Publications Review 28.02.2014. Cybersecurity, Big cities, G20 and SCO

This digest can be divided into three thematic blocks: the first two publications deal mainly with the cybersecurity matters and Internet, the second block comprises two brief on the aspects of urban life and big cities and finally the last two pieces focus on the international structures and organizations, particularly G20 and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Welcome the SIRS Consultancy Ltd. first publication of the “Monitor” journal. This issue, gathered up by a community of experts, is a guide to rising awareness among wider public. According to “Monitor”, the main topics you should be aware of are European energy resilience, cyber security since the emergence of Stuxnet, tensions between Japan and China, cyber resilience planning and practice. For those who deem themselves frequent travelers, do not miss an article on security measures in Heathrow airport. Last but not least, the issue contains a detailed review of a recent book on cyber security, Cybersecurity and Cyberwarfare: What everyone needs to know, by P.W. Singer and Allan Friedman.

Following up on everything related to cyber space, the online domain The Other News makes public a call “For an unfettered Internet” to review the current Internet Governance framework, paying particular attention to India. With a focus on the key role of the UN, India is home to a great many of Internet users. Author lists the key reasons why India is special to this problem and what the country can do as the world’s largest democracy to enhance online transparency and equality. 

Big cities hold big ambitions and give hope to those who cherish the desire to move there and become a small part of the vibrant urban life. Latin America is very likely to become the most urbanized region in the world, giving the significant share of world output. The tension is high, the dynamics is accelerating, but what are the challenges of such urbanization? What will happen to ecology? How population density will influence the emerging economies? Find the answers together with the author of this publication “Emerging Megacities in Latin America” from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Germany Kathrin Zeller. 

Let’s think a little bit more about the urban aspect of our future life. Overseas Development Institute suggests a working paper “An urban dimension in a new set of development goals”  with some ideas of how to fit various issues of urban life into the new UN agenda when the Millennium Development Goals expire in 2015. Here are five steps towards making the challenges and opportunities of urban life a part of the upcoming UN agenda. 

G20 is no G20 without a comprehensive growth strategy. It is the main argument of a policy brief by Director of Lowy Institute for international policy in Australia Mike Callaghan AM. This comes quite handy since the following summit is due to take place in Brisbane in November 2014. G20 has at its heart the goal to find a solution to world recession and there is no achieving this aim without a comprehensive and overarching growth strategy. Find the key points of this policy brief by clicking this link. 
 

Digest Editor: Maria Gurova