The COVID-19 pandemic has been used by a number of governments to curb freedoms and claw back democratic rights. One potential bulwark against this has been legislatures. But how well have they held governments to account for the emergency measures they have taken to manage the pandemic? Nic Cheeseman and Rebecca Gordon unpack the findings of a project that tracked the performance of legislatures in 65 countries. They found that almost a third had no direct oversight over their government’s initial response in March and April last year. In Africa, Botswana stood out as a country that had high levels of scrutiny – a state of affairs that predated the pandemic – while the Democratic Republic of Congo also scored well even though it had low parliamentary effectiveness prior to COVID-19.

Pirate attacks easily grab the headlines. However, as Dirk Siebel explains, criminality at sea extends way beyond acts of piracy, ranging from the illegal trade in drugs to the settling of scores between criminals. This nuanced understanding is vital for the development of strategies to achieve maritime security, a necessary first step in protecting a range of industries – from fishing to offshore oil and gas production to coastal tourism.

Caroline Southey

Editor

Brazil’s Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello at a press conference about the distribution of nearly 6 million doses of a vaccine. Photo by Rodrigo Paiva/Getty Images

Some legislatures have held governments to account during COVID-19. But not all

Nic Cheeseman, University of Birmingham; Rebecca Gordon, University of Birmingham

Almost a third of legislatures had no direct oversight over the initial responses to the pandemic.

Nigerian Navy Special forces pretend to arrest pirates during a joint military exercise with the French navy. Photo by Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP via Getty Images

Attacks at sea aren’t all linked to piracy. Why it’s important to unpick what’s what

Dirk Siebels, University of Greenwich

Sea piracy often grabs the headlines, but it is just one of many symptoms of insecurity at sea.

Environment + Energy

Use of dirty fuels is pervasive in Ghana. What can be done to transition to clean energy

Abdul-Wakeel Karakara Alhassan, University of Cape Coast

Different energy technologies should be explored in Ghana to enhance clean fuel use.

Light in the darkness: how South African schools should cut their electricity costs

Jason Avron Samuels, Stellenbosch University; Leslie van Rooi, Stellenbosch University; MJ (Thinus) Booysen, Stellenbosch University; Sara Grobbelaar, Stellenbosch University

Replacing fluorescent lights with efficient LED alternatives is the single best way to cut schools' electricity costs.

From our international editions

Davos 2021: to achieve a ‘great reset’, we can’t count on the same old globalists to lead the way

Jonathan Michie, University of Oxford

When Joe Biden is the great hope for global change, it's hard to feel overly optimistic.

What other countries can learn from China’s lockdown policies

William Wang, Beijing Normal University; Holly Snape, University of Glasgow

Controlling transmission isn't as straightforward as simply replicating China's policies in the west.

Women’s health is better when women have more control in their society

Siobhán Mattison, University of New Mexico; Adam Z. Reynolds, University of New Mexico; Katherine Wander, Binghamton University, State University of New York

Living in societies with gender bias can harm women's health.

Biodiversity: why foods grown in warm climates could be doing the most damage to wildlife

Tim Newbold, UCL; Adrienne Etard, UCL; Gonzalo Albaladejo Robles, UCL; Jessica J Williams, UCL

Food farmed in tropical and Mediterranean climates comes at a higher cost to biodiversity than that grown elsewhere.

 

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