G20 Falls Short of Needed Measures but Makes Important Progress
The G20 agreement on measures to tackle the global economic crisis fell short of what is needed according to Uri Dadush. However, they did make important progress on two fronts: recapitalization of the IMF and limiting protectionism.
U.S.-China Climate Change Cooperation
After more than a year of off-the-record, Track II, U.S.–China negotiations facilitated by the Carnegie Endowment, Minister Xie Zhenhua, China’s top climate change negotiator, signaled the Chinese government’s willingness to work with the United States on reducing both countries’ greenhouse gas emissions. Xie made the announcement at a recent Carnegie event that also featured remarks by Senator Maria Cantwell.
Iran's Role in Afghanistan
As President Obama unveiled his Afghanistan policy, Karim Sadjadpour provided testimony to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform explaining how the conflict provides the United States and Iran an important opportunity to engage each other positively, given how much both countries have at stake in Afghanistan's future.
Blowing Both Hot and Cold
Presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama met on Wednesday at the G20 summit, announcing that the United States and Russia would begin work on a replacement to the START agreement set to expire this year. Dmitri Trenin explains that progress on ballistic missile defense could expand confidence on difficult security issues ranging from NATO expansion to Afghanistan and Iran.
The Future of NATO
NATO faces a defining moment as leaders prepare to gather for the alliance's 60th anniversary in Strasbourg, France. The lack of political will in many European capitals for a sustained presence in Afghanistan has marginalized NATO's presence in the conflict, while membership expansion in Eastern Europe has increased tension with Russia. Mark Medish explains in the International Herald Tribune that the alliance requires a radical rethink of its role in a world of changing security threats.
Where are the Leaders?
Global leaders underplayed the significance of the G20 meeting in London this week. David Rothkopf takes stock of the their response to the crisis and concludes "This is not just a global economic crisis. It's a global leadership crisis."
India's Strategies for a Greener Future
India contributes four percent of global CO2 emissions, far below the United States and China who each contribute twenty percent, but India's emissions are rising annually. At a recent Carnegie event, India’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, Shyam Saran, outlined India's efforts to scale solar power production, sustainable agriculture, and improve energy efficiency as a means to support rapid economic development.
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