-04-29
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Social Cost of Carbon: Identifying a Federal Entity to Address the National Academies' Recommendations Could Strengthen Regulatory Analysis, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the GAO [Government Accountability Office] Highlights: "To address climate change, some countries develop monetary estimates to assess the costs and benefits of government actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide. In the United States, in 2009, OMB [Office of Management and Budget] convened an interagency working group to estimate the social cost of carbon--the dollar value of the effects of an incremental increase in carbon dioxide emissions in a given year--for assessing regulatory costs and benefits. In 2017, the National Academies recommended updates to the methods used to develop the estimates. Later that year, Executive Order 13783 disbanded the working group, withdrew its guidance, and directed agencies to ensure that, to the extent permitted by law, estimates are consistent with Circular A-4, OMB's general guidance for regulatory analysis. GAO was asked to review approaches for developing and using the estimates. This report examines, among other objectives: (1) how the federal government's current estimates compare to its prior estimates and (2) how the federal government plans to address the recommendations of the National Academies. GAO reviewed executive orders, OMB guidance, and regulatory impact analyses and interviewed OMB, EPA [Environmental Protection Agency], NHTSA [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration], and BLM [Bureau of Land Management] officials and staff who had conducted such analyses."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2020-06
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Global Order in the Shadow of the Coronavirus: China, Russia, and the West
From the Executive Summary: "The coronavirus pandemic has thrown a harsh spotlight on the state of global governance. Faced with the greatest emergency since the Second World War, nations have regressed into narrow self-interest. The concept of a rules-based international order has been stripped of meaning, while liberalism faces its greatest crisis in decades. Western leaders blame today's global disorder on an increasingly assertive China and disruptive Russia. Yet the principal threat lies closer to home. Western governments have failed to live up to the values underpinning a liberal international order-- a failure compounded by inept policymaking and internal divisions. The actions of Donald Trump, in particular, have undermined transatlantic unity, damaged the moral authority of the West, and weakened global governance. It is tempting to accept the inevitability of great power confrontation and the demise of international society. But an alternative future is still possible. This lies in a more inclusive order, driven by a common imperative in meeting twenty-first century challenges such as climate change, pandemic disease, and global poverty. These threats transcend national boundaries and strategic rivalries -- and so must our responses."
Lowy Institute for International Policy
Lo, Bobo, 1959-
2020-07
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Can This Time Be Different? Challenges and Opportunities for Asia-Pacific Economies in the Aftermath of COVID-19
From the Summary: "'Asia and the Pacific is facing its worst economic contraction at least since the 1970s due to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. The consequent economic weakness is likely to set back the region's socioeconomic progress and is predicted to push a significant number of people into unemployment and poverty while increasing inequality. Although slowdown in economic activities has provided some breathing space to the environment, such a benefit could turn out to be temporary. The region faces a difficult path to recovery, due to deepened existing vulnerabilities that include weak economic conditions and other exogenous shocks. These challenging times call for unprecedented relief and stimulus policies and offer an opportunity for countries to align their socio-economic policies with the 2030 Agenda to ensure a more inclusive, greener and more resilient future. Such policies include increasing investments in Sustainable Development Goals and strengthening governance to improve investment efficiency. Climate resilience should be built into investment projects. Regulatory changes could catalyze such efforts to 'build forward better'. Partnership with local, national and international stakeholders is critical for Governments to support this development transition.'"
United Nations. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
Saxena, Sweta Chaman; Huang, Zhenqian
2020-08-10?
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Climate Case for a National Investment Authority
From the Introduction: "The economic devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic creates a crucial opening for a speedy and deliberate move to a massive infrastructure-led rebuilding and 'greening' of the U.S. economy. In the wake of the worst health crisis in over a century, potentially followed by the worst economic depression in nearly as long a time, the political mood in the U.S. is increasingly open to big and bold solutions. As polls show, demand for comprehensive strategic solutions is especially strong in the context of addressing global climate change."
Data for Progress
Omarova, Saule T.
2020-08
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Post-COVID Recovery: An Agenda for Resilience, Development and Equality
From the Foreword: "This year was supposed to have opened the Decade of Action on sustainable development and climate change, with the transformation of the global energy system at its heart. While 2020 has thus far brought tragic loss of life and sudden economic uncertainty, it could yet turn out to be a crucial year and a turning point in these defining challenges of our time. [...] This report provides practical insights, options and recommendations for governments to consider. It can support informed policy-making as countries devise recovery measures specific to their circumstances. In suggesting how to navigate present times, it keeps a firm focus on the aims of inclusiveness and a just transition, while connecting short-term actions to medium- and long-term decarbonisation pathways."
International Renewable Energy Agency
Ferroukhi, Rabia; Gielen, Dolf; Press, Elizabeth
2020
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Global Forced Migration: The Political Crisis of Our Time
From the Executive Summary: "The United States can and must lead a new global effort to address the global forced migration crisis. Current trends, including the challenge of climate change, will force more people to flee their homes, be on the move, and live in displacement. As the number of those forcibly displaced continues to balloon, the need for innovative and comprehensive international responses is imperative. Under the Trump administration, the United States has responded to the forced migration crisis with fear and regressive policies. In order to mitigate global instability and regain our standing as a nation committed to principled leadership in the world, the United States must reverse course and lead the charge in securing international cooperation and new solutions for today's forced migrants. How the United States chooses to respond to these events will define the world we will live in, and the role the United States plays in it."
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations
2020-06-18
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RAND Review: May-June 2020
From the Webpage: "The cover story explores how military and local governments can work together to prepare their communities for climate change. A second feature spotlights the unmet needs of civilians who return from war zones and other hot spots throughout the world. In this issue's Q&A column, policy researcher Yuna Wong talks about wargaming in the age of artificial intelligence. A message from president and CEO Michael Rich announces the Tomorrow Demands Today fundraising campaign and how philanthropy supports RAND's mission to help improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis."
RAND Corporation
2020
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Oceania's Post 9/11 Security Concerns: Common Causes, Uncommon Approaches?
"The Pacific Island Countries (PICs) generally share a common set of security concerns, but approaches to dealing with them differ. Among the key concerns are internal divisions and nontraditional threats such as climate change and associated rises in sea level. Transnational threats such as money laundering and the smuggling of drugs, arms, and humans also receive considerable attention--including by non-PICs--especially in the post-9/11 context. While the possibility that terrorists will target the PICs is unlikely, transnational terrorism and its effects have had other consequences for the island states. The international community is now more concerned with the potential for the PICs to be used as havens for money laundering and transit points for smuggling. The prospect of a PIC being used as a terrorist training base has also been mentioned, though this is seen as highly improbable. Concerns that some of the PICs are growing increasingly unstable-- even becoming 'failed states'--have increased in the post-9/11 world. Such categorization is too overarching, however. And a blanket policy approach is inadvisable. Action will be most effective in a manner cognizant of the local culture(s) involved. Such an approach will require careful study and analysis but would further enhance communication between PICs and the larger nations and increase the effectiveness of policy formulation and implementation."
Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies
Shibuya, Eric Y.
2003-11
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Military Leadership Diversity Commission Decision Paper #8: Metrics
"Incorporating diversity management into the critical business practices of the military in order to optimize its mission readiness requires sustained strategic leadership by the Service Secretaries and Chiefs. Top leaders must transform the military through its vision and values, culture and climate, and structure and systems, as well as through its diversity strategy. To drive this level of strategic change, the Service Secretaries and Chiefs must continuously measure and assess the military's effectiveness using a set of well-crafted metrics. Further, the Service Secretaries and Chiefs should be held accountable to the President, to Congress, and to the American public whom they have sworn to protect and serve. The recommendations presented in this decision paper focus on establishing a set of strategic metrics that would support a sustainable diversity strategy led by the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) and would allow the Services to continue with their own diversity work consistent with OSD goals."
United States. Military Leadership Diversity Commission
2011-02
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Exploration of Tolerable Risk Guidelines for the USACE Levee Safety Program
"Risk assessment methodologies have been used around the world to provide decision makers with information on the likelihood of adverse outcomes and resulting consequences. Governments are recently moving to broader flood risk management approaches that encompass structural measures and manage floodplain development while recognizing climate change, environmental functions and social factors. Such flood risk approaches consider the probability of a flood hazard occurring; the vulnerability of flood mitigation measures implemented to lessen flood consequences through preparation, response, recovery and mitigation; and the consequences that result from the mitigated flood event. Within that overarching flood risk management context, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is considering risk management approaches for dams and levee systems in order to make better decisions, better prioritize and justify risk reduction measures, better communicate risks to decision makers and the public, and better understand and evaluate public safety risks in an environment of shared flood risk management responsibilities. USACE consideration of risk management approaches includes the potential use of a Tolerability of Risk (TOR) framework, originally developed in the United Kingdom and adapted elsewhere, as well as Tolerable Risk Guidelines (TRG). Tolerability of Risk was developed as a framework for reaching decisions with stakeholders that focuses on the most serious risks consistently, efficiently, and transparently. Tolerable Risk Guidelines categorize the nature of risks in ways that can assist in assessing their acceptability or non-acceptability, and in prioritizing actions for reducing risks."
United States. Army. Corps of Engineers; Institute for Water Resources (U.S.)
2010-03
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Feeding the Dragon: Reevaluating U.S. Development Assistance to China, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, First Session, November 15, 2011
From the opening statement of Donald A. Manzullo: "On September 15th, 2011, the United States Agency for International Development notified Congress of its intent to obligate $3.95 million in Development Assistance funds to 'engage China as a partner in addressing climate change.' This particular notification, while small in the grand scheme of things, is emblematic of the dysfunction in America's foreign aid spending priorities. What is being proposed here, essentially, is that we borrow money from China to give back to China to help it fix its own domestic problems, many of which were created in the breakneck rush to develop. At the same time, these programs help boost the competitiveness of Chinese manufacturers at the expense of U.S. manufacturers and U.S. jobs. In my opinion, this is a fool's errand, and the U.S. Government needs to clean up its own fiscal trail before helping China clean up its environmental mess. We have enough challenges at home without having to worry about U.S. taxpayer monies funding a Chinese Government regime notorious for disregarding international norms of trade, human rights, and the environment." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Nisha Desai Biswal and Donald A. Manzullo.
United States. Government Printing Office
2011
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Pacific Police Department Continuity of Operations Plan for Pandemic Disease
From the Situation: "There have been five influenza pandemics over the last century. The 1918 influenza pandemic is thought to have been the most deadly pandemic in human history, with an estimated 50 to 100 million fatalities. The global and regional impacts of the 1918 pandemic remain unparalleled, causing long-term and widespread social and economic devastation, comparable only to a major world war. In the last twenty years we have seen the 2009 H1N1 (Swine) influenza pandemic, localized outbreaks of H7N9 (Avian) influenza, and several significant non-influenza infectious disease epidemics: SARS [severe acute respiratory syndrome] coronavirus, MERS [Middle East respiratory syndrome] coronavirus, Ebola hemorrhagic fever, the Zika virus, and in 2020 an outbreak of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]. All of these outbreaks were produced by either a novel virus or appeared in regions without historical precedent. Research suggests that changes in climate, global transportation, agricultural practices, and continued deforestation may increase the prevalence, severity, and transmission of future infectious disease outbreaks. The outbreak of COVID-19 as this policy is written now represents the greatest pandemic threat and calls for urgent regional and global preparation and mitigation efforts. The true severity of the current and next pandemic remains largely unknown as virus' are in a constant state of mutation. This necessitates planning that is similarly able to adapt to dynamic disease characteristics and response demands. The following plan exemplifies this perspective by providing concise objectives, flexible response actions, and a clear delineation of responsibilities. Lessons from past pandemics were integral to the development of this plan, so that we are better able to respond to the infectious disease challenges of the future."
Pacific Police Department (Wash.)
2020
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 2346, Fishery Failures: Urgently Needed Disaster Declarations Act
This is the Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on November 13, 2019. From the Document: "Under current law, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) may provide financial assistance to commercial fisheries that experience economic hardship because of natural or manmade disasters. S. 2346 would explicitly define terms that are used to determine if a fishery is eligible for assistance. The bill also would require NOAA to adhere to a faster application review process and to fulfill additional reporting requirements. Finally, S. 2346 would require the Government Accountability Office to report to the Congress on efforts by the Regional Fishery Management Councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the National Marine Fisheries Service to prepare and adapt to climate change."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2020-06-12
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Anticipating Viral Species Jumps: Bioinformatics and Data Needs
"Viral species jumps (also called host jumps) occur when a virus acquires the ability to infect and spread among individuals of a new host species. Historical examples of animal viruses that jumped into human hosts include HIV, SARS coronavirus and influenza A virus. Globally, these viruses have exacted high socioeconomic and health costs. The ability to predict viral species jumps can reduce such costs by enabling swifter outbreak mitigation strategies and prevention of initial or secondary human infection. Currently, most emerging infectious disease surveillance efforts seek the 'ecological drivers behind spillover events' -- factors like climate, land use and population migrations driving infections that do not spread between humans. By contrast, we focus here on the 'evolutionary drivers behind species jumps' -- the genetic changes over time driving infections that spread efficiently among humans. We see an opportunity to apply field surveillance and laboratory data to better understand how viral species jumps occur. There are publicly available extant data that can be marshaled. To build a mechanistic framework of understanding, data must be integrated and accessible to users for analysis and modeling, as well as formulation and testing of hypotheses. In short, bioinformatics must be applied." Note: This document has been added to the Homeland Security Digital Library in agreement with the Project on Advanced Systems and Concepts for Countering WMD (PASCC) as part of the PASCC collection. Permission to download and/or retrieve this resource has been obtained through PASCC.
United States. Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Flanagan, Meg L.; Leighton, Terrance; Dudley, Joseph
2011-06
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Power, Profits and the Pandemic: From Corporate Extraction for the Few to an Economy That Works for All
From the Summary: "There are three main ways in which companies have exacerbated the economic impacts of COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]: 1. Excessive shareholder payouts before the crisis have left companies, workers and governments vulnerable to the pandemic shock. The world's largest corporations could have had a lot of cash on-hand when COVID-19 hit to shield workers, adjust business models and prevent costly public bail-outs. [...] Yet, the profits they made prior to the current crisis almost went exclusively to a small group of predominantly wealthy shareholders rather than being reinvested in better jobs or climate-friendly technologies. [...] 2. Corporations make money but do little to support government resources to respond to the pandemic[.] [...] As many of the world's billionaires are also some of the largest shareholders in these companies, the 25 wealthiest billionaires increased their wealth by a staggering $255bn between mid-March and late-May alone. Some would argue that corporates have made up for this with their tax payments and the generosity of their philanthropy, but the evidence does not support this. [...] 3. Companies putting profits before people has worsened the COVID-19 crisis [...] Unless we change course, economic inequality will increase [...] This is the time for governments to create incentives and limitations to radically rein in corporate power, restructure business models with purpose, and reward all those who create value. This could create a post-COVID economy for everyone that will be better placed to withstand future shocks[.] [...] This paper proposes such a blueprint."
Oxfam International
Gneiting, Uwe; Lusiani, Nicholas; Tamir, Irit
2020-09
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Another Possible Cost of COVID-19: Returning Workers May Lead to Deforestation in Nepal
From the Document: "In rural Nepal, 10 years of conflict between government forces and Maoist fighters, followed by a series of devastating earthquakes, forced many young people to migrate to urban areas or overseas in search of employment. Farm sizes remained the same, but with remittance income coming in from migrants plus a sharp reduction in available labor at home, many farmers left some of their land uncultivated. This expansion of uncultivated land brought an important environmental benefit. After years of forest loss, surveys conducted from 1992 to 2016 found that tree cover--on both state forest land (often managed as community forests) and on private agricultural land--increased by almost 20 percent. At a time when forests are shrinking in many parts of the world due to a combination of logging, land clearing, and climate change, the 20-year trend of increasing tree cover in Nepal stands out as a model for other developing countries. Today, the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic has forced many Nepali migrants to return home. With more available labor and less remittance income, will farmers in Nepal now remove trees on their land to expand cultivation?"
East-West Center
Fox, Jefferson, 1951-; Yokying, Phanwin; Paudel, Naya S. . . .
2020-08-28
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Presidential Proclamation - Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month, 2013
"Over the last few decades, our Nation has grown increasingly dependent on critical infrastructure, the backbone of our national and economic security. America's critical infrastructure is complex and diverse, combining systems in both cyberspace and the physical world -- from power plants, bridges, and interstates to Federal buildings and the massive electrical grids that power our Nation. During Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month, we resolve to remain vigilant against foreign and domestic threats, and work together to further secure our vital assets, systems, and networks. As President, I have made protecting critical infrastructure a top priority. Earlier this year, I signed a Presidential Policy Directive to shore up our defenses against physical and cyber incidents. In tandem with my Executive Order on cybersecurity, this directive strengthens information sharing within my Administration and between the Federal Government and its many critical infrastructure partners, while also ensuring strong privacy protections. Because of the interconnected nature of our critical infrastructure, my Administration will continue to work with businesses and industry leaders and build on all the great work done to date. With these partners, and in cooperation with all levels of government, we will further enhance the security and resilience of our critical infrastructure. We must continue to strengthen our resilience to threats from all hazards including terrorism and natural disasters, as well as cyber attacks. We must ensure that the Federal Government works with all critical infrastructure partners, including owners and operators, to share information effectively while jointly collaborating before, during, and after an incident. This includes working with infrastructure sectors to harden their assets against extreme weather and other impacts of climate change."
United States. White House Office
Obama, Barack
2013-10-31
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Oversight of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Hearing Before the Committee on Environment and Public Works, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixteenth Congress, Second Session, March 4, 2020
This is the March 4, 2020 hearing titled "Oversight of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission" before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. From the opening statement of John Barrasso: "Clean and constant nuclear power is a cornerstone of our Nation's energy infrastructure. It is also vital if we are serious about addressing climate change. Nuclear energy reliability generates electricity to power our homes and our businesses. Over the decades, utilities have steadily improved performance to increase how much nuclear energy the United States produces. As things stand today, this trend will not continue. Subsidized renewable energy production and costly regulations are contributing to the decline of America's nuclear industry. To help preserve and expand nuclear energy, Congress passed the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act. The law requires the commission to be prepared to review new reactor designs." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Kristine Svinicki, Jeff Baran, Annie Caputo, and David Wright.
United States. Government Publishing Office
2020
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Horn Bulletin: Sub-Saharan Governments' Response to COVID-19 and the Second Order Crises
The HORN Bulletin is a bimonthly publication by the HORN Institute. It contains thematic articles mainly on issues affecting the Horn of Africa region. The articles in this edition include the following: "Sub-Saharan Governments' Response to COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] and the Second Order Crises" by Emmaculate Asige Liaga, Olga Menang, and Isaac Namango; "COVID-19 in the Greater Horn of Africa: Responses, Impact and Critical Lessons" by Otieno O. Joel and Elvis Salano; "Perpetual Conflict: Prospects of Sustainable Peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo" by Ntandoyenkosi Ncube; and "Climate Change and Gender-Based Violence: The Case of Somalia" by Umaimah Adan.
HORN International Institute for Strategic Studies
2020
