All Things Policy

In this episode of "All Things Climate Policy," Rakshith explores the complexities of climate policy and its global impact with Dr Simon Evans from Carbon Brief. As we navigate through a potential shift in the U.S. political landscape, Dr. Evans elaborates on how a Donald Trump victory could significantly increase U.S. emissions by 2030 compared to Joe Biden's plans. We also explore the historical emissions and responsibilities of various countries in contributing to the climate crisis. Dr. Evans provides a detailed overview of the UK's ambitious net zero policies and targets, discussing the primary goals, timelines, and strategies for a sustainable transition. Amid recent policy shifts under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, including the delay in banning new petrol and diesel cars, Dr. Evans assesses whether these changes could alter the UK's emissions reduction targets. Furthermore, we discuss how policymakers can ensure a just transition for workers and communities affected by the shift from fossil fuels. Dr. Evans also highlights recent technological breakthroughs in clean energy and dispels common myths about electric vehicles, addressing concerns like battery safety and longevity.

India is the second largest mobile phone market in the world and produces 97% of it's mobile phone demand locally. However, the sector is increasingly dependent on the imported components to manufacture it domestically. Mariam Azeemuddin and Anisree Suresh analyse whether the push towards domestic manufacturing is the right step to reduce the growing trade deficit.

The year 2023 was globally the hottest on record. India was no different. Temperature spikes in 2024 are indeed worrying policymakers, but the common citizen is perhaps the worst affected. To understand what is happening in our cities, Dr Y Nithiyanandanam and Sachin Kalbag discuss the Urban Heat Island effect and its impact.

The United States has accused Russia of developing a space-based "nuclear device" capable of targeting other satellites. What could such a device be and why would states want such weapons? Ashwin Prasad and Aditya Ramanathan delve into the frightening rationales for waging nuclear warfare in our orbits.

South Korea's economic trajectory from a low-income, agriculture-based economy in the 1950s to a high-income, technology, and innovation leader is a testament to its remarkable transformation. What facilitated this transition? Were there any unintended consequences?  In this episode of All Things Policy, Anisree Suresh, Anupam Manur and Sarthak Pradhan discuss the insights that India can draw from South Korea's experience.

Listen to this episode of All Things Policy where Anushka Saxena and Sridhar Krishna question India's stance on digital trade and opposing the moratorium on tariffs on electronic transmission. They ask why a country which is a net exporter and the fourth largest exporter of digital services would seek to impose tariffs on digital trade.

India’s regional connectivity strategy has seemingly focused its efforts on maritime domains. A recent working paper by the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP) makes the case for greater inland connectivity, particularly between India's Northeast region and the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal sub-region, given the potential it holds for greater economic activity. Join Kripa Koshy and Riya Sinha, Associate Fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP) in this episode to unpack these considerations further.

In this episode of All Things Policy, Rohan Pai and Anisree Suresh discuss the various knee-jerk responses from educational institutions to prevent academic dishonesty in the ChatGPT era. Should bans be placed on the use of ChatGPT by students? Should schools and universities restructure assignment prompts to circumvent the capabilities of ChatGPT? Or, by contrast, should teachers use ChatGPT ethically as a tool for teaching? Listen to the episode to find out!

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited China in the last week of April in what many feel is a landmark step towards some kind of normalisation of relations between the two superpowers. But, was it really? Blinken's trip is the latest high-level contact between the two nations that have tempered the public acrimony that drove relations to historic lows in 2023. Sachin Kalbag discusses this tricky yet far-reaching issue with Manoj Kewalramani and Anushka Saxena.

Join Rohan Pai as he quizzes Satya Sahu on the way in which technology intersects with political parties' strategy within the broader context of elections in an information age. This is the first in a two part podcast series on Technology and Elections.