good for them
how dare us males play a/the dominatrix game,bastards we are/have been
A weekly roundup of global headlines and events, via experts, who happen to be women.
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Summer Deep Dives: Oceans
Happy end of July. The summer is almost over. But before we shed tears, we're going to make the most of it — biking, barbecuing, and going to the beach! As we head to the shore, we've been thinking about the oceans. For our summer finale, our deep dive is about what's happening to oceans. Isobel Coles holds the pen today.
Thank you for reading. You are the reason we put this newsletter together each week. We love highlighting female expertise and changing up the conversation. We also love your notes and love. If you do love us and believe in our mission of interrupting the foreign policy conversation, please consider a donation — and please definitely spread the word. We'll be back after Labor Day, when we'll have exciting news about the Interruptrr newsletter. Stay tuned. And stay safe. Get vaccinated. Wear a mask. -- Elmira
Imagine a world where the oceans, which cover 70 percent of the earth, are empty — of fish, sea life, plants, and other organisms. Farfetched, you say? Maybe not.
Climate change
The rise in greenhouse gases has led to a rise in ocean temperatures and sea levels. That is impacting weather, as we’ve seen with strong storms and weather events. It's also leading the water to become more acidic, making it more difficult for organisms like corals and shellfish to develop and, ultimately, survive. Because of warming waters and the changed composition of the water, fish are changing up their patterns, moving towards the poles. This is impacting fishing.
Fishing
Before we shed a tear for the fisher people, they are part of the problem. Fishing methods are adding to the damage the climate change is already inflicting on oceans. One of the big culprits is bottom trawling. This is a method of fishing that consists of dragging a large net along the bottom of the ocean floor to catch as many fish as possible. Bottom trawling destroys about 3.9 billion acres of the ocean floor a year, which would be the equivalent of losing 4,316 soccer fields per minute.
One of the things that bottom trawling is destroying is marine life. Ocean marine life can store up to 20x more carbon than forests, which make oceans climate change fighters — but only if they are there to fight.
OMG
OMG is right. What’s worse is that we humans have made only five percent of the oceans marine protected areas. Except, 90 percent of those protected areas still allow fishing.
So, what can we do?
Right now, there are few regulations on the fishing industry. Where there are regulations, they are not entirely enforced, and there seems to be a significant amount of confusion on what each regulation means. Take canned fishing.
For a canned fish to be marked as “dolphin safe” the only thing needed is a written document from the captain of the fishing vessel ensuring that no dolphins were killed to catch the fish. This means that more often than not, the label does not reflect what actually happened.
In order to protect our oceans, a few things need to happen.
- We need stricter laws and regulations on the fishing industry. And then we need to enforce them.
- As a society, we need to reduce our fish consumption. Less demand = less supply.
- We need to seriously clean up our oceans, removing all of the garbage that is killing fish and plants. Yes, plastic, I’m talking about you.
- Finally, countries around the world need to immediately start creating many more marine protected areas and ensure that they are 100 percent protected from any kind of fishing.
-- Isobel Coles
Elsewhere in the World.....
Things on our radar...
Tunisia dominated headlines this week, after the country's president sacked the prime minister and suspended parliament. The White House hesitated calling it a coup, which it clearly looks like. Dive into these links to learn more:
- What is happening in Tunisia? Jen Kirkby talked to Sarah Yerkes. (Vox)
- Are we seeing the end of democracy in Tunisia? Amna Guellai spoke to Christiane Amanpour. (CNN)
- Turkish officials have publicly condemned the sacking of Tunisia’s prime minister, calling the move a coup. Amberin Zaman argues that Turkey’s reaction is slightly contradictory, given that it did not react negatively to Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s coup in 2013. (Al Monitor)
Other news....
Amal Hassan Fadlalla asks how are women — especially
women from the global south and women of color in the diaspora — being represented in global media and in popular culture? Well, they are often misrepresented. Historically-grounded solidarity focused on the struggle of women and people of color in different locations is needed in order to combat these misrepresentations, writes Hassan Fadlalla. (
Africa is a Country)
Governments around the world used Pegasus, a spyware developed by the Israeli NSO Group, to target journalists and activists. What should we do now? Caitlin Thompson has some answers. (
Coda Story)
The Summer Olympics
Do the Olympics promote nationalism? International conflict? Kathleen Powers weighs in with the ways real-world rivalries often play out in the Olympics. (
Monkey Cage)
Tokyo Is facing a record Covid-19 surge, and Japanese infectious disease expert Kentaro Iwata thinks that
if Japan’s Olympic athletes win medals the situation will get worse. Amy Gunia has more on the situation in Tokyo. (
Time)
Chelsea Mitchell on
the unfairness of trans women at the Olympics. (
The Economist)
The US
The White House and Germany's Chancellery
approved Putin's Nord Stream 2 pipeline (against the wishes of the EU and NATO, the EU energy policy, US Congress and Germany’s neighbors). Diane Francis asks,
what does the White House think it’s doing? (
Atlantic Council)
Covid-19
Get ready for a spike in global unrest, says Elise Labott. Covid-19 is threatening to accelerate longer-term rebellion, violence, and political upheaval, from Cuba to Haiti. (
Foreign Policy)
Many children worldwide have lost caregivers amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Anne Smith dives in. (
Newsweek)
Despite all our progress, the Delta variant is driving new Covid-19 surges. Claire Felter and Zachary Rosenthal summarize five graphics which illustrate the variant’s rising power. (
CFR)
Nigeria is facing two pandemics: Covid-19 and insecurity. Mayesha Alam and Ndubisi Anyanwu call for policymakers and practitioners to listen to and support local communities in Nigeria. (
Just Security)
Africa
South Africa’s turmoil is about more than Jacob Zuma. Carolyn Logan and Sibusiso Nkomo on the government corruption, unemployment rates, and growing inequality in the country. (
Monkey Cage)
The conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia — far from over following the federal government's declaration of a ceasefire and Tigrayan fighters' capture of Mekelle — is entering an anxious new phase, writes Michelle Gavin. (
CFR)
Few African societies are more closely monitored than Rwanda. The latest Pegasus revelations suggest Rwanda is a client of the NSO group. If true, it presents a
frightening image of what the government might do to "enemies of the state" with such cyber weapons, says Michela Wrong. (
The Guardian)
In order to confront existing gender power relations, Sinawo Bukani
calls for feminist strategic litigation. (
African Feminism)
The Biden administration is prolonging US involvement in Somalia. Bonnie Kristian gives us some context and explains why the US should end the war. (
Responsible Statecraft)
Asia
China's #MeToo movement keeps rising — despite growing censorship and misogyny in the country, says Lü Pin (
Washington Post)
India's democratic slide is troubling — and of great concern to the US. But Biden can't just wag its finger.
Washington needs to establish dialogue and listen to Indian officials, says Alyssa Ayres. (
Foreign Affairs)
Samoan court clears the way for the country's first female prime minister. Becky Sullivan has more. (
NPR)
Northern Afghanistan once kept the Taliban out, so why has it fallen so quickly this time? Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili explains this targeted attack by the Taliban. (
Monkey Cage)
Americas
Pedro Castillo took office as Peru's president on July 28, the fifth in five years. Who is he? Catesby Holmes and Cecilia Méndez Gastelumendi take a look. (
The Conversation)
Cuba’s elites have failed their country, argues Rebecca Bodenheimer. They have begged Cubans to make sacrifices for the greater good while making none of their own. (
New Republic)
Speaking of Cuba, Hilda Landrove asks
how the left in Latin America will respond to the protests in Cuba going forward. (
NACLA)
For families,
sending money to Cuba shouldn't be a political football, says Ada Ferrer. (
The Hill)
Colombia’s protests may be creating a desire for more centrist politicians. The country holds presidential elections next year. According to Leonie Rauls, Colombian voters do not want more polarizing candidates. (
Americas Quarterly)
A hunger crisis is forcing Guatemalans to choose between migration or death. Nina Strochlic dives deep into the crisis and the limited options Guatemalans have to survive. (
National Geographic)
Europe
Russia is playing a global game, and the US and Europe are so busy protecting their corners that they are leaving the goals wide open. Only with a global counter-strategy, including a model for a more inclusive international system, do the US and Europe have a chance of regaining control of the field, say Anne-Marie Slaughter and FPI-Bard Fellow Heather Ashby. (
Project Syndicate)
If the United States really wants Russia to stop ransomware attacks and other hostile activities, should it go after Vladimir Putin? Kremlin critics say yes. Others warn that it could backfire. Nahal Toosi takes a look. (
Politico)
LGBTQ people are being used as pawns in a political power-play in Hungary, argues Maria Sjödin.
With its recent anti-LGBTQ law, the Hungarian government is abusing democratic processes to pursue undemocratic aims. (
Euronews)
It’s been nearly one year since Alexander Lukashenko declared victory over Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in an election rife with fraud. Jill Dougherty talked to Tikhanovskaya. (
Kenan X)
Middle East
The ice cream maker
Ben & Jerry's announced that it would no longer sell its ice cream in Israeli-occupied territories. Backlash ensued. Yasmeen Serhan puts it into perspective. (
The Atlantic)
Another failed state on the Mediterranean is not in Europe's interest.
Europe should help Lebanon, says Carmen Geha. (
ECFR)
What is happening with Morocco's foreign policy? Yasmina Abouzzohour dives in. (
Brookings)
What is one thing Lebanon and Northern Ireland have in common? Both countries are built on weak power-sharing agreements which prioritize the lives of politicians over citizens, argues Hannah McCarthy. (
Newlines)
Five questions with Libyan women leaders: Caroline Hayes and Haydn Welch interview Libyan peace activists who discuss
how Libyan women have contributed to peace-building efforts and how the US government can support women in leadership roles. (
CFR)
Climate Change
How can we live with the emotional burden of climate change? Step one: learn to make space for feeling grief, anxiety, guilt, and fear about climate change in our conversations and activism, writes Liza Featherstone. (
New Republic)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) began meetings this week to finalize a report summarizing how the Earth’s climate has already changed and what is to be expected for the future. Rebecca Hersher with what to watch for in these two weeks of meetings. (
NPR)
Links we loved....or found fascinating
So the passengers were relieved the landing was not on water.
