The photo above was taken in a U.S. Senate hearing room on April 21, 1970. It shows (left to right), Senator Edmund Muskie (D-ME) and Senator William Proxmire (D-WI) talking with Maryland Governor Marvin Mandel, during a hearing on water pollution. Muskie and Proxmire each became known for their work on pollution regulation. Head over […]
Loosely defined, a climate shock is a deviation from typical regional climate conditions that often results in unfavorable conditions. From floods, droughts and cyclones to hurricanes and tsunamis, these episodes affect livelihoods in many ways. They wipe out crops, reduce opportunities for employment, ratchet up food prices and destroy property. For wealthy households shocks can […]
Politico recaps recent controversies surrounding changes in mission terminology by the Obama Administration here. Such changes are contentious because they affect the scope and legal boundaries of U.S. endeavors, and they also affect the way outsiders understand U.S. objectives in deciding how or whether to provide support for them.
As you may have heard, there are some strains in the U.S. relationship with Israel. According to this report in The Jerusalem Post, the America-Israel Friendship League has sent an open letter to President Obama voicing their concerns about the relationship. According to the report: The organization affirmed Obama’s commitment to relations between the two […]
In order to better understand what the recent Nuclear Security Summit was all about and what will come next, it makes sense to begin by examining the Obama Administration’s strategy for dealing with the global challenges posed by nuclear weapons. This is clearly an issue upon which President Obama plans to build his legacy as […]
President Obama visited NASA today to present his vision for America’s space program. In doing so he responded to critics who said that his plan would endanger America’s status as a preeminent space power. In his speech, Obama provided an overview of past U.S. space efforts before moving on to describe his plans for the […]
I’d like to return again to the subject of the U.S. manned space program. I’ve written on this subject before and there have been some important developments to note. First, I just want to state again that I realize that this subject may, at first glance, appear to be a domestic concern and not really […]
President Obama has completed a remarkable foreign policy trifecta. First he redefined the U.S. nuclear strategy governing when the U.S. would use nuclear weapons, then he signed a new arms control treaty with Russia aimed at reducing nuclear weapons, and then this week he hosted a large gathering of countries in Washington who pledged to […]
In recent months, I’ve addressed the range of environmental anecdotes, U.S. climate “scandals” and the larger debate over the legitimacy of climate science. Generally speaking, it’s obvious to me that no matter your stance on the issue, waiting for 100% clarity is waiting too long. Instead, we can take very meaningful action now that, in […]
In a week of tragic accidents, the WikiLeaks story may be the toughest one to bear, horrifying both for what it showed about the current state of war and what it says about the current state of our media environment. As most know, thanks to the whistle blowers at WikiLeaks, U.S. military video footage, purloined […]
Russia and the U.S. signed the new START Treaty today in Prague. It was the kind of international event that would have garnered major press coverage in times past, but no longer. If you were busy today, you may have missed the news. It has been some time since the world lived with the fear […]
In a dramatic departure from the strategic ambiguity that marked past nuclear doctrine, the Obama Administration has announced a new update of U.S. nuclear strategy. In this revision, the U.S. actually publicizes the kinds of attacks that would warrant an American nuclear response and those that would trigger only a conventional military counterattack. As this […]
Treat yourself right and watch this remarkable TED video, featuring the charming and enlightening Dan Barber. Owner of the famous Pocantico Hills farm, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Dan is an expert in sustainable farming and an accomplished chef. In this 20 minute video, he talks about the grim realities of “sustainable fishing.” Another shout […]
Last month Steven Cook of the Council on Foreign Relations published an excellent summary of the ongoing investigations in Turkey and how they continue to roil the politics of that country. “The Weakening of Turkey’s Military” is available here. Those interested in the topic should also take a look at Soli Ozel’s blog at World […]
A good report, from the Current Science Journal, passed over my desk this week. From 2009, the paper looks at the issue of climate change from a developing country perspective and provides a climate strategy suited to their unique priorities. The authors are in favor of opportunities that benefit both the environment and the economy […]