Author: Ericson M. Scorsim

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It is urgent to adopt environmental governance programs for noise monitoring and noise pollution control, given the context for smart, healthy, and sustainable cities, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

This new public policy should value a new model of environmental and eco-humanistic urbanism, with urban eco-design, that is, more humane cities that prioritize human life and environmental quality, and environmental health. Cities for people, in the words of urban planner Jan Gehl. It is essential to overcome the mechanistic and noisy model behind classical urbanism. We need environmental management to commit to total quality, with the adoption of acoustic environmental quality standards, rules, and procedures. One of the indicators of quality of life is the acoustic environmental quality. Thus, the new urbanism must have human life, environmental quality and health, and the protection from noise of people with cognitive and auditory neurodiversity as its top priority.

City management must promote the values of acoustical environmental education, acoustical environmental sustainability, the principle of acoustical efficiency, and value the right to the soundscape of the natural environment. Also, it must consider principles of environmental ethics (noise polluters cause harm to people and disrespect several fundamental rights: right to life, right to health, right to work, right to rest, right to well-being, right to a culture of quietness, right to property and housing, right to the inviolability of the home) and environmental contamination and aesthetics (noise causes the ugliness of the acoustic landscape and causes the environment to become dirty and toxic. And environmental governance should promote participatory environmental citizenship to address noise pollution, including incentive programs for citizens to access acoustic monitoring technologies in citizenship and science programs. Urban management must also incorporate the technological innovations for environmental monitoring of noise in cities. There are several technologies available: artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, acoustic radar, 3D noise maps, acoustic cameras, and others. There is also an urgent need to accelerate sustainable mobility programs, with incentives for electric vehicles.

 There is an urgent need to incorporate electric buses into the public transportation system, as these contribute to eliminating air and noise pollution. Electric buses benefit the passengers, who have their rights to quality public service respected, and the urban areas surrounding the bus lines, which are currently degraded due to air and noise pollution. The principle of the prohibition of environmental regression demands ambitious targets to accelerate electric bus programs. Also, the principles of insufficient protection by the government of fundamental rights, especially the right to the city, quality of life, and environmental quality. Public policy with unreasonable and disproportionate goals may be subject to constitutional review due to the government’s omission to adopt more reasonable deadlines to solve an urgent situation in the cities. Above all, wealthier cities must have ambitious targets for tackling climate change and global warming. The cities’ so-called “green branding” must incorporate bold goals to control noise pollution. For example, area residential area contaminated by noise pollution caused by the public transportation system has the risk of property devaluation.

There are even methods for pricing the devaluation of real estate caused by environmental pollution. Another aspect to be considered is better regulation of urban traffic, considering the acoustic environmental dimension. This is why speed reduction measures are needed in predominantly residential areas. And still, on the aspect of urban policy, it is key to define areas of urban quietness, with maximum environmental protection against the noise of polluting agents. Another point to note in environmental governance is the demand for anti-noise taxation, that is, the use by local governments of anti-noise environmental taxes. Thus, to make the polluter-pays principle effective, some noise-polluting sectors can be the target of the environmental taxes: the construction equipment industry, construction companies, gardening service providers, the gardening equipment industry, condominiums, service providers for condominiums, public passenger transit system companies, owners and/or drivers of motorcycles, cars, and trucks, among others.  In addition, some acoustically polluting equipment should be banned by local governments, such as gardening equipment like leaf blowers, brush cutters, and pruners, among others. Another point is the demand for new urban environmental zoning to abide by the principle that forbids environmental regression. According to the World Health Organization, noise above fifty (50) decibels is a health risk factor. Therefore, local governments must urgently engage to overcome the current toxic and insane status quo of noise and polluter permissiveness, in a state of impunity. Environmental policy needs to be more energetic, with preventive and repressive measures, to reduce noise in cities. Measures to eliminate, reduce and isolate noise are urgently needed.

Finally, dear reader, you can participate in the anti-noise movement in your city by presenting complaints, suggestions, and requests for information to the proper authorities, and demanding responsible attitudes from polluters, so that we can overcome these illegal, irresponsible, anti-social, insane, and environmentally unsustainable behaviors.

Ericson Scorsim. Lawyer and Public Law Consultant Ph.D. in Law from the University of São Paulo (USP). Founder of the Noise-Free Environmental Monitor Association. Author of the ebook Noise-Free Movement for Smart, Healthy and Sustainable Cities (Movimento Antirruídos para cidades inteligentes, saudáveis e sustentáveis), Curitiba, author’s edition, Amazon, 2022, and the ebook Smart, Healthy and Sustainable Condominiums (Condomínios inteligentes, saudáveis e sustentáveis), Curitiba, author’s edition, Amazon, 2023.

The Environmental Anti-Noise Monitor Association is a civil association dedicated to the promotion of environmental and acoustic sustainability, acoustic environmental education, the principle of acoustic efficiency, the advocacy of environmental quality and quality of life in the residential and urban environment, fighting against acoustic environmental pollution, environmental and scientific research, among other values.

The Enviromental Association Anti-Noise Monitor is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations. And the goals for Enviromental, Sustainability and Gouvernance.

Noise from polluting machines causes environmental degradation and loss of quality of life. Noise impacts human health, public health, hearing health, and environmental health. Noise can damage communication, work, health, rest and relaxation, property right, and the right to a home, among other fundamental assets.  And also noise impacts persons whith cognitive neurodiversity e hypersensitive with noise.

To have smart, healthy, and sustainable cities, we need measures to prevent and repress noise caused by polluting agents such as machinery, equipment, tools, motorcycles, buses, cars, trucks, aircraft, and services, among others.

We need acoustical environmental education to have smart, healthy, and sustainable residential condominiums. Residential condominiums urgently need to adopt governance, compliance, and transparency measures in environmental management and commit to acoustic environmental sustainability and the protection of the quality of life in the residential environment and urban environment, free from noise.

We must respect the principle of the prohibition of environmental regression, the principle of prevention of environmental damage, and the “polluter pays” principle.

We urgently need to overcome antisocial, insane, unsustainable, and illegal noise-related behaviors.

We urgently need environmental, technological, cultural, and behavioral innovation to fight against the noise.

We urgently need industrial technological innovation to achieve full acoustic efficiency of equipment, machines, products, tools, etc., with a commitment to acoustic environmental sustainability.  We need to raise awareness, sensitize, and mobilize consumers to purchase silent products and services with acoustic efficiency labels.

The launch of the Environmental Noise Monitor on March 29, of 2023 is symbolic. It is also an anniversary present for the city of Curitiba. If the city wants to be a smart, healthy, and sustainable city, it needs to adopt more effective measures to tackle environmental noise pollution and noise in general. 

However, the Association transcends the local realm. Its goal is to expand to all of Brazil and cross borders so that, in the future, we can articulate actions with strategic international partners in the fight against noise and environmental acoustic pollution.

You are invited to join the Anti-Noise Movement, please visit our website: https://antirruidos.wordpress.com/

Ericson Meister Scorsim

Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Anti-Noise  Association

The World Bank, together with other partners, has released a global sustainable mobility ranking.  This ranking assesses indicators such as universal access to mobility, safety, efficiency, and sustainability. The ranking covers several transportation modes: cars, buses, motorcycles, trains, ships, and bicycles, among others. 

The World Bank and other entities have a sustainable mobility program called Sustainable Mobility for All, with suggestions for public policies on the subject, see www.sum4all. org. See also: Catalogue of policy measures 2.0 – toward sustainable mobility, in Sustainable Mobility for All.  This program has the following action axes: accessibility to mobility services, efficiency, safety, sustainability, and gender clause.  Regarding the latter axis, it evaluates policies to include women in the mobility sector, as well as issues related to protection for women in public transportation systems. This ranking is aligned with the sustainable development goals established by the UN.  These are some of the UN sustainable development goals: good health and well-being (goal 3), industry, innovation, and infrastructure (goal 9), sustainable cities and communities (goal 11), responsible consumption and production (goal 12), partnerships and means of implementation (goal 17). The United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 76, in July 2022, declaring the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.  Brazil must apply this international standard to ensure a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, free from noise pollution in cities. One of the goals of the global ranking is the reduction of air pollution and noise pollution produced by transport modes in cities. Sustainable electromobility is, therefore, one of the factors to reduce air and noise pollution in cities.  It should be noted that air pollution and noise pollution affect public health. This pollution degrades the environment and causes damage to the human organism. And one of the targets of public policies is the air and noise pollution caused by cities’ public transportation systems. In the report Global Roadmap of Action Toward Sustainable Mobility:Green Mobility from the World Bank’s Sustainable Mobility for All, the transportation sector is one of the main sources of air pollution and noise pollution.  And there was significant noise exposure due to acoustic pollution. Hence, the goal is to reduce excessive noise by 50% (fifty percent) by 2030, compared to 2015 levels.   According to the report, noise above 55 (fifty-five) decibels impacts the population.[1]

Reference is also made to reducing the noise produced by cars and motorcycles, with standardization measures for the efficiency of vehicles, tires, and geographical areas within cities.[2] By way of illustration, the European Union, via the European Environmental Agency, has adopted a guideline for reducing noise in transportation. There are gradual goals for reducing the noise produced by different transport modes: cars, buses, trains, airplanes, and motorcycles, among others. In Europe, low-carbon and low-noise areas are defined to protect the environmental health of cities.  In the United States, the Biden administration has adopted the Federal Sustainability Strategic Plan, with progressive targets for reducing air pollution and climate change. The government will adopt an electric vehicle fleet, sustainable buildings, and sustainable procurement of products and services. Brazil can be inspired by these models. The country and local governments must align themselves with these sustainable development goals to promote sustainable mobility, with the reduction of air and noise pollution in cities.  Sustainable electromobility in public transportation systems is therefore a fundamental condition for reducing air and noise pollution.[3]

We must think about sustainable mobility policies to protect the cognitive and auditory neurodiversity of mobility systems’ users, thus protecting mental and auditory health. It is also essential to protect vulnerable groups of citizens: people with disabilities, illnesses, etc., to promote access to sustainable mobility. In this respect, air and noise pollution must be reduced, taking into account the well-being and comfort of the users of public transportation systems, as well as the citizens who live near bus stations and the roads where public transportation buses circulate.  In my book, Anti-Urban Noise Regulatory Proposals, author’s edition, Amazon, 2022, I point out some regulatory options for fostering technological innovation in favor of promoting acoustic efficiency, as well as for appropriate regulation to contain urban noise caused by various modes of transportation. Technological innovations can contribute to the transformations needed for sustainable mobility, acoustic environmental sustainability, and the building of urban infrastructures for smart, healthy, and sustainable cities.  Sustainable electromobility: (electric cars, buses, motorcycles, and trucks), 5G technologies, the internet of things, artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, and computer listening, will be the key tools for reducing air pollution and noise pollution. Cities need to renew their urban infrastructure, such as installing the electric charging points that are necessary for the electromobility system.

Local governments can set an example by initiating bidding models for purchases and services based on sustainable mobility. For example, by renting or buying fleets of electric vehicles. The local police forces may use electric vehicles, for example. Local governments will be able to encourage sustainable mobility ecosystems, replacing their fleets with electric buses through progressive fleet replacement targets in key areas of cities. Local governments can also encourage taxi services to adopt electric vehicles. Governments can update their acoustical zoning plans to define airplane and helicopter routes to maximize public health, welfare, and rest in residential areas.  It is also important to define areas of low carbon emission and low noise emission to protect environmental health. Governments can encourage the transition by incentivizing the purchase of electric motorcycles and electric bicycles. Finally, there are several actions to be taken by the cities, urgently, to eliminate the environmental impacts caused by mobility based on fossil fuel engines – electric motors.  The more local governments are aligned with the UN’s actions, the more conditions they will have to receive sustainable investments in the area of urban mobility. Governments can be major partners for industrial and service sector innovation in sustainable mobility, targeting the principles of energy efficiency and acoustic efficiency and defining low-carbon and acoustic emission areas, improving the quality of life in cities.   

** All rights reserved. This article must not be reproduced or used without mentioning the source.

Ericson Scorsim. Lawyer and Public Law Consultant Ph.D. in Law from the University of São Paulo (USP). Author of the book  Movimento antirruídos para cidades inteligentes, saudáveis e sustentáveis, edição autoral, Amazon, 2022.

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[1]See: Sustainable Mobility of All: Global Mobility Report 2017, Tracking Sector Performance: www.sum4all.org.

[2] World Bank, Sustainable Mobility for all. Global Roadmap of Action. Toward Sustainable Mobility – Paper 6 – Green Mobility, 2019.

[3] For analysis of the theme, see: Keller, Evelyn Fox. Ecosystems, organisms and machines. Bioscience, December, 2005, vol. 55, n. 12.

The European Environment Agency has set a target to reduce transport noise by 30% by 2030.[1] Exposure of the population to noise severely threatens people’s health and well-being, hence the need for regulation. Noise reduction measures affect means of road, rail, and air transport.  These are measures to be adopted to mitigate the noise generated by transport vehicles. Among such measures is the large-scale adoption of electric vehicles: cars, motorcycles, buses, and trucks. Another measure is the reduction of speed limits to 30 km/h on urban roads, and streets close. Another measure is to limit the noise level of motor vehicles. And yet another rule is to expand the use of noise-reducing asphalt. 

In the rail transportation sector, measures include building new, quieter infrastructure, using quieter brake systems, and increasing train electrification. Adoption of quieter aircraft by the air transport sector will be encouraged.  There are several noise reduction projects in European cities. Monza, in Italy, has defined low emission zones to reduce traffic noise.  Zurich, Switzerland, has redefined city speed limits to reduce transport noise. The Swiss rail transport system has adopted quieter braking systems on its trains. In Germany, Berlin has seen a reduction in the number of rapid transit lines, with an increase in bicycle lanes and pedestrian areas. In Spain, Madrid has adopted measures such as noise barriers near the streets and asphalt paving to reduce noise. Brazil can be inspired by this initiative of the European Environment Agency and implement in Brazilian cities models to reduce environmental noise and promote acoustic environmental sustainability in the context of smarter, healthier, and more sustainable cities.  

The anti-noise policy will cater to public health, welfare, and the environment. In my book Regulatory Proposals – Urban Anti-Noise, author’s edition, published on Amazon, 2022, I point out regulatory options for governments to update legislation and adopt better standards to promote the principle of sound efficiency, not only in transport systems and urban mobility but also in the equipment and machinery industry. To sum up: there is much to be done on acoustic environmental sustainability in cities to protect public health and welfare and provide environmental quality for citizens.   

** All rights reserved. This article must not be reproduced or used without mentioning the source.

Ericson Scorsim. Lawyer and Public Law Consultant Ph.D. in Law from the University of São Paulo (USP). Author of the book Propostas Regulatórias: Anti-Ruídos Urbanos (Regulatory Proposals:

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[1] European Environment Agency. Outlook to 2030 – Can the number of people affected by transport noise be cut by 30%? See, also, Projected health impacts from transport noise – Exploring two scenarios for 2030, authors Núria Blanes and others, European Environment Agency.

The United Nations has as one of its Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure segment development goals building resilient infrastructure to promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization fostered by innovation. There are also other goals: health and well-being (goal 3), ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all of all ages in all cities), sustainable cities and communities (Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable), responsible consumption and production (Goal 12 – Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns), partnerships for the goals (Goal 17 – Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development). 

The UN passed Resolution No. 76/2022, recognizing the right to a clean, sustainable, and healthy environment. And the OECD has studies to promote responsible business conduct, something to be applied by the equipment and infrastructure industries and condominiums, among others.[1]

Based on this normative context, we will try to present some insights into the control of noise pollution arising from the manufacture of noisy machines to achieve the right to smart, healthy, and sustainable cities. And to institutionalize the principle of acoustic efficiency for noise control of machinery, equipment, works, services, and infrastructure.  We urgently need to maximize the acoustic efficiency of the machines and minimize noise to protect public health and welfare. According to the World Health Organization, noise above 50 decibels is harmful to health. Noise affects cognition, and physiology, impacting the nervous, cardiovascular, endocrine, sleep, and digestive systems, among others.  Noise is an anomaly, a mechanical pathology, a symbol of the acoustic inefficiency of machines! 

Some considerations on this matter:

 First, the gardening equipment and construction industries, condominiums, mass transit systems, helicopters, household appliances, the automobile industry, drones, and others must conform to the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.  Thus, we need eco-efficient and acoustically eco-sustainable business models.

Second, industrial innovation should focus on replacing acoustically inefficient mechanical technologies with acoustically eco-efficient and environmentally sustainable ones. In this regard, adherence to the principle of acoustic efficiency is urgently needed, with investments in environmental sustainability for the eco-efficiency of the machines. Laws encouraging acoustic environmental sustainability should support the change in the industrial pattern, replacing inefficient technologies with more efficient ones from an acoustic perspective. Municipalities can and should encourage technological innovations to promote acoustic efficiency and environmental sustainability. This can be done through its purchasing power by encouraging public tenders and buying eco-friendly products, services, and equipment.

Third, urban infrastructure in cities must be eco-efficient and committed to acoustic environmental sustainability. Urban infrastructure (streets, avenues, sidewalks, condominiums) must adopt clean, healthy, and sustainable technologies. In this regard, there is public infrastructure and private infrastructure (condominiums), both of which must be aligned with the best practices of acoustic environmental management.  Environmental law enforcement agencies must prevent and repress noise with measures for monitoring urban noise.

Fourth, there should urgently be an educational campaign directed at residential condominiums to raise awareness of how machine noise can damage people’s health and well-being. Laws should encourage self-regulatory practices by condominiums for noise containment and acoustic environmental governance and compliance measures. 

Fifth, consumers and end users of industry and infrastructure should be informed about the institutional and industry policies adopted by governments and companies for acoustic environmental sustainability. There should be maximum transparency from manufacturers and retailers about the acoustic efficiency of the machines. This is why policies for adhering to acoustic efficiency equipment seals are fundamental.

Sixth, the construction industry should adopt acoustically efficient machines, abandoning inefficient machines, for the sake of the health and well-being of its employees and for the sake of the health and well-being of other citizens.

Seventh, the machine industry must invest in efficient machines. Therefore, there is a legal and ethical duty to conduct research and develop equipment that is committed to acoustic environmental sustainability.  The industry should guide itself by the acoustic quality standard of its equipment. 

Eighth, we need to update the laws and the institutional training of competent government agencies to raise awareness of acoustic environmental sustainability. 

Ninth, society demands better business conduct committed to acoustic environmental sustainability, with governance practices and acoustic environmental compliance so that the principle of acoustic efficiency in equipment, works, and services can be achieved.  In short: The right to a clean, sustainable, and healthy environment is premised on acoustic environmental sustainability. We urgently need innovation by the industry, condominiums, machine suppliers, and service providers to ensure commitment to acoustic efficiency, replacing polluting machines with eco-efficient and eco-sustainable technologies. 

Ericson Scorsim. Lawyer and Public Law Consultant Ph.D. in Law from the University of São Paulo (USP). Author of the book Propostas Regulatórias: Anti-Ruídos Urbanos (Regulatory Proposals: Anti-Urban Noise), Amazon, 2022.

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[1] OECD, OECD Studies on Responsible Business Conduct Policy, 2022.

Taiwan is one of the epicenters of the geopolitical game between the United States and China. These two countries are vying for global leadership. Taiwan is home to TSMC, one of the largest semiconductor manufacturers in the world.  Taiwan is a territory of China with autonomy and democracy.  This is why China proclaims one country, two systems.

Semiconductors are essential equipment in smartphones, cars, televisions, refrigerators, and more. Also, semiconductors serve the defense industry, used in missiles, tanks, aircraft, and command and control systems. Qualcomm and NVidia are semiconductor suppliers to the US defense industry.  

TSMC has the following market shares: North America (65%), Europe, the Middle East and Africa (6%), China (10%), and the Asia Pacific (14%). It is one of the most valuable companies in the world. It is one of Apple’s leading chip suppliers. TSMC has stopped supplying chips to the Chinese company Huawei due to pressure from the USA. The US government wanted a North American company to acquire control of TSMC. On the other hand, the Chinese government is also interested in having a Chinese company take over TSMC.

Any disruption to TSMC’s operation could threaten the United States national security, as the electronics industry depends on the Taiwanese company’s chips. The disruption of TSMC’s operations also threatens China’s national security. China has control of the rare materials used to manufacture semiconductors.  As a result, TSMC finds itself in the crossfire between the two countries. The company is also formed with the support of North American, European, and Asian companies.  In an interview with journalist Fareed Zakaria on his program GPS on CNN USA, Marc Liu, Chairman of TSMC, said that if China invades Taiwan, the plant will not be operational because its operation is interdependent with companies in the United States, Europe, and other countries. 

The United States has announced a U$50 billion incentives bill for setting up semiconductor factories in the United States, as well as for semiconductor research and development and technology workforce training. Interestingly, the US government has consistently criticized the Chinese government’s subsidy policy for its industry. However, now it is using the same tactics. TSMC plans to invest in semiconductor manufacturing in the state of Arizona.

Brazil can seize opportunities in this rearrangement of the global semiconductor supply chain. To do so, Brazil must build up its institutional capacity in industrial, science, and technology policy.

 ** All rights reserved. This article must not be reproduced or used without mentioning the source.

Ericson Scorsim. Lawyer and Public Law Consultant Ph.D. in Law from the University of São Paulo (USP). Author of the book 5G Communications Geopolitical Game: United States, China, and the Impact on Brazil, self-published, 2020.

The United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 76 on July 26, 2022, declaring the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. Among the justifications presented are the risks of the impact of climate change and the unsustainable management of natural resources that interfere with the enjoyment of a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment by all human beings.

Environmental damage is felt by individuals and communities around the world, with a more substantial impact on vulnerable groups such as women, girls, indigenous peoples, children, and the elderly. The Resolution recognizes the importance of gender equality and the demand to address climate change and prevent environmental degradation. It also highlights the need for empowerment, leadership, and meaningful participation of women and girls as managers, leaders, and advocates of natural resources in the protection of the environment.

Environmental degradation, climate change, loss of biodiversity, desertification, and unsustainable development constitute some of the most significant pressures and severe threats for effectively enjoying all human rights by present and future generations. The Resolution also recognizes that the exercise of human rights, including the rights to seek, receive and impart information, to participate effectively in the conduct of government is vital to the protection of a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment; UN Member States reaffirm their commitment to respect, protect and promote human rights to avoid environmental degradation. Additional measures should be taken to face the environmental challenges and ensure the effectiveness of human rights for all. UN member states, international organizations, and businesses must adopt environmental policies to ensure the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.

This normative context of the UN Resolution clearly configures the right to clean, healthy, and sustainable cities without noise pollution. Noise pollution is one of the factors of environmental harm, also jeopardizing the fundamental rights to quality of life, health, work, rest, and others.  Urban noise causes an unclean, unhealthy, and unsustainable environment. Therefore, city leaders must commit to eliminating, mitigating, and isolating noise pollution to protect the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment!

Also, companies, service providers, suppliers of mechanical equipment, and other organizations must be committed to a clean, healthy, and sustainable noise-free environment.

**All rights reserved. This article must not be reproduced or used without mentioning the source.

Ericson Scorsim. Lawyer and Public Law Consultant Ph.D. in Law from the University of São Paulo (USP). Author of the book Propostas Regulatórias: Anti-Ruídos Urbanos (Regulatory Proposals), Amazon, 2022

Crédito de Imagem: ONU – Unsplash/Manuel Venturini

The United States and China Dispute Global Technological Leadership. Technological competitiveness is measured by each country’s computing capacity, represented by cloud computing infrastructures and semiconductor manufacturing. These computing infrastructures are essential for modeling global cyberspace. The cyber power of a country currently represents one of the factors of national power.[1]Thus, each country with cyber power seeks to project its power to other countries, something that represents its soft power.

The United States has passed the so-called Cloud Act, a law that allows US authorities access to data stored on servers of companies located abroad but subject to US jurisdiction. Brazilian authorities have not yet perceived the geopolitical and economic risks arising from the US Cloud Act. Despite the name, international data traffic is predominantly done through undersea cable networks in the oceans. Computational capability is collecting, storing, processing, and transferring data. In the geopolitical and economic realms, the country with greater control over its data and digital infrastructure has greater political and economic control over its economy and even influence over other countries.

 Cloud computing produces billions of dollars in business, helping streamline businesses, financial capital, and logistics. Therefore, digital infrastructure capability can improve the business environment globally. The so-called Cloud Computation is a complex system integrated by a network of computers, software, data centers, and undersea cable networks, among other elements. There is now infrastructure as a service, software as a service, and platform as a service, among others. It is necessary to differentiate cloud computing services provided to governments from those offered to enterprises. There are also distinctions between private, public, and hybrid clouds.

In cloud computing for governments, especially in defense and national intelligence, there are usually stricter requirements for cybersecurity due to sensitive data on the networks. This geopolitical and economic dispute extends to international technical cyber security standards. In the layers of cybersecurity, you need to analyze data security, application security, data hosting security, and network security. Thus, one must assess the company’s reliability and check whether it follows international cybersecurity standards when selecting a cloud computing provider and whether it offers an infrastructure with resilience to cyber-attacks. As for standards, abusive policies in setting technical cybersecurity standards that exclude international competition must be avoided.

There are many business applications with cloud computing: industry, smart cities (smart operations centers for urban management), power grid management, public lighting grid management, digital government in the cloud, water supply system management, smart environmental protection, smart refrigeration systems, transport and logistics, audiovisual media (film production and broadcasting), smart ports, mining, oil and gas, and others. For example, several filmmakers and actors located in different countries will be able to make films and animations jointly. Recently, a technology company offered the experience of forming a virtual orchestra with the participation of musicians in several different countries. In the ports area, cloud computing applications make it possible to reduce costs by formatting routes and schedules for loading and unloading containers as well as ships.

There is a project in the financial sector to build the future generation of financial infrastructure called the “Bank of Things.” It is a partnership between Huawei and SPD Bank. The focus is on leveraging the internet of things for the financial sector, especially in credit risk analysis. There are BoT (bank of things) opportunities for the so-called fintechs. The goal is to create applications based on 5G technology and the Internet of Things to develop twins of things (duplicate objects). The goal is to monetize the assets, starting with connectivity. Thus, one takes advantage of digital payment systems and data resulting therefrom.[2] For example, car and driver data will be used for insurance risk analysis in smart cars. As for smart homes, residents’ data will be used for consumer potential, credit analysis, and commercial advertising. The entire digital economy depends on cloud computing systems, which is essential for digital transformation. 5G technology in mobile telecommunications networks and the Internet of Things will lead to an exponential demand for cloud computing services. Artificial intelligence and big data tools will contribute significantly to hyper-scale data processing (videos, text, images, etc.). Mathematical models are applied to cloud computing systems with the capacity to process billions of pieces of data in real-time.

In this context, scientific research for the development of new medications that used to take years will now have results in months. There will be more data traffic, hence the need for reinforced cybersecurity. The United States relies on Big Techs in cloud computing such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Oracle, IBM, SalesForce, Dropbox, and others. These companies offer cloud computing services in Brazil for private companies and governments. Courts of Justice in Brazil have been hiring foreign companies for cloud computing services, and[3] Brazilian business groups have procured cloud computing services from foreign companies.

The Central Bank of Brazil has a resolution authorizing procuring cloud computing services with data storage abroad.[4] China has Alibaba, Tencent, and Huawei. The European Union has no global competitor in cloud computing. Hence, its public policy encourages the development of cloud computing infrastructure by European companies. The European Union has programs to strengthen its cyber sovereignty, focusing on developing cloud computing infrastructures. The geopolitical dispute is extended to the power to access data on servers located abroad, which makes it possible to extend the extraterritorial application of US jurisdiction. 

In that line, the United States has passed the Cloud Act (Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data), which is a law that allows US authorities to access data stored by service providers on servers located in other countries. The United States Congress has a bill on data access, transparency, and accountability called the “Setting an American Framework to Ensure Data Access, Transparency and Accountability Act” or the “Safe Data Act.” Regulation of the subject is incipient. The European Union is the most advanced on the subject, having passed the Cybersecurity Act and the proposal for data governance regulation. The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), for example, has cloud security recommendations for healthcare service providers.[5] It has another recommendation for cloud computing security and resiliency for governments.[6] There is a recommendation for cybersecurity standards for hospitals. In the United States, Executive Order no. 13984 from January 2021 deals with malicious cyber-attacks against cloud computing infrastructures. According to that act, the National Security Agency must assess the cybersecurity risks in providing cloud technologies and infrastructure to the government. After that, the Trade Department began requiring cloud computing infrastructure service providers to verify the foreign identity of service providers, as well as certification and compliance rules.

The United States has passed specific regulations for the procurement of cloud computing services by the government and federal agencies. China has passed the Data Security Law that ensures protections for critical information infrastructure (information services, energy, transportation, water conservation, finance, utilities, e-government), requirements for international data transfer, data export control rules, compliance for data providers, trading platforms, data consumers, and rules for data center location in Chinese territory. It should be noted that, although there are common rules for cybersecurity, depending on the industry’s uniqueness, there is a demand for more specific rules. Thus, there are peculiarities in the financial, energy, nuclear, defense, and health sectors, among others. As for cyber risks, there are some risk-sharing practices between the cloud computing and service provider and the customer. In cloud computing contracts, there should be maximum transparency about cyber risks and information about the clauses for updating cyber security services on devices, networks, and equipment.

Insurance contracts must have clear and precise clauses about contractual coverage regarding cyber risks. In addition, companies must develop geopolitical and geoeconomic risk matrices. In the near future, there may be discussions about competition in the cloud computing market, especially about economic concentration.[7] Data confidentiality, availability, and integrity are essential in cloud computing. There is also the concern with the environmental sustainability of data centers as they are large energy consumers. In this respect, cloud computing services should follow the principle of energy efficiency. In Brazil, there is no proper cybersecurity regulation in cloud computing services. Brazil lacks a general law for cybersecurity. Currently, the topic is only addressed as self-regulation by private companies. In short, cloud computing infrastructures and services will shape the digital economy. The country that best invests in cloud computing infrastructure will have greater international competitiveness and computing power. Brazil has an interesting geostrategic profile to attract investments in cloud computing and become a global and regional player in this sector.  

**All rights reserved. This article must not be reproduced or used without mentioning the source.

Ericson Scorsim. Lawyer and Consultant in Regulatory Communications Law. Ph.D. in Law from the University of São Paulo (USP). Author of the book “Jogo geopolítico entre Estados Unidos e China no 5G: impacto no Brasil.” (The Geopolitical Game between the United States and China regarding 5G: Impact on Brazil), Amazon, 2020 e 2021. Author of the book Geopolítica das Comunicações, 2nd edition, revised and updated, Amazon, 2022.

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[1]As in Cyber capabilities and National Power: a net assessment. The International Institute for Strategic Studies – IISS.

[2] Huawei and SPDBANK, Bank of Things White paper. Next-Generation financial infrastructure, 2020.

[3] This is the case, for example, with the São Paulo Court of Justice, which has procured Microsoft’s cloud computing services.

[4]  Central Bank of Brazil, Ordinance n. 3,909, dated August 16, 2018, provides on the cybersecurity policy and on requirements for procuring data processing and storage and cloud computing services to be observed by payment institutions authorized to operate by BACEN.

[5]See: European Union Agency for Cybersecurity. Cloud Security for healthcare services, January, 2021.

[6]See: European Network and information security agency. Security & Resilience in governmental clouds, making an informed decision, January, 2011.

[7] Geer, Dan, Jardine, Erics and Leverett, Eireann. On Market Concentration and Cybersecurity Risk, Journal of Cyber Policy, 2020, vol. 5, n. 1, 9-29, Routledge – Taylor & Francis Group.

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Technologies have taken a central role in several countries. For this reason, some countries are innovating their foreign policy concerning new technologies. Some steps are being taken to adapt diplomacy to technological issues.

The first step is appointing ambassadors with expertise in technologies and digital or cyber issues.

Second is creating a specialized technology affairs team or office for foreign policy management.

Third, designing a foreign policy strategy focused on technologies. In the context of the new geopolitical era, some insights are necessary: the anticipation of situational awareness to stay ahead of technological changes and their impact on international dynamics, the coordination of political positions to reduce complexity in domestic and foreign policy, a clear strategic vision with the definition of priorities, values, and interests. 

In the face of the speed of technological change, there are challenges to matching this speed of technological evolution with leadership, legislation aligned to the decision-making process, and leadership in maximizing technological opportunities. Cyber diplomacy requires collaboration between governments and the private sector. Microsoft, for example, has established a permanent office at the United Nations. The intensity of the dispute for political, economic, and technological leadership among countries has created new areas of geopolitical conflict. Impactful topics such as the rare materials and semiconductor global supply chain are part of this competition. Another topic on the international agenda is the norms and standards of new technologies.

The global internet architecture is the subject of dispute between countries. Therefore, the integration of new technology issues in foreign policy requires some capabilities: maintaining situational awareness about the state of technological change and its impact on international dynamics; coordinating positions effectively in domestic policy and foreign policy for better alignment between technology policy to reduce complexity; having a clear strategy to direct technology policy; and establishing priorities, values, and interests. Some countries have already incorporated measures to integrate new technologies into their foreign policy: diplomats, teams, and strategies. Tech diplomats have the following areas of responsibility: domestic policy advice to ensure that thinking, policy, and regulation conform to major international trends and priorities; domestic and international policy coordination and alignment in multilateral, minilateral, and bilateral forums; policy and strategy creation, leading or contributing domestically and internationally. Some examples of countries with tech ambassadors (ambassadors with expertise in technology) are Denmark, China, the UK, the US, France, Germany, Austria, and Australia. Denmark has a tech ambassador for engagement with tech companies with offices in Copenhagen, San Francisco, and Beijing. The UK has appointed a general consul with business experience to represent British interests in San Francisco, home to major technology companies. China has a network of over one hundred and forty (140) specialized diplomats to identify and support the acquisition of emerging technology companies. The United States has established the Office of the Coordinator for Cyber Issues, with a global network of over one hundred and fifty (150) cyber policy officers.

For example, the US government created the US Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, which has an ambassador for critical emerging technologies. In this context, it is recommended that technology companies have a geopolitical policy with transparency and clear and precise rules on how to act in crises, with experts in geopolitical and security conflicts, international law, and human rights. It is also recommended that companies have a geopolitical crisis committee. Another recommendation is the international participation of technology companies in geopolitical decision centers such as the United Nations. Another suggestion is establishing a committee for setting self-regulatory practices.[1] France has a digital team of over thirty (30) people to deal with the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the National Agency for Information Security, and the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Germany has an International Cyber Policy Coordination Staff with seven permanent members. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has a foreign policy dedicated to technologies; however, it has not adopted other measures such as appointing an ambassador dedicated to the topic and/or designing the foreign policy strategy in the technological domain. 

The UNIDIR Cyber Policy Portal presents the scenario of the countries’ cyber defense public policies.[2] Brazil can take advantage of these lessons. Diplomacy capacity-building in the cyber domain and new technologies is essential in the geopolitical, geoeconomic, geocultural, and geodefense context. The global competitiveness scenario requires Brazil to adopt a new foreign policy committed to technological and cybernetic issues. New technologies have a significant influence on governments, markets, and society. There are several issues on the international agenda that Brazil needs to be engaged in and present its position on internet architecture, cyber security, intellectual property, data protection, digital connectivity, internet accessibility, technical standards for equipment, internet of things, artificial intelligence, 5G, 6G protection of critical national infrastructures, intelligence and disinformation operations on networks, espionage, among other relevant topics. This is why Brazil must have cyber and cultural diplomacy at its service.

Itamaraty has much to contribute to advancing diplomatic services in the face of new technologies. Several international organizations must address technological issues: United Nations, International Telecommunications Organization, ICANN, International Electrotechnical Commission, and ISO, among others. Brazil’s participation in international organizations to debate technological and technical issues is essential for its technological, economic, social, and cultural development.

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Ericson Scorsim. Lawyer and Consultant in Regulatory Communications Law. Ph.D. in Law from the University of São Paulo (USP). Author of the book 5G Communications Geopolitical Game: United States, China, and the Impact on Brazil, Amazon, 2020. Author of the book Geopolitics of Communications, Amazon, 2021.

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[1] Disrupters and defenders. What the Ukraine War has taught us about the power of global tech companies. Tony Blair Institute.

[2] Erzse, Akos and Garson, Melanie. A Leader’s guide to building a tech forward foreing policy. Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, march 25, 2022.

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