Rich countries have shown impressive unity in helping Ukraine counter the Russian invasion. They now need to demonstrate the same level of
Theme of the Week
Europe’s Gas Conundrum
If Europe is willing to pay the price of expensive LNG imports, it could severely undermine Russia’s ability to earn hard currency via gas
Will Western Sanctions Change the Global Financial System?
Western countries’ increased use of financial sanctions as a weapon of war has created a new incentive for China and other countries
The Growing Threat of Global Recession
With luck, the risk of a synchronized global downturn will recede by late 2022. But for the moment, the odds of recession in Europe, the United
The Ant and the Grasshopper
President Biden’s recent large-scale use of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is being driven by politics, not economics.
South Africa’s Time to Choose
What explains South Africa’s clearly sympathetic stance towards Russia?
Blundering into a nuclear war in Ukraine: a hypothetical scenario
NTI experts believe that the most likely use of nuclear weapons in any scenario would be unintentional—that humanity would blunder into
How to Use Economic Sanctions Wisely
Given the horrors of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the public’s support for sanctions has been strong. But, before tightening
These Russia Sanctions Are Different
The multilateral sanctions imposed on Russia since the invasion of Ukraine will severely reduce Russians’ standard of living and their
The Anatomy of the Net-Zero Transition
Reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 – and thus limiting the rise in global temperatures to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels – implies
Windows into Putin’s Soul
Look upon these works, ye mighty, and despair.
Ukraine: Implications for Investors
The invasion of Ukraine has near and long-term consequences for investors. It is not as simple as ‘buy the dip’.
The Invisible Students
Our educational system is failing immigrant students, eroding the promise of our future.
Banks and the Green Leap Forward
By imposing stricter capital requirements on fossil-fuel lending, governments and banking regulators can help to redirect a huge flow of funds
Guns and Shots
Pandemic control and gun control offer important, and overlapping, lessons.
A Bad Year for Markets?
Market fundamentals are shifting from tailwinds to headwinds. Investors ought to prepare for more volatile conditions.
Crime in Suites and Suits
The dramatic securities fraud trial of Elizabeth Holmes is front and center in the news. Yet, it is just another episode in the long history
Why the Fed Must Tighten
The Fed at risk of losing their credibility as guarantors of price stability unless they now respond to inflation.
Does Japan Vindicate Modern Monetary Theory?
For decades, the Japanese government has amassed more and more debt without triggering higher borrowing costs or inflation. But there is no
GDP’s Days Are Numbered
Economists have long know that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a poor representation of society’s well-being. Promising alternatives are
Hacking the Tragedy of the Commons
Success in achieving net-zero emissions requires broad buy-in from the entire private sector, not just publicly listed companies. Fortunately,
Digital Finance Without Cryptocurrencies
Digital payments and financial transactions hold the promise of greater convenience, stronger competition, and increased savings to society.
The Case Against Green Central Banking
Addressing climate change is vital. But so too is sound central banking. Keeping those tasks separate is best.
Star Trek and Climate Change
We must address climate change with urgency, but also with political realism so we don’t otherwise lose the battle before we get effectively