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ECSP Weekly Watch | November 13 – 17
›A window into what we are reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program
A Fifth National Climate Assessment
The US Global Change Research Program launched the fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA) on Monday, November 13. Published once every five years, the NCA is the United States’ leading report on climate change impacts, risks, and responses.
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Recognizing the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
›In 2001, the UN General Assembly declared November 6 the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict. In the 22 years since, both the impact of the exploitation of the environment during war—and the centrality of natural resources in establishing peace—have gained greater global recognition.
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ECSP Weekly Watch | October 30—November 3
›A window into what we are reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security ProgramPanama Canal’s Water Woes Threaten International Trade Flow
The Panama Canal has operated as a gateway between the Atlantic to the Pacific for more than a century, relying on water to raise and lower the ships that help fuel international trade. But a recent drought has disrupted the normal functioning of the Canal’s locks, cutting into Panama’s revenue and also causing problems for global supply chains.
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Circumventing the Chokepoint: Can the US Produce More Rare Earths?
›Nowhere is China’s critical mineral dominance greater than in rare earth supply chains. In 2022, the US government estimated that China controlled “nearly 60 percent of mined production, over 85 percent of processing capacity, and over 90 percent of permanent magnet production.”
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The State of Play for Critical Mineral Policies: A Berlin Climate Security Conference Roundtable
›The global transition to low-carbon energy is spurring new momentum to produce and secure the mineral inputs necessary for renewable technologies. Yet meeting demand may prove difficult. From electric cars to wind turbines, essential renewable energy technologies often require more minerals than fossil fuel-powered infrastructure. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that efforts to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement could lead to a fourfold increase in mineral demand by 2040.
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ECSP Weekly Watch | October 16 – 20
›A window into what we are reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security ProgramWater Security Concerns in Gaza
Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on October 7th led the Israeli government to cut off water supplies to the Gaza Strip with immediate effect. This has resulted in a clean water crisis that the UN warns is now a matter of life and death.
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ECSP Weekly Watch | October 9 – 13
›A window into what we are reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program
Organizing Regional Action on Climate Change, Health, and Environment
As the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals looms, the World Health Organization has proposed a new regional framework that aims to build climate-resilient and sustainable health systems, improve the health sector’s access to climate funding, and build an evidence base for policymaking.
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A Reminder from Israel and Gaza on the Importance and Limitations of Environmental Peacebuilding
›I flew into Tel Aviv last Friday afternoon, primed for a week of meetings with Israeli and Palestinian environmentalists and officials. By sounding out these men and women in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and other parts of the region, I hoped to expand on past explorations of their transboundary cooperation, widely recognized as a model for environmental peacebuilding. Through an articulation of the successes that they––and their Jordanian peers–have had in bolstering water access, renewable energy, and environmental protection across their shared natural landscape, I was looking forward to telling a positive environmental conflict story—particularly one in a place that is often bereft of good news.
Showing posts from category security.