Science, Technology, and Public Policy

For months, evidence has accumulated that North Korea may be preparing its seventh nuclear explosive test. Continuous warnings by analysts and the media about this possibility are a sobering reminder that Pyongyang's continued pursuit of a larger nuclear arsenal remains a challenge for the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the nonproliferation regime. This continues to be the case even as the public and leaders around the world have largely shifted their attention to the nuclear dimensions of the war in Ukraine.

In October 1962, the United States and the Soviet Union squared off in what game theorist and Nobel laureate Thomas Schelling described as a nuclear game of “chicken” that threatened humanity’s survival. The Cuban Missile Crisis spurred six decades of efforts to limit the spread of nuclear weapons and inspired a generation of scientists to think critically about reducing atomic risks. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent nuclear threats during the war in Ukraine are an unambiguous reminder that such dangers have outlived the Cold War. A new wave of scientific research is urgently needed to understand conditions for making global nuclear disarmament desirable and feasible.

On October 3, 2022, John Holdren delivered the third annual Lecture on Engineering and Society at the Annual Meeting of the National Academy of Engineering in Washington, D.C.

This article analyzes potential courses of action that Russia and the United States could pursue, jointly or separately, to protect the Bering Strait Region from the adverse effects of growing shipping.

Current economic and political forces incentivize companies to skimp on security at the expense of both personal and national security. If we are to do better, we need to change the market incentives, says Bruce Schneier.

New forms of international cooperation and technology competition with China are the main drivers of public investment in energy innovation, though it remains insufficient to help meet climate goals.

New forms of international cooperation and technology competition with China are the main drivers of public investment in energy innovation, though it remains insufficient to help meet climate goals.

Permafrost thaw has significant implications for adaptation and mitigation policy worldwide. However, it remains almost entirely excluded from policy dialogues at the regional, national, and international levels. This paper discusses current gaps and recommendations for increasing the integration of permafrost science into policy, focusing on three core components: reducing scientific uncertainty; targeting scientific outputs to address climate policy needs; and co-developing just and equitable climate adaptation plans to respond to the hazards of permafrost thaw.

Mobilising private finance is critical for closing the global sustainable infrastructure investment gap, particularly in lower-middle income countries. Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) – large state-owned investment funds – can play a critical role in incentivising and unlocking private national as well as international finance to enable low-carbon infrastructure investment that is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As latecomers to the industrialization process, developing countries may face barriers to upgrading from the production of mass-produced goods to higher-value technologies. Using a comparative qualitative case study focusing on three renewable energy technologies, this paper develops a typology of catching-up opportunities in green energy industries and finds that policymakers should target certain technologies in their industrial strategies based on certain technology characteristics, and should seek opportunities to capitalize on a local niche that creates a need for innovation.