Dialogue - Page 5 of 39

Industrial chimney illustrating Carbon Emissions

Who Gets a Say in Finalizing the European Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism?

With the European Union’s publication of its Communication on The European Green Deal in December of 2019, a proposal for a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) was promised. The declared intention was to ‘level the economic playing field’ globally and adjust the price of carbon emissions on imported goods to match the EU carbon price. This way ‘carbon leakage’, the relocation of production processes to countries with more lenient greenhouse gas emission…

International Day of Happiness: Redefining Well-being in a New Economic Paradigm

On March 20, 2021, we celebrate the 9th annual International Day of Happiness, a day commemorated by the General Assembly of the United Nations to acknowledge the inextricable connection between well-being and human development around the globe. On this day, the international community – including world leaders, policymakers, and economists – are reminded that well-being must be measured through determinants far more complex than income and wealth accumulation. This idea is not modern in any sense. Quoting Aristotle from his book Nicomachean Ethics, “wealth is…

Women’s Work? How to Value Social Reproductive Labour

If there is one aspect of life that is largely entrenched with gendered expectations, it is the role of women in social reproductive work – all the domestic care and childcare that is essential for a family to function. Due to the traditionally gendered nature of this unpaid work, it is often invisible and expected,…

The EU’s Migration Policy: An Argument for Solidarity

During the final week of February 2021, the Biden administration drew sharp criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike when reports revealed the reopening of a Trump-era migrant facility to hold unaccompanied minors entering the United States. The controversial decision to reopen the detention center for children emerged in response to the recent surge in migration…

IP, Vaccine Imperialism Cause Death and Suffering, Delay Recovery

This article by Anis Chowdhury and Jomo Kwame Sundaram was originally published on ksjomo.org. The original can be accessed here. SYDNEY and KUALA LUMPUR: Vaccine developers’ refusal to share publicly funded vaccine research findings is stalling broader, affordable vaccinations which would more rapidly contain COVID-19 contagion. The pandemic had infected at least 109 million…

Covid-19 Vaccine: COVAX and Western Dominance

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues its stranglehold over societies and economies the world over, it is becoming increasingly clear that widespread vaccination of whole populations is one key to re-opening the door to some semblance of normality. Part one, the rapid development of safe and effective vaccines, was a triumph for science, however it is…

Why COVID-19 Vaccination Passports Are a Bad Idea

Vaccination is underway and it is great news… However, according to the WHO, “94% of countries that have started vaccinating their populations are in the high- or high-middle income category.” Despite the efforts of WHO with COVAX (the vaccines pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator), around 2.5 billion people living in 130…

Do People Trust Science? Modern Technology and The Future of Science Communication

Commemorating Charles Darwin, his contributions to science, and the importance of reason, the scientific community celebrates Darwin Day on February 12. The English scientist is probably best known for his publication ‘On the Origin of Species’, which includes his original proposal of the ‘theory of evolution by natural selection’. His life’s story, from adversity and hatred to becoming one of the most famous names in science, can teach us a lot about the importance, but also perils, of publicly presenting scientific advancements. Charles Darwin’s achievements…

What Can the Carbon Trading Debate Teach Us About Global Climate Governance?

As international issues go, climate change is unique in that it will, without exception, impact every single country on Earth. The responsibility for it is therefore shared widely among countries, and the crisis can only be effectively mitigated if there is global cooperation and a unified response. With the threats posed by climate change becoming…

You don’t know me but I’m your brother

Many times, over my long career with the United Nations system, I quoted these lyrics from the Doobie Brothers song, ‘Takin’ It to the Streets,’ to explain the meaning of human rights. These lyrics paraphrase in clear and simple terms the principles embodied in Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which we…