u4 ao2 case studies

Question 1

Yemen - context

Answer 1

Iran mainly backs the Shia → the Houthis
Saudi Arabia mainly backs the Sunni → the government of Yemen
Houthis are a Shia minority in Yemen

Large maritime border along the red sea → a great geostrategic position
Connects the red sea and suez canal
9% of oil that gets traded through sea passes through that area
22,000 ships pass through each year

Both Iran and Saudi Arabia want regional hegemony

Question 2

yemen - intervention

Answer 2

Trump 110 billion USD arms sale to Saudi Arabia in 2017

Biden ceased arms sales to Saudi Arabia in 2021

US Navy naval blockage, intercepting smugglers → in breach of the UN Security resolutions

Question 3

yemen - war as in instrument of state policy

Answer 3

Houthis see the war as a method to achieve self determination and avoid “sunnification”

UAE has a continuous military presence, and has military base on a strategic island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait (the area which leads to the Red Sea)

Question 4

Yemen - Prosecuting war crimes in international law

Answer 4

Un called the Yemen war the “world worst humanitarian crisis”
2023 – 22 million people face food insecurity and starvation
4 million displaced
360,000 dead

2018 report by UN said all sides may have committed war crimes

March 2020, Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused Saudi forces of abuse of Yemeni civilians

Question 5

Yemen - responses and resolutions

Answer 5

Peace talks mediated by Oman have been held since April 2023, as well as UN mediation efforts

China did the trade deal between Iran and Saudi worth 1 billion now

April 2022
UN announce 2-month nationwide ceasefire
Technically expired, but still in effect

March 2023
Wall Street Journal: No more Iran military support to Houthis
Abide by UN arms embargo

Question 6

Russia – Ukraine - background

Answer 6

Strategically important location
Massive border with the Black Sea
Oil reserves
Many ports
Military control of more of the Black Sea

Question 7

Russia – Ukraine - Intervention

Answer 7

As of 2023- US has provided $50b USD in assistance to Ukraine (CFR)

Swathes of sanctions against Russia - 16500 sanctions from around the world

Question 8

Russia – Ukraine - War as an instrument of state policy

Answer 8

Russia aims to reassert influence over the Post-Soviet world (Security)

The West aims to reassert influence over the Post-Soviet world (Security)

Economic prosperity - the oil, gas, and trading ports in ukraine
approximately 900 billion cubic meters of proven reserves of natural gas

Regional relationships - Belarus has close ties with Russia, must support.

Question 9

Russia – Ukraine - Prosecuting war crimes in international law

Answer 9

16 March 2022 ICJ voted 13-2 Russia must: “immediately suspend the military operations”

2 March 2023 ICC opened a full case investigating war crimes

17 March 2023 ICC arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin

Question 10

Russia – Ukraine - Responses and Resolution

Answer 10

May 2023: UN Secretary General António Guterres: negotiations to end the war “not possible at this moment”

December 2023: NYT claims Putin wants ceasefire across current lines.

Question 11

America - context

Answer 11

The US was the 2nd largest emitter of CO2 emission in 2022, with over 4 billion tons, and increase of 1.78% from the previous year, with 12% of the worlds emissions forming from the US

The Biden administration has campaigned with these goals:
- Reaching 100% carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035

Question 12

America - Resource exploitation

Answer 12

Daily, the US uses 2.56 gallons of oil, 8.5 pounds of coal and 266 cubic feet of natural gas per capita DAILY

In 2023, the United States exported about 10.15 million barrels a day of petroleum to 173 countries

Question 13

America - National Interests

Answer 13

On January 2017, then president Donald Trump announced it would withdraw from the Paris agreement saying it would cause the United states to be at a “very, very big economic disadvantage”
“Paris accord is very unfair at the highest”

The Willow Project
Approved in march of 2023, it is an oil drilling venture in Alaska, which holds around 600 million barrels of oil
Could release up to “9.2 million metric tons” of carbon pollution

Question 14

America - Methods of adapting to and reducing climate change

Answer 14

According to the climate action tracker, although the US has made progress, in recent years, with the prioritisation of their economic prosperity, they have been moving backwards

The Inflation Reduction Act August 2022:
- The largest investment into clean energy in US history ($500 billion USD for spending and tax breaks to boost clean energy)

Question 15

India - Resource Exploitation

Answer 15

Fossil fuels accounted for 88% of primary energy consumption 2022
77% of total electricity generation in India

Question 16

India - National Interests

Answer 16

“While we are increasing our renewable capacity, we will also have to rely on coal power until we achieve the objective of a developed India,” – Union Environment Minister Yadav DEC 19 2023

Mr. Yadav said India “strongly resisted” the rich nations’ call for limitations on new and unabated coal power generation.

“We did not give in to the pressure from developed countries (for a fossil fuel phase-out),” Yadav said.

Question 17

India - Methods of adapting to and reducing climate change

Answer 17

India’s solar generation capacity has grown by 25% per year, wind has grown by 5% per year, while coal has risen by just 1% a year.

Pledged to reduce carbon emissions intensity by 33-35% by 2030

Reach a target of 125 GW of renewable energy capacity
They have a total carbon-free generation of around 180 GW

The World Bank has also helped kick-start the solar rooftop market in India, which has grown from investments of $500 million to over $5 billion since the launch of the Bank’s program in 2016.