Expanding national policy space for development: Why the Multilateral Trading System must change

With the increasing political and economic integration that accompanies globalisation, a growing number of international agreements now restrict the national ‘policy space’ of developed and developing countries alike. The paper demonstrates how developing countries’ national policy space is affected by agreements comprising the Multilateral Trading System (MTS) under the World Trade Organization (WTO). Focus is given to examining the narrowing range of policy options permissible under international trade and finance agreements, and the adverse effects this can have on countries in earlier stages of economic development. These effects are reviewed with the finding that the playing field resulting from international trade agreements, that have ostensibly equivalent rules for all contracting parties, may provide a much smaller policy space for developing than developed countries because of differences in initial conditions and national policy implementation capacities. It is argued that special and differential treatment (S&DT) for developing countries under the MTS needs to be enhanced and made more actionable and effective in order to provide developing countries with essential national policy space for development. Finally, general areas where improved S&DT is needed, and should be pursued by developing countries in the ongoing Doha Round of WTO negotiations, are summarised.trade, development, developing countries, global economic governance, WTO

Environmental Goods: Where Do the Dynamic Trade Opportunities for Developing Countries Lie?

This study seeks to review some of the key issues surrounding ongoing WTO negotiations on trade liberalisation of environmental goods and to provide trade data and analyses to assess developing countries’ current and potential performance in environmental goods trade. Data indicate that developing countries have significant export strength and potential, not only in environmentally preferable products, but in many manufactured and chemical goods used in the provision of environmental services as well. For many developing countries, this latter class of goods includes some of their most dynamic exports, which can be significantly expanded by trade liberalisation, particularly through increased South-South trade. For other developing countries, trade liberalisation of environmentally preferable products may provide immediate gains needed to support rural economies and facilitate the integration of their small and medium sized enterprises into global supply chains. The study finds that to provide gains for all countries – each with a unique production and export profile – the scope and spectrum of environmental goods targeted for liberalisation must be wide and selective, allowing developing countries to select a limited ‘best- fit’ subset of goods for their tariff reduction commitments within an eventual WTO agreement.trade liberalisation, environmental goods, developing countries, WTO, negotiations

Active Amplification of the Terrestrial Albedo to Mitigate Climate Change: An Exploratory Study

This study explores the potential to enhance the reflectance of solar insolation by the human settlement and grassland components of the Earth's terrestrial surface as a climate change mitigation measure. Preliminary estimates derived using a static radiative transfer model indicate that such efforts could amplify the planetary albedo enough to offset the current global annual average level of radiative forcing caused by anthropogenic greenhouse gases by as much as 30 percent or 0.76 W/m2. Terrestrial albedo amplification may thus extend, by about 25 years, the time available to advance the development and use of low-emission energy conversion technologies which ultimately remain essential to mitigate long-term climate change. However, additional study is needed to confirm the estimates reported here and to assess the economic and environmental impacts of active land-surface albedo amplification as a climate change mitigation measure.Comment: 21 pages, 3 figures. In press with Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, N

A Spectrophotometric Study Of Hydroxyl Emissions From A High Latitude Winter Mesopause (Gravity Waves)

Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 198

Mapping Green Product Spaces of Nations

As countries transition to a green economy, they will need to identify profitable entry points in which they can favorably compete with other nations in emerging green markets. Identifying and building supply capacity for commercially viable, competitive green product exports can be seen as a fundamental part of supporting green growth and sustainable development. Building on the product space model initially advanced by Hidalgo et al. in 2007, this article proposes a green product space methodology to map the export strengths of countries for a specified set of green products. The methodology does so by identifying green products for which a country is likely to be competitive in the world market based on export performance of related products. Results for Brazil are presented to illustrate the green product space methodology followed by a discussion of its limitations and potential contribution to industrial policy formulation to support emerging green sectors.QC 20130416</p

Associations of Embeddedness and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder among 9/11 Survivors

Following exposures to traumatic events on 9/11, survivors have reported heightened levels of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Multiple factors contribute to both the exacerbation and amelioration of PTSD symptoms, including social integration and support. This cross-sectional study aimed to understand and identify associations of embeddedness and psychosocial risk factors by PTSD status for survivors and first responders of 9/11. Results indicate that those with chronic PTSD had the lowest prevalence of both social and emotional embeddedness and many who reported no PTSD symptoms following 9/11 reported moderate levels of social and emotional embeddedness. Overall, our findings suggest those individuals who reported little to no PTSD also reported the most social/emotional embeddedness; whereas those individuals who report greater or chronic PTSD report the least social/emotional embeddedness. As such, it may be beneficial for clinicians across multiple care disciplines and contexts to consider and address the social lives and needs of those individuals experiencing symptoms of PTSD to ensure their emotional and physical needs are truly being met