Why It Matters

By Council on Foreign Relations

What's Why It Matters about?

Each episode of Why It Matters breaks down an issue that is shaping our world’s future. Join host Gabrielle Sierra as she speaks with the leaders and thinkers who are facing these questions head on. Fueled by the minds at the Council on Foreign Relations, Why It Matters brings some of the world’s most compelling stories home to you.

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Why It Matters episodes:

04.24.2024
Can Israel and Iran Step Back From the Brink? (Podcast Takeover)
A little over a week ago, Iran directly attacked Israel from its own territory for the first time in history. And while the United States and Israel shot down almost all of the missiles and drones, the attack remains unprecedented....
04.10.2024
Remembering the Rwandan Genocide
Thirty years ago, Rwanda’s government began a campaign to eradicate the country’s largest minority group. In just one hundred days in 1994, roving militias killed around eight hundred thousand people. Would-be killers were incited to violence by the radio, which...
04.02.2024
Local Leaders in the Global Economy
Many Americans are losing faith in the benefits of internationalism. But whether it’s wars in the Gaza Strip and Ukraine, worsening extreme weather as a result of climate change, or the trade-offs of globalization, events abroad are increasingly having a...
03.27.2024
UFOs: Close Encounters of the National Security Kind
Unidentified flying objects (UFOs) are real. And the truth about them is often hidden from the public, for reasons related to national security. That secrecy has fed conspiracy theories about the possibility of alien life on Earth, creating a stigma...
03.13.2024
2024: What’s the Worst That Could Happen?
Every January, CFR’s annual Preventive Priorities Survey analyzes the conflicts most likely to occur in the year ahead and measures their potential impact. For the first time, the survey predicts that this year/in 2024 the United States will contend not...
12.21.2023
The Year of AI and Elections
Billions of people will take to the polls next year, marking the world’s largest-ever electoral field. But this historic scale is not the only thing that will make 2024 unique. As new threats like deep fakes become cheaper and more...
12.06.2023
Will India Take America’s Side Against China? (Podcast Takeover)
The United States and India have a long and complex history. In recent years, the two democracies have grown closer, linked by their shared concern about the rise of China. But the relationship has also been marked by a number...
11.22.2023
Understanding the U.S. Role in the Israel-Hamas War
Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas are again at war. The most recent iteration of the conflict, which erupted after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, has stoked public debate throughout the world. In the United States, heated...
11.08.2023
A Turning Point for Global Trade
International trade has shaped the world for much of the past century. Countries benefited from the global flow of goods, and the world became richer and safer. At the same time, many Americans lost their jobs to cheaper overseas competitors....
10.25.2023
America’s Fentanyl Epidemic: The China Connection
Over the past few years, a new threat has emerged as a leading cause of death in the United States: fentanyl. Yet even as the drug wreaks havoc on Americans lives, preventing its flow into the United States is complicated,...
10.12.2023
The Case for Rebuilding Ukraine
Russia has caused unprecedented damage in Ukraine. And with no diplomatic end in sight to the conflict, many Ukrainians are wondering when, if ever, they will be able to go back to their homes. According to many experts, the answer...
09.28.2023
Could Climate Change Break Home Insurance?
For decades, U.S. homeowners have counted on property insurance to protect them from catastrophic loss if their homes are destroyed—and the U.S. economy has rested on the functionality of that model. But as this summer’s extreme weather broke records, private...
09.13.2023
Who Runs the World?... Not Women
Female representation in politics leads to numerous benefits, but the vast majority of the world’s most powerful politicians are men. Using the Council on Foreign Relations’ Women’s Power Index tool to track women’s leadership across the globe, this episode examines...
07.14.2023
Taiwan, China, and the Threat of War
A small island one hundred miles off the coast of China could be the flashpoint that determines the future of great-power competition. Experts increasingly warn that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be globally catastrophic, regardless of its success or...
06.21.2023
AI Meets World, Part Two
The rapid emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought lawmakers and industry leaders to the same conclusion: regulation is necessary to ensure the technology changes the world for the better. The similarities could end there, as governments and industry clash...
06.08.2023
AI Meets World, Part One
After decades of seeming like another sci-fi catchphrase, artificial intelligence (AI) is having its moment. Some experts predict that AI will usher in an era of boundless productivity and techno-utopia; others see a new realm of great-power competition and the...
05.25.2023
Down and Dirty: The Global Fertilizer Dilemma
Feeding the world's eight billion people has never been easy. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine shocked the market for fertilizer, that task has gotten even harder. The fertilizer crisis threatens to exacerbate food insecurity worldwide, especially in low-income countries...
05.11.2023
A New Nuclear Age
Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the possibility of nuclear war felt like a problem of days past. Now, as great-power competition heats up, the potential for nuclear conflict seems higher than at any point in decades. How did the...
04.26.2023
Army of Some: Recruiting Trouble for the All-Volunteer Force
All current U.S. military personnel have one thing in common: they volunteered. But falling recruitment has raised questions of national security, military readiness, and the health of U.S. society. Can the all-volunteer force handle a changing international security landscape? Featured Guests: Max...
04.12.2023
Silencing the Messenger: Global Threats to Press Freedom
Freedom of the press is under attack around the globe, but for journalists in Latin America in particular, reporting has become a matter of life and death. Populist leaders in the region have consolidated power and clamped down on press...
03.29.2023
What’s Cracking in the Arctic
As rising global temperatures thaw the ice at the North Pole of the planet, competition between nuclear-powered states threatens to heat up the Arctic Circle even further. An increasingly minable Arctic, which contains vast natural resources, has piqued the economic...
03.15.2023
2023: What’s the Worst That Could Happen?
The world is entering a new era of great-power competition. As U.S. policymakers look ahead, it pays to know what global threats to anticipate. Every January, the Council on Foreign Relations publishes a survey that analyzes the conflicts most likely...
12.21.2022
Another Year of Living Dangerously
In 2022, several major events reverberated around the world: a war in Europe, a global economic downturn, historic protests in Iran, the death of a queen. But these stories couldn’t cover everything that happened in our interconnected world. To find out...
12.07.2022
The Three Internets
For years, the world thought of the internet as a borderless zone that brought people from around the world together. But as governments pursue very different regulatory paths, the monolithic internet is breaking apart. Now, where there had been one,...
11.23.2022
A Troubled Cup for the Beautiful Game
The 2022 FIFA World Cup has kicked off in Qatar, and billions of fans worldwide are tuning in to the world’s most popular live event. And yet as in years past, the Qatar Cup is transpiring under the shadow of...
11.10.2022
Climate Adaptation: Rising Tides in Coastal Cities (Flashback Episode)
The world is already witnessing the effects of climate change. One inescapable and irreversible consequence is sea-level rise, which could destroy coastal cities. How will the world adapt to rising tides? Featured Guests: Alice C. Hill (David M. Rubenstein Senior Fellow for...
10.28.2022
The Cost of the U.S. Arms Trade
The global arms trade is big business and the United States accounts for more than 40 percent of the world’s weapons exports. Aside from the profit motivation, selling arms abroad can be an effective foreign policy tool, allowing the United...
10.12.2022
Update on Ukraine, With Richard Haass: How Will It End?
How does a war end? In this special episode, Why It Matters speaks with CFR President Richard Haass on the conflict in Ukraine. We ask if and how this war can come to a close and discuss what compromises might...
09.29.2022
The Saudi Exception
The U.S.-Saudi relationship is fraught with complications. Saudi Arabia has the largest oil reserves in the world, giving it influence over what Americans pay at the gas pump. At the same time, the kingdom’s human rights abuses are at odds...
09.15.2022
Trouble Brewing for Coffee
Beware, coffee lovers: climate change could disrupt your precious morning cup of joe. Coffee beans could lose half of their farmable land by 2050 as temperatures and weather patterns become more extreme and less predictable. This could lead to scarcer...
05.27.2022
Hip-Hop Diplomacy
Hip-hop is a phenomenon that has captured hearts around the world. Its musical form ranges from party anthems to critical social commentary. But the genre plays another role: it is an influential soft-power tool for the United States. Like its...
05.24.2022
The Power of the Pope
For the past two thousand years, the pope has been a major player in global affairs. He is frequently called upon to act as a peace broker, a mediator, an advocate, and an influencer; and with over 1.3 billion followers...
04.26.2022
Update on Ukraine, With Richard Haass
In this special episode, Why It Matters follows up with CFR President Richard Haass to hear his insights on the war in Ukraine. Featured Guests: Richard Haass (President, Council on Foreign Relations) For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/update-on-ukraine-with-richard-haass
04.14.2022
What in the World Is a Global Minimum Tax?
For years, large corporations have exploited international tax laws to pay less taxes. But last year, 137 countries backed a potential solution: a 15 percent corporate tax applied regardless of a company’s location. The reform could raise global tax revenues...
03.31.2022
Quantum Leap
How can the world create better medicines? More powerful solar cells? New batteries? The answers could come from a revolutionary research tool known as the quantum computer. It can seem like magic—harnessing the power of quantum physics to tackle the...
03.17.2022
Climate Adaptation: Rising Tides in Coastal Cities
The world is already witnessing the effects of climate change. One inescapable and irreversible consequence is sea-level rise, which could destroy coastal cities. How will the world adapt to rising tides? Featured Guests: Alice C. Hill (David M. Rubenstein Senior Fellow for...
03.03.2022
Perspective on Ukraine, With Richard Haass
In this special episode, Why It Matters sits down with CFR President Richard Haass to ask the basic questions about the war in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s frame of mind, and his threat to world order. Featured Guest: Richard Haass...
02.25.2022
CFR Resources for the Ukraine Crisis
As the conflict in Ukraine escalates, here are some resources from the Council on Foreign Relations to stay informed: Charles A. Kupchan, “Why Putin’s War With Ukraine Is a Miscalculation,” CFR.org, February 24, 2022 “TWNW Special: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine,” The World...
02.16.2022
Batteries Not Included
The world is moving toward electric vehicles and clean energy, but a green future doesn’t depend on wind turbines, solar panels, and Teslas alone. It will also require a vast supply of advanced batteries. As a result, global demand for...
01.26.2022
Season Five Trailer
Why It Matters is back for a fifth season, asking the important questions about the global issues, problems, and trends that will affect the future. What role does American music play in international relations? Will the global supply chain put...
12.20.2021
Teaser: Nine Questions for the World
The Why It Matters team is pleased to introduce a new CFR series, Nine Questions for the World. The world is changing, and its future is forming around high-stakes challenges such as climate change and shifting geopolitical power. In this limited series,...
11.12.2021
Hyperventilating Over Hypersonics
Last summer, China tested a hypersonic missile that traveled through orbit. The test shocked many observers and led to widespread concern about the potential for nuclear-armed missiles that can evade detection and defense systems. The technology is not as new...
10.29.2021
The Climate for Nuclear Energy
Nuclear energy is critical for decarbonization in the fight against climate change. But high-profile accidents, substantial costs, and concerns about waste management have kneecapped its expansion. As the climate crisis intensifies, the world is rethinking how to use nuclear energy...
10.15.2021
Mexico
Experts argue that Mexico affects daily life in the United States more than any other country. For years, U.S. and Mexican officials have attempted to tackle immigration, trade, and security challenges, and their success has depended on cooperation. With so...
09.30.2021
Sexual Assault in the U.S. Military
Female service members are more likely to be sexually assaulted by a fellow service member than shot by an enemy combatant at war. As the reports increase, the controversial military justice system remains intact. The current policy gives commanders authority...
09.16.2021
Podcast Takeover: Nuclear Security, From The President’s Inbox
Why It Matters is pleased to present an episode from its sister podcast, The President’s Inbox. Today, U.S. national security is dependent on international nuclear agreements. How does the world regulate nuclear weapons as countries continue to advance their arsenals? Featured...
09.02.2021
Spying 101
The glamour and thrill of espionage, brought to life on screen by characters such as James Bond, have long captivated imaginations. But this profession is deeply misunderstood, and it is always changing. Today, spycraft hangs in the balance as new...
08.19.2021
Perspective on Afghanistan, With Richard N. Haass
The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the Taliban’s swift takeover of the country, has prompted a moment of national debate about the war’s cost and legacy. Many are asking what went wrong and what the conflict accomplished. For insight, Why It...
08.04.2021
Hey, Remember the Olympics? (Flashback Episode)
Hosting the Olympics is a monumental undertaking that often leaves behind rusted stadiums and financial losses. So why do nations compete to do it? This episode examines the political history of the games, and the soft power that countries hope...
07.22.2021
Japan's Population Problem
The United States’ alliance with Japan is the centerpiece of U.S. security in Asia, but new demographic challenges from within Japan raise concerns about the future of the region. Featured Guests: Zach Cooper, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute (AEI) Motoko Rich, Tokyo Bureau...

What's Why It Matters about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Why It Matters episodes:

Can Israel and Iran Step Back From the Brink? (Podcast Takeover)

Remembering the Rwandan Genocide

Local Leaders in the Global Economy

UFOs: Close Encounters of the National Security Kind

2024: What’s the Worst That Could Happen?

The Year of AI and Elections

Will India Take America’s Side Against China? (Podcast Takeover)

Understanding the U.S. Role in the Israel-Hamas War

A Turning Point for Global Trade

America’s Fentanyl Epidemic: The China Connection

The Case for Rebuilding Ukraine

Could Climate Change Break Home Insurance?

Who Runs the World?... Not Women

Taiwan, China, and the Threat of War

AI Meets World, Part Two

AI Meets World, Part One

Down and Dirty: The Global Fertilizer Dilemma

A New Nuclear Age

Army of Some: Recruiting Trouble for the All-Volunteer Force

Silencing the Messenger: Global Threats to Press Freedom

What’s Cracking in the Arctic

2023: What’s the Worst That Could Happen?

Another Year of Living Dangerously

The Three Internets

A Troubled Cup for the Beautiful Game

Climate Adaptation: Rising Tides in Coastal Cities (Flashback Episode)

The Cost of the U.S. Arms Trade

Update on Ukraine, With Richard Haass: How Will It End?

The Saudi Exception

Trouble Brewing for Coffee

Hip-Hop Diplomacy

The Power of the Pope

Update on Ukraine, With Richard Haass

What in the World Is a Global Minimum Tax?

Quantum Leap

Climate Adaptation: Rising Tides in Coastal Cities

Perspective on Ukraine, With Richard Haass

CFR Resources for the Ukraine Crisis

Batteries Not Included

Season Five Trailer

Teaser: Nine Questions for the World

Hyperventilating Over Hypersonics

The Climate for Nuclear Energy

Mexico

Sexual Assault in the U.S. Military

Podcast Takeover: Nuclear Security, From The President’s Inbox

Spying 101

Perspective on Afghanistan, With Richard N. Haass

Hey, Remember the Olympics? (Flashback Episode)

Japan's Population Problem