Lucas de Oliveira Paes
Lucas de Oliveira Paes er seniorforsker og post-doc. i Forskningsgruppen for Russland, Asia og internasjonal handel på NUPI. Han jobber med det ER...
Cristiana Maglia
Cristiana Maglia er seniorforsker ved NUPI, hvor jobber med prosjektet Ad hoc crisis response and international organisations (ADHOCISM), som er f...
Democracy and Human Rights in Contemporary Latin America (2015-2020): Trends, challenges, and prospects
Through a review of scholarly and other well-informed articles as well as media reports, this CMI Report aims to summarize discussions on challenges for democracy and human rights in Latin America during the last half-decade. The region faces a highly difficult economic outlook, consisting of low commodity prices and stagnant growth, threatening a historic backlash in the access to basic goods (including food) and services (not least health). The coronavirus pandemic may have a completely devastating effect on Latin American societies. After the end of the “pink tide”, the survey registers a regional democratic decline, breakdown of democratic systems in some countries and more widespread concerns of democratic erosion; electoral success for anti-incumbent candidates but also a rise of youth protest and fundamental political reform claims. While the human rights agenda has expanded tremendously, a current trend is that fundamental political rights may be endangered. There are serious threats to security and the right to life, and an increasing authoritarian trend (most visible in Venezuela, Nicaragua, Brazil, and El Salvador). Cuba, here treated as a special case, finds itself at a critical juncture, right before the definitive end of the Castro era, leaving the fundamental challenge for younger generations to prepare for a soft landing or risking a full regime collapse. Geopolitical rivalry between the US, China, and Russia leaves a particular responsibility to Europe to facilitate conflict resolution and peacemaking as well as resolution.
WEBINAR: Covid-19 og norsk utviklingspolitikk
Utviklingsminister Dag-Inge Ulstein, professor Andy Sumner og dagleg leiar for Forum for Utvikling og Miljø (Forum) Kathrine Sund-Henriksen diskuterer kva følgjer koronapandemien har for utviklingsland, og korleis dette påverkar internasjonal og norsk utviklingspolitikk.
COVID-19 in Latin America: Challenges, responses, and consequences
Latin-Amerika er frå midten av mai rekna for å vere eit nytt episenter for COVID-19 av WHO. Sjølv om dei fleste landa var tidleg ute med omfattande smittevernstiltak er det venta at COVID-19 vil ha stor og langvarig effekt i ein region som allereie var prega av økonomiske vanskar og politisk ustabilitet før utbrotet. Økonomiske framskrivingar tyder på at latinamerikanske økonomiar vil bli svært skadelidande av nedgangen på verdsmarknaden. Drastiske smittevernstiltak fører òg med seg grunnleggande spørsmål om legitimitet og forhold mellom stat og innbyggar. I nokre land har viktige demokratiske prosessar stoppa opp. I Brasil har nasjonale myndigheiter si handsaming av krisa blitt ein medverkande faktor til ei pågåande politisk krise. Eit geopolitisk vakuum kan gi Kina høve til å styrke posisjonen sin i regionen.
The GeGaLo index: Geopolitical gains and losses after energy transition
This article presents the GeGaLo index of geopolitical gains and losses that 156 countries may experience after a full-scale transition to renewable energy. The following indicators are considered for inclusion in the index: fossil fuel production, fossil fuel reserves, renewable energy resources, governance, and conflict. Some of these represent potential gains; some represent losses; and some the capacity of countries to handle changes in geopolitical strength. Five alternative versions of the index are developed to work out the optimal design. First, the energy resource indicators are combined with equal weights to create two simple versions of the index. Next, governance and conflict indicators are included to create three more complex versions of the index. The index provides useful pointers for strategic energy and foreign policy choices: geopolitical power will be more evenly distributed after an energy transition; Iceland will gain most; Russia may be one of the main holders of stranded geopolitical assets; China and the USA will lose more geopolitically than foreseen by other analyses. The index also indicates a lack of emphasis in parts of the literature on space for renewable energy infrastructure and on domestically sourced coal for the current strength of countries such as China and the United States.
Skatt og sårbare stater: Utfordringer for norsk bistand
Stater trenger egen inntekt for å fungere og skattesystemet spiller en viktig rolle. Hvordan jobber Norge med skatt i sårbare stater?