Content

Issue Brief

Jan 16, 2024

Navigating subsidy reform at the WTO

By Sona Muzikarova and Sophia Busch

The legitimacy of the World Trade Organization is in question. The United States and its allies, and leaders in the organization, can better wield its potential to address global issues, specifically to reduce inefficiencies from fragmentation caused by subsidies.

Economy & Business Fiscal and Structural Reform

Issue Brief

Jan 11, 2024

Russia’s growing dark fleet: Risks for the global maritime order

By Elisabeth Braw

Russia's dark fleet poses a significant threat to maritime security, forming the basis of Moscow's grayzone aggression against Western institutions.

Europe & Eurasia Maritime Security

Report

Jan 11, 2024

False promises: The authoritarian development models of China and Russia

By Joseph Lemoine, Dan Negrea, Patrick Quirk, Lauren Van Metre

Are authoritarian regimes more successful than free countries in offering prosperity to their people? The answer is decidedly no, yet China and Russia advertise the “benefits” and “promise” of their authoritarian development model. This paper showcases why and how the authoritarian development model is inferior to that of free societies.

China Democratic Transitions
Educational authorities bring forward the end of the school year for students due to high temperatures as a result of climate change, in Ciudad Juarez

Issue Brief

Jan 9, 2024

Climate change prioritization in low-income and developing countries

By Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou and Henry Evans

This policy brief examines the impact of climate change on education, health, and other development priorities for low-income and developing countries.

Africa Americas

Issue Brief

Dec 22, 2023

Navigating Sweden’s NATO membership: Insights for political and operational adaptation

By Viltaute Zarembaite, Christopher Skaluba, Ann Marie Dailey

Sweden is on the cusp of joining Finland as NATO's newest members, bridging a crucial gap in the region's security architecture and creating new opportunities for closer security cooperation. Once Sweden is in NATO, the Baltic Sea will be a geographically coherent strategic space—or, in more casual parlance, a "NATO lake."

Europe & Eurasia NATO

Report

Dec 22, 2023

How to hold the Islamic Republic of Iran accountable in European courts

By Gissou Nia, Celeste Kmiotek, Lisandra Novo, Alyssa T. Yamamoto

While there are no viable domestic routes toward accountability within Iran, national judicial systems in other states present an alternative path to justice. This report examines prospects for initiating prosecutions against IRI perpetrators in European jurisdictions.

Human Rights International Norms

Report

Dec 20, 2023

Evolving cooperative security approaches for tomorrow’s realities

By John T. Watts

US security cooperation, which are military aid activities led or executed by the US Department of Defense, is immensely valuable if done right and can help the United States achieve its goal from the 2022 National Security Strategy (NSS) by building a strong coalition of allies to confront shared challenges.

Defense Policy National Security

Issue Brief

Dec 20, 2023

Up for grabs? The Western Balkans’ aging energy systems place it between East and West

By Aleksandar Kovacevic

The Western Balkans' hydropower can help Europe's pursuit of energy security. Failure to act on this potential brings significant costs.

Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia

Report

Dec 20, 2023

The future of clean energy in the Americas

By Wazim Mowla, Diego Area

LAC countries are facing major challenges in their ability to develop renewable energy projects, expand low-emission energy systems, and fill existing technical and financing gaps that hinder regional energy security. A key takeaway to come out of the Summit Implementation Roundtable was that the US-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030 (PACC 2030) has the potential to advance clean energy goals in the Caribbean and become a blueprint to address similar challenges in Latin America.

Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment

Report

Dec 15, 2023

A security strategy for the Black Sea

By Atlantic Council Task Force on Black Sea Security

This report outlines the strategic setting, regional challenges and threats, key planning assumptions, risk and risk mitigation, and finally DIME (diplomatic, informational, military, and economic) based recommendations for enhancing security and stability in the Black Sea region.

Europe & Eurasia NATO