Latest Interviews
Showing 1–3 of 3 transcripts.
Clear all filters- The Economist20 min
How to make poor areas richer
Shaq, Andy Preston, Michael Weikert, Ava Miller, Jonathan, Hayley, Tom Standage
Discussions on widening regional inequality highlight the risks of centralized governance while contrasting failed de-industrialization with successful economic pivots in cities like Pittsburgh and Middlesbrough. Case studies illustrate that targeted investments in dynamic hubs, such as Germany's post-reunification spending and Tulsa's remote work incentives, can reduce unemployment and spur growth, yet persistent wage gaps and migration challenges remain. Policymakers ultimately face a strategic dilemma between revitalizing every declining area or concentrating resources on specific centers to prevent national economic collapse and mitigate the moral costs of inaction.
- The Economist13 min
Climate change: can money stop deforestation?
Andrew Mitchell, Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Tom Standage
Global deforestation continues to accelerate due to economic incentives that favor land clearance over conservation, as evidenced by the collapse of Costa Rica's forest coverage from 75% to 21% between 1940 and 1987. Costa Rica subsequently reversed this trend by implementing a Payments for Environmental Services (PES) scheme funded by fuel and water levies, which raised forest cover to over 50% while sustaining a 4.2% annual GDP growth. Despite these successes, the unregulated global carbon market and trillions in harmful agricultural subsidies remain major barriers, necessitating a fundamental economic shift that values standing forests higher than industrial profits to address the climate crisis.
- The Economist11 min
Should we be worried about technology?
Speaker highlights the cyclical historical pattern of technological optimism and backlash, noting that current "tech lash" sentiments mirror past shifts from Victorian Luddite protests to 1990s dot-com utopianism. The presentation argues that technology itself lacks inherent agency, asserting that societal outcomes depend on human application and that regulatory frameworks must evolve through real-time "sandbox approaches" to manage rapid innovation. To address modern challenges like the climate crisis, the speaker advocates for a measured strategy where further technological solutions, such as geoengineering and electric vehicles, are employed to solve problems created by previous innovations.