Southeast Asia’s Multipolar Future

08/09/23 • 28 min

Delving into geopolitical dynamics: navigating the rise of rivalries in Southeast Asia. Could the escalating U.S.-China tensions potentially lead to the emergence of a modern cold war divide in the region?

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To Save the Philippines’ Forests, He Sued for Future Generations

This July marks the 30th anniversary of a legal decision in the Philippines that has reverberated far beyond those shores. In 1993, a young attorney named Antonio Oposa sued the Philippine Department of the Environment and Natural Resources and its secretary, “Jun” Factoran, to halt logging in the nation’s vanishing old-growth forests. The remarkable aspect of the case is that he sued on behalf of generations as yet unborn.

The key holding of Minors Oposa vs. Factoran is now known as the Oposa Doctrine. It grants current generations legal standing to bring actions on behalf of future generations with respect to environmental rights.

Joining John and Tracie to talk about his famous case is lawyer and environmentalist Antonio Oposa. Also joining us is his longtime friend Erik Jensen, formerly with The Asia Foundation in Manila and now at Stanford Law School, who had a first-hand view of the event.

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Transformative Lessons from the LeadNext Global Leaders’ Summit

Young in experience, but passionate in their commitments: a six-month fellowship invests in young leaders from Asia, the Pacific, and the United States. We sit down with 2023 LeadNext fellow, Temuulen Enkhbat, to talk about her experience this year.