The UN's blueprint for making the world a better place is on life support. The pandemic wiped out years of progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and right now there's no way they'll be met by 2030. On the GZERO World podcast, Ian speaks with UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the United Nations headquarters just ahead of this year’s General Assembly. Their one-on-one conversation ranges from rescuing the SDGs, the war in Ukraine to global food insecurity, climate change, and authoritarianism on the rise; but Guterres sees signs of hope amid these converging crises. Guterres is known for bluntly stating the dangers we’re facing—and the need for immediate action. Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published.

The Biden administration has pushed through the single largest climate spending package in US history. US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm joins Ian Bremmer on GZERO World to discuss how the new law could help the United States and the world respond to climate change. The Inflation Reduction Act is Biden's biggest legislative win since the American Rescue Act early in his term in office. It is intended to fight climate change by slashing carbon emissions from power generation and transport. According to Granholm, it will help by giving Americans incentives to use renewable energy in their cars and homes. And that, in turn, will lower the cost of energy prices at home. She also shares her perspective on Europe's current energy woes and hopes for an opening on climate cooperation with China. Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published.

The anniversary of the end of America’s war in Afghanistan is a reminder of what many see as a staggering US defeat. It was also a victory for a long-time US adversary, the Taliban, who remain in control as the country faces a humanitarian crisis and a crumbling economy. Their brutal rule has also led to worsening conditions for women and girls in the country. Ian Bremmer speaks to former Marine and author Elliot Ackerman on the GZERO World podcast about his view of the war and his new book “The Fifth Act: America's End in Afghanistan.”   Ackerman believes the US military could have done a much better job at leaving the country, without leaving so many Afghans allies behind. The war, he explained, had come to define our military thinking and intelligence capability because the US was involved there for such a long time. And that long involvement clouded American judgment as it left. He also shares his thoughts on leaving no man behind honor code and whether an all-volunteer military is what America needs amid deeply dysfunctional domestic politics. Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published.

en Easterly is optimistic about the state of America’s cyber defenses, she tells Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World podcast. As director of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, she is tasked with defending the country from all cyber threats, foreign and domestic, at a time when the stakes are very high. The next decade will be a turning point in the global cyber arms race. From Russian-backed ransomware attacks against America’s largest oil pipeline to the phone scammer who won’t leave you alone during dinner, we’re living in a brave new world.   While Russia is the more urgent cyber threat, says Easterly, China could do more damage in the long term. As for non-state actors like ISIS carrying out major cyberattacks, there is "low probability, but high impact.” The bigger problem, she adds, may be nations that use cyber to do somewhat lawful things like collecting intelligence, but then use such practices for nefarious purposes. The US government has finally gotten serious about protecting itself from cyberattacks, but still needs cooperation from the private sector to drive down risk to the nation, Easterly explains, noting that the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act will now require whoever operates critical infrastructure to report attacks coming from state and non-state actors. Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published.

“China's ability to grow in unprecedented fashion came because they had really cheap labor, and wealthy countries around the world were very happy to take advantage of that labor. Those two things are no longer true,” said Ian Bremmer, president of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media. From the state of the great technological decoupling to China's zero-COVID policy, the relationship between the US and China remains both critically important and deeply fraught. In this episode of “Living Beyond Borders,” a special podcast produced in partnership between GZERO and Citi Private Bank, we’re assessing where the two nations stand today, and what some recent developments like a Chinese banking crisis, knock on effects of Russia's war in Ukraine, and a renewed debate over tariffs mean for the world and for your money. This episode, moderated by Shari Friedman, Eurasia Group’s Managing Director of Climate and Sustainability, features Ian Bremmer in conversation with David Bailin, Chief Investment Officer and Global Head of Investments at Citi Global Wealth. Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published.

Did US inflation come from supply, or did it come from demand? On the GZERO World podcast, Ian Bremmer speaks with economist and University of Chicago professor Austan Goolsbee about the causes of the current high levels of inflation in the US and around the world. If inflation is being driven by too much stimulus, as economists like Larry Summers believe, Goolsbee believes the Federal Reserve is doing the right thing by raising interest rates to cool demand. But if inflation is mostly due to the war in Ukraine or supply chain disruptions, rate hikes might result in stagflation.   Goolsbee, who served as an adviser under President Obama, also shares his thoughts on why some economic trends from the last two years - like making more products domestically and remote work - may be short-lived "pandemic blips," whether the Biden administration gave out too much stimulus for the recovery, and why Americans feel glum about the economy - yet still have cash in their pockets. Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published.

Frances Haugen blew the whistle against Facebook because she believed her employer wasn't doing enough to stop its outrage-driven algorithm from spreading online misinformation and hate, which led to offline violence. Haugen speaks with Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World podcast about the major role that social media companies play in politics in the US and around the world, and the life-or-death consequences that can come from their actions. She believes governments need to rethink how they regulate social media, as the EU is trying to do with a new law mandating data transparency.   Haugen still believes social media companies can change for the better, but the gap between fast-changing tech and slow-moving governments will continue to widen. To narrow it, we'll need more whistleblowers — and better laws to protect them.   Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published.

“Women make about 75% of all household consumption decisions, and control close to 100 trillion in wealth,” says Ida Liu, Global Head of Citi Private Bank. "Women can no longer be ignored." On the latest episode of Living Beyond Borders, we look at the impact women have in 2022 on the U.S. and global economy. After some progress in the number of women in leadership positions and running businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic saw a setback for millions of women, especially those responsible for childcare. We'll look at how they are faring, and the gains women around the globe stand to obtain in the coming years.  This episode is moderated by Tracy Moran, managing editor of GZERO's daily newsletter Signal; and features Ida Liu, Global Head of Citi Private Bank, and Isadora Seixas, Global Macro-Geostrategy Analyst at Eurasia Group. Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published.

US President Joe Biden didn't get much out of his recent controversial trip to Saudi Arabia, says Princeton University Bernard Haykel, who frames it as a "big win" for the Saudis and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman himself. On the GZERO World podcast, Ian Bremmer speaks with Haykel, an expert on all things Saudi and an MBS confidante. He explains how MBS consolidated power over the kingdom and its strategic value to the US in the Middle East. They also discuss MBS's strategy to modernize his country, the prospects for future warmer ties with Israel, and why the crown prince will avoid situations like the Khashoggi murder in the future.   The Saudis "were able to show that they have tremendous convening power" by bringing in all the Gulf leaders, thus demonstrating that Riyadh is the most important player in the region, offering political stability. The Saudi crown prince now looks less like a pariah and more like a partner of the US. Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published.

Japan is reeling from the shocking assassination of Shinzo Abe, Japan's former and longest-serving prime minister. On the GZERO World podcast, Ian Bremmer speaks to longtime Abe adviser Tomohiko Taniguchi, who discusses the impact of Abe's legacy on the country and the broader region. Will Abe's unfulfilled dream of amending Japan's postwar pacifist constitution now be realized?   On a personal level, Taniguchi also shares how he felt when he found out his close friend had died, and how Abe's untimely death might ultimately change Japan. He also weighs in on whether current PM Fumio Kishida can pick up where his old boss left off.   Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published.