Weekly Report

Deterrence

If US Missile Defense Agency pursues scientific dead ends, then US missile defenses will be expensive pipe dreams, cobbled together from components that do not work together in a “system of systems,” failing to satisfy the mission.

DPRK

North Korea’s relationship with China is subtly yet perceptibly changing. Kim Kye-gwan, former head of North Korea’s Six Party Talks delegation, will be in Beijing shortly before South Korea’s President visits and shortly after the South Korean Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited. Notably, Kim’s visit is State to State; one of the few NOT Party to Party discussions. No overarching framework has been articulated for the talks.

Energy Security

Keeping the goal alive only by setting an ambitious but doable goal for 2020; how one goes from there to drastic cuts by 2050 and whether international negotiations are a help or a hindrance is the bigger question. IEA also warns of higher warming, while NY Times points out “important gaps in our knowledge of the climate system” and the FCCC talks in Bonn break down on disagreements over “hot air”. Reality fits the metaphor.

Governance and Civil Society

The DPRK has called for high-level talks with the US following the breakdown of talks with the ROK last week. The DPRK says there must be no preconditions to US talks as the DPRK National Defense Commission released a statement further redefining “denuclearization” to include both Koreas. Some see the DPRK’s latest moves for dialogue as a means for gaining back favor with China rather than sincere offers.

Climate Change Adaptation

The complexity and social and economic importance of the built environment requires focused governance to develop adaptation and hazard mitigation for community resilience to climate change and to predicted extreme events. Where issues of adaptation and hazard mitigation impact public safety, they are best tackled through legislation, codes and policy.

Climate Change and Security

Rather than developing claims that are specific to climate change–conflict relationships, analysts tend to import arguments from the earlier environmental literatures. It is often unclear whether the climate change–conflict relationship is actually being tested. Recommendations: incorporation of agricultural variables into models; emphasis on conditional effects, with attention to local institutions; and a shift from climate change to climate uncertainty.

Policy Forum

China and the United Nations Sanctions on North Korea

Then Chinese Foreign Minister (now State Councillor) Yang Jiechi addresses the United Nations. Picture via the United Nations.

In this Policy Forum Zhang Guihong argues that United Nations Resolutions on North Korea, while necessary, will not solve the nucl ...

June 18, 2013

US-China: Joined At The Hip

Image source: ERIN KIRK-CUOMO/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

by Peter Hayes June 27, 2013 I. Introduction Peter Hayes writes “The tug of war over Taiwan and the contest between the US a ...

June 18, 2013

Coping with North Korean Nuclear Quagmire – What Options are Available: R...

PF image

As a panelist at the Jeju Forum, Peter Hayes remarks that "At this late stage in the DPRK’s nuclear breakout, one should begin w ...

May 30, 2013

Special Reports

网络空间安全威胁与对策思考

June 13, 2013

[Chinese Version] In this Special Report Senior Colonel (Retired) Fan Gaoyue argues that the internet and cyberspace in broad terms have an openn...

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Threats to Cyberspace and Responses

June 13, 2013

[English Version] In this Special Report Senior Colonel (Retired) Fan Gaoyue argues that the internet and cyberspace in broad terms have an openn...

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Update Review of Safety Aspects of Nuclear Po...

June 11, 2013

Recent probes have unveiled irregularities involving a parts supplier to Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., the state-run operator of the nation's nuclear plants....

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An Emerging Fukushima Model?

June 4, 2013

Andrew Dewit discusses Japan’s plans to build the world’s largest offshore wind farm near Fukushima as part of plans to reconstruct the area stricken by nucle...

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Handbook to Support Assessment of Radiologica...

May 14, 2013

Commercial nuclear power plants around the world harness nuclear fission to produce electricity. At each plant, a fission reactor receives fresh nuclear fuel and ...

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Propaganda, Fire-Thrashing, and the Risk of N...

April 10, 2013

In this report, Peter Hayes and Roger Cavazos “examine one North Korean account of the limited war it might fight to occupy Seoul, including the use of nuclear ...

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Consideration of the Possibility of Deep Bore...

March 12, 2013

In the following report, Tomochika Tokunaga provides an overview of the applicability of deep borehole disposal for radioactive waste in Japan. Tokunaga summarize...

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The ROK’s Nuclear Energy Development and Sp...

January 22, 2013

In this report Jungmin Kang reviews the current status of and future prospects for nuclear power in the Republic of Korea. The ROK’s current nuclear capacity of...

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Climate Change Adaptation

The Climate Change Adaptation Network (AdaptNet) is a fortnightly report that highlights best practices and demonstration projects addressing climate change. It focuses on cities in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region and how they might best prepare for a warming planet.

AdaptNet tiếng Việt

AdaptNet là bản báo cáo được xuất bản hai lần mỗi tháng, chú trọng nêu bật các giải pháp thực tiễn hiệu quả nhất cũng như các dự án điển hình có khả năng thích ứng với biến đổi khí hậu. Bên cạnh đó, AdaptNet chủ yếu tập trung vào các thành phố tại Ốt-xtrây-li-a và khu vực Châu Á- Thái Bình Dương với các biện pháp chuẩn bị thích ứng với hiện tượng nóng lên toàn cầu.

About Nautilus

Our mission: WE HOLD THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO BUILD PEACE, CREATE SECURITY, AND RESTORE SUSTAINABILITY FOR ALL PEOPLE IN OUR TIME.

Since its founding in Berkeley, California in 1992, the Nautilus Institute has evolved into a thriving public policy think-tank and community resource. Along the way it has addressed critical security and sustainability issues such as the United States nuclear policy in Korea and the effect of the U.S.-China relationship on environmental insecurity. The Institute has built a reputation not only for innovative research and analysis of critical global problems, it also translates ideas into practical solutions, often with high impact.

The Institute convenes a community of scholars and practitioners who conduct research on strategies to solve interconnected global problems. Our Associates and Partners are located in Asia, North America, Europe, Australia and India. With our network of partner organizations and associates, we develop and apply these strategies to the linked threats of nuclear war, urban and energy insecurity, and climate change in the Asia Pacific region.

Nautilus encourages civil society to strengthen regional governance of these common problems and shared solutions.

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Nautilus in the News

“한국, 원전 도입 초기부터 안전불감” 外 <화상연결>, Naver News

June 13, 2013

원자력발전소 부품 비리가 잇따라 적발되고 있는 가운데 우리나라가 원전 도입 초기부터 심각한 '안전 불감증'에 빠졌다고 경고한 미국의 보고서가 31년 만에 공개됐습니다. 워싱턴 특파 ...

원전 도입부터 심각한 안전불감증, Seoul News

June 13, 2013

보고서 31년만에 공개 “안전 점검·품질 관리 소홀 미국의 안보·환경·자원 분야 정책연구 민간기관인 노틸러스연구소는 11일(현지시간) 우리나라가 원전 도입 초기부터 심각한 안전불감 ...

Recent Comments

Sasha Z. Cash

The National Cybersecurity Center (NCSC) within t...

Jun 15 2013 on 网络空间安..

Roger Cavazos

Matilda - 의견을 주셔서 감사합니다! T...

Jun 13 2013 on Rising Sun, Morn..

MARK J. VALENCIA

It never ceases to amaze me is how some “schola...

Jun 12 2013 on The South China ..

Matilda H. Vaughan

just so you understand, that while they are singi...

Jun 08 2013 on Rising Sun, Morn..

Leticia Bartlett

Thành phố Huế là một trong bốn thành p...

Jun 08 2013 on AdaptNet ngày 4..

Tuan Pham

In his concluding statement Mr Valencia implies t...

May 31 2013 on The South China ..

Alexander Vorontsov - Author

First of all you would like to express my sincere...

Apr 16 2013 on Why is the Korea..