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Published daily by the Lowy Institute

  • 19 Jan 2023
    • Climate change
    • International law
    • Pacific Islands

    The acid test: legal moves to force action on climate change

    Donald R Rothwell
    Small island states are now adopting a determined strategy of “lawfare” to bring attention to environmental threats.
  • 11 Jan 2023
    • Europe's Economy
    • European Union
    • Trade
    • Climate change

    Crossing the carbon border

    Stephen Minas
    International trade is skewed in favour of exporters who pay less for carbon emissions. The EU wants to change that.
  • 13 Dec 2022
    • Europe
    • Russia
    • Ukraine
    • Trade
    • Global Issues
    • Climate change
    • Coronavirus
    • Environment
    • Transnational Challenges
    • The Americas

    2022: A global turning point

    Ian Hill
    Looking at trends and contours that have coalesced this year to make international politics more contested and unpredictable.
  • 22 Nov 2022
    • Europe
    • European Union
    • Russia
    • Climate change
    • Environment
    • Sustainability

    Europe must fully embrace nuclear energy

    Mateo Szlapek-Sewillo
    With Russia’s stranglehold on the region’s energy, it is time to add a second shade of green.
  • 18 Nov 2022
    • Climate change
    • Environment
    • Migration
    • Pacific Islands
    • Tonga
    • Vanuatu

    Strengthening disaster resilience in the Pacific

    Sam Quinn
    The aftermath of Tonga’s massive volcanic eruption holds valuable lessons as climate change risks also grow.
  • 14 Nov 2022
    • Australia and Climate Change
    • Energy
    • Climate change

    The race for lithium

    Antonia Flowers
    Global energy transition relies on a resource that Australia holds in abundance. But supply chains and policy are key.
  • 9 Nov 2022
    • Climate change
    • United Nations

    Climate change: governance on the highway to hell

    Mark Beeson
    If wealthy states can’t agree on compensating the world’s most environmentally ravaged, things are looking grim.
  • 29 Sep 2022
    • China
    • China's Economy
    • Climate change
    • Environment
    • Sustainability

    Water scarcity challenges China’s development model

    Henry Storey
    With its industry and agriculture reliant on diminishing H2O, a crisis looms for the world’s most populous country.
  • 21 Sep 2022
    • Indonesia
    • Indonesia's Economy
    • Australia and Climate Change
    • Climate change

    Making sense of Indonesia’s fuel riots

    Eduard Lazarus
    Cutting subsidies is a step in the right direction, but a more robust social safety net is ultimately a better fix.
  • 21 Sep 2022
    • Defence & Security
    • Climate change
    • United Nations

    Guterres whistles in the wind

    Mark Beeson
    Yes, “our planet is burning”, yet those leaders with the power to act are stubbornly guarding their own little patch.
  • 22 Aug 2022
    • India
    • Indonesia
    • Myanmar
    • Sri Lanka
    • Climate change

    Blue economy may be the key to South Asia's upswing

    Samriddhi Roy
    Why governance, blue bonds and women are critical to a thriving ocean-based economy.
  • 27 Jul 2022
    • Japan
    • India
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • Global Issues
    • Environment
    • Coronavirus
    • Climate change
    • United States

    The Quad needs a futures focus

    Abhijnan Rej
    A better – and public – understanding is needed of the cascading effects of regional challenges.
  • 30 Jun 2022
    • Australia and Climate Change
    • Climate change

    In a puzzling trend, concern about climate change has plateaued

    Bec Colvin
    Latest polling shows emissions reduction may not have been the hot button issue that swayed the Australian electorate.
  • 28 Jun 2022
    • Australia and Climate Change
    • Climate change
    • Environment

    A minute to midnight: reversing environmental tipping points

    Tom Cernev
    Planetary boundaries and the role they play in global security are not as remote as they sound. And it’s time to listen.
  • 27 Jun 2022
    • Indonesia
    • Australia
    • Climate change
    • Environment
    • Sustainability

    Indonesia-Australia climate change cooperation begins with the ocean

    Aristyo Rizka Darmawan
    Mangroves, reefs and fish stocks – the building blocks of stronger approach by both countries to address global warming.
  • 14 Jun 2022
    • G20
    • Sustainability
    • Indonesia
    • Climate change
    • Technology

    Hyundai takes the driver’s seat in Indonesia’s EV market

    Akhmad Hanan , Budi Prayogo Sunariyanto
    With net zero emissions targets looming, Southeast Asia’s biggest car market is setting the pace on electric vehicles.
  • 25 May 2022
    • Pacific Islands
    • Climate change
    • Coronavirus

    Pacific youth: challenges today need the leaders of tomorrow

    Aidan Craney
    On climate, geopolitics, recovering from pandemic, and more – it’s vital to engage youth populations across the region.
  • 21 Apr 2022
    • Defence & Security
    • Australia
    • China
    • Solomon Islands
    • Climate change

    Solomons security pact: Sogavare, China, and Australia

    Peter Hooton
    There is no shutting China out of the South Pacific, but if Australia gets real on climate the game will truly change.
  • 25 Mar 2022
    • Global Issues
    • Climate change

    The logistical challenge of responding to disaster

    Lina Gong
    Climate change will not only make for more frequent emergencies – it will change how and from where to provide relief.
  • 24 Mar 2022
    • Australia and the Pacific
    • Climate change

    Climate change in the Pacific – what Australia needs to do

    Peter Hooton
    Canberra’s insipid approach to climate action undermines trust and endangers vital interests close to home.  
  • 17 Mar 2022
    • Defence & Security
    • Australian Defence Force
    • Climate change
    • Environment

    Defence’s bullet for disaster isn’t silver, it’s brass

    Miranda Booth
    Rushing in with troops in emergency response could make matters worse at home and muddle efforts to engage the region.
  • 16 Mar 2022
    • Sustainability
    • Climate change
    • Environment

    Climate change: less space between one disaster and the next

    Anthony Burke
    Simple mathematical errors and a hesitancy to open the wallet are just the beginning of the world’s climate problems.
  • 23 Feb 2022
    • Sustainability
    • Australia
    • Climate change
    • Environment

    Transforming Australian diplomacy for climate leadership

    Melissa Conley Tyler
    Practical measures will foster enduring regional ties beyond the immediate challenge of responding to global warming.
  • 1 Feb 2022
    • Sustainability
    • European Union
    • Climate change
    • France

    How to speak green: Europe’s new energy taxonomy

    Mateo Szlapek-Sewillo
    A stoush about sustainable energy criteria reveals tensions, anxieties – and increasing French influence.
  • 14 Jan 2022
    • Global Economy
    • Australia
    • Climate change
    • Environment

    Australia should build its green infrastructure presence

    James Bowen
    The region is taking an increasingly dim view of efforts seeking to protect the fossil fuel trade.
  • 27 Dec 2021
    • Climate change
    • Environment

    A climate changed – Best of The Interpreter 2021

    The Interpreter
    An economic shift ahead of crucial negotiations, yet still the world struggled with the consequences of global warming.
  • 3 Dec 2021
    • Defence & Security
    • Climate change

    Only a truly national security strategy can forestall disaster

    Peter Layton
    It’s not China but a changing climate that will most threaten Australia’s way of life in the century ahead.
  • 26 Nov 2021
    • Cambodia
    • Thailand
    • Climate change
    • Southeast Asia

    Trouble on the Mekong

    Mark Tilly
    Countries along one of Asia’s longest rivers need to address the effects of climate change and overdevelopment.
  • 24 Nov 2021
    • China
    • India
    • Climate change

    India, China cop finger pointing in climate politics

    Aarti Betigeri
    It really depends on your perspective as to who deserves blame for a disappointing process in Glasgow.
  • 23 Nov 2021
    • United Nations
    • Climate change
    • Environment

    Glasgow delivered, but what, exactly?

    Stephen Minas
    Not a miracle, certainly. But hard and messy negotiations secured a commitment to bring the temperature down.
  • 11 Nov 2021
    • Climate change
    • Environment

    What climate change means for mosquito-borne diseases

    Philippa Nicole Barr
    Already the most lethal creature to humans, environmental and urban changes may spread the danger to billions more.
  • 3 Nov 2021
    • Global Issues
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Climate change

    It’s time to talk about existential risk

    Tom Barber
    There will be no chance to review the “lessons learned”.
  • 1 Nov 2021
    • Climate change

    The dynamics of dust

    Philippa Nicole Barr
    Climate change is producing and circulating more dust, with surprising impacts on river flows and the spread of disease.
  • 1 Nov 2021
    • Russia
    • Climate change

    Is Russia finally getting serious on climate change?

    Ian Hill
    Using hydrocarbon revenues to build green energy infrastructure would be a smart move. Don’t bet Moscow will take it.
  • 29 Oct 2021
    • China
    • Climate change
    • Environment

    Just how serious is Xi about climate change?

    Elliott Zaagman
    China should have much to gain from a decarbonising global economy yet displays a confusing ambivalence to the question.
  • 26 Oct 2021
    • Migration
    • Climate change
    • Environment

    Protecting people who lose their homes to climate change

    Jane McAdam
    King tides, cyclones, floods and drought are already displacing large numbers of people each year – where will they go?
  • 25 Oct 2021
    • Climate change
    • Environment

    Glasgow: a tipping point for serious action

    Anthony Burke
    Worrying signs suggest these most consequential of climate change talks are being set up for failure.
  • 20 Oct 2021
    • Australia
    • Indonesia
    • Climate change
    • Environment

    Australia, Indonesia and climate change

    Richard Mathews
    As the immediate pandemic crisis begins to recede, both countries should refocus the relationship on climate change.
  • 19 Oct 2021
    • Climate change
    • Environment

    The right climate for central planning

    Mark Beeson
    Not exactly a popular sentiment. But combating global warming might need to take a radical turn.
  • 18 Oct 2021
    • Climate change
    • Environment

    Coming up for air: global action to stop pollution

    Philippa Nicole Barr
    Most nations will breach new air quality guidelines from the World Health Organisation. Better coordination is a must.
  • 12 Oct 2021
    • Pacific Islands
    • Climate change
    • Environment
    • International law

    Line in the sand: How sea-level rise is challenging international law

    Donald R Rothwell
    For island nations climate change poses not only a physical threat but a legal dilemma, too.
  • 17 Sep 2021
    • Pacific Islands
    • Sustainability
    • Climate change
    • Environment
    • International law

    Safeguarding Pacific Island seas starts with indigenous knowledge

    Anna Naupa
    A new declaration by Pacific leaders on maritime zone preservation helps, but must also allow for cultural dialogue.
  • 13 Sep 2021
    • Australia and Climate Change
    • Climate change
    • Technology

    Risks versus opportunities in national security thinking

    Albert Palazzo
    Conventional security logic is undergoing a revolution that includes renewable energy. Australia needs to get on board.
  • 10 Sep 2021
    • United States
    • Trade
    • Indonesia
    • Climate change
    • Environment

    The right climate for Indonesia-United States cooperation

    Eko NM Saputro
    If Washington is to judge its trade partners on environmental measures, Jakarta actually has a good story to tell.
  • 7 Sep 2021
    • Defence & Security
    • Climate change

    Matching strategic and defence policy to the climate challenge

    Brendan Sargeant
    Australia is looking too much at symptoms rather than the causes – and missing the need to work cooperatively.
  • 2 Sep 2021
    • Australia
    • Climate change
    • Energy
    • Environment

    Australia’s potential as a “green” hydrogen superpower

    James Bowen
    As the hydrocarbon era wanes a new energy source could be a potent geopolitical asset.
  • 20 Aug 2021
    • United States
    • China
    • Climate change

    Can the US and China cooperate on climate?

    Henry Storey
    Deals, denials and grand bargains on the road to the COP26 climate change conference.
  • 12 Aug 2021
    • Global Economy
    • Australia
    • China
    • Climate change

    Economic diplomacy: Burning down the house

    Greg Earl
    Climate change is the new frontier for economic thinking in international relations.
  • 4 Aug 2021
    • Defence & Security
    • Australian Defence Force
    • Climate change
    • Environment

    Preparing Australia to respond to disasters – at home and abroad

    Peter Layton
    The military should be restructured with a dedicated element to better tackle relief operations full-time.
  • 17 Jun 2021
    • Australia
    • Climate change
    • Energy

    Coal’s decline is underway, no matter what Australia’s politicians say

    Frank Jotzo
    Key countries are positioning for huge investments in clean energy industries and Australia should take its slice.
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