IIEA Talks

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Europe and East Asia in the Wake of the War in Ukraine Feb 13, 2023

Show notes

In his address, Dr Tsuruoka argues that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has effectively ended the post-Cold War order in Europe. However, the war’s impact is not only limited to Europe. Japan has imposed severe sanctions on Russia, aligning itself with the EU, the US and other G7 partners. Tokyo is experiencing its own Zeitenwende, as demonstrated by its new National Security Strategy, adopted in December 2022. As Japan faces challenges from China, North Korea and Russia simultaneously, Dr Tsuruoka asks how these two regions - Europe and Asia – are linked and how best they could address the challenges to the rules-based international order together? About the Speaker Dr Michito Tsuruoka is an Associate Professor at Keio University. Prior to joining Keio in 2017, he was a Senior Research Fellow at the National Institute for Defense Studies from 2009. He is concurrently a Senior Fellow at The Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research and a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy, Brussels School of Governance, VUB. During his tenure at NIDS, Dr Tsuruoka was seconded to the Ministry of Defense as a Deputy Director of the International Policy Division, Bureau of Defense Policy (2012-2013), where he was in charge of multilateral security and defence cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and spent one year as a Visiting Fellow at Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (2013-2014). Prior to joining NIDS, he was a Resident Fellow of the German Marshall Fund of the United States in Brussels (2009) and served as an Adviser for NATO at the Embassy of Japan in Belgium (2005-2008)

Reflecting on Kenya’s 2022 Election and its Implications Feb 08, 2023

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In September 2022, following a tense but peaceful transition of power, William Ruto became president of Kenya. As part of his so-called ‘Hustler’ narrative, President Ruto committed to addressing rising inequality and poverty through the provision of cheap credit to the young voters who put in him in office. The new government also committed to increase funding for renewable energy, to education reforms, to end police brutality and to focus on the ‘common mwananchi’ or common person, otherwise known as ‘Hustler’, or mwananchi in Kiswahili. Yet, as Kenya’s leading opposition party increasingly challenge the legitimacy of the elections, questions remain about the stability of the Ruto Presidency. This presentation by Dr Njoki Wamai discusses the Kenyan presidential election outcome and the implications which it may have for the region, the European Union and Ireland. Njoki Wamai PhD is an Assistant Professor in the International Relations Department at the United States International University-Africa. She was a post-doctoral researcher at the Centre for Governance and Human Rights at the Politics and International Studies Department at the University of Cambridge, where she completed her PhD in politics and international studies as a Gates Cambridge Scholar in 2017. Previously, Dr Wamai was a Peace, Security and Development Scholar at the African Leadership Centre at King’s College London. She has published book chapters and articles with Oxford University Press, Routledge and Zed Books on international intervention, the International Criminal Court, mediation and violence using postcolonial and decolonial approaches.

Energy transition outlook: a focus on Global and European trends’ – a presentation by DNV Feb 07, 2023

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According to DNV, electrification is growing and greening in all regions and sectors. Furthermore, the long-term influence of the war in Ukraine on the pace of the energy transition is low, compared with the main long-term drivers of change such as plunging renewables costs, electrification, and rising carbon prices. But which are the most promising technologies and how will the global, European, and UK energy mix develop? Get answers to these and many other questions by attending the IIEA’s and DNV’s Energy Transition Outlook event. About the Speakers: As an international accredited registrar and classification society, DNV is an organisation which specialises in independent expert in assurance and risk management. DNV provides a range of assurance and advisory services across the energy value change, with particular focus on the energy transition. Hari Vamadevan, Senior Vice President and Regional Director, UK & Ireland, Energy Systems at DNV He has 30 years’ experience in leadership positions and currently leads a 700-strong team helping customers make the transition to a decarbonised energy future. He is currently head of the Energy Systems operations in the UK and Ireland and is also chairperson of all DNV’s UK entities. He is an authority on the complex facets of the whole systems approach to the energy transition. Since joining DNV he has held senior management roles in the Maritime, Oil and Gas, and more recently, the combined Oil & Gas and Alternative Energy businesses. Frank Ketelaars is currently the Operations Manager for the DNV Energy Systems operations in the UK & Ireland. He oversees the operations across the full energy space, covering renewables, offshore and onshore oil & gas production and gas transmission and distribution systems. In his previous role he was the Director for Oil & Gas Operations for DNV in Region Americas, based in DNV Houston office, with responsibility for O&G operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Trinidad & Tobago. These operations covered verification and advisory work for offshore and onshore operations, with a focus on safety and regulatory compliance, integrity management and performance improvement. Recorded on the 24th of January 2023

Defending Democracy in a Polarised World: A Dialogue on Brazil Jan 31, 2023

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Following an election in October 2022, and under the shadow of the storming of the Presidential compound in Brasilia on 8 January 2023 by supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva (President Lula) took office as President of Brazil. In this address, Robert Muggah, co-Founder of the Igarape Institute, a leading Brazilian think tank, examines what the Lula Presidency might mean for Brazil and for the wider region and reflects on the challenges and opportunities that Brazil and President Lula may face in an increasingly polarised world. This event was organised in conjunction with the Embassy of Ireland in Brazil. About the Speaker: Robert Muggah specializes in security, cities, climate action and digital transformation. He co-founded the Igarapé Institute, a think and do tank focused on human, digital and climate security. He also co-founded the SecDev Group, a data science company committed to detecting and deterring cyber threats and building digital resilience. Robert is also a senior adviser to McKinsey, a fellow at Princeton, the Graduate Institute (Geneva), the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and is non-resident faculty at Singularity University. Robert also advises the World Economic Forum’s Council on the Future of Cities, its annual Global Risk Report and the Global Parliament of Mayors. He earned a DPhil at the University of Oxford.

In Conversation with David O’Sullivan and Dan O’Brien Jan 27, 2023

Show notes

In the twelfth and final episode of this series of IIEA Insights, IIEA Chief Economist and previous IIEA Director General David O’Sullivan sit down to discuss the key issues raised during the series, including but not limited to, the outlook of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, the transatlantic economy, and potential headwinds on the horizon, as well as the future of the Northern Ireland Protocol

Censorship and Free Speech in the Digital Age Jan 25, 2023

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In her address to the IIEA, Jillian York outlines how the internet transformed the ability of citizens to contribute to public discourse, especially for citizens living under authoritarian regimes. However, the internet has also facilitated the spread of harmful content such as disinformation and hate speech. Ms York discusses how platform companies, democratic governments, and authoritarian regimes are responding with increased moderation and censorship of the internet. She also assesses the negative consequences that can result and explains how citizens can respond. About the Speaker Jillian C. York is the Director for International Freedom of Expression at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a fellow at the Center for Internet & Human Rights at the European University Viadrina, and a visiting professor at the College of Europe Natolin. She is the author of Silicon Values: The Future of Free Speech Under Surveillance Capitalism published by Verso in 2021.

Dan Muhall 'Ireland-US ties: present and future' Jan 12, 2023

Show notes

'Ireland-US ties: present and future' In the eleventh episode of IIEA Insights, IIEA Chief Economist Dan O’Brien, sits down with retired Irish diplomat Dan Mulhall, who most recently served as Ireland’s Ambassador to the US, to discuss Ireland-US ties, America’s domestic politics, political polarisation and next year’s presidential election.

Looking back at Ireland’s time on the Security Council: An interview with H.E. Fergal Mythen Jan 11, 2023

Show notes

Image courtesy of UN Photo. IIEA Researcher, Leanne Digney, talks to Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Fergal Mythen, who shares his reflections on Ireland’s challenges and achievements during its term as an elected member of the Security Council 2021-2022. This interview is part of the Global Europe podcast series which is sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs

A Keynote Address by Professor Emily Shuckburgh Jan 10, 2023

Show notes

On this occasion, Professor Emily Shuckburgh, Director of Cambridge Zero and Professor of Environmental Data Science at the University of Cambridge delivers a keynote address to the IIEA. This event is part of the Environmental Resilience series, which is supported by the EPA. About the Speaker: Professor Emily Shuckburgh is Director of Cambridge Zero, the University of Cambridge's major climate change initiative. She is also Professor of Environmental Data Science at the Department of Computer Science and Technology. She is a mathematician and climate scientist and a Fellow of Darwin College, a Fellow of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, an Associate Fellow of the Centre for Science and Policy, a Fellow of the British Antarctic Survey, and a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society. She worked for more than a decade at the British Antarctic Survey where her work included leading a UK national research programme on the Southern Ocean and its role in climate. Prior to that, she undertook research at École Normale Supérieure in Paris and at MIT. She has also acted as an advisor on climate to the UK Government in various capacities, including as a Friend of COP26. In 2016, she was awarded an OBE for services to science and the public communication of science. She is co-author with HM King Charles III and Tony Juniper of the Ladybird Book on Climate Change.

The Zeitenwende: How Russia’s invasion of Ukraine scrambled Germany’s post-Merkel coalition Dec 16, 2022

Show notes

In his address to the IIEA, Irish Times Berlin Correspondent, Derek Scally, assesses the first year in office of Germany’s "traffic light" coalition. Against a backdrop of war in Ukraine and challenges to energy security, Chancellor Scholz’s government has had to adapt its programme for government. Many ambitious plans have taken a backseat in the face of urgent policy issues. Mr Scally examines the government’s progress in responding to the unforeseen challenges presented in 2022, both from a national perspective and in its role as a leading EU member state. About the Speaker: Derek Scally is a native Dubliner, who studied at Dublin City University and the Humboldt University in Berlin, where he has been Irish Times correspondent since 2001. Covering politics, business and culture, he is a regular contributor to German news outlets, including Die Zeit weekly and Deutschlandfunk/WDR radio. He reports regularly from northern Europe and is also author of “The Best Catholics in the World”, published in 2021 by Penguin.

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