Why GDP?
Gross domestic product is the most powerful metric in history. The US Commerce Department calls it “one of the great inventions of the twentieth century.” But its utility and persistence reflect political realities, not economic considerations. Most of us understand GDP as the measure of a…
Ebola’s Dangerous Cousins: Beware the Neglected Filoviruses
Military conventional wisdom, in addition to ACSH President (and former Army officer) Hank Campbell, likes to remind us, “Governments are always fighting the last war.” They have a good point. Fifteen years after 9/11, we still ban non-ticketed passengers from entering airport terminals. Ten ye…
The impact of monetary policy on risk, stability and financial crises
Since the financial crisis, there has been an active debate about whether and how monetary policy frameworks should incorporate risks to financial stability. The debate has moved beyond the pre-crisis focus on the ability of policymakers to identify asset bubbles and whether monetary policy can stop…
Disasters like Louisiana floods will worsen as planet warms, scientists warn
The historic and devastating floods in Louisiana are the latest in a series of heavy deluges that some climate scientists warn will become even more common as the world continues to warm. On Tuesday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) is set to classify the Louisian…
Microfinancing can build climate resilience
Vulnerable communities face the brunt of climate change — from rising sea levels and extreme weather events to prolonged severe droughts and flooding. According to the World Bank, without effective mitigation measures, climate change could push more than 100 million people into poverty by 2030. To h…
Will the skyscrapers outlast the pyramids?
The cracks first emerged in April. By 29 June 1995, a vast network of fissures spanned the entire fifth floor ceiling of one of Seoul’s busiest department stores. Hours later, loud bangs could be heard coming from the roof. The cracks widened. An emergency board meeting was called but the chairman f…
The Robots are Coming … for the Farms
Just minutes outside the city limits of Kyoto, Japan, the farmland begins. It’s lush, dotted with healthy paddy fields, halcyon against a mountain vista. Continue as far as Kameoka and you reach the place where the farmlands may end. Not because the horizon halts, but because a certain small factory…
Globalization and its New Discontents
Fifteen years ago, I wrote a little book, entitled Globalization and its Discontents,describing growing opposition in the developing world to globalizing reforms. It seemed a mystery: people in developing countries had been told that globalization would increase overall wellbeing. So why had so…
The UN Needs a Human Rights Champion as Its Next Secretary-General
On August 5, the United Nations will be one step closer to electing its next Secretary-General, holding its second straw poll to evaluate the candidates. In its review of the field of candidates, Security Council members must look for a candidate that is ready to be a global advocate for human…
ISIL is using the language barriers within its ranks to evolve jihad beyond Arabic
As everyone knows by now, ISIL has attracted new and seasoned jihadis from all over the world. But many of its 30,000 recruits (a typical estimate) don’t speak Arabic. So without a common language, how do they fight? This question has become particularly interesting in light of a fairly recent chang…