In The News

December 8, 2016
US voters and politicians worry about the loss of manufacturing and assembly jobs, which carry a wage premium over most service jobs. Yet numerous economists and other analysis express doubt that such jobs can quickly be restored in the United States. “The biggest reason Trump — or anyone else — can’t bring back jobs is because there is nowhere to bring them back from,” notes an article from...
Brenda Ekwurzel December 5, 2016
US President-elect Donald Trump campaigned to reduce debt and the size of US government and also dismissed concerns about climate change. Analysts anticipate he will eliminate NASA climate programs including the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment satellite, GRACE, and funding for university earth science research. Such programs are multi-functional and ultimately apply science for the...
Sonali Prasad, Jason Burke, Michael Slezak and Oliver Milman December 2, 2016
The United States claims to lead on climate change yet fossil fuels make up the bulk of the country’s energy consumption. The country also supports fossil-fuel use around the globe: “Through the US Export-Import Bank, Barack Obama’s administration has spent nearly $34bn supporting 70 fossil fuel projects around the world, work by Columbia Journalism School’s Energy and Environment Reporting...
Erika Solomon and Geoff Dyer December 2, 2016
The Financial Times reports that Turkey has arranged secret talks between Syrian rebels and Russia to stop the fighting in Aleppo. The rebel-held portion of Aleppo is surrounded, and occupants are desperate for food, water and other supplies. The US, which has “provided limited training and weaponry for the rebels but had been hesitant to give forceful backing,” was not included in the talks, the...
Stephen S. Roach December 1, 2016
Trade is the glue for globalization and without it other connections can subside. But US voters rejected a US leadership role in global trade deals and elected billionaire Donald Trump who has already signaled intent to have the United States to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership with 11 other nations. Analysts suggest that China could step into the US role, but “The baton of global...
Nayan Chanda November 28, 2016
US President-elect Donald Trump made big promises on trade and jobs that will be tough to keep without wrecking key industries along with the global economy. Essentially, he suggested that he could restore US manufacturing jobs by blocking new trade deals like the Tans-Pacific Partnership and walking back on old deals like the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement. The plan has problems. Such trade...
Nayan Chanda November 25, 2016
President-elect Donald Trump is inexperienced and after January 20 may come to understand that the many global challenges won’t be resolved with easy answers, quick fixes or policies light on detail. His comments during campaign rallies suggested that the United States would embrace isolationist policies – perhaps with the exception of Russia. “Yet, the contradictions in Trump’s campaign slogans...