Nautilus Peace and Security Weekly – 15 November 2012

You are here: Home » Mailing lists » NAPSNet » Weekly Report » Nautilus Peace and Security Weekly – 15 November 2012

Recommended Citation

Richard Tanter – Austral Peace and Security Contributor One of the hinges in the Pacific pivot is closer alignment of the US and its longterm allies, especially Japan, Korea and…, "Nautilus Peace and Security Weekly – 15 November 2012", NAPSNet Weekly Report, November 15, 2012, https://nautilus.org/napsnet/napsnet-weekly/nautilus-peace-and-security-weekly-15-november-2012/

CONTENTS

See this week’s blog: Another hinge for the Pacific Pivot: Australia’s nuclear navy? from our Austral Peace and Security contributor, Richard Tanter.

DETERRENCE:  Joint Declaration, the People’s Republic of China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America on Mongolia’s Nuclear-Weapon-Free Status, New York (17 September 2012) [PDF, 0.9MB]

The PF welcome Mongolia’s September 17, 2012 Declaration Regarding Its Nuclear-Weapon-Free Status while noting their declared support is only a political commitment without creating legal obligations.

DPRK: North Korea conducts large rocket motor tests: construction at Sohae Launch Pad, 38 North with analysis by Nick Hansen (12 November 2012)

North Korea has been quietly testing and fielding various capabilities, possibly waiting for the U.S., China and South Korea to change leadership. North Korea still requires outside aid to make up for a harvest shortfall.  Threats are a common response to get more food. North Korea and Japan will hold official discussions in Mongolia.  Japan has sent at least 4 delegations to North Korea recently possibly indicating a limited rapprochement.

ENERGY SECURITY: Saudi America: The U.S. will be the world’s leading energy producer, if we allow it, The Wall Street Journal (12 November 2012)

The IEA projects that US oil production will outpace that of Saudi Arabia by 2020 and that North America will become a net oil exporter by 2030. As energy forecasts go, either this will prove wrong or those by renewable energy advocates. Or that each may be realized some day, just not when is claimed. Forecasts have different staying power – either coal use for European power generation today or Tepco’s estimate of Fukushima repair or Japan’s vision of a plutonium economy.

GOVERNANCE AND CIVIL SOCIETY: Professors unite against nuclear energy, Kim Jeong-su, Hankyoreh (13 November 2012)

Over 1,000 professors from 107 universities pledged to actively engage in movements to lead Korea away from nuclear power. The declaration follows reports of the use of unverified parts and cracks in tunnels at ROK nuclear plants. An opposition legislator called for the government to begin taking public polls regarding nuclear power again. A government poll was published annually before the Fukushima accident, after which no poll has been released.

CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION: Education sector responses to climate change: background paper with international examples, Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, UNESCO (2012) [785 KB, PDF]

It is critical that Asia-Pacific increases its knowledge and understanding of climate change phenomena and their governments start working on mitigation and adaptation strategies. Due to the drastic changes before us, the education sector has a fundamental role to play in developing the knowledge, skills and capacities of individuals and communities to adapt to climate change and to support mitigation efforts.

AUSTRAL PEACE AND SECURITY: Coalition leaders float nuclear navy, Christopher Joye, Australian Financial Review (10 November 2012)

Top Coalition leaders want to open the debate over the purchase of nuclear submarines to replace the navy’s diesel fleet, a huge step up in Australia’s military capability in response to China’s plan to become a major maritime power in the Pacific Ocean. Purchasing the Virginia-class nuclear submarines is not yet Coalition policy. This could lead to a joint Australian-US submarine base in the west or north of Australia.

BLOG: Another hinge for the Pacific Pivot: Australia’s nuclear navy?

by Richard Tanter – Austral Peace and Security Contributor One of the hinges in the Pacific pivot is closer alignment of the US and its longterm allies, especially Japan, Korea and…

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.

Subscribe to NAPSNet to receive free weekly email reports

Editor

Contributors