Nautilus Peace and Security Weekly – 1 August 2013

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"Nautilus Peace and Security Weekly – 1 August 2013", Weekly Report, August 01, 2013, https://nautilus.org/napsnet/napsnet-weekly/nautilus-peace-and-security-weekly-1-august-2013/


Image source: Sharon BurkeDETERRENCE: Why the smart grid might be a dumb idea, Coral Davenport, National Journal (11 July 2013)

Smart grid technology aimed at reducing energy and greenhouse gas emissions also create vulnerability to cyberattack that could disable US power grids with massive social and economic impact.  Russia and China may have mapped US electric grid via Internet linkage as way to send a message to the US should military confrontation escalate.


Image source: http://news.ifeng.comDPRK: (North) Korea commemorates the 60th anniversary of the armistice with a military parade attended by Li Yuanchao, Jiangsu (province) China People’s Daily, (27 July 2013)   [Chinese language]

North Korea marked the sixtieth anniversary of the Korean Armistice. In China and Korea, the sixtieth anniversary is a significant achievement and marks one complete zodiac cycle.  China’s Vice-President, whose Communist Party rank is somewhere between 10 and 25 was the most senior Chinese visitor since Li Ke qiang’s 2011 visit and the most senior visitor since Kim Jong-un assumed power.  North Korea is likely open to non-political overtures from the U.S.


Image source: REUTERS/David W CernyENERGY SECURITY: “Zombie” CO2 projects on the rise as CDM hits 7,000, Michael Szabo, Reuters Point Carbon (9 July 2013)

Some 20-some years ago, advocating a “cap-and-trade’ GHG control regime, some puny “joint implementation” projects started under a US initiative, soon joined by some European countries’ programs. This ‘make believe’ game – for the sake of propaganda and experts  – has gone on too long under the name of “Clean Development Mechanism”, but like every bad idea has a life of its own. Even with “Zombie” projects with emission reductions now valued some 50 Eurocents a ton, and a huge blackmail game played by HFC producers.


Image source: ReutersGOVERNANCE AND CIVIL SOCIETY: Street protests outdated political tool, Global Times (23 July 2013)

An editorial in China’s Global Times argues that street protests are an “outdated tool” and that the political damage caused is greater than any positive outcomes that may result. Evidence in China does not seem to support this claim, as the government has changed course on several plans for new chemical and uranium facilities in response to large-scale public protests.


Image source: CSIROCLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION: Adaptation or development? Exploring the distinctions (or lack thereof) through case studies in Bangladesh and Vietnam, Partner report series No 8, Stockholm Environment Institute and Regional Climate Change Adaptation Knowledge Platform (2013)

“Development is considered a ‘safer’ objective than adaptation, due to the lack of tools to assess success in achieving adaptation through projects. Differentiating between adaptation and development may be an artificial exercise. In theory, there is a difference between adaptation and development. In project implementation, that difference is mostly considered insignificant. In practice, the actions taken to achieve adaptation can hardly be distinguished from those required to achieve sustainable development.”


Image source: International Alert and LSE International Development CLIMATE CHANGE AND SECURITY: Missing the poorest for the trees? REDD+ and the links between forestry, resilience and peacebuilding, Tobias F. Dorr et al., International Alert and LSE International Development (May 2013) [PDF, 8MB]

How will REDD+ impact peace and security? To be effective and equitable, REDD+ will require large areas of land with clear tenure arrangements. Yet many developing countries suffer from conflicts over land ownership and continue to exclude local communities from land use decisions. The absence of a formal REDD+ agreement could provide an opportunity to promote the development of a conflict-sensitive REDD+ framework.


The Nautilus Peace and Security Weekly Report presents articles and full length reports each week in six categories: Austral security, nuclear deterrence, energy security, climate change and security, the DPRK, climate change adaptation and governance and civil society. Our team of contributors carefully select items that highlight the links between these themes and the three regions in which our offices are found—North America, Northeast Asia, and the Austral-Asia region. 

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