See below for full video interview
World affairs are going to get worse, Prof Patman predicts.
The international relations specialist, speaking on Global Insight, says ineffectual climate change responses and international trade wars are related symptoms of a globalised world acting in an increasingly fragmented way.
‘‘I think climate change is the number one global problem that we face collectively,’’ the University of Otago professor said.
‘‘But it does highlight another problem . . . that things look like they are going to get worse before they get better.’’
Speaking in light of news the World Trade Organisation appears to be breaking down, Prof Patman said many of the world’s problems — environmental, economic or security — could not be solved by states acting unilaterally.
‘‘At the moment we are in the process of actually emasculating international institutions rather than boosting them.
‘‘There’s a miss-match at the moment between the problems we face and the means that we have to address those problems.’’
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