CONTENTS
- DETERRENCE: Broad powers seen for Obama in cyberstrikes
- DPRK: ISIS statement on North Korean nuclear test
- ENERGY SECURITY: Draft approval for new Indian nuclear site
- GOVERNANCE AND CIVIL SOCIETY: S. Koreans ‘indifferent’ to N. Korean nuclear threat
- CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION: Climate change adaptation: institutional approaches for developing countries
- CLIMATE CHANGE AND SECURITY: Climate extremes: recent trends with implications for national security
See this week’s blog: Developing-country organizations and climate change adaptation, from our Climate Change Adaptation contributor, Saleem Janjua.
DETERRENCE: Broad powers seen for Obama in cyberstrikes, David Sanger, Thom Shankar, New York Times (3 February 2013)
If a digital “911” is detected looming from abroad, the US president can order a pre-emptive strike with cyberweapons so powerful that, like nuclear weapons, only the president can order their use. New rules will enable the US military to attack adversaries by injecting them with destructive code–even if there is no declared war.
- Obama signs secret directive to help thwart cyberattacks, Ellen Nakashima, Washington Post (15 November 2012)
- Cyber warfare: A “nuclear option”? Andrew Krepinevich, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (2012)
- Chasing its tail, nuclear deterrence in the information age, Stephen Cimbala, Strategic Studies Quarterly (Summer 2012) [PDF, 691KB]
DPRK: ISIS statement on North Korean nuclear test, David Albright and Andrea Stricker, Institute for Science and International Security (12 February 2013)
What to do about a North Korea motivated primarily by the paramount goals of domestic concerns and regime legitimacy? Apparently their goals also rest atop an ICBM and within a chunk of radioactive material meaning an appropriate response deals with security concerns as well as capabilities. China will change at the margins, but is unlikely to drastically drop support for North Korea until North Korea negatively impacts China’s core interests.
- On the CTBTO’s detection in North Korea, Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization (12 February 2013)
- North Korea claimed to successfully carry out a nuclear test, People’s Daily (13 February 2013) [Chinese language]
- Obama’s six options for dealing with North Korea, they’re all terrible, Max Fisher, Washington Post (12 February 2013)
ENERGY SECURITY: Draft approval for new Indian nuclear site, World Nuclear News (28 January 2013)
A government noted for its crookery has a company – Engineers India – to dutifully craft a study claiming that a nuclear complex of six plants to be owned by another such company – National Nuclear Power – will be “environmentally benign and sustainable”. Of course, before a design has been selected, and ignoring many risks of fuel rupture along the fuel cycle; and, based only on 11 month data (perhaps 12 months were planned and an inconvenient month was ignored.) Elsewhere, people understand that overcoming the nuclear addiction carries a price, and is no answer to power shortages.
- Europe consuming more coal, Michael Birnbaum, Washington Post (7 February 2013)
- Tepco’s increasing reliance on fossil fuels, World Nuclear News (12 February 2013)
- Power-hungry Brazil builds dams, and more dams, across the Amazon, Juan Forero, Washington Postn (9 February 2013)
GOVERNANCE AND CIVIL SOCIETY: S. Koreans ‘indifferent’ to N. Korean nuclear threat, Chosun Ilbo (8 February 2013)
The South Korean public is seemingly unconcerned with issues regarding the DPRK’s nuclear program even while becoming increasingly aware of the ROK’s domestic nuclear program. Numerous protests have been held against the ROK’s use of nuclear power at home but the DPRK nuclear threat seems to be viewed as an as issue between the US and DPRK only. ROK President-elect Park’s response to the DPRK’s nuclear test may set the tone for North-South relations.
- Newspaper: Dialogue between North and South will depend on Park Geun-hye, Jeong Nam-ku, Hankyoreh (12 February 2013)
- Park Geun-hye’s response to North Korea’s provocations will be crucial, Park Hyun, Hankyoreh (12 February 2013)
- President-elect condemns a ‘threat to Korean Peninsula’, Lee Eun-joo, Joongang Ilbo (13 February 2013)
CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION: Climate change adaptation: institutional approaches for developing countries, Peter Appiah Obeng and Joseph Boateng Agyenim (eds), Climate Change Governance, Climate Change Management, pp. 185-203 (2013)
The world is giving much attention to the development and use of sustainable energy options and industrial practices that would lead to cuts in greenhouse gas emission. This is expected to slow down, if not reverse, the rate at which the global environment is changing. Equal attention is being given (or perhaps should be given) to preparing the world to cope with the harm that climate change has already caused and is expected to cause. In this context, it is important to analyze the institutional development approaches that may be adopted to enhance the capacity of developing countries to adapt to the consequences of climate change.
- Institutional adaptation to environmental risk under the transition in Vietnam, W. N. Adger, Annals of the Association of American Geographers, vol. 90, (2000)
- The determinants of vulnerability and adaptive capacity at the national level and implications for adaptation, Brooks, N., Adger, W. N., & Kelly, P. M. Global Environmental Change, vol. 15 (2005) [PDF, 306 KB]
BLOG: Developing-country organizations and climate change adaptation
by Saleem Janjua – Climate Change Adaptation Contributor
Climate change adaptation is rising as a management priority for public and private …
CLIMATE CHANGE AND SECURITY: Climate extremes: recent trends with implications for national security, Michael McElroy and D. James Baker, Center for the Environment, Harvard University (October 2012) [PDF, 7.8MB]
Focusing on near-term impacts of climate change, the study funded by the CIA employed statistical analysis, physical understanding, and basic energy balance models to interpret the physics on a global scale, as well as historical temperature and precipitation data, together with a literature review on climate change, weather extremes, and links to climate drivers. “Lessons from the past are no longer of great value as a guide to the future.”
- Climate change, migration and security: best-practice policy and operational options for Mexico, Elizabeth Deheza and Jorge Mora, RUSI (February 2013) [PDF, 1.55MB]
- ‘Huge consequences’ of climate change, Syrian crisis must be faced, Ban tells think tank, UN News Centre (11 February 2013)
- Carr calls on Council to combat climate change, The World Today, ABC Radio (12 February 2013)
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. Each week, one of our authors also provides a short blog that explores these inter-relationships.
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Editor
Contributors
- Deterrence: Peter Hayes
- Governance and Civil Society: Dyana Mardon, Yi Kiho
- Climate Change Adaptation: Saleem Janjua
- DPRK: Roger Cavazos
- Energy Security: Nikhil Desai
- Climate Change and Security: Richard Tanter