Oceans Deeply

ISIS
Op-Eds

As ISIS Withdraws, Land Mines Lurk In Northern Syria

Bassam al-Ahmad Director, Syrians for Truth and Justice

As ISIS retreat from several areas of northern Syria, they are leaving behind thousands of improvised explosive devices. The international community must address this danger for civilians, writes human rights activist Bassam al-Ahmad. almost 4 years ago

Crisis and Conflict
Op-Eds

No More Tea Breaks: The Crucial Role of Women in Burma’s Peace Talks

Sarah Taylor Advocate of the Women’s Rights Division, Human Rights Watch

As Burma hosts the five-day Panglong Conference aimed at ending the fighting between the country’s military and rebel groups, Sarah Taylor of Human Rights Watch says now is the time to finally recognize that women’s participation is essential to achieving peace.almost 4 years ago

Laws & Policy
Op-Eds

Can Obama’s Pledging Summit Rescue Global Resettlement Policy?

Solon Ardittis Director, Eurasylum

As part of our special series ‘The Road to UNGA,’ Solon Ardittis of Eurasylum opines that President Obama’s leaders’ summit on September 20 could advance global resettlement policies, especially by encouraging private sponsorship.almost 4 years ago

Environment
Research
Op-Eds

Hanna Shoal: An Icy Haven for Arctic Sea Animals That Staves off Summer

Adrian Gall Marine Ecologist, Alaska

In the Hanna Shoal region, warm water diverts around a 10m (30ft) hill on the seafloor, allowing the sea ice here to persist into September and attract the walruses, polar bears, seals and birds that rely on the ice environment, says marine ecologist Adrian Gall. almost 4 years ago

Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs
Government & Pro-Government Forces
Op-Eds

A Dubious Defense of a Mistaken Policy in Syria

Frederic C. Hof Director, Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East

As the Syria conflict continues, the White House administration is finding it increasingly difficult to justify the policies behind its actions in the war-torn country, explains Middle East expert Frederic C. Hof. almost 4 years ago

Laws & Policy
Op-Eds

Oxfam: ‘European Union is Proactively Doing Harm’

Claire Seaward Lead, Europe Migration Campaign for Oxfam

As part of our series “The Road to UNGA,” Oxfam’s migration campaign lead, Claire Seaward, claims that E.U. states’ deterrence policies are creating a “route of hell” to Europe, with tensions escalating among stranded asylum seekers.almost 4 years ago

Northern People & Health
Op-Eds

Fantasy and Grim Reality on a Journey Through Literary Finland

Margaret Williams Managing Director, World Wildlife Fund’s U.S. Arctic Program

In Finland, the third stop of her literary tour of the Arctic, Margaret Williams, managing director of the World Wildlife Fund’s U.S. Arctic program, discovers stories rich in satire, the ruthlessness of war and Karelian culture.almost 4 years ago

Environment
Governance
Op-Eds

As Coastlines Recede, Climate Change Adaptation Seems Inevitable

Oonagh Fitzgerald Director, International Law Research Program

When the Paris climate change agreement was adopted by 175 countries in December 2015, it called for urgent action to keep warming to well below 2C (3.6F). Now we must take action on the ground.almost 4 years ago

Environment
Research
Op-Eds

The Dangers of Predicting an Ice-Free Arctic Summer

Ed Hawkins Climate Scientist, NCAS at the University of Reading

Dramatic sea ice predictions make headlines. There are very serious risks from continued climatic changes and a melting Arctic, but we do not serve the public and policymakers well by exaggerating those risks.almost 4 years ago

Northern People & Health
Op-Eds

Northern Nurses Empower Communities on Their Own Terms

Heather Exner-Pirot Managing Editor, Arctic Yearbook

A unique cultural exchange program brings together nurses from communities around the North to share best practices – and experiences – that can help improve the health and well-being of their neighbors.almost 4 years ago

Laws & Policy
Op-Eds

Why We Need a Supranational Approach at the U.N. Migration Summit

Judith Vonberg Journalist and PhD Student, Migration

As part of our “The Road to UNGA” series, migrant rights advocate Judith Vonberg writes that the upcoming U.N. summit, already backsliding on promises to resettle refugees, risks missing an opportunity to radically redefine migrancy.almost 4 years ago

Health
Op-Eds

Despite Cash Aid, Congolese Refugees in U.N. Camp Still Go Hungry

Emily A. Lynch Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Department of Social and Cultural Sciences at Marquette University

In the second part of her story on hunger among Congolese refugees in Rwanda, anthropologist Emily Lynch discusses an initiative to replace insufficient, poor-quality food rations with cash aid, and why refugees say it hasn’t helped.almost 4 years ago

Laws & Policy
Op-Eds

This Age of Migration: Europe’s Rising Militarization

Paul Currion Consultant

As part of our series “This Age of Migration,” Paul Currion argues that increasing militarization in Europe in response to the refugee crisis is akin to an autoimmune response that could attack the very body it is supposed to protect.almost 4 years ago

Environment & Wildlife
Law & Policy
Management & Supply
Op-Eds

Why California Water Fix Is a Path to Extinction for Native Fisheries

Doug Obegi Senior Attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council

A biological assessment for the twin tunnels plan for new conveyance of California water shows that several native fisheries could be pushed even further toward extinction, says Doug Obegi, a senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council.almost 4 years ago

Refugee Voices
Op-Eds

A Different Olympic Story

Francesca Pierigh Media and Communications Assistant, European Council on Refugees and Exiles

Several thousand migrants and refugees are living in disused Olympic facilities in Athens. Representatives from ECRE and AIRE Centre visited in June and found strangely arbitrary differences in how parts of the camp are treated.almost 4 years ago

Health
Solutions
Op-Eds

Early Breastfeeding: The Key to Cutting Mortality Rates of Babies

France Bégin Senior Nutrition Adviser for Infant and Young Child Nutrition, UNICEF headquarters in New York

More than half of all newborns are not breastfed in the first hour after birth – which could be the difference between life and death. More needs to be done to help women make informed choices about breastfeeding, writes UNICEF’s France Begin.almost 4 years ago

Health
Op-Eds

Congolese Refugees in Rwanda Battle Hunger

Emily A. Lynch Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Department of Social and Cultural Sciences at Marquette University

Congolese refugees in Rwanda’s Gihembe camp have complained for years that U.N. food rations are making them sick. Emily Lynch, an anthropologist at Marquette University, describes how the refugees cope with hunger and sickness in the first of a two-part story.almost 4 years ago

Innovation & Technology
Laws & Policy
Op-Eds

The Nansen Passport – Time to Revive a Realistic Utopia

Stefan Wallaschek PhD Fellow, Bremen International Graduate School of Social Sciences

The groundbreaking document that helped Europe overcome past refugee crises could help once more, argues Stefan Wallaschek of the Bremen International Graduate School of Social Sciences. almost 4 years ago

Laws & Policy
Op-Eds

‘Defining the Problem’ Will Impact Summit Success in New York: HRW

Bill Frelick Director, Refugee Rights Program at Human Rights Watch

In the first part of our series “The Road to UNGA,” Bill Frelick, director of HRW’s Refugee Rights Program, calls for protection of migrants “who do not qualify for international protection as refugees” in the lead-up to the U.N. Summit on Refugees and Migrants. almost 4 years ago

Civil Society
Displacement
Education
Op-Eds

Educational Reform for Syrians Must Not Ignore the Country’s Children

James Denselow Director, New Diplomacy Platform

Humanitarian solutions to the education crisis facing Syrian children are largely ignoring those most in need, argues Middle East writer and researcher James Denselow. Children inside Syria are being overlooked. almost 4 years ago

Crisis and Conflict
Gender-Based Violence
Op-Eds

Trafficked, Enslaved and ‘Without Hope’ in China

Ji-hyun Park Human-Rights Advocate

Trafficking survivor and rights advocate Ji-hyun Park highlights the abuse of North Korean women who escape to China, telling her own story of forced marriage, slavery and imprisonment.almost 4 years ago

Health
Reproductive Rights
Op-Eds

India Holding Women Hostage to Unwanted Pregnancies

Melissa Upreti Regional Director for Asia, Center for Reproductive Rights

By forcing women who wish to end their pregnancies after 20 weeks to either go to court or risk an illegal procedure, India’s abortion law is a violation of human rights, says Melissa Upreti of the Center for Reproductive Rights.almost 4 years ago

Environment & Wildlife
Law & Policy
Op-Eds

Decades-Old Policies Won’t Bring Fish Back From Near Extinction

Jason Peltier Executive Director, San Luis & Delta Mendota Water Authority

We don’t need “more of the same” efforts to save delta smelt with increased river flows, says Jason Peltier, executive director of the San Luis & Delta Mendota Water Authority, who calls for a comprehensive strategy.almost 4 years ago

Environment & Wildlife
Law & Policy
Op-Eds

Why the Endangered Delta Smelt Needs Relief

Kim Delfino Program Director, Defenders of Wildlife’s California Program

Environmental groups are calling on the California State Water Resources Control Board to increase freshwater flows to help critically endangered delta smelt. Kim Delfino of Defenders of Wildlife explains why.almost 4 years ago

Economy
Op-Eds

Economic Development and the Future of Mining in the Canadian North

Stephan Schott Professor, School of Public Policy and Administration at Carleton University

The extraction of natural resources – oil, gas, minerals – has a central role in many Northern economies. But with dwindling interest in these industries in the Canadian Arctic, what might a post-extractive economy look like?almost 4 years ago

Crisis and Conflict
Politics and Policy
Op-Eds

China’s Human Rights Crackdown Punishes Families, Too

Maya Wang Researcher for Asia Division, Human Rights Watch

Since the sweeping arrest of human rights lawyers and activists in July 2015, Chinese authorities have also targeted their wives and children, sending mothers to prison and kicking families out of their homes, writes Maya Wang of Human Rights Watch.almost 4 years ago

Diplomacy & Foreign Affairs
Government & Pro-Government Forces
Opposition Groups & Rebel Forces
Op-Eds

Battle for Aleppo – the Good News and the Bad

Frederic C. Hof Director, Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East

Fighting continues in the divided city of Aleppo, where some 2 million people are at risk of coming under siege. Frederic C. Hof explains the consequences of the ongoing conflict in Syria’s largest city.almost 4 years ago

Geopolitics & Security
Op-Eds

The Unpredictable Russian Bear Flexes Its Muscles

Benjamin Schaller Ph.D. Candidate and Research Fellow, the Centre for Peace Studies at the Arctic University of Norway

As Russia steps up its military activities in the Arctic, Cold War narratives have returned. But the region is just one playing field for Russia’s geopolitical games with the West – understanding that is vital for cooperation in the High North to continue.almost 4 years ago

Refugee Voices
Op-Eds

The Long Wait at Piraeus Port

Francesca Pierigh Media and Communications Assistant, European Council on Refugees and Exiles

A joint delegation of representatives from the ECRE and AIRE Centre went on a fact-finding mission to Greece in June 2016, visiting the port in Piraeus, which had become an unlikely temporary home for several thousand migrants and refugees. almost 4 years ago

Law & Policy
Management & Supply
Op-Eds

Wishful Thinking Won’t End California’s Drought

Peter Gleick President Emeritus and Chief Scientist , Pacific Institute in Oakland

After more than four years of drought, Californians may be tired of hearing about their water problems, but the state still faces a future where water stress is likely to be a permanent problem, writes Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute.almost 4 years ago

Environment
Research
Op-Eds

What We Can Learn From Remarkable Smith Bay

Henry Huntington Senior Officer and Science Director, the Pew Charitable Trusts’ Arctic Programs

Each spring, black guillemots arrive in Smith Bay to nest and lay their eggs, but the food web is shifting, and in 2009, only one chick survived to fledge and leave the island. Marine ecologist Henry Huntington looks at why this unique region needs protection.almost 4 years ago

Economy
Northern People & Health
Op-Eds

What Tourists Should Consider When Visiting the Canadian Arctic

Jackie Dawson and Margaret Johnston Canada Research Chair and Associate Professor, the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics at the University of Ottawa

The Canadian Arctic is attracting more tourists than ever before. Arctic tourism experts Jackie Dawson and Margaret Johnston offer suggestions on making the most of a visit to these remote communities and fragile ecosystems.almost 4 years ago

Economy
Innovation & Technology
Op-Eds

Microfinance: Startup Seed Funding for Refugees

Evan Easton-Calabria and Naohiko Omata Researcher, Refugee Studies Centre in Oxford

Urban refugees often fall between the cracks of aid organizations, but are ideal candidates for microfinance. But their circumstances need to be carefully vetted, say Evan Easton-Calabria and Naohiko Omata, authors of a global survey on microcredit. almost 4 years ago

Op-Eds

Can Old Traditions of Hospitality Counter Modern Disposability?

Bruna Kadletz Works with Displaced Communities

In the second part of our Displaced and Disposable series, social researcher Bruna Kadletz encounters astonishing examples of altruism towards some of the thousands of refugees on Lesvos, Greece, showing that ‘the other’ doesn’t have to be met with hostility.almost 4 years ago

Education
Op-Eds

When Refugees Work, Children More Likely to Attend School: HRW

Stephanie Gee Robert L. Bernstein Refugee Rights Fellow, Human Rights Watch

With 1.5 million school-age children missing school despite host countries’ best efforts, Stephanie Gee, refugee rights fellow at Human Rights Watch, explores how kids’ access to education depends on their parents’ right to work.almost 4 years ago

Climate & Weather
Law & Policy
Op-Eds

Why Passing Climate Legislation Is Good for California’s Water

Kirsten James Oversees the California Policy Program, Ceres

Legislators will soon vote on whether to extend Senate Bill 32, the state’s Global Warming Solutions Act. Kirsten James of Ceres argues why passing the bill is crucial for water security.almost 4 years ago

Laws & Policy
Op-Eds

Long Read: Minor Miracle or Historic Failure Ahead for U.N. Summit?

Jeff Crisp Formerly Head of Policy Development and Evaluation, UNHCR

In the lead-up to September’s U.N. summit on refugees and migrants, Jeff Crisp, associate fellow at Chatham House, warns that growing isolationism will prevent a successful initiative and further weaken refugee protection.almost 4 years ago

Solutions
Op-Eds

Spreading the Spirit of Women’s Olympic Achievements

Martha Brady Senior Associate, Population Council

The potential for women in sports is greater than ever, but many around the world never get to participate. As Rio 2016 kicks off, it’s a good time to re-energize efforts to get girls playing, writes the Population Council’s Martha Brady.almost 4 years ago

Law & Policy
Management & Supply
Op-Eds

Why Scoring Zero in Stress Tests Is Good News

Timothy Quinn Executive Director, ACWA

Now that there is no longer a conservation mandate, many California water agencies have set themselves new rules on efficient usage. Timothy Quinn, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies, explains the benefits.almost 4 years ago

Innovation & Technology
Integration
Op-Eds

An Algorithm to Alleviate the Refugee Crisis

Will Jones and Alex Teytelboym Lecturer, the Refugee Studies Centre at the University of Oxford

Matching theory can drastically improve refugee resettlement, argue Will Jones and Alex Teytelboym, who have adapted algorithms used for school choice.almost 4 years ago

Thank You, Deeply

As ISIS Withdraws, Land Mines Lurk In Northern Syria

Bassam al-Ahmad Director, Syrians for Truth and Justice

No More Tea Breaks: The Crucial Role of Women in Burma’s Peace Talks

Sarah Taylor Advocate of the Women’s Rights Division, Human Rights Watch

Can Obama’s Pledging Summit Rescue Global Resettlement Policy?

Solon Ardittis Director, Eurasylum

Hanna Shoal: An Icy Haven for Arctic Sea Animals That Staves off Summer

Adrian Gall Marine Ecologist, Alaska

A Dubious Defense of a Mistaken Policy in Syria

Frederic C. Hof Director, Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East

Oxfam: ‘European Union is Proactively Doing Harm’

Claire Seaward Lead, Europe Migration Campaign for Oxfam

Fantasy and Grim Reality on a Journey Through Literary Finland

Margaret Williams Managing Director, World Wildlife Fund’s U.S. Arctic Program

As Coastlines Recede, Climate Change Adaptation Seems Inevitable

Oonagh Fitzgerald Director, International Law Research Program

The Dangers of Predicting an Ice-Free Arctic Summer

Ed Hawkins Climate Scientist, NCAS at the University of Reading

Northern Nurses Empower Communities on Their Own Terms

Heather Exner-Pirot Managing Editor, Arctic Yearbook

Why We Need a Supranational Approach at the U.N. Migration Summit

Judith Vonberg Journalist and PhD Student, Migration

Despite Cash Aid, Congolese Refugees in U.N. Camp Still Go Hungry

Emily A. Lynch Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Department of Social and Cultural Sciences at Marquette University

This Age of Migration: Europe’s Rising Militarization

Paul Currion Consultant

Why California Water Fix Is a Path to Extinction for Native Fisheries

Doug Obegi Senior Attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council

A Different Olympic Story

Francesca Pierigh Media and Communications Assistant, European Council on Refugees and Exiles

Early Breastfeeding: The Key to Cutting Mortality Rates of Babies

France Bégin Senior Nutrition Adviser for Infant and Young Child Nutrition, UNICEF headquarters in New York

Congolese Refugees in Rwanda Battle Hunger

Emily A. Lynch Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Department of Social and Cultural Sciences at Marquette University

The Nansen Passport – Time to Revive a Realistic Utopia

Stefan Wallaschek PhD Fellow, Bremen International Graduate School of Social Sciences

‘Defining the Problem’ Will Impact Summit Success in New York: HRW

Bill Frelick Director, Refugee Rights Program at Human Rights Watch

Educational Reform for Syrians Must Not Ignore the Country’s Children

James Denselow Director, New Diplomacy Platform

Trafficked, Enslaved and ‘Without Hope’ in China

Ji-hyun Park Human-Rights Advocate

India Holding Women Hostage to Unwanted Pregnancies

Melissa Upreti Regional Director for Asia, Center for Reproductive Rights

Decades-Old Policies Won’t Bring Fish Back From Near Extinction

Jason Peltier Executive Director, San Luis & Delta Mendota Water Authority

Why the Endangered Delta Smelt Needs Relief

Kim Delfino Program Director, Defenders of Wildlife’s California Program

Economic Development and the Future of Mining in the Canadian North

Stephan Schott Professor, School of Public Policy and Administration at Carleton University

China’s Human Rights Crackdown Punishes Families, Too

Maya Wang Researcher for Asia Division, Human Rights Watch

Battle for Aleppo – the Good News and the Bad

Frederic C. Hof Director, Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East

The Unpredictable Russian Bear Flexes Its Muscles

Benjamin Schaller Ph.D. Candidate and Research Fellow, the Centre for Peace Studies at the Arctic University of Norway

The Long Wait at Piraeus Port

Francesca Pierigh Media and Communications Assistant, European Council on Refugees and Exiles

Wishful Thinking Won’t End California’s Drought

Peter Gleick President Emeritus and Chief Scientist , Pacific Institute in Oakland

What We Can Learn From Remarkable Smith Bay

Henry Huntington Senior Officer and Science Director, the Pew Charitable Trusts’ Arctic Programs

What Tourists Should Consider When Visiting the Canadian Arctic

Jackie Dawson and Margaret Johnston Canada Research Chair and Associate Professor, the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics at the University of Ottawa

Microfinance: Startup Seed Funding for Refugees

Evan Easton-Calabria and Naohiko Omata Researcher, Refugee Studies Centre in Oxford

Can Old Traditions of Hospitality Counter Modern Disposability?

Bruna Kadletz Works with Displaced Communities

When Refugees Work, Children More Likely to Attend School: HRW

Stephanie Gee Robert L. Bernstein Refugee Rights Fellow, Human Rights Watch

Why Passing Climate Legislation Is Good for California’s Water

Kirsten James Oversees the California Policy Program, Ceres

Long Read: Minor Miracle or Historic Failure Ahead for U.N. Summit?

Jeff Crisp Formerly Head of Policy Development and Evaluation, UNHCR

Spreading the Spirit of Women’s Olympic Achievements

Martha Brady Senior Associate, Population Council

Why Scoring Zero in Stress Tests Is Good News

Timothy Quinn Executive Director, ACWA

An Algorithm to Alleviate the Refugee Crisis