Chatham House

This week, Ben is joined by Claudia Sadoff, Managing Director for Research Delivery and Impact, to discuss the relationship between food systems, climate change and security. Claudia was speaking ahead of the launch of a new campaign from CGIAR and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Transforming Agricultural Innovation for Climate, Nature and People calls for half of public investments in agricultural innovation to focus on innovations that provide new solutions across the entire spectrum of our food and agricultural industries to support the UN Global Goals that related to food, climate and the environment. Then Mariana Vieira speaks to David Veveers, a historian at Queen Mary, University of London, about his recent article on the mis-remembering of British imperial history. They discuss how empire has shaped modern British society, and the troubling signs that the UK government may attempt to define the 'right' interpretation of the nation's history.  Find out more: Read The World Today article: Credits: Speakers: Claudia Sadoff, David Veveers Hosts: Ben Horton, Mariana Vieira Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

This week Undercurrents is collaborating with the Asia Matters podcast to bring you two episodes on recent events in Southeast Asia.  In this episode, Dr Champa Patel, Director of the Asia-Pacific programme at Chatham House, and Tin Htar Swe, the BBC’s former Burmese editor, provide their reaction to the ongoing coup in Myanmar. This episode was first published on 8 February 2021, and events on the ground since may have developed beyond those mentioned in this conversation.  Read the Expert Comment: Credits: Speakers: Champa Patel, Tin Htar Swe Host: Andrew Peaple Introduction: Ben Horton Recorded and produced by the Asia Matters podcast.

More than five years have passed since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, and there are only nine months to go until COP26. To kick off its second season the Climate Briefing podcast focuses on how climate change politics have shifted since COP21 in Paris, and explores the roles of the three largest emitters – China, the United States and the EU – in global climate action. The episode also provides a timely recap of the main aims of COP26. To discuss these themes, Anna and Ben are joined by Camilla Born (Deputy Director of Strategy for COP26 in the UK Cabinet Office) and Antony Froggatt (Deputy Director of the Energy, Environment and Resources Programme at Chatham House). Credits: Speakers: Camilla Born, Antony Froggatt Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Original Music: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

As countries across the world begin to roll out vaccine programmes to counter the COVID-19 pandemic, questions are emerging over how to ensure that competition for supply does not derail the global response. In this week's Undercurrents, Amrit Swali speaks to about the looming threat of vaccine nationalism and what can be done to realize more equitable distribution.  Next, Ben learns about the legal regimes that govern how militaries behave in the 'greyzone' between war and peace, with . They cover how militaries respond to threats such as cyber and economic warfare, and how the national security establishment can adapt to an evolving battlespace.  Read the Expert Comment:  Read the Expert Comment: Watch the Chatham House Event: Credits: Speakers: Juliet Skingsley, Rob Yates Hosts: Ben Horton, Amrit Swali Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House 

As African states find themselves in the midst of severe economic difficulty exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Yusuf speaks to on the topic of debt on the continent, African risk perception and how the current system must be transformed to ensure it delivers for Africa.   Read the Chatham House Expert Comment:   Credits: Speakers: Tighisti Amare, Alex Vines, Carlos Lopes Host: Yusuf Hassan Editor: Jamie Reed Producer: Ben Horton Recorded and produced by Chatham House

Undercurrents returns for its first episode of 2021 with an extended interview on the future of UK foreign policy. The United Kingdom is emerging from four long years of intense debate abouts its relationship with the European Union. While the effects of Brexit are still to be felt, questions now confront policymakers about how the UK should position itself in an increasingly complex global landscape.  In this episode Ben is joined by Chatham House Director Dr Robin Niblett to discuss his new report, Global Britain, Global Broker, which proposes a new approach to understanding Britain's international role.  Read the Chatham House report: Credits: Speaker: Dr Robin Niblett Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

In the final episode of Undercurrents in 2020, Ben is joined by Yusuf Hassan from the Africa Programme for a preview of a new podcast series launching in January 2021.  2020 was anticipated to be a year of landmark elections across Africa in numerous countries at critical junctures in their transitions to electoral democracy. of the National Democratic Institute speaks to Yusuf about efforts to democratize Africa, democratic backsliding and the role of the civil society in bolstering democratic institutions. Dr Christopher also discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on democracy in Africa, and how the multifaceted challenges it poses must be addressed over the coming years.   After the interview, Africa Programme colleagues Elizabeth Donnelly, Christopher Vandome and Ahmed Soliman consider the key challenges and events affecting Africa in 2021.  Credits: Hosts: Ben Horton, Yusuf Hassan Speakers: Christopher Fomunyoh, Elizabeth Donnelly, Ahmed Soliman, Christopher Vandome  Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House.

Undercurrents is back with two new interviews! This week, as President-elect Joe Biden’s transition to the White House gathers pace, Ben speaks to academic and author Claire Yorke about the role that empathy played in the 2020 election campaign. They talk about empathy as a dynamic in campaigns, but also as a tool for governing, and take a look at examples elsewhere in the world of political empathy in action. Then Ben is joined by Pepijn Bergsen from the Europe Programme at Chatham House. They discuss the current trajectory of EU-China relations, particularly in the economic sphere, and consider how COVID-19 and US trade wars have impacted this complex geopolitical situation. Read The World Today article: Read the Expert Comment: Credits: Speakers: Pepijn Bergsen, Claire Yorke Host: Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

In the latest episode of the Climate Briefing, the team explore the concept of carbon pricing, a set of mechanisms which incentivise businesses and consumers to reduce their carbon emissions. Could these tactics play a big role in increasing national climate ambitions at COP26? To find out, Ben speaks to from Vivid Economics before Anna is joined by from the Perspectives Climate Group. They discuss the various policy tools that fall under the umbrella of carbon pricing and how these figure in the UN climate negotiations, particularly within the hotly contested discussions around Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.  Credits: Speakers: Stuart Evans, Aglaga Espelage Hosts: Anna Aberg, Ben Horton Editor: Jamie Reed Recorded and produced by Chatham House

Undercurrents returns with two new interviews! Since highly contentious elections in 2019, citizens across Thailand have engaged in largescale protests to call for constitutional reform. Ben speaks to about what the mass movement has demanded, and how the Thai government is responding so far. Then Ben is joined by to discuss how Bhutan started a global debate on gross national happiness. They discuss how Bhutan has influenced the sustainable development agenda at the United Nations and beyond, and consider what this means for small states more broadly.  Read the International Affairs article: