Module 10-13

Question 1

Define non-refoulement

Answer 1

you can’t be sent back to your country if you’re fleeing and this can’t be breached under any circumstances

Question 2

Define cessation

Answer 2

you can be sent back to your home if the situation changes and it’s safe to return

Question 3

How is the WHO funded?

Answer 3

Member states and voluntary contributions

Question 4

Under the IHR, what is the responsibility of national governments in the event of a disease outbreak?

Answer 4

In the event of an outbreak national governments are required to report the outbreak in 24 hours of notice

Question 5

How and why did the WHO reform after the Ebola crisis?

Answer 5

It took 5 months to declare a global emergency and no organization was in charge. WHO made a responding team since then. Gates thinks we should include the military in order to act fast

Question 6

Explain why there is criticism of the WHO during the current pandemic. How does this relate to the U.S. & China?

Answer 6

There was criticism because it took a month for WHO to declare a PHEIC and the public thinks this was due to influence from China, without cooperation from member governments, WHO cannot take action.
The Trump administration had a 60 day freeze on WHO funding because of that and poor countries need WHO support to manage COVID and other diseases, but without the funding it’s difficult.

Question 7

What was the position of the Trump administration on the WHO? How has the Biden administration changed this?

Answer 7

Trump withdrew from the WHO as he did not find the organization competent while Biden rented coalitions

Question 8

How do disease outbreaks relate to state capacity in the developing world?

Answer 8

Disease outbreaks are significantly more difficult to manage in developing countries as they have a lower state capacity

Question 9

Define refugee

Answer 9

a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster

Question 10

According to global international law, would the following situations qualify for refugee status: civil war, economic disaster, natural disaster?

Answer 10

Civil war is recognized in refugee convention and by OAU/Cartagena & sometimes by the host nation. Economic disaster and natural disasters are unrecognized by international law

Question 11

What is the UNHCR? How has the refugee problem changed since the creation of UNHCR?

Answer 11

UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) facilitates resettlement, relocation of refugees from asylum countries to a third country, rights are similar to to citizens and in some cases this will lead to eventual citizenship. In 2016, UNHCR resettled less than 1% of 17.2 million “refugees of concern to UNHCR.” States are now not required to accept refugees for resettlement, 37 states do accept resettlement

Question 12

Where do most refugees live and how does that make solving the problem harder?

Answer 12

85% percent live in the developed world and mostly near conflict zones. It is difficult for them to find safety and adequate shelter.

Question 13

What is resettlement of refugees? How effective is this approach and what are the barriers to it?

Answer 13

The transfer of refugees from an asylum country to another state that has agreed to admit them and ultimately grant them permanent residence. Resettlement can be quite ineffective, there is no enforcement to accept refugees into third country, the resettlement rate is 1%, most are stuck in camps

Question 14

What is repatriation of refugees? What are the barriers to this approach?

Answer 14

The return home, or country of origin. This is unlikely to work because of ongoing conflict.

Question 15

What is local integration of refugees? Note that this is different from resettlement. What is the feasibility of this approach and where has it been tried? How can this help the condition of refugees in camps?

Answer 15

Local integration means to remain in the host country. Host countries are poor with high unemployment leading them to being exploited, leading to resentment against refugees, some shift in cultural/political balance

Question 16

How does the problem of refugees relate to the developing world?

Answer 16

More crowded conditions which can cause more diseases. Movement of people was often in breach of domestic immigration legislation, visas are required before people legally migrate to another state

Question 17

What is the Global Compact for Refugees?

Answer 17

Predicted by the UN to change the way the world looks at migration, 23 objectives but is not legally binding

Question 18

What position did the Trump Administration take on the Global Compact?

Answer 18

The US is currently not a part of it since the Trump administration pulled out → refusal to collaborate/work with other countries

Question 19

Discuss what happened in 1918 and its significance.

Answer 19

The influenza epidemic which killed millions of people, one of the first lockdowns

Question 20

Explain what the WHO is, what it can and cannot do in the event of a disease outbreak?

Answer 20

WHO is the World Health Organization and it is the only comprehensive organization dealing with health.
Countries have to report outbreaks under IHR; PHEIC → allows them to declare certain diseases as public health emergencies of international concern, declared by WHO; however they have no power to enforce/make countries do anything; therefore they rely on national gov’ts to implement international health regulations instead.

Question 21

What is a PHEIC?

Answer 21

Public health emergency of international concern → allows governments to declare certain diseases emergencies and use their resources

Question 22

What potential reforms could be used to strengthen the global response to pandemics?

Answer 22

Strong sanctions, narrow mandate, increase united funding, open governance, broad technical expertise, cooperation from member governments

Question 23

What is the difference between mitigation and adaptation?

Answer 23

Mitigation: reducing the severity of something (ex: preventing climate change, banning or reducing, efforts centers on different ways to reduce GHG emissions)

Adaptation: a changer or process where you become better adapted in the environment, learning to deal with it, harder for poor countries, efforts seek to improve the ability of human societies and local communities to adjust to a changing climate

Question 24

Which countries were responsible for most emissions up to 2011? What about in 2013? Which will be responsible for most in the future (developing or developed countries)?

Answer 24

The top three greenhouse gas emitters - China, the European Union & the United States contribute to more than half of total global emissions, while the bottom 100 countries only account for 3.5%. Developed countries will be more responsible for emissions in the future since their economies are growing, and it’s harder for them to reduce future emissions because these countries need to grow and they need power so fossil fuels will be harder to give up and if they have to they will need help and money to do this.

Question 25

Explain the state of science on climate in general. Is this a new field of research? What level of scientific consensus has been achieved? What is the IPCC and what does it say is necessary?

Answer 25

Scientists agree upon GHG emissions being the main contributor to climate change and global warming
The first measurement took place in the 1960s in Hawaii

IPCC: intergovernmental panel on climate change, established in 1988. Tasked with assessing, summarizing and publishing the latest peer-reviewed data & analysis

Question 26

What happened in Kyoto, 1997? How does this agreement differ from Paris? Know about Annex 1 & Annex 2 countries and the effectiveness of Kyoto.

Answer 26

In Kyoto, developed countries where the focus of the agreement since they were responsible for past emissions. It was legally binding and there was no obligation for poor countries. Rich countries where referred to as Annex 1. Annex II were required to help developing countries. Low effectiveness, US Congress never ratified it and Kyoto required same cuts in emissions from all Annex 1 countries (5%)

Paris was tailored to each individual country, goal was to keep warming below 2 degrees. Experts doubt that Paris can achieve this. Paris also had NDC meaning countries had the option to provide what they wished to contribute

Question 27

What happened in Paris, 2016 ( be sure you can explain this plan in some detail). Are the commitments made in Paris expected to meet the goal? Do all countries make the same commitments? If not, how are they determined? If countries don’t meet their commitments, what happens?

Answer 27

The goal is to keep warming below 2 degrees. Many experts doubt Paris can achieve this. Different nations commit to different outcomes. Target/outcome is public but it is not legally binding.

Developed country parties shall provide financial resources to assist developing country parties with respect to both mitigation and adaptation in continuation of their existing obligations under the Convention. Accompanying statement pledged $100 billion annually by 2025.

Experts expect Paris to not achieve below 2, but might reach a 2.4 instead. If countries do not meet their commitments there are no system sanctions, only punishment is name and shame, but reporting is legally required

Question 28

At Paris, some nations agreed to reduce emissions and others agreed to reduce the intensity at which they increase their emissions. Know in general about these countries’ commitments: China, India, U.S., EU. Which countries agreed to reduce emissions from the CURRENT LEVEL? Which agreed to reduce the intensity of emissions? Which agreed to the steepest cuts? Explain why there is a difference and how this relate to development.

Answer 28

United states: promised 25% reduction
EU: promised 40% reduction
China: reduce speed of increase emission
India: reduce speed of increase emission
The US has repealed their commitment at Paris under the Trump admin. EU was committed to the biggest cut, emissions will still go up but not as fast, developing countries need fossil fuel to catch up.

Question 29

How does the problem of climate change link to the problem of poverty in the developing world? Connect to the Green Climate Fund as well as to past and future responsibility.

Answer 29

⅔ of people in poverty rely on agriculture, climate change affects the crops and land they depend on. These developing countries don’t have the money to produce energy in an environmentally safe way, so they turn to coal for energy which is the leading GHG emission. Impact of climate change will be more severe in developing world, they try to play catch up and it’s harder for them

Question 30

What position has the Trump administration taken on the Paris Climate Accords? How was this changed by the Biden administration?

Answer 30

Trump took no position in relation to the Paris Climate Accords, he withdrew all participation for the US but that is one of the first things that Biden did once elected into office.

Question 31

What types of cases can be investigated and tried by the ICC?

Answer 31

Addresses only “serious international crimes”, genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression (added in 2017)

Question 32

What historical legal precedents are there for the ICC?

Answer 32

1945 Nuremberg trials of major Nazi war criminals
AD Hoc tribunals → former Yugoslavia and Rwanda
special tribunals set up by UN security council (15 seats, 5 belong to US, UK, France, Russia & China with veto power)
Referral of criminal matters relied on Security Council

Question 33

When & how was the ICC established?

Answer 33

International Criminal Court established by Treaty of Rome in 1998, ICC begins operations in 2002

Question 34

What rules are in place regarding legal actions in war? What is illegal?

Answer 34

War is legal when the UN Security Council authorizes it, and when a nation goes to war in protection of its right to self defense. Genocide, crimes against humanity, aggression, use of chemical weapons, attacks on civilian infrastructure, anything that is not in proportion to military advantage is illegal (carpet bombing)

Question 35

What major countries are NOT ICC members either because they did not sign or did not ratify?

Answer 35

US, China, Russia and India

Question 36

What regional focus can be seen in cases that have been tried by the ICC?

Answer 36

Africa

Question 37

Can the ICC execute arrest warrants?

Answer 37

The ICC has minimal power to arrest people so they must rely on security forces of member states.

Question 38

What has the ICC done about the war in Ukraine? What other options are in play?

Answer 38

ICC prosecutor opened investigation after “unprecedented joint referral.” 42 ICC investigators traveled to Ukraine to collect evidence, and 21 gov’ts provided national experts. Biden has also called for a joint tribunal to try Russian leaders, EU has also endorsed a tribunal since the ICC cannot try Russia for aggression since they never ratified Treaty of Rome.

Question 39

Define asylum seeker

Answer 39

a person who has left their home country as a political refugee seeking asylum in another, don’t have refugee status yet

Question 40

Define migrant

Answer 40

a person who moves from one place to another, especially in order to find work or better living conditions (leaves for any reason)

Question 41

Define internally displaced person

Answer 41

persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict but are still in country of origin