FAS Spring 2013 Public Interest Report

Thank you for your continued support of the Federation of American Scientists, we greatly value your membership. This year, FAS transformed the Public Interest Report to a fully online journal, with a new look to create a more user friendly experience. Individual articles are still available to be downloaded in PDF format. The Spring issue of the PIR is now available online; it includes articles on digital manufacturing and missile proliferation, energy and world economic growth and U.S. support of IAEA safeguards. FAS welcomes your advice on how to further improve the PIR. Please send your comments via e-mail to pir@fas.org. The Spring PIR is available for early access to FAS members online here. __________________________________________________________________ Spring 2013 Public Interest Report Volume 66, No 2 CONTENTS: Digital Manufacturing and Missile Proliferation PDF Version Digital manufacturing is likely to be one of the key disruptive technologies of the 21st century. It combines desktop design software – the sort that can be run from your home computer- and both traditional and new manufacturing equipment including 3D printers, Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines that use digital instructions to operate a variety of cutting and millings tools, and laser cutters. While digital manufacturing holds significant potential as an engine of economic change, its potential effects on the proliferation of missiles and other weapons has not been adequately explored. By Matthew Hallex. President's Message: Complexity Overload and Extreme Events PDF Version FAS President Charles Ferguson discusses FAS's refocused mission to understand, reduce and respond to catastrophic risks. Energy and World Economic Growth PDF Version Rapid growth in the developing world has changed the economic center of gravity towards Asia, especially with regard to the world’s energy economy. World-wide demand for energy, especially energy that can propel automobiles, is increasing. High energy growth is producing two problems.  The first is the increased greenhouse gas concentrations that result from burning fossil fuels. The second problem is less widely recognized. The share of GDP that must be spent on oil supplies may also limit economic growth. By Carmine Difiglio. Building an Effective Nonproliferation Program: U.S. Support of IAEA Safeguards PDF Version A central pillar of international efforts to stem the spread of nuclear weapons is the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards system.  From the inception of the IAEA, the United States has supported the development and evolution of both the safeguards system itself and devices and systems approaches used by inspectors. Because of the importance of the IAEA safeguards to international security and the facilitation of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, the United States provides substantial assistance to the IAEA to improve the safeguards system. By Warren Stern and Susan Pepper. Reflecting on NATO Security in the Context of a Rising China PDF Version The future promises to be far more challenging than the past for international security analysts. The security challenges that we will face will be increasingly complex, transnational, and interrelated. The world is also witnessing other major changes across multiple levels and units of analysis in the international security domain. Chief among these are the Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Robotics and Information and Communication technologies, the rise of non-state security actors and the emergence of high-end non-traditional security  threats such as climate change and emerging infectious disease. How will these security challenges impact China's rise in international security? By Michael Edward Walsh. More from FAS PDF Version News and Notes from FAS Headquarters. __________________________________________________________________________ The PIR welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should not exceed 300 words and may be edited for length and clarity. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Public Interest Report 1725 DeSales Street, NW 6th Floor Washington, DC 20036 PHONE: (202) 546-3300 FAX: (202) 675-1010 EMAIL: pir@fas.org