From discourse to policy: US policy communities’ perceptions of and approaches to climate change and security

ABSTRACT

Increasingly, a diverse set of policy communities, including those with defence, development and environmental mandates, frame climate change as a security threat. Most often this discursive formation labels climate change as a ‘threat multiplier’. This framing, however, is vague, linear and leaves many questions unanswered regarding how institutions can develop and implement policy that addresses the joint challenges of climate change, conflict and security. Utilising a mixed-methods approach, and grounding data collection in US policy communities, this article examines how policy actors and institutions integrate climate-security discourses into policy processes. The objective of this research is to provide direct insight into how the discourses and technical understandings of climate-security transition into policy priorities and implementation realities. This research identified three common approaches to climate-security: (1) A challenge of adaptation and resilience; (2) A potent political argument; and (3) An issue of limited importance and feasibility. These approaches, however, are inconsistent across sectors and within organisations, suggesting a lack of cohesion and considerable challenges in identifying and responding to climate change as a ‘threat multiplier’.     

中国共产党的利益代表性和社会利益关系调节

中国共产党要调节好各种社会利益关系,必须以各种群体利益的共同发展为出发点,制定方针政策,着重调节经济利益,疏通利益表达渠道,扩大执政的群众基础。     

构建和谐社会与重新审视宗教

在举国上下构建和谐社会的环境下,宗教值得重新审视。本文以作者亲历事件为例,论证了3个观点:第一,宗教的根本是长期性,应该用自由公民的世俗追求说明他们的宗教追求;第二,宗教的关键是群众性,应当努力引导宗教为祖国统一、民族团结、经济发展、社会稳定服务;第三,宗教有特殊的复杂性,新中国的宗教应当是积极、和谐的因素,为世界的和平发展、人类幸福吹来一股和风、带来一团和气。     

关于经济全球化背景下中国政府职能转变的思考

加入WTO ,加快了中国经济全球化的进程 ,同时受到更多约束的是中国政府 ,因此政府只有适应经济全球化的挑战 ,进一步转变政府职能。政府职能不再是“守夜人”。针对目前存在的主要问题 ,本文提出在五个方面的政府职能的转变 ,最终创造有效率的市场环境 ,促进中国经济持续稳定地发展。     

Managing commercial risks in open source software licensing

Legal context: The article reviews the commercial risk allocation clauses intypical open source licence terms and discusses their enforceabilityand implications. Key points: The enforceability of warranty disclaimers and limitation ofliability clauses in common open source licence terms is questionable,particularly in a cross-border context, and commercial licensorsshould take additional steps to protect themselves from down-streamrisks. Practical significance: Open source software presents a number of unusual commercialissues, because it is available free of charge and the providerstry to disclaim warranties and liabilities. End users and resellershave to adjust their own in- and out-licensing models to accommodatethis situation.     

Four Lessons for Developing Countries from the Trade Negotiations Over Access to Medicines

After the Agreement on the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) came into operation in 1995 developing countries have found themselves in a process of continual negotiation over intellectual property rights and access to medicines. These negotiations have taken place in the World Trade Organization and in the context of free trade agreements. The paper suggests that the only real win for developing countries has been the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health in 2001. What have been the lessons for developing countries in a decade of negotiations over access to medicines? Drawing on themes of rule complexity and regulatory ritualism the paper discusses four key lessons for developing countries. It concludes by arguing that developing countries will do better if they adopt a networked governance approach to negotiation rather than continuing to rely on traditional coalition formation.     

2005年上海地区乳牛球虫感染的季节动态

为了解上海地区乳牛球虫感染的季节变化情况,对上海地区3个牧场乳牛抽样直肠采集粪便,检查了718头乳牛粪样。结果,查出球虫阳性牛269头,平均感染率为37.46%,其中1月龄以内牛的感染率为33.89%,1~12月龄牛的感染率为42.33%,12月龄以上牛的感染率为25.95%。平均感染率最高的4月份为44.44%,最低的8月份为28.57%。3个牧场球虫阳性牛的感染强度(OPG值)为0~169 000个,平均OPG值为9 477个,其中1月龄以内牛的OPG值为8 270个,1~12月龄牛的OPG值为4 318个,12月龄以上牛的OPG值为145个。调查发现了6种球虫,分别是牛艾美球虫(Eimeria bovis)、椭圆艾美球虫(E.ellipsoidalis)、邱氏艾美球虫(E.zurnii)、怀俄明艾美球虫(E.wyomingensis)、柱状艾美球虫(E.cylindri-ca)、亚球形艾美球虫(E.subspherica)。结果表明,2005年上海地区乳牛球虫感染率无明显季节差异,12月龄内乳牛的球虫感染率与感染强度均明显高于12月龄以上乳牛,乳牛球虫的优势虫种为牛艾美球虫、椭圆艾美球虫、邱氏艾美球虫。     

Bushwhacking the Democratic Peace

The invasion of Iraq has been justified, ex post , as for the purpose of promoting the democratic peace. It does not, however, appear to have been a principal goal ex ante . Most democratic peace theorists, moreover, do not endorse democratic regime change by great-power external military intervention. Success is difficult to achieve (usually at high cost), and the conditions in Iraq were not promising even had the occupation been carried out more competently. Greater success in democratization has been achieved by UN peacekeeping operations, and by various regional international organizations using a variety of peaceful measures to ensure free elections, constrain authoritarian leaders, and empower democratic forces. International organizations, notably those whose membership is largely composed of democracies, are especially likely to succeed in promoting democracy.     

论我国现行立法背景下的物权变动模式

物权的变动模式作为物权法的重要内容,一直是学界讨论的热点。如何正确认识我国现行立法背景下的物权变动模式,对于未来物权立法能否选择一个既与国际接轨又适合我国国情的物权变动模式,有着重要的意义。笔者认为,我国现行法规定的物权变动模式,虽非债权意思主义,但也绝不是学界通说的债权形式主义,而是一种特有的模式——物权意思主义。     

中国宪法文本上“农民”条款的规范分析——以农民报考国家公务员权利为例

限制农民报考国家公务员的现象,目前在全国的部分地方依然存在,这不仅影响国家宪法秩序的稳定与统一,而且剥夺和限制了农民群体参加国家管理、担任国家公职的权利。本文从宪法解释学的角度分析了宪法文本上“农民”的涵义及农民报考公务员权利的性质,提出了以宪法为基础建立保障农民基本权利体系的设想。