In The News

What Role for Global Governance?

Kemal Derviş August 22, 2016
Increasing interdependence among countries, combined with the ability for individuals or businesses to relocate to countries with few regulations has led to calls for more global governance. Disparate rules, such as when nations balk at reducing reliance on coal, have cross-border implications. Global challenges require global coordination, notes Kemal Derviş, vice president of the Brookings...

Brexit Success Hinges on Global Goodwill

Simon Nixon August 17, 2016
British leaders’ cautious approach to Brexit demonstrates the challenges of withdrawing from tightly integrated trade. Analysts anticipate a cost of up to 6 percent of GDP, depending on whether the United Kingdom retains a relationship with the European Union or tries to trade on World Trade Organization terms. A new tariff schedule on WTO terms would require consensus of 160 members including...

Are We Feeling Collective Grief Over Climate Change?

Margaret Hetherman August 17, 2016
Extreme weather events lead news reports, and changing weather patterns disrupt business and community routines. “The deterioration of our planet – the only home we have ever known and an assurance we used to take for granted – is bound to elicit a wide range of emotions in different individuals,” explains Margaret Hetherman for Scientific American. She interviews forensic psychiatrist Lise Van...

World's Mind Made Up on US Presidential Race

Bruce Stokes August 16, 2016
Managing global security in a tightly interconnected world requires global cooperation. Challenges like the spread of nuclear weapons, climate change or terrorism left unchecked in one place quickly become problems for the rest of the world. Global citizens anticipate US leadership. “Without a vote in the US presidential election, foreigners look on the American electoral process with a mixture...

Internet or Splinternet?

Joseph S. Nye August 11, 2016
The internet connects nearly half the world’s people, though political censorship and cybercrime could reduce public trust, explains Joseph Nye for Project Syndicate. He urges common rules to avoid fragmentation, based on a report from the Global Commission on Internet Governance. The report urges that openly developed standards, good user habits to discourage hackers, system design centered...

Crowding Out the Locals: Are Weekend Trips Ruining Cities?

Dinah Deckstein and Alexander Kühn August 9, 2016
Many tourists try to squeeze as many possible experiences as possible into a few days, and quick weekend jaunts are common. Communities and businesses target visitors with sporting events and festivals; less savory are pub crawls and binge-drinking activities. “Tourists are conquerors who disguise themselves as friends, which often makes them difficult to deal with, no matter how much money they...

We’re in a Low-Growth World. How Did We Get Here?

Neil Irwin August 8, 2016
Economic growth increases wealth and improves living standards, driven by additional workers, work hours and technological advancements that increase productivity. But economic growth and income have slowed for the world’s most advanced economies, and the trends contribute to rising inequality and populist movements. Economists are trying to determine if supply or demand issues contribute to low...