IRC Newsletter

GLOBALIZATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT: WHY ALL THE FUSS?
David A. Wirth. Boston College Law School Faculty Papers, Boston College Law School. February 2007.

The relationship between globalization and environmental policies is not just “free trader versus self-serving protectionists.” This report sets out a structural and analytical framework for addressing some of the major issues between these two views points. The author discusses: Unilateral trade-based measures to protect the environment;; Science-based tests applied through trade agreements; Foreign investment disciplines that may have a “chilling” effect on environmental issues; and The relationship between free trade agreements and multilateral environmental agreements. U.S. domestic laws including federal administrative law and federal-state relations are also examined.

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Full Text [pdf format, 10 pages]

CONFRONTING CLIMATE CHANGE: AVOIDING THE UNMANAGEABLE AND MANAGING THE UNAVOIDABLE
Rosina Bierbaum, John P. Holdren, Michael MacCracken, Richard H. Moss, and Peter H. Raven. UN Foundation-SIGMA XI The Scientific Research Society. Web posted February 28, 2007.

“Global climate change, driven largely by the combustion of fossil fuels and by deforestation, is a growing threat to human well-being in developing and industrialized nations alike. . .The challenge now is to keep climate change from becoming a catastrophe.” This report is from the 15 th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development and is based on the Scientific Expert Group Report on Climate Change and Sustainable Development. This report focuses on what needs to be done immediately and how to avoid a climatic catastrophe. The authors concentrated on two areas: mitigation measures such as reduction of greenhouse gases and adaptation measures such as building dikes and adjusting agricultural practices.

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Full Text [pdf format, 166 pages]

REPORT ON ORPHAN DRUGS IN DEVELOPMENT FOR RARE DISEASES: 2007
America’s Biopharmaceutical Companies, Genetic Alliance, and National Organization for Rare Diseases. Web posted February 27, 2007.

A rare disease is one that affects fewer than 200,000 patients in the U.S. Progress made over these diseases in the past several years is primarily due to the Orphan Drug Act of 1983. This Act provides research companies with tax relief, some market exclusivity for development of orphan drugs, and incentives for drug research. Since 1983, 1,679 medicines have been designated as orphan drugs; and experts predict that a number of new drugs will be developed in the coming years due to better understanding of molecular and genetic causes of these diseases.

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Full Text [pdf format, 32 pages]

ECONOMICS OF THE INTERNET.
Nicholas Economides. Working Paper, New York University Law and Economics Working Papers, New York University School of Law. Web posted January 1, 2007.

This paper discusses the “salient economic aspects of the Internet, including the possible abolition of net neutrality [the principle that Internet users should be in control of what content they view and what applications they use] by local broadband access networks as well as potential incompatibilities and degradation of connectivity in the Internet backbone.” The author’s conclusion is that competition is the backbone of Internet services, but local access networks are presently posing that net neutrality be abolished and that fees be imposed. The author further contends that the legality of these proposals is questionable and may have adverse consequences for consumers.

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Full Text [pdf format, 25 pages]

RESPONDING TO FINANCIAL CRISES
Jeffrey Fankel. Faculty Research Working Paper Series, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. February 14, 2007.

Most financial analysts agree there is a need for a Lender of Last Resort in the event of banking panics or disruptions, but crises should not be the basis for public policy. “The response must be appropriate and careful. It must be informed by the longer term perspective offered in the lessons of historical precedent. . This paper details lessons learned from past crises such as inflation, stock market crashes, housing crashes, and various international crises.

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Full Text [pdf format, 13 pages]

BUSINESS AND ECOSYSTEMS ISSUE BRIEF: ECOSYSTEM CHALLENGES AND BUSINESS IMPLICATIONS
Issue Brief, Earthwatch Institute, World Conservation Union, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and World Resources Institute. March 2007.

“Over the past 50 years human activity has altered ecosystems faster and more extensively than ever before in human history. That is the main finding of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA), a four-year, international, scientific appraisal of the condition and trends in the Earth’s ecosystems.” This brief explores and discusses the implications for business in six major areas of the environment. Those are: “water scarcity, climate change, habitat change, biodiversity loss and invasive species, overexploitation of oceans, and nutrient overloading.”

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Full Text [pdf format, 20 pages]

WTO: CONGRESS FACES KEY DECISIONS AS EFFORTS TO REACH DOHA AGREEMENT INTENSIFY
U.S. General Accountability Office (GAO). Web posted March 8, 2007.

President Bush has identified the Doha Agreement as a trade policy priority, but the talks “remain deadlocked.” World Trade Organization (WTO) members are at odds over barriers that distort production and trade such as tariffs and government payments for domestic support such as farm support. The members are also divided over how to promote economic growth and reduce poverty in the developing counties. The consequences of not reaching a successful conclusion of the Doha agreements could mean a weakened global trading system; i.e., a difficult trading environment for the U.S. The 110 th Congress faces renewal of the Trade Promotion Authority and the Farm Bill. Both bills could spur movement for the Doha Agreement.

Full Text [pdf format, 70 pages]

GLOBAL EMPLOYMENT TRENDS FOR WOMEN: BRIEF, MARCH 2007
International Labour Office. Web posted March 8, 2007.

Women’s participation in the labor market increased significantly during the 1980s and 1990s. This report focused on that trend and whether the trend translated into decent and productive jobs for economic independence. The brief looked at labor market indicators such as labor force participation, unemployment, sector and status employment, wages/earnings, and education and skills. Some of the major findings are: More women are in the labor markets; The labor force participation rate (the share of working-age women who work or who are seeking work) stopped growing; More women are unemployed; Women are likely to be in low productivity jobs in agriculture or service; In poor regions, women work as unpaid family members; and Wage gaps still persist. This report indicates that the “policies to enhance women’s chances to participate equally in labour markets are starting to pay off,” but the pace is very slow.

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Full Text [pdf format, 20 pages]

THE TOP AMERICAN RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES: 2006 ANNUAL REPORT
John V. Lombardi, Elizabeth D. Capaldi and Craig W. Abbey. The Center for Measuring University Performance, Arizona State University. Web posted March 20, 2007.

This is the seventh edition of The Top American Research Universities (TARU). It contains comparative tables of performance of campuses based on nine criteria. The authors agree that it is extremely difficult to rank research universities in one list since there is no standardization of university campuses. Most research campuses contain discipline-based departments (schools) that are critical competitive elements in the TARU ranking. The primary usefulness of the TARU ranking comes from “the publication of the tables in their consistent format over time,” and the core value of the report remains the data collected.

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Full Text [pdf format, 228 pages]

THE ISRAELI-HEZBOLLAH WAR OF 2006: THE MEDIA AS A WEAPON IN ASYMMETRICAL CONFLICT
Marvin Kalb. Faculty Research Working Paper Series, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. February 28, 2007.

“Based on content analysis of global media and interviews with many diplomats and journalists, this paper describes the trajectory of the media from objective observer to fiery advocate, becoming in fact a weapon of modern warfare. The paper also shows how an open society, Israel, is victimized by its own openness and how a closed sect, Hezbollah, can retain almost total control of the daily message of journalism and propaganda.”

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Full Text [pdf format, 40 pages]

IRAN: “WEAKLING” OR “HEGEMON”?
Anthony H. Cordesman. Review Draft, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). February 20, 2007.

This paper assesses Iran’s capabilities and intentions and delineates what the author perceives to be its current and potential threats. In his opinion those threats are its conventional military power, its unconventional forces, its ability to use proxies or partners, its potential nuclear power and long-range missiles, and its potential religious and ideological threats. The author then provides “several steps that Iran’s Arab neighbors need to take to structure the best mix of deterrence and incentives for Iran” to bring about regional stability.

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Full Text [pdf format, 23 pages]

KOSOVO: WHAT CAN GO WRONG?
Daniel Serwer, Yll Bajraktari and Christina Parajon. USIPeace Briefing, U.S. Institute of Peace. Web posted March 15, 2007.

The Yugoslavian war ended eight years ago. As a result, the Albanian-majority Serbian province of Kosovo was placed under a UN protectorate. The UN Special Envoy, Martti Ahtisaari (who was tasked with finding a Kosovo resolution), submitted a plan that allows protection for Serbs but opens the possibility of a sovereign and independent Kosovo. This brief discusses the drivers behind the conflict who could derail the peace initiative. These drivers are the “international community, the Kosovo Albanians, Serbia, and the Kosovo Serbs.”

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THE NEW TOTALITARIANS: SOCIAL IDENTITIES AND RADICAL ISLAMIST POLITICAL GRAND STRATEGY
Dr. Douglas J. Macdonald. Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College. February 9, 2007.

The author argues that the “clash of civilizations” is a useful way to analyze the War on Terrorism. The “clash” is the goal of radical Islamist--the spread of totalitarian beliefs to the entire Muslim world. The author warns that this totalitarian culture must be stopped. Supporting the majority of mainstream Muslims, rewarding moves toward modernization, and avoiding unnecessary irritants to Muslim sensibilities will curtail this “clash.”

Full Text [pdf format, 90 pages]

ENDING OIL DEPENDENCE
David Sandalow. The Brookings Institution. January 22, 2007.

This paper looks at the U.S.’s oil dependence and the author offers several policy proposals to solve this dependency. “Plug-in hybrid engines, biofuels and other technologies can help end the United States’ oil dependence in a generation. Doing so would provide important national security, environmental and economic benefits. A broad political consensus and game-changing technological advances create the conditions for dramatic change.” The author stresses that there are no simple or short-term solutions to this crisis.

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Full Text [pdf format, 27 pages]

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