Reports from Medill students
Eurozone’s complex economics frame sluggish recovery
G-8 members are meeting this May against a backdrop of one of the worst global recessions in history, and the best course of action for recovery is the hottest topic up for discussion at their summit. The countries’ leaders need a meeting of the minds to figure out how to boost their sluggish economies, but economists say many factors are dragging down growth. For starters, the United States and Europe have a sensitive symbiotic economic relationship, which continues to upset the slow improvement. Continue reading →
Potential political conflict may keep short-lived climate forcers off G8 agenda
G8 leaders may duck serious discussions on controlling a major source of pollution that includes black soot from cooking fires, methane from dairy farms, and gases released from aerosol cans. Such talk is uncomfortable because it can appear to shift responsibility for climate change away from industrialized nations and onto poorer, have-not countries. Continue reading →
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NATO getting smarter with Smart Defense? By ELIZABETH BUNN The EuroZone crisis heightens NATO’s urge to take immediate effective measures to prevent members’ economic problems from turning into a general, more dangerous security crisis. NATO relies on contributions from member countries to fund its initiatives. As European countries undergo severe austerity cuts, including massive cuts … Continue reading →
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Differing views keep energy security off summit agenda BY ROSA LIN Crude oil remains consistently above $100 a barrel, with intermittent spikes caused by unrest in the Middle East. Rising countries such as China and India press their demands on the world oil supply. The most viable alternative to crude oil, nuclear power, took a … Continue reading →
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Libya mission could be a ‘game changer’ for alliance BY ALI DURKIN Less than a year since the completion of NATO’s successful but still controversial Libya mission, the Chicago summit may serve as a venue to discuss both its accomplishments and shortcomings and what they mean for the future of the alliance. “It is clear … Continue reading →
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China’s influence felt at G8 despite its absence BY JOHN SOLYMOSSY Chinese government leaders will not take part in either the G-8 or NATO summits, though the growing importance of China in the global economy is the 800-pound gorilla in the room at both forums. Several countries currently included in the G-8 “club,” such as … Continue reading →
