Nautilus Peace and Security Weekly – 20 September 2012

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"Nautilus Peace and Security Weekly – 20 September 2012", NAPSNet Weekly Report, September 20, 2012, https://nautilus.org/napsnet/napsnet-weekly/nautilus-peace-and-security-weekly-20-september-2012/

CONTENTS

See this week’s blog: Role of leadership in managing disaster risk, from our Climate Change Adaptation contributor, Saleem Janjua.


DETERRENCE: US Ex-Im Bank backs $2 bln loan for UAE nuclear plant, Reuters, September 8, 2012

The US Export-Import Bank approved a $2 billion direct loan to UAE’s Barakah One to buy US nuclear reactor equipment and constructions services to build reactors supplied by the Korea Electric Power Co.  US support for the UAE nuclear deal is linked to negotiations over renewal of “123” non-reprocessing agreements with Saudi Arabia, Jordan, South Korea, and Taiwan.


DPRK: US Japan agree to deploy another X-band missile defence radar,  Radio Pakistan (17 September 2012)

Events continue to happen around North Korea.  Japan will house another X band radar against a possible North Korean missile.  Russia signed agreements with South Korea to cooperate on numerous projects including a pipeline through North Korea.  Russia also signed a long-anticipated agreement to write off 90% of North Korea’s debt.  North Korea initially accepted then rejected South Korean-offered aid because it did not include rice and cement.


ENERGY SECURITY: In wake of Fukushima disaster, Japan to end nuclear power by 2030s. Los Angeles Times. (14 September 2012).

Other countries find alternatives to nuclear. India needs an alternative to the secrecy, lies, and corruption of its nuclear establishment. As a popular protest against a nuclear plant is subjected to increasing repression, some thinking people are giving lie to the PM Singh’s claim last February, “The thinking segment of our population certainly is supportive of nuclear energy”. The former chairman of the nuclear regulatory board is calling for “a temporary moratorium on commissioning any new nuclear power plants“. The cult of the atom has begun to fade.


GOVERNANCE AND CIVIL SOCIETY: South Korean software mogul to stand for presidency, Jack Kim and Ju-min Park, Reuters (19 Sept 2012)

ROK entrepreneur Ahn Cheol-soo declared his presidential run as an independent, ending months of speculation. Popular among younger voters, Ahn appears to be the strongest contender against the ruling party’s Park Geun-hae, with polls showing Ahn holding a slight lead. Both Ahn and the opposition’s Moon Jae-In support an expanded welfare state and stronger regulations on conglomerates. Candidates on both sides have called for improved inter-Korean relations.


CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION: Making cities resilient report 2012, The UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction-UNISDR (September 2012) [2.07 MB, PDF]

The increasing concentration of people, economic activities and assets in urban areas has led to higher disaster risks. The reports find that economic losses to disasters have averaged at least $100 billion annually over the last twenty years. However, most of this damage can be avoided through better risk management and investment in social and institutional structures.


Blog: Role of leadership in managing disaster risk

Saleem Janjua, Climate Change Adaptation Contributor

Climate variability and the extreme events (causing floods, droughts and storms) are one of the greatest global concerns. These global concerns have many implications at the local level…


AUSTRAL PEACE AND SECURITY: Defence sets sights on Triton drone, Brian Toohey, Australian Financial Review (18 September 2012) [subscription required]

Defence is keen to buy seven of a new version of Northrop Grumman’s Global Hawk drone called the Triton, which has a maritime surveillance role but no capacity to sink ships. The Triton, which is yet to become operational, will have an impressive surveillance capability with ceiling altitude of up to 56,000 feet, and an endurance of up to 28 hours. The main problem is cost at more than $200 million each. The government’s project budget – usually about double the fly-away cost – is $2 billion to $3 billion for seven.


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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