ACADEMIC PAPERS & REPORTS
July 2009
Confrontation or Collaboration? Congress and the Intelligence Community
By Eric Rosenbach, Executive Director for Research, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and Aki J. Peritz
The goal of Confrontation or Collaboration is to provide a guide to the complexities of the Intelligence Community to policymakers, legislators, students and the public. We hope this book leads to more informed debates and decisions about critical national security issues facing our nation.
Photo by Jeffrey Bielicki
Forthcoming
"Optimal Spatial Deployment of Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage Given a Price on Carbon Dioxide"
International Regional Science Review, Special Issue for ISOLDE XI
By Michael J. Kuby, Jeffrey Bielicki, Former Research Fellow, Energy Technology Innovation Policy research group, 2006–2009 and Richard S. Middleton
Carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) links together technologies that separate carbon dioxide (CO2) from fixed point source emissions and transport it by pipeline to geologic reservoirs into which it is injected underground for long-term containment. Previously, models have been developed to minimize the cost of a CCS infrastructure network that captures a given amount of CO2. The CCS process can be costly, however, and large-scale implementation by industry will require government regulations and economic incentives. The incentives can price CO2 emissions, through a tax or a cap-and-trade system, or involve the purchase of CO2 by oil companies for enhanced oil recovery from depleted oil fields.
AP Photo
July 6, 2009
"Sharing Global CO2 Emission Reductions Among One Billion High Emitters"
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
By Shoibal Chakravarty, Ananth Chikkatur, Associate, Energy Technology Innovation Policy, Heleen de Coninck, Stephen Pacala, Robert Socolow and Massimo Tavoni
The 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) created a 2-tier world. It called upon the developed ("Annex I") countries to "take the lead" in reducing carbon emissions, and, under the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities," established no time frame for developing countries to follow. However, a consensus is now emerging in favor of low stabilization targets. These targets cannot be achieved without the participation of developing countries, which today emit about half of global CO2 emissions and whose future emissions increase faster than the emissions of industrialized countries under "business as usual" scenarios.
June 2009
"Biofuels and Certification"
By Henry Lee, Director, Environment and Natural Resources Program and Charan Devereaux
Liquid biofuels can provide a substitute for fossil fuels in the transportation sector. Many countries have mandated the use of biofuels, by creating targets for their use. If not implemented with care, however, actions that increase biofuel production can put upward pressure on food prices, increase greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and exacerbate degradation of land, forest, and water sources. A strong global biofuels industry will not emerge unless these environmental and social concerns are addressed.
July 2009
"Realistic Costs of Carbon Capture"
By Mohammed Al-Juaied, Mohammed Al-Juaied, Former Visiting Scholar, Energy Technology Innovation Policy research group, 2008-2009 and Adam Whitmore
There is a growing interest in carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a means of reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. However there are substantial uncertainties about the costs of CCS. Costs for pre-combustion capture with compression (i.e. excluding costs of transport and storage and any revenue from EOR associated with storage) are examined in this discussion paper for First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) plant and for more mature technologies, or Nth-of-a-Kind plant (NOAK).
State Dept
Summer 2009
"Spreading Temptation: Proliferation and Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation Agreements"
International Security, issue 1, volume 34
By Matthew Fuhrmann, Affiliate, Project on Managing the Atom
Matthew Fuhrmann's article "Spreading Temptation: Proliferation and Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation Agreements," was published by in the Summer 2009 issue of International Security. In his article, Dr. Fuhrmann argues "Peaceful nuclear cooperation—the transfer of nuclear technology, materials, or know-how from one state to another for peaceful purposes—leads to the spread of nuclear weapons. With a renaissance in nuclear power on the horizon, major suppliers, including the United States, should reconsider their willingness to assist other countries in developing peaceful nuclear programs."
July, 2009
"Does Funding From Donors Displace Government Spending For Health In Developing Countries?"
Health Affairs
By Marwa Farag, Research Fellow, The Dubai Initiative
ABSTRACT: The notable increases in funding from various donors for health over the past several years have made examining the effectiveness of aid all the more important. We examine the extent to which donor funding for health substitutes for-rather than complements- health financing by recipient governments. We find evidence of a strong substitution effect. The proportionate decrease in government spending associated with an increase in donor funding is largest in low-income countries. The results suggest that aid needs to be structured in a way that better aligns donors' and recipient governments' incentives, using innovative approaches such as performance-based aid financing. [Health Affairs 28, no. 4 (2009): 1045-1055; 10.1377/hlthaff.28.4.1045]
For the full article, click here.
Summer 2009
"Dynamics of Maritime Terrorists Threats to Russia and the Government's Reponse"
Connections Quarterly, volume III
By Simon Saradzhyan, Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Simon Saradzhyan identifies actors that have the capacity and motivation to commit acts of maritime terrorism against Russia. Saradzhyan also reviews Russia’s maritime and freshwater infrastructure and activities before outlining selected scenarios of terrorist acts that could take advantage of vulnerabilities in this infrastructure and facilities.
AP Photo
June 2009
"Empowerment Boom or Bust? Assessing Women's Post-Conflict Empowerment Initiatives"
Cambridge Review of International Affairs, issue 2, volume 22
By Megan Mackenzie, Former Research Fellow, International Security Program/Women in Public Policy Program, 2008-2009
Over the past decade, the term 'empowerment' has been generously employed and woefully ill-defined. In particular, women's empowerment has been embraced by such a vast number of development actors that it appears to be a unifying mission within development. Despite the boom in women's empowerment initiatives, there remains little critical analysis of the use of empowerment in general, and the perceived success or failures of specific empowerment initiatives. Using the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process in Sierra Leone as a case study, this paper examines how reintegration was described as a source of empowerment for women. Drawing from interviews and analysis of related policy discourses, it is argued that, rather than representing a radical shift in development approaches towards more inclusive and representative policies, empowerment projects are shaped by neoliberal ideas such as individualism, responsibility and economic order and carry implicit, gendered and disciplining messages about appropriate social behaviour.
AP Photo
June 2009
"Addressing the Risks of Climate Change: The Politics of the Policy Options"
By Elaine Kamarck, Lecturer in Public Policy
Dr. Kamarck's paper explores some of the politics and pitfalls surrounding climate change policy, specifically carbon tax and cap-and-trade solutions. A carbon tax would directly tax the carbon content of fuels. A cap-and-trade system would set an overall cap for emissions and allow trading of emission permits between companies that more than meet their caps with those that don't. The analysis is intended to help decision makers and the public better understand some of the pros and cons associated with these particular climate policies.
