POLICY BRIEFS
parivartan111
December 6, 2007
"U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Deal"
By Xenia Dormandy, Former Senior Associate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
The United States and India have, in the words of U.S. Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns, made the civil nuclear deal the “symbolic centerpiece” of the bilateral relationship. However, India’s coalition politics have created an obstacle to completing the deal. How important is this deal really and how should we move forward?
December 2007
"Speaking about the Unspeakable: U.S.-Israeli Dialogue on Iran's Nuclear Program"
By Chuck Freilich, Senior Fellow, International Security Program
Despite the longstanding and ever-evolving "special relationship" between the United States and Israel, the two allies do not appear to have engaged in substantive discussions on key facets of their most pressing mutual concern, the Iranian nuclear threat. Specifically, there has been little if any dialogue on the possibility of military action if the diplomatic route comes to a dead end, nor on the possible means of living with a nuclear Iran should both countries decide to refrain from military action.
November 2007
"Fixing the Department of Homeland Security"
By Elaine Kamarck, Lecturer in Public Policy
In November 2002, Congress passed legislation creating the first new Cabinet department in more than a decade — the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Now in its fourth year, the department is plagued with problems and chronic mismanagement. If DHS is to fulfill its mission, the next president will have to take a hard look at the agency and make some major structural changes....This paper proposes a redirection and redefinition of DHS, with an aim toward helping it more effectively pursue its core mission: protecting the American people.
September 5, 2007
"Frankel Proposal: Formulas for Quantitative Emission Targets"
By Jeffrey Frankel, James W. Harpel Professor of Capital Formation and Growth
Jeffrey Frankel has proposed a climate policy architecture that builds on the quantitative targets and timetables infrastructure of the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol. He calls for a sequence of negotiations (one per decade) to determine the global greenhouse gas emissions cap and a formula for allocating this global cap among all participating countries.
September 5, 2007
"Michaelowa Proposal: Graduation and Deepening"
Axel Michaelowa proposed to build on the Kyoto framework by deepening and expanding quantitative emission targets. He advocates a global long-term atmospheric stabilization goal of 550 parts per million to be achieved through quantitative, legally-binding, country-specific targets.
September 5, 2007
"Victor Proposal: Fragmented Carbon Markets and Reluctant Nations: Implications for the Design of Effective Architectures"
David Victor proposed a climate policy architecture with a varying geometry of participation, limited initially to the few most pivotal countries in climate change. He recommends the development of an agreement in a smaller negotiating venue, such as former Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin’s proposal for an L20 – a forum of the leaders of twenty key industrialized and developing countries. Countries participating in this effort would pledge a package of domestic climate policies and measures.
September 5, 2007
"McKibbin and Wilcoxen Proposal: A Credible Foundation for Long-Term International Cooperation on Climate Change"
By Warwick McKibbin and Peter Wilcoxen
Warwick McKibbin and Peter Wilcoxen propose a system of parallel national-level cap-and-trade programs. Each country would determine its own emissions path and give away long-term permits to regulated firms.
September 5, 2007
"Barrett Proposal: A Multitrack Climate Treaty System"
Scott Barrett offers a multi-pronged policy approach to address global climate change. He calls for pledges of "appropriate measures" such as emission mitigation actions with subsequent multilateral reviews. Such a pledge and review system would not carry binding consequences for non-compliance, but instead rely on moral suasion and naming and shaming in the international arena.
September 5, 2007
"Pizer Proposal: Practical Global Climate Policy"
William Pizer has proposed an approach to climate policy architecture that reflects the institutional limitations and current domestic preferences regarding an international climate agreement. He calls for the largest emitters and economies to pledge specific actions and policy commitments, which can take any form (cap-and-trade, taxes, suite of technology standards, etc.), in an initial agreement. These commitments would be non-binding and there would be no “minimum” commitment necessary to participate.
June 11, 2007
China: Good or Evil in Africa?
By Robert Rotberg, Director, Program on Intrastate Conflict and Conflict Resolution
China is transforming Africa, for good and ill. The United States and other traditional trading and aid partners of Africa need to pay closer attention than they are, and with Africans craft bold new policies that welcome Chinese investment and trade but condemn the taking of African jobs and the destruction of African industries. Click here to read the full text, which discusses China’s emerging controversial role in Africa as investor, trader, buyer, and aid donor.
