Canadian Pugwash Group

Recent publications by Canadian Pugwash member Michael Manulak (et al.)

Canada and the United Nations

Michael Manulak and Kerry Buck  summarize their 2023 report “Canada and the United Nations: Rethinking and Rebuilding Canada’s Global Role.”  For the text of our original report: here. This report benefitted from the advice of a committee of eight former ambassadors (including five former Canadian UN Ambassadors).  Available here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/00207020241298266

“Setting the Record Straight”: A firm rejoinder to Jack Cunningham’s article on why Canada should marginalize the UN, also published in International Journal. Here Manulak and Buck challenge Jack’s skepticism toward the UN: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/00207020241298265

Podcast on the topic here and a paper in Policy Magazine here.

“The Allies’ Dilemma”: Manulak published this article in Policy Magazine, November 24, on the dilemmas posed by the Trump presidency for U.S. allies and partners.  On Europe/NATO, Climate, and Nuclear Disarmament, Trump 2.0 forces U.S. allies and partners to choose between the U.S. and the rules-based order it helped create.  He argues that a strategy of waiting out Trump is not viable: https://www.policymagazine.ca/the-allies-dilemma-responding-to-a-second-trump-term/

Canada and Cooperative Threat Reduction: “Canada can draw inspiration from past summits during G7 presidency”
Lloyd Axworthy, Allan Rock, and Manulak published an article in the Hill Times on Canada’s upcoming G7 presidency.  They argued that Canada should use this opportunity to strengthen and reinforce the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction financially and institutionally. This was a big Canadian initiative in 2002 and has played a key part ever since. It has an important role to play, including in enabling the green energy transition and supporting the Sustainable Development Goals. The link is here, with  a podcast on this here.

Contact: Michael W. Manulak, Associate Professor
Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University

www.michaelmanulak.com

5pointagenda120924_HT

published in The Hill Times, December 9, 2024

Canadian Pugwash Group has submitted four reports to Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada. These reports are the culmination of significant work by, and collaboration between, Metta Spencer (Project Save the World and CPG Board member) and the climate crisis committee of Canadian Pugwash Group. 

The four submitted reports: 
LOW CARBON CONCRETE    ARCTIC COOLING    SOIL AMENDMENTS    URBAN TREE PLANTING

The covering letter to Minister Guilbeault describes the process:

December 2, 2024

Hon. Steven Guilbeault,
Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada

Dear Minister Guilbeault,

The Canadian Pugwash Group, in collaboration with Project Save the World*, has developed four reports outlining policy options for the Canadian government to address climate change and its critical first-order impacts. These reports focus on Arctic Cooling, Soil Amendments, Urban Tree Planting, and Low-Carbon Concrete, and are attached for your review.

This initiative originated with Metta Spencer of Project Save the World, who conducted a series of 25 hour-long podcasts over the course of a year. These podcasts brought together experts and advocates to discuss practical solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change. The discussions were consolidated into four preliminary summary reports, which can be accessed: here.

Building on these foundational materials, the Canadian Pugwash Group’s Climate Committee reviewed the drafts, assessed recommendations, and synthesized them into actionable policy options. We also incorporated relevant updated research published since the podcasts.

We respectfully submit these reports for your consideration and urge the Government of Canada to take decisive action in addressing the climate crisis.

Sincerely,
Cesar Jaramillo
Chair, Canadian Pugwash Group

*The package of four reports represents significant work, in particular by Metta Spencer (the originator of the project, podcast moderator and initial drafter), but also by the CPG committee (Adele Buckley, Bill Bhaneja, Robin Collins, Michel A. Duguay, David Harries, Ellen Judd, Peter Meincke, Derek Paul, David Price, Shane Roberts.)

The original podcasts involved more than 45 experts and advocates, including:  Adeyemi Adesina, Hashem Akbari, Michael Barnard, Albert Bates, Paul Beckwith,  David Beerling, Joanna Campe, Chris Cheeseman, Brent Constantz, Michael Cook, Robert Cumming, Eric Davies, David Demarey, Michael Diamond,  Gregory Dipple, Clive Elsworth, Bjorn Embren, Peter Fiekowsky, Alan Gadian, Blaz Gasparini, Thomas Goreau, Martin Halliwell, Brian von Herzen, Douglas Hooton, Joyce Hostyn,  Neil Hoult, Benoit Lambert, John Liu, Lawrence Martin, David Mitchell, Lorien Nesbitt, Franz Oeste,  John Orr, Oswald Petersen, Noah Planavsky, David Price, Stephen Salter, Heather Schibli, Karen Scrivener, Stephen Sheppard, Megan Sheremata,  John Stone,  Peter van Straaten, Thomas Vanacore, Peter Wadhams, Leonid Yurganov,  Ryan Zizzo.

The Canadian Pugwash Group and the Centre for International Policy Studies (CIPS) at the University of Ottawa were pleased to host a public conference entitled “Security Options for a Troubled World”.

Conference Report:
Security Options for a Troubled World_Final

The conference featured Canadian experts addressing the following topics:

• “Nuclear Nightmares: How to Revive Arms Control & Disarmament”
• “Countering the Danger of Autonomous Weapons and Managing the AI Effect”
• “Constructing the Future of UN Peace Operations”
• “How to Prevent War in Space”
• “Curtailing the Global Arms Trade and promoting Common Security”
• “Re-energizing Canada’s Security Diplomacy”

Recorded videos of the six sessions are now available.
Watch on Youtube to choose the sessions individually: HERE

The following statement was written by Canadian Pugwash Group board member Paul Meyer to draw attention to the lack of advancement in the First Committee on the SSOD (Special Session on Disarmament) agenda. It was also published in Reaching Critical Will’s First Committee Monitor No.5.

As the SCRAP disarmament group notes: As a vocal advocate for the cause of activating the UN Fourth Special Session on Disarmament (SSOD-IV), Amb. (Ret’d) Meyer has been a key figure in our efforts in drafting our Open Letter calling the UNGA to activate an SSOD which has been undersigned by about 150 people and organisations.

Dithering over Disarmament – Why we need a PrepCom for SSOD IV

The convening of the UN’s fourth special session for disarmament (SSOD IV) has become something of a multilateral mirage. Everyone has agreed that it should take place, but when it is approached it fades into the distance, ever out of reach. This state of affairs is not, however, a result of some optical illusion, but a product of deliberate procrastination.

It has been seven years since an Open-Ended Working Group issued a consensus report setting out the objectives and agenda for SSOD IV (the last such special session dates back to 1988). The report, however, left the decision on initiating preparations for the special session to the UN General Assembly. Ever since, Indonesia has been the lead sponsor of an annual resolution that “reiterates its conviction that a special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament can set the future course of action in the field of disarmament, arms control, non-proliferation and related international security matters.” The resolution’s operative paragraphs, however, do not provide for the start of preparations for the special session. Instead the resolution limits itself to “encourag[ing] member states to continue consultations on the next steps for the convening of the fourth special session.”

There is no evidence that any such consultations are actually being held and Indonesia has not indicated that it has ever initiated such consultations or reported on their results. One need not be a cynic of multilateralism to conclude that this nod to further “consultations” is a cop-out and a substitute for concrete action. This sort of sham diplomacy discredits the entire multilateral disarmament enterprise.

UN Secretary-General Guterres recognised the need to “review and reform” the UN’s disarmament machinery in his input to the Summit of the Future. The outcome document from that event, the “Pact for the Future,” recommended that the General Assembly “pursue work that could support preparation of a fourth special session”—albeit a rather diluted version of the direction contained in the penultimate version of the Pact “to start preparations” for SSOD IV. Civil Society also issued an eloquent plea for states to get serious about initiating preparations for SSOD IV in its October 16 statement to the First Committee.

A fourth special session will not be a panacea for the current malaise of multilateral disarmament, but it could afford an opportunity to submit the existing arrangement to critical scrutiny and prompt remedial action to render the machinery more productive. We will never know what SSOD IV could produce as long as states are content to kick the can down First Avenue. If Indonesia is not ready to take meaningful action on the convening of SSOD IV, it should past its leadership baton on the issue to another Non-Aligned Movement member state who will.

Paul Meyer
Canadian Pugwash Group/Simon Fraser University