Cities in transition: Why is urban farming good for us1
Societies try to become more and more resilient these days. Greening the cities is the new trend that tends to be inserted into urban lifestyles.
Autonomous Weapons Systems: A new kind of diplomacy?0
International Relations and Global Affairs, Op-ed
Kubrick's 1964 film Doctor Strangelove portrays the devastating impact of a Soviet doomsday device. Programmed to automatically wipe out all human life if any nuclear attack would have struck the nation, the curious construction showed great diplomatic potential. Annoyed as to why the Soviets had kept the device a secret, Doctor Strangelove ranted to the Soviet Ambassador: "The whole point of the doomsday machine (deterrence) is lost if you keep it a secret. Why didn't you tell the world?"As described by William McNeill in his book The Pursuit of Power, technological and military advances have a fundamental effect on global international relations.Yet these type of developments can only reach a certain level, before edging towards irreparable damage.
Pension reform in Croatia: better be safe and sorry0
Op-ed, Social and Economic Policy
The newest pension reform in Croatia brought parametric changes into the three-pillar pension system. A specific incentive within the reform – the transfer measure – exposes persistent problems in the Croatian pension system. At some point they need to be tackled with institutional measures which are absent from the current reform package.
Qatar working conditions 2.0?0
Human Rights and Migration, Op-ed
Qatar is hosting the next world cup in 2022. Major sports events are prone to labour and other human rights violations, reason for which it is essential to revisit the situation of the richest country in the world, which combines both an image of luxury and of extreme poverty.
The paradise paradox: Maldives, a sinking country?21
Maldives is now the poster-child for the consequences of climate change. Global warming will almost certainly lead to the demise of these islands which are predicted to submerge in thirty years' time. Disappearing into the rising sea, it will become the first country having to relocate all its population as refugees due to global climate change.
The global multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism under the Nagoya Protocol2
Article 10 of the Nagoya Protocol provides for Parties to consider the need for and the modalities of a global multilateral benefit sharing mechanism for situations not covered under a bilateral approach. But why is it so difficult for Parties to settle the things straight on this matter?
The invisible workers
There are too many cars in Azerbaijan. It is essential to switch to bikes.
Hinduization of 'Secular' India – Disintegrating into Theocracy
Fashion and environmental commitments: meeting the demand