In The News

Caixin: As Global Power Shifts, US Must Win Beijing’s Cooperation

David M. Lampton December 14, 2017
Global institutions and alliances supported by the United States since 1945 have added to economic growth, lifting emerging economies and deterring conflicts, explains David M. Lampton for Caixin of Johns Hopkins University. He urges three priorities: addressing the North Korea nuclear program, trade reciprocity and economic balance of power in Asia. The United States should not ignore the One...

The New York Times: When Climate Change Becomes a Credit Problem

Jeff Nesbit December 13, 2017
This year has shown that disasters linked with climate change carry enormous economic costs, and communities that ignore the risks of climate change can expect increased upfront borrowing costs. “In a welcome but long overdue development, one of the world’s leading credit-rating agencies, Moody’s Investors Service, announced recently that it would give more weight to climate change risks in...

AL.com: Listen Up, America, Alabama Has Spoken

December 13, 2017
US elections have big implications for the rest of the world, and all eyes were on the special election in Alabama for a single US Senate seat. Turnout was heavy and voters elected Democrat Doug Jones over the Republican candidate who expressed opposition to immigration and rejected scientific consensus around climate change. Roy Moore also supported increased military spending and described...

The Economist: America’s Neglect and Confusion Aggravate Problems in the Arab World

December 13, 2017
In his brief tenure as US President, Donald Trump’s foreign policy with regard to the Middle East has been muddled at best and disastrous at worst. The current administration’s support for Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and his son Crown Prince Mohammad has White House advisors like Jared Kushner anticipating that liberalized economic, social and religious reforms are emerging in the Gulf state and...

Politico: Macron’s Moment to Make the Planet Great Again

Sara Stefanini and Nicholas Vincour December 12, 2017
France’s President Emmanuel Macron is emerging as a global leader on climate change, spaking out and rallying on research and policies. An article in Politico describes him as the “world’s liberal foil to Donald Trump,” after the United States withdrew from the Paris climate agreement. The One Planet Summit in Paris marks the second anniversary and drew government leaders, philanthropists and...

China Dialogue: Processed Food Is a Global Health Crisis

Judy Bankman December 12, 2017
Processed food and Western diets that are high in fats, sugars and salt are not healthy and also contribute to poor agriculture methods and climate change. Farming methods could reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help stem climate change, according to an agreement made during the UN COP23 summit on climate change in Bonn. “Dietary changes are taking place at ‘unprecedented speed,’ and people in...

The Statesman: The Cryptocurrency Conundrum

Vasu Garg December 11, 2017
Investors are contributing to Bitcoin’s rapid rise. Bitcoin and Ethereum are among 900 digital currencies based on algorithms issued by private creators rather than governments. Such currencies and their software offer blockchain capabilities. “The safety, integrity and balance of ledgers within cryptocurrency systems is maintained by a community of parties referred to as miners,” Vasu Garg...