“We really have to have in place across the industrialised world the agreements and the measures that are going to enable us to peak [global emissions] no later than 2015 … and if you want those things to be in place no later than 2012, we really should get it done in Copenhagen. That’s the schedule.”

John Holdren, on leave from the Belfer Center’s board of directors to serve as assistant to the president for science and technology and director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, was quoted in “US is a Dead Weight on Copenhagen Talks, Pulling Down Ambition ever Lower,” which the Guardian published on November 17, 2009.

For the full article, go to: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/cif-green/2009/nov/17/us-copenhagen-barack-obama

“Increasing overall demand in the economy is important for jobs.”

Lawrence Summers, on leave from the Belfer Center’s board of directors to serve as director of the National Economic Council, was quoted in “Taking Sides Over Need for Jobs Bill,” which the Wall Street Journal published on November 19, 2009.

For the full article, go to: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125856663302853977.html

Arena Digest: Copenhagen
Politico.com
November 17
Quoted: Stephen Walt, Belfer Center
Topic: Upcoming climate talks in Copenhagen

POLITICO’s Arena contributors discuss how big a deal it is that there will be no big deal at Copenhagen. …

Stephen M. Walt, professor, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

“The failure to achieve a ‘big deal’ at Copenhagen is not a big deal in itself because this outcome was recognized a while ago, and expectations had been suitably lowered. Addressing climate change remains a compelling priority, however, and Obama’s main goal now should be to maintain momentum for a ‘big deal’ in the not too distant future. Remember: The longer we wait, the harder the adjustments will be.”

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29576.html

How General Electric Engineered Its Presence on Capitol Hill
Wall Street Journal
November 16
Quoted: Ben Heineman, Belfer Center
Topic: General Electric’s government relations

Many companies have offices in Washington D.C. for lobbying purposes, have employee-funded political-action committees to donate and influence politicians and belong to industry trade associations that lobby for their interests. General Electric Co., in recent years, has developed another way of engaging its business units with policy makers in Washington and other global capitols. It helps explain how President Barrack Obama has become GE’s customer in chief.

With a program called “Growth and Government” that started in the late 1990s and was more formalized around 2003, the company moved government policy experts into its largest business units to school GE executives on how to align GE goals with national goals. “It was actually, first and foremost, about getting ‘policy’ talent in headquarters to work on strategy with business people, not more government relations people in capitols to work with public officials,” said Ben Heineman, former general counsel at GE, who crafted the initiative. “The fundamental idea was that government actions impacted GE businesses in a major way and that this needed to be understood when businesses were working on their annual or three-year business strategies.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704431804574539621964755020.html

Hearts-and-minds outreach part of U.S. strategy to counter terrorism
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
November 15
Quoted: Robert Rotberg
Topic: Counter terrorism in Djibouti and Somalia

… Military options are not off the table, though. In mid-September, U.S. Special Forces flew into Somalia and killed an al-Qaida leader and several Al Shabab members.

With so few U.S. troops here, most support hearts-and-minds outreach — the “tail rather than the head of the mission,” according to Robert Rotberg, editor of “Battling Terrorism in the Horn of Africa” and a Harvard University professor.

Even so, Rotberg says this joint task force is essential.

“It is certainly important to have a U.S. post in the region, so the U.S. can understand … what is happening in the Horn of Africa as well as Yemen, and keep an eye on potential threats of terror, and help the nations, which are pretty poor,” he says.

“So the more learning we have, the better off we are.”

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_653154.html

Sino-US climate talks helpful, but too late for Copenhagen
Xinhua (China)
November 14
Quoted: Robert Stavins
Topic: China-U.S. climate negotiations

Sino-U.S. exchanges on climate issues will boost global negotiations in the long run, but are unlikely to facilitate a substantial climate change deal at Copenhagen talks in December, say experts in the run-up to U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to China. …

Robert Stavins, director of the Harvard Project on International Climate Agreements, said the meeting of Hu and Obama would certainly facilitate mutual understanding on climate change issues. …

But it appeared that U.S. Congress was unlikely to complete climate legislation by the time of Copenhagen, due to great political challenges in the midst of a recession with high unemployment and other domestic priorities, Stavins told Xinhua in an e-mail interview.

“There have been dramatic changes in the political climate for climate change policy in the U.S. since President Obama took office. The timing, however, is difficult for Copenhagen,” Stavins said.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-11/14/content_12455539.htm

Kerry’s green side takes center stage
Boston Globe
November 13
Quoted: Robert Stavins, Harvard Environmental Economics Program
Topic: Sen. Kerry’s environmental advocacy

Robert Stavins was also featured in the Harvard Gazette.

John F. Kerry is known for his expertise on matters of war and foreign policy, and for his failed 2004 presidential bid. But when he arrives in Copenhagen next month for international climate talks, the world will see a less familiar but perhaps more ardent side of the Massachusetts senator: the green Kerry. …

“There is no one better positioned in the world than Senator Kerry’’ to get an international climate deal, said Robert Stavins, director of Harvard University’s Environmental Economics Program and an authority on international climate policy. “He has had an interest in these issues a long time. He is coauthor of the climate legislation. He is chair of the Foreign Relations Committee.’’

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/11/13/kerrys_green_side_takes_center_stage/

Pakistanis worry about US nuclear intentions
Associated Press
November 12
Quoted: Hassan Abbas, Belfer Center
Topic: Nuclear security

In Washington, the ultimate Pakistani nightmare is that the country’s nuclear arsenal could fall into the hands of Taliban militants or rogue soldiers.

In Islamabad, though, talk of nuclear weapons taps into a very different fear: Washington. …

“Nuclear status is an extremely important issue for Pakistan,” Hassan Abbas, a former top government official now at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, said in an e-mail. “Especially at a time when it is faced with multiple life-threatening challenges.”

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jpxLKt53bisnwt1fpWtjOS6It-_QD9BU72J80

“I think we got the Recovery Act right.”

Lawrence Summers, on leave from the Belfer Center’s board of directors to serve as director of the National Economic Council, was quoted in “Why won’t Obama give you a job?” which the Washington Post published on November 8, 2009.

For the full article, go to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/06/AR2009110601900.html

“The terrain in Afghanistan is different from Iraq. It’s more uneven, the roads are difficult to traverse. That’s why we’ve had to create an all-terrain version.”

Ashton Carter, on leave from the Belfer Center’s board of directors to serve as under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology, and logistics, was quoted in “Pentagon hopes new M-ATV is ‘life-saver,’” which CNN published on November 4, 2009.

For the full article, go to: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/11/04/afghanistan.military.vehicle/index.html