The persistent increase in oil prices over the past decade suggests that global oil markets have entered a period of increased scarcity. Given the expected rapid growth in oil demand in emerging market economies and a downshift in the trend growth of oil supply, a return to abundance is unlikely in the near term. This chapter suggests that gradual and moderate increases in oil scarcity may not present a major constraint on global growth in the medium to long term, although the wealth transfer from oil importers to exporters would…
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RESERCH TO IMPROVE ANALYSES FOR RISK OF FOREST LAND CONVERSION: EXPECTED BENEFITS AND COSTS
Forests account for a little over one-third (38%) of habitable land area. This is around one-quarter (26%) of total (both habitable and uninhabitable) land area which range from wild land forests to urban forests. These diverse ecosystems provide a variety of habitats for wildlife; help to cleanse the air and water; supply timber, fuelwood, and other harvested products; serve as places for recreation; help to mitigate the effects of global climate change; and provide other essential goods and environmental services. Forests are vulnerable to conversion to other land uses. An increasing number of…
Read MoreTHE CONCEPT OF ARMED CONFLICT: THE ADDITIONAL PROTOCOLS AND THE 1998 ROME STATUTE
The two 1977 Additional Protocols contain updates on the substantive law and the first comprehensive regulation of the conduct of hostilities in international armed conflict. While Protocol I extended the range of international armed conflicts to which it applies by including ‘armed conflicts in which peoples are fighting against colonial domination and alien occupation and against racist regimes in the exercise of their right to self-determination’. Protocol II on non-international armed conflicts introduced stringent requirements for the applicability of its rules and a minimum threshold below which it should not…
Read MoreDRONE WARFARE AND INTERNATIONAL LAW
Under the United Nations Charter, states agree to “settle their international disputes in a peaceful manner” and “refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.” This is generally viewed as a blanket prohibition on the use of force by one state inside the borders of another sovereign state. Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter outlines just two exceptions to this prohibition. First, if the Security Council identifies “any threat to the peace, breach of the…
Read MoreDIGITAL AUTHORITARIANISM AND ITS EFFECTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY
Digital authoritarianism is “the use of digital information technology by authoritarian regimes to surveil, repress, and manipulate domestic and foreign populations”. Essentially it refers to the use of digital and technological means to increase control and limit the freedom and rights of citizens. For example, digital authoritarianism entails actions such as; limiting internet freedom, internet access and free speech online, collecting personal data for illegitimate purposes, surveillance and tracking of online activities, especially those of regime critics. We can sums up digital authoritarianism in six different techniques: surveillance, censorship, social…
Read MoreCLIMATE DISPLACEMENT: GAPS IN THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR SMALL ISLANDS/ARCHIPELAGO
Despite the existence of numerous international instruments addressing forced migration, internal displacement and climate change, international law does not offer ad hoc protection to people affected by climate displacement. The unprecedented nature of the challenges posed by sinking islands is one of the causes of this legal vacuum. Nonetheless, international law will have to react and the ways in which this could happen vary substantially. One possible solution could consist in adapting the existing legal frame work to the peculiarities of climate-induced displacement. The specific needs of climate-displaced people could…
Read MoreDOHA DECLARATION ON TRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS (TRIPS) AND INDIA: AN OVERVIEW
The post 2005 and the impact of adopting stronger patent regime in the context of India generated debate not only within India but also outside, since India is one of the larger drugs/medicines manufacturing country in the world which ranks higher position in terms of production and volume. India’s export reaches a number of developing and least developed countries which show the dependency of the other countries on India. India’s pharmaceutical industry is also making footprints in the developed countries as well. India’s transition towards the product patents came gradually.…
Read MoreDOHA DECLARATION : A GUIDE TO IMPLEMENTATION FOR PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY
Though the Doha Declaration was initially received very well, anxiety again was widespread as about the interpretation of Paragraph 6 of the Declaration specifying when countries can import drugs produced elsewhere under compulsory Licensing(CL). A decision regarding the same was announced in 2003 and was adopted in the form of waiver of Article 31 (f) (that the compulsory Licensing(CL) would be predominantly for the supply of domestic market) in December 2005. As per this waiver, a country could issue a compulsory license on the basis of public health need either…
Read MoreNEEDFULNESS HUMAN RESOURCE POLICIES AMENDMENT DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND UPCOMING PANDEMIC OUTBREAK
The nation faces an unprecedented public health crisis, businesses are grappling with how to support their workforce, implement emergency policies and sustain their businesses amidst economic uncertainty. As of millions of workers especially frontline workers paid low wages are facing dire extremes: either experiencing layoffs or reduced hours, or working under demanding and often unsafe conditions. Many workers lack emergency protections and benefits to meet the needs of this moment. We must encourage companies to adopt multiple practices and focus on applying them as broadly and equitably as possible, to…
Read MoreEPISTEMOLOGY ON COVID-19 VACCINE AND IDEAL VACCINE CHARACTERISTICS REQUIREMENT FOR COVID-19
Vaccination is the process of administering a vaccine, i.e., a biological substance intended to stimulate a recipient’s immune system to produce antibodies or to undergo other changes that provide future protection against specific infectious diseases. Immunization is the stimulation of changes in the immune system through which that protection occurs. These two concepts differ slightly in that administration of a vaccine may not always result in satisfactory immunization (protection) and that immunization may sometimes occur as a result of processes other than administration of a vaccine, e.g., through the body’s…
Read MoreHUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS : OVERVIEW OF PROBLEMS, COMPLEXITIES AND CHALLENGES
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Read MoreBIG DATA AND HUMAN RIGHTS
The data relating to our own actions and the data generated and reported on by “things”, are also increasingly shared and/or exploited in aggregate form, as so-called Big Data. In this new environment, we are generate extremely detailed personalized or quasi-personalized data trails even if we are only half aware of them. These data can be used to map social networks along with the spiders’ webs of contacts linked to further contacts. Combined with Big Data and profiles, they can show surprisingly revealing details of every man and woman’s life, beliefs, inclinations,…
Read MoreEPIDEMIC OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND ITS FACTS: PART II
Epidemic treatments are often based on proactive solutions, early interventions and direct approaches wherever possible. What the literature on the costs of unemployment and the social determinants of health suggests is that directly creating employment opportunities for the unemployed is in and of itself an important policy objective. One such direct approach to joblessness is a job guarantee, aka, employer of last resort, buffer stock employment, or public service employment. The advantage of this type of program is that it not only stresses job creation as an end in itself, but…
Read MoreUNITED NATIONS 75TH ANNIVERSARY: CRITICAL ANALYSIS
“The new millennium presents the most appropriate time to review the history of United Nations(UN) institution, its successes and failures, and expectations for its future.” Opinions may differ about the successes and failure of the United Nations as an instrument for world peace and security. But everyone will agree that it has played a crucial role in the economic and social advancement of the people. United Nation’s efforts in the early Cold War era concentrated on the relationships between nations and the issues of war and peace. The UN has…
Read MoreEPIDEMIC OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND IT’S FACTS : PART I
The words like an infectious disease, virus, or even an epidemic can describes unemployment. We need to focus on the transmission mechanism of unemployment, its macroeconomic behaviour, and socioeconomic impact. An impacting patterns are reveal while examining the data as it changes over the time. Firstly, even cycle of business at it’s peak level, increased unemployment levels in communities across the countries are seen countlessly. These communities continue to be forced in recession even though the countries at much doing good in economic activities. Secondly, the national unemployment number figures…
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