News & Announcements

Dear Friends As the world remembers and marks the 80th anniversary of the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we at Toda Peace Institute urge you to read the statement by Mayor Matsui of Hiroshima who delivered this year’s Peace Declaration at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony. The statement can be accessed here. A video of Mayor Matsui delivering the statement can be accessed here. In addition, a statement from the TPNW Scientific Advisory Group on 80 years of Nuclear Weapons can be accessed here. In peace, Kevin ClementsDirector, Toda Peace Institute   Image:  Charles Knowles / Wiki Commons  

The leader of the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) says a landmark climate ruling from the world's top court is a significant win, but much more work is needed. PCC secretary-general Reverend James Bhagwan spoke to Pacific Waves about the decision, alongside Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono. Tuiono is the Green's Pacific People's spokesperson. Read the full story from RNZ/Pacific     

The UN’s principal judicial body ruled that States have an obligation to protect the environment from greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and act with due diligence and cooperation to fulfill this obligation. This includes the obligation under the Paris Agreement on climate change to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The Court further ruled that if States breach these obligations, they incur legal responsibility and may be required to cease the wrongful conduct, offer guarantees of non-repetition and make full reparation depending on the circumstances.  Read the full story from UN News here   Image: Young people and students rallying and protesting against global warming - Christie Cooper/shutterstock.com  

A new report by Toda Senior Research Fellow Dr Lisa Schirch lays out actionable recommendations for governments, civil society, researchers, and industry to design digital platforms that reduce harm and increase benefit to society. The Blueprint on Prosocial Tech Design Governance responds to the crisis in the scale and impact of digital platform harms. Digital platforms are fueling a systemic crisis by amplifying misinformation, harming mental health, eroding privacy, promoting polarization, exploiting children, and concentrating unaccountable power through manipulative design. Prosocial tech design governance is a framework for regulating digital platforms based on how their design choices— such as algorithms and interfaces—impact society. It shifts focus “upstream” to address the root causes of digital harms and the structural incentives influencing platform design. This commissioned report was published by the Council on Technology and Social Cohesion, and the University of Notre Dame, in association with Toda Peace Institute. Download the report here.      

New seawalls also protect low-lying atolls in Tuvalu, and more will appear in Kiribati, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Fiji and other island nations, many with funding from the Australian government and international development organisations. They're a source of hope for countries grappling with sea level rise - which scientists say will continue even if the world limits global temperature rises to 1.5C above pre-industrial times. For the full story, go to RNZ News. Image: DFAT/wikicommons