Carnegie Council Video Podcast

As the impact of climate change becomes more apparent, some are considering the possibilities of geoengineering. This is defined as large-scale human intervention with the Earth in order to change the climate. It can take the form of methods mimicking nature such as planting trees at very large scales, but can also entail much more radical processes, like managing solar radiation. In the coming years, Carnegie Council will be exploring this issue through an initiative led by Janos Pasztor, advisor to the UN secretary-general on climate change. This initiative is neither necessarily for nor against geoengineering. Its objective is to advocate for the development of governance frameworks, as well as for expanded research on such techniques, including their environmental, social, and economic impacts. In this clip, Pasztor gives journalist Stephanie Sy a beginner's introduction to geoengineering and explains one of these astonishing techniques in detail.

The definition of geoengineering is "large-scale human intervention with the Earth in order to change the climate," says Janos Pasztor, and to manage the world's climate responsibly, we may have to consider deploying it someday. If we do, the most important issue will be governance: How do you decide how far to go? When do you start? When do you stop?

We're asking the wrong questions about artificial intelligence, says AI expert Jerry Kaplan. Machines are not going to take over the world. They don't have emotions or creativity. They are just able to process large amounts of data and draw logical conclusions. These new technologies will bring tremendous advances--along with new ethical and practical issues.

The election of Donald Trump was a shock to the American political system and, in its wake, many are deeply concerned about what his ascendancy will mean for the civil rights of minority groups. History Professor Juan Cole, an expert on the relationship between the Muslim world and the West, details how talk of a "Muslim ban" on the campaign trail could be turned into policy in the White House, ushering in a new era of Jim Crow-style laws in the United States.

What will Trump's victory mean for American Muslims? How have attitudes towards them changed over the years? (The answer may surprise you.) How does this moment compare to the "Red Scare" of WWI and after? And how can U.S. Muslims counter any hate that may arise? Don't miss this enlightening discussion.

Many liberals hope that Islam will follow the same trajectory as Christianity and the West: a reformation and eventually secularization. But we should beware of assuming that all societies will follow the same path, says Shadi Hamid. Indeed, he has come to the reluctant conclusion that Islam will be resistant to secularization for a long time to come.

Many liberals hope that Islam will follow the same trajectory as Christianity and the West: a reformation and eventually secularization. But we should beware of assuming that all societies will follow the same path, says Shadi Hamid. Indeed, he has come to the reluctant conclusion that Islam will be resistant to secularization for a long time to come.

Why is there no NATO for Asia? After World War II, why did the United States opt for bilateral relationships with countries like Japan and South Korea? As Georgetown's Victor Cha explains, this was a "powerplay" by the Americans to contend with a "dangerous" and complex East Asia. Does this arrangement still make sense today?

Why is there no NATO for Asia? After World War II, why did the United States opt for bilateral relationships with countries like Japan and South Korea? As Georgetown's Victor Cha explains, this was a "powerplay" by the Americans to contend with a "dangerous" and complex East Asia. Does this arrangement still make sense today?

Yale Law professor Akhil Reed Amar explains why the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election is so important—and it's not just because we have one very unusual candidate. It's because, he says, for the first time since 1864, "all four of the major branches of federal power are up for grabs. We are on a knife's edge."