IDN-InDepthNews

GLOBAL ISSUES2012-12-282023-07-10

The Relevance of Steady State Economics

By Brian Czech*
IDN-InDepth NewsViewpoint

ARLINGTON | USA (IDN) – The Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy (CASSE) has been the leading organization in advancing the steady state economy as a policy goal for nearly ten years. Maybe that’s not saying much, because CASSE has been the only organization focused on advancing the steady state economy. But times, they are a-changin’.

Others are sure to come on-board as climate change, biodiversity loss, supplies shocks and other formidable problems are all traced back to too much economic growth. Too much production and consumption of goods and services in the aggregate. Too much population and per capita consumption. Too much GDP. Too much economic activity for the planet and its polities to take.

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT2012-12-272023-07-10

Aid Should Focus on Sustainable Development

By Jaya Ramachandran
IDN-InDepth NewsReport

BERLIN (IDN) – For the first time since 1997 the net official development assistance (ODA) to countries in dire need of funds declined by 2.7%, says the Development Assistance Committee (DAC), which comprises 24 industrialised states of the 34-nation Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

GLOBAL ISSUES2012-12-252023-07-10

Negotiate with North Korea Sans Illusions

By Daniel Pinkston*
IDN-InDepth NewsAnalysis | Crisis Group’s Blog

SEOUL (IDN) – North Korea has beaten its South Korean rival in the race to place a satellite into earth orbit, becoming the 10th nation to do so. Despite this impressive scientific and engineering achievement, the launch (on December 12) violates UN Security Council resolutions that prohibit all North Korean launches using ballistic technologies. Pyongyang argues that as a signatory to the Outer Space Treaty it has the sovereign right to launch satellites because Article 1 stipulates that “outer space…shall be free for exploration and use by all states without discrimination of any kind…”

Asia-Pacific2012-12-252023-07-10

Negotiate with North Korea Sans Illusions

By Daniel Pinkston*
IDN-InDepth NewsAnalysis | Crisis Group’s Blog

HUMAN RIGHTS2012-12-242023-07-10

Upsurge in Support for Death Penalty Abolition

By J C Suresh | IDN-InDepth NewsReport

TORONTO (IDN) – There are miles and miles to go before capital punishment is at last accepted as a remnant of the gory past and abolished. But indications are that it is slowly on its way out. Amnesty International has welcomed an upsurge in global support for abolition of the death penalty, after the UN General Assembly (UNGA) voted overwhelmingly in favour of a moratorium on the use of the death penalty.

In the vote on December 20, the fourth such vote by the plenary session of the UNGA since 2007, 111 states voted for the resolution – an increase of two from the last vote in 2010. There were 41 votes against, with 34 abstentions.

Europe2012-12-212023-07-10

Close Kyrgyz-Turkish Ties Stall and Sputter

By Bernhard Schell
IDN-InDepth NewsAnalysis

BISHKEK (IDN) – Kyrgyz President Almazbek Sharshenovich Atambayev and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are leaving no stone unturned to intensify and deepen cultural, political, economic and military relations between the two countries based on vision of a Turkic peoples’ identity. But both at home and abroad they do not always come across undiluted approval.

“There is quite a cautious and negative attitude towards the Turkish presence and influence in Kyrgyz society,” says Valentin Bogatyriev, co-author of a new study published by the German Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) close to the Social Democratic Party. He refers to a recent sociological survey which finds that Turkey comes last among the countries cooperation with which is considered important for the national interests of Kyrgyzstan.

GLOBAL ISSUES2012-12-212023-07-10

‘The Global Challenge is Already Upon Us’

By J. Brian Atwood*
IDN-InDepth NewsViewpoint

PARIS (IDN | OECD) – The 20th century American environmentalist John Muir said, “Everything is connected to everything else”. Yet while this is true in the natural world, it is sadly still not true in the policy world, which is subject to a diversity of views, objectives and competing agendas – particularly when it comes to environmental issues. If we are to achieve the common goal of “sustainable development”, more policy convergence is essential.

This year’s Development Co-operation Report (DCR) explores the ideas and orientations of leaders, thinkers and pioneers in diverse public policy areas and disciplines who are contributing to connecting everything to everything else in this sphere as well.

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT2012-12-212023-07-10

Daunting Development Challenges Ahead

By Richard Johnson | IDN-InDepth NewsReport

PARIS (IDN) – Despite development successes over the past 20 years and the progress of many emerging economies, inequality is increasing in all countries and 1.4 billion people still live in absolute poverty. This gloomy situation was acknowledged by development ministers from industrial and emerging economies, who met in London on December 4 and 5 for the High Level Meeting (HLM) of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC), which comprises 24 of the 34-nation Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Migration2012-12-182023-07-10

The Coming Paradigm Shift in Migrant Labour

By Murray Hunter* | Geopoliticalmonitor.com IDN-InDepth NewsViewpoint

KANGAR, Malaysia (IDN) – Late last month, 171 Chinese national bus drivers who were employed by the Singapore Government-controlled bus and underground railway company (SMRT) took industrial action by staging a two day walkout. The bus drivers were protesting their relatively lower wages vis-à-vis other foreign workers doing the same job, as well as the poor sanitary state of their accommodations.

This was reportedly the first strike in Singapore since 1986.

Asia-Pacific2012-12-172023-07-10

Nepal: A Republic That Does’nt Come of Age

By Shastri Ramachandaran*
IDN-InDepth NewsViewpoint

NEW DELHI (IDN) – Multi-party democracy was born in Nepal in 1991 – after a popular uprising forced an autocratic king to make way for a constitutional monarchy. This year, 21 summers after an interim coalition government presided over the Himalayan kingdom’s first multi-party elections, Nepal should have come of age as a democracy, as a republic.

Unfortunately, the nascent democracy never grew up. It remains a stunted, retarded caricature of electoral democracy with institutions such as parliament, the election commission and Supreme Court standing as tragic reminders of their irrelevance. The so-called ‘Republic of Nepal’ is bereft of life breath, namely, a constitution. There is no government, at least not a legitimate one.