48 Results for:

August 15, 2023

United Nations
The Role of the UN Secretary-General

The United Nations’ top leadership position has broad authority to steer the organization’s agenda, but its impact has varied widely since 1946.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres is escorted by staff at a displaced persons camp in Somalia.

June 10, 2015

Fossil Fuels
Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking)

Hydraulic fracturing has unlocked huge reserves of shale gas and oil, transforming the energy outlook in the United States and the world, even as local opposition and falling world prices threaten th…

Shale gas fracking facility

July 11, 2012

Financial Markets
The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision

Controversies over too-big-to-fail financial institutions continue to mount. The Basel Accords represent the latest effort to ease risk and restore confidence, as this Backgrounder explains.

July 19, 2010

Defense and Security
U.S. Drone Activities in Pakistan

The reliance on unmanned drones to target terror suspects in Pakistan has been quietly lauded by U.S. officials. But the covert program, which has so far gotten little public scrutiny, is facing moun…

May 27, 2010

Global Governance
Fifteen Nuclear Agendas to Watch

The Review Conference of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty gets underway amid new concerns about Iran and North Korea and disputes between nuclear haves and have-nots. Fifteen countries will play a…