Carnegie Council Podcasts

Does a "national interest" articulated largely from a Washington, DC perspective connect with the "doorstep" interests and concerns of citizens across a large and diverse country? As we come to the end of several important cycles in world affairs—the close of the post-Cold War era and the beginning of the Fourth Industrial Revolution—Doorstep co-hosts Nick Gvosdev and Tatiana Serafin look at a new generation of Americans, who are working to redefine the goals and purpose of U.S. global engagement. What are the ripple effects of the simultaneous challenges related to the “polycrises” (environmental shifts, including extreme weather, food and water shortages, and pandemics)? As the U.S. undergoes demographic change, what sorts of shifts in U.S. foreign policy might we expect? This live episode of The Doorstep was recorded on September 28, 2023 at Metropolitan State University of Denver, with collaboration from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver. For more, please go to carnegiecouncil.org.

Young people need to learn more about solar radiation modification, and provide their inputs to governments, think tanks, and policymakers, says Brazilian climate activist Clara Botto, in this C2GTalk. “We need to have global conversations to address something that might have global impacts,” she adds. That is why she and her colleagues have launched SRM Youth Watch, a global platform aimed at informing and bringing new communities into the debate. Clara Botto has been engaged with sustainable development at a grassroots and international level, from arts to politics, for the past eight years. She is currently one of C2G’s Youth Climate Voices. For more, please go to C2G's website. During this interview at 17:22, Botto acknowledges that she says “micro hollow sphere glasses” instead of the correct term "hollow glass microspheres."

Cities around the world are facing numerous climate-related challenges such as rising sea levels, flooding, and extreme heat. These challenges place significant strain on local economies and disproportionately impact the most vulnerable residents. The severity of the situation is further compounded by population growth within cities, with the UN projecting that nearly 70 percent of all people will reside in urban areas by 2050. In order to support safe and sustainable urban environments, city leaders must urgently prioritize decarbonization and climate resiliency policies. However, there are complex ethical questions and tradeoffs that lawmakers must confront when planning for and implementing such policies. This in-depth panel discussion and Q&A looks at how to address urban-specific climate challenges in an ethical manner. What are the latest climate policy innovations for cities? What are some ethical approaches that balance the needs of current residents while ensuring sustainable urban environments for future generations? This event was hosted by Carnegie Council together with the NYC Mayor's Office for International Affairs and the NYC Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice on September 20, 2023, on the margins of Climate Week and the UN General Assembly. For more, please go to carnegiecouncil.org.

In this Ethical Article, Visiting Fellow Arta Moeini analyzes the ongoing "Great Transition" in international affairs. With the U.S.-led "rules-based" world order seemingly at its endpoint, how can Western nations adapt? To read this article, please go to carnegiecouncil.org. 

What does "foreign policy for the middle class" look like on the ground three years into President Biden's policy to integrate global and local concerns? Foreign Policy for America Foundation's Kristina Biyad joins Doorstep co-hosts Tatiana Serafin and Nikolas Gvosdev to discuss her new report "Intermestic Policy Initiative: Local Perspectives on U.S. Foreign Policy." Biyad spent two years traveling, visiting five cities across the U.S. to speak with a diverse array of community leaders about what issues keep them up at night and how their concerns resonate globally. Her key takeaway: Local participants are eager to partner in developing outcome-driven and locally informed foreign policy recommendations. How will this movement reshape the way foreign policy decisions get made in the future? For more, please go to carnegiecouncil.org. 

As world leaders gather in New Delhi for the G20 summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes India center stage. Jawaharlal Nehru University's Dr. Happymon Jacob joins Doorstep co-hosts Tatiana Serafin and Nikolas Gvosdev to assess what to expect from India's leadership on a vast array of global challenges from climate to green energy initiatives to the Ukraine-Russia war. With China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin missing from the table, will India take the lead in representing the voices of the Global South? What opportunities are there for India and the U.S. to jointly shift the geopolitical order? How can India leverage its economic and military strength to take the global spotlight? For more, please go to carnegiecouncil.org. 

In this thought-provoking episode of the Artificial Intelligence & Equality podcast, Carl Miller tackles the pressing question: Can we code power responsibly? And moreover, how do we define "power" in this context? Diving headfirst into the complex intersection of artificial intelligence and power dynamics, Miller, author of The Death of the Gods, warns against ascribing human-like understanding to AI systems and applications. He posits that power enables us to discern how lives are being shaped, identify the architects of change, and realize what has diminished in influence and importance over time. Reflecting on historical cycles of innovation and upheaval, Miller expresses cautious optimism, anticipating that humanity will navigate the complexities and harness these potent tools with sensible control. Tune in for a rich discussion that promises to fuel a deeper reflection on the evolving landscapes of power and technology. For more, please go to carnegiecouncil.org. 

It is essential for young people in the Global South to become more involved in international climate discussions, including around solar radiation modification, says Ghanaian climate activist Nii Noi Omaboe. His decision to screen a documentary about SRM at Accra sustainability week prompted many questions, both about the risks and insufficient governance, but also about opportunities for research. Omaboe is experienced in youth governance, human rights, and global sustainable development processes. He has organized and worked for nonprofit and international organizations like Amnesty International, Red Cross, and 350 Ghana. In 2019, Omaboe co-founded Sustainability Week Accra, the first local Sustainability Week in Africa, and he currently provides strategic support to Green Africa Youth Organisation’s Ghana team as well as supporting establishment of Youth Climate Councils in the Global South. He is also a program analyst at Impact Hub Accra. For more, please go to C2G's website.

In this Ethical Article, Visiting Fellow Zhanna L. Malekos Smith discusses U.S.-UK space and cyber policy and the ethics and sustainability concerns around "counterspace" weapons. What’s at stake if there’s a war in space? To read the article, please go to carnegiecouncil.org. 

Nuclear weapons today remain a very real existential threat to the future of humanity. Recent developments such as Putin’s posturing regarding use in Ukraine, combined with the stalling of international efforts to reduce nuclear stockpiles, force us to reconsider the ethics of nuclear weapons at this critical moment for global security. On August 9 —78 years to the day after the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki—Carnegie Council convened a virtual panel to reflect on and explore emerging ethical questions surrounding nuclear weapons, including the maintenance, potential use, and position as an instrument of deterrence and political power. The event builds upon a symposium collection on nuclear ethics published in the most recent issue of Ethics & International Affairs, the quarterly journal of Carnegie Council. For more, please go to carnegiecouncil.org.