A Washington Post article by graduate student Nina McMurry explores the effectiveness of the peacekeeping mission in South Sudan. “Research cautions that it’s unrealistic to expect outside military forces to prevent violence when those involved haven’t agreed to stop fighting or — more important — haven’t agreed on how to resolve the political differences that prompted violence in the first place,” McMurry writes.
A study co-authored by Dr. Jim Walsh of the Center for International Studies finds that sanctions aimed at curbing North Korea’s nuclear-missile program are ineffective, writes Alastair Gale for The Wall Street Journal. The researchers found that “North Korea has grown resistant to sanctions by building up its business operations inside China.”
Research Associate Jim Walsh discusses the evolution of relations between North and South Korea 63 years after the Korean War armistice with Meghna Chakrabarti of WBUR’s Here & Now. Walsh notes that North and South Korea are currently in “a very different place where neither side wants a war, but the danger of nuclear weapons hangs in the shadows.”
Research Associate Jim Walsh discusses Turkey’s attempted coup on Here & Now with Meghna Chakrabarti. Regarding the affect the arrests of top officials will have on Turkey’s ability to fight international terrorism he says, “It sort of takes Turkey out of the game…they’re going to be concerned with their own house, they’re not going to be concerned with the region.”
In an article for The Washington Post, Prof. M. Taylor Fravel examines why China is so inflexible when it comes to territorial disputes at sea. “Now that China is stronger,” Fravel writes, “many citizens believe it needs an unchallenged presence in the South China Sea that reflects its perceived status and capabilities.”
A new study co-authored by Prof. Susan Solomon provides evidence that the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica is starting to heal, reports Pilita Clark for the Financial Times. Clark explains that the findings suggest that “more than half the shrinkage in the ozone hole is due to the reduction in atmospheric chlorine coming from CFCs.”
A recent study shows that the ozone hole has shrunk by more than 4 million square kilometers since the Montreal Protocol banned the use of CFCs, writes David Abel for The Boston Globe. “This shows that international cooperation on environmental problems can work and be effective,” says lead author Prof. Susan Solomon.
Eric Hand writes for Science that a recent study led by Prof. Susan Solomon shows the effectiveness of the Montreal Protocol, which banned the production of CFCs. The study also explains that the record-sized ozone hole in October 2015 was caused by a volcano eruption in Chile, writes Hand.
Research by MIT scientists shows that 30 years after banning CFCs the ozone hole is shrinking, writes Aaron Sidder for National Geographic. “These findings suggest that ozone healing is right on pace with the expected timeline,” explains Sidder.
Scientists have found that the Antarctica ozone hole is showing signs of healing and is forming at a slower rate, writes Megan Daley for The Los Angeles Times. Prof. Susan Solomon explains that the findings show that the Montreal Protocol, which banned the use of ozone-destroying chloroflourocarbons, “produced the positive result that we hoped for.”
Scientists have found evidence that the ozone hole over Antarctica is getting smaller and forming later in the year, reports Seth Bornstein for the Associated Press. Prof. Susan Solomon, lead author of the study, says the findings are a "tremendous cause for hope" for fixing other environmental problems.
USA Today reporter Doyle Rice reports that a team of researchers led by MIT Prof. Susan Solomon has found that the Antarctica ozone heal is beginning to heal. “The discovery shows global attempts to improve Earth's environment can work, providing a template for how humanity could tackle the exponentially larger issue of climate change,” Doyle writes.
New York Times reporter Henry Fountain writes that researchers have found evidence that the ozone hole over Antarctica is getting smaller. “We are seeing the planet respond as expected to the actions of people,” says Prof. Susan Solomon. “It’s really a story of the public getting engaged, policy makers taking action, and business getting engaged.”
Researchers from MIT and other institutions have found that the Antarctic ozone hole has begun to heal, reports Chris Mooney for The Washington Post. “If you use the medical analogy, first the patient was getting worse and worse, and then the patient is stabilized, and now, “explains Prof. Susan Solomon, “the patient is really starting to get better.”
In an article for The Huffington Post about the Paris climate agreement, senior lecturer Jason Jay argues that the agreement “represents a possibility - that the world can come together and solve one of the most complex problems we face as a civilization.”