Category:International Affairs
Cleared for Takeoff, Rough Landing Ahead: Compliance Issues in CORSIA Implementation
A sky suffocating with carbon must still carry the metal weight of its inhabitants. Every day, more than 100,000 planes release carbon emissions. A solution for this strain on the environment was to build the first market-based compliance framework, holding airlines accountable for any excessive emissions they produced. This framework is the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), which is administered by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
On paper, CORSIA fueled optimism that international environmental accountability for aviation was possible. Airlines were to monitor and report their emissions, and those exceeding an agreed baseline would be required to purchase carbon credits that finance emission reductions elsewhere. In practice, its design provides transgressors with ample room to participate in name while limiting what they actually owe. Through voluntary participation, easy withdrawal, filed differences, and state-by-state enforcement, countries have found ways to stay inside the framework while keeping much of their aviation footprint outside it. CORSIA’s shortcomings expose how weak international environmental accountability remains, leaving aviation emissions free to fly under the radar.
Roadside Service in the Final Frontier: The Compliance Void in On-Orbit Servicing
In 2024, a Japanese commercial satellite maneuvered to within 15 meters of a derelict piece of debris floating in low Earth orbit, a feat never accomplished by a private company – until now. Astroscale Holdings, operating under a contract with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), executed a precise series of approach maneuvers around a completely unresponsive object. This was a genuine technological milestone in the commercial space industry, and just a preview of an entire industry that existing legal frameworks were not built to govern or foresee.
Navigating Oil: Corporate Strategy in a Volatile Market
On February 28, 2026, a conflict involving the United States and Iran began when coordinated airstrikes targeting Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure took place. In response, the Iranian military launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes targeting U.S. bases and U.S. allied countries Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Alongside these military strikes, the Iranian government has taken de facto control over the crucial Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway in the Middle East that borders Iran. The strait connects the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and is a key export pathway for oil and gas to many countries across the world. It is estimated that 20% of the world’s oil supply flows through the strait. With exports through the strait now significantly disrupted, global energy markets have begun to experience a sharp supply shock. Corporations, particularly in the energy, transportation, and manufacturing sectors, are now facing heightened regulatory scrutiny and compliance risk as they attempt to navigate significant cost pressures and operational uncertainty.
The European Accessibility Act is Looming as Corporations Race to Comply
The European Accessibility Act (the Act/EAA) aims to increase market opportunities for accessible products and services on both the consumer and business level. Accessibility is an essential factor in making buying decisions in today’s world; showing that companies are committed to diversity and inclusion in a time where it is increasingly important. The Act covers a wide variety of products and services that are important for those with disabilities and that may not be accessible across the European Union (EU). Such products and services include: computers or operating systems, smartphones, audio-visual media services, banking services, etc. Although the European Accessibility Act is advertised as a manageable compliance requirement, inconsistent enforcement across EU member states, vague exemptions, and widespread corporate unpreparedness suggest that it will be a significant regulatory challenge.
They Came for the Neighbors: The Deportation of Lawfully Present Immigrants
Andry José Hernández Romero was detained for suspected involvement with a notorious Venezuelan crime organization. The evidence? Two crown tattoos atop the words “Mom” and “Dad” on his wrists. A gay makeup artist, Romero fled his home country of Venezuela to escape persecution for his sexuality and political beliefs. Romero is only one of many non-citizens who, despite being lawfully present in the U.S., face unprecedented risk of deportation due to little more than superficial characteristics under Trump’s aggressive immigration tactics.
The European Union’s Antitrust Actions Against Google and Apple: The Last Soldier of Big Tech Regulation
Due to President Trump’s focus on weakening regulations on big technology companies, the European Union (EU) finds itself once again at the forefront of regulating big tech to ensure fair competition within digital markets. The EU’s recent actions, as of March 19, 2025, accuse Google and Apple of antitrust violations, a move that may increase geopolitical tensions as President Trump has made it clear he will protect American companies from “overseas extortion.” The EU remains one of the few remaining checks on the power of big tech.