World News

Elections in a pandemic | Earth may get dangerously warm

Posted by: The Conversation Global

Date: Friday, 11 September 2020

 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be felt across many aspects of life. This year’s United Nations International Democracy Day – 15 September – will be marked under the most difficult circumstances in recent memory because of the pandemic. To minimise the risk of infections, some nations have put their elections on hold, while others are proceeding under the most restrictive conditions. Free and fair electoral processes are a key tenet of democracy. Nic Cheeseman reviews insights from a new book, published by the British Academy, which sets out how elections can be held safely and democratically amid COVID-19. It covers a range of topics, including how to establish health protocols and manage the risk of election violence. It also sets out the options for international election observers.

One of the rare upsides to the COVID-19 pandemic has been a dramatic fall in carbon dioxide emissions, as billions of people stayed at home and economies slowed. Was this, some people wondered, the turning point on climate action the world desperately needs? Unfortunately, the answer is clearly no. In fact, as CSIRO’s Pep Canadell and Stanford University’s Rob Jackson writes, Earth may temporarily hit the dangerous 1.5℃ warming limit by 2024, according to a major new report by the World Meteorological Organisation. Remember that the Paris climate agreement seeks to limit global warming to 1.5℃ this century. As the authors explain, we have a one in four chance of passing that in at least one of the next five years – and the risk is growing.

Thabo Leshilo

Politics + Society

A campaign poster of John Magufuli of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party who is seeking re-election as president in October. Ericky Boniphace/AFP via Getty Images)

How to hold elections safely and uphold democracy during the COVID-19 pandemic

Nic Cheeseman, University of Birmingham

International observation will not insulate controversial polls – such as Tanzania's in October – from malpractices, but will make them less likely and allow them to be exposed.

Kelly Barnes/AAP

Earth may temporarily pass dangerous 1.5℃ warming limit by 2024, major new report says

Pep Canadell, CSIRO; Rob Jackson, Stanford University

The report by the World Meteorological Organisation shows that with large and rapid emissions cuts, we can still avoid the most severe climate change. But worryingly, we also have time to make it far worse.

Health + Medicine

‘What do you mean, it was a false positive?’ Making sense of COVID-19 tests and terminology

Priyanka Gogna, Queen's University, Ontario

Understanding terms like sensitivity and specificity can help us make sense of COVID-19 testing, the accuracy of tests and what the results mean.

Calories or macros: nutritionist explains which works best for weight loss or building muscle

Emma Kinrade, Glasgow Caledonian University

Counting macronutrients offers more food flexibility – but may be most useful when trying to build muscle.

Environment + Energy

Across the world, trees are growing faster, dying younger – and will soon store less carbon

Roel Brienen, University of Leeds; Emanuel Gloor, University of Leeds

We analysed 210,000 tree ring records from 80 different species, and found the trade off between growth and lifespan may neutralise the forest carbon sink.

Vegan leather made from mushrooms could mould the future of sustainable fashion

Mitchell P. Jones, Vienna University of Technology

Going from a single spore to a finished fungi-derived leather product takes a couple of weeks. But raising a cow to maturity for bovine leather can take several years.

Arts & Culture

Waiting for trial can be worse than facing the sentence: a study in Nigerian prisons

Charles T Orjiakor, University of Nigeria

The proportion of prisoners awaiting trial in Nigeria is disturbing, and prolonged imprisonment can have a damaging effect on their mental functioning .

South African singer Nakhane redefines ideas of masculinity

Gibson Ncube, University of Zimbabwe

The artist's body of work, through its very public focus on queer masculinity, offers alternative ways of thinking about what being a man is.

En Français

« L’insécurité », un épouvantail électoral à déminer

Laurent Mucchielli, Aix-Marseille Université (AMU)

Le discours sur une insécurité grandissante doit être mesuré par rapport aux enquêtes qui révèlent que c’est la dénonciation des problèmes qui croît sans cesse, et non leur fréquence.

Le livre « Flic » ou comment certains policiers se sentent investis d’« une mission divine »

Stéphane Lemercier, Université de Montpellier

Les agissements rapportés dans l’enquête de Valentin Gendrot décrivent une réalité et attestent d’une attitude « jusqu’au boutiste » de plus en plus symptomatique de certains policiers.

En español

¿Pueden los padres dejar de llevar al colegio a sus hijos por miedo a la COVID-19?

Clara Martínez, Universidad Pontificia Comillas

La escolarización es necesaria para satisfacer el derecho a la educación del niño, pero es también un medio para la realización de otros muchos derechos. El miedo al contagio puede privar al niño de mucho más que de recibir clases, especialmente cuando se trata de los colectivos más vulnerables.

La mielitis transversa: el embotellamiento inflamatorio de la médula espinal

Diego Clemente, Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos

Un participante del ensayo de la vacuna de Oxford ha sufrido un evento que ha obligado a paralizar el ensayo.

 
 
 
 
 
 

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