Nancy Birdsall

Renewable Energy and National Security The wind and the sun don’t need to transit the Strait of Hormuz

A favorite economist of mine sounding like a favorite climate activist @billmckibben.bsky.social paulkrugman.substack.com/p/renewable-...

Meeting the Moment with Timothy Snyder · NOPE Neighbors Join us for NOPE Neighbors’ 2026 kick-off meeting featuring Timothy Snyder, who will share his insight on our current political situation and saving our democracy. Co-hosting groups to date include: A...

I'm attending NOPE Neighbors's event, “Meeting the Moment with Timothy Snyder” - sign up now to join me! www.mobilize.us/nope/event/8...

Jim O’Niell, chair of the CGD and MSA NeoTest working group, discusses the benefits of advanced market commitments.

Learn more about how an AMC will help NeoTest curb neonatal sepsis, save newborn lives, and fight antimicrobial resistance:
https://go.cgdev.org/4ctFkwk

Trump’s ‘quasi-dove’ era is over. Iran strikes expose his hawkish turn Deploying the world’s most powerful military seems to exert an almost erotic fascination for Donald Trump

Summary of our dilemma: "Trump is less Board of Peace than bored of peace" (and wants to distract us from Epstein files) www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026.... What's next?

uhhh.. I see only one woman in this picture....Bodes badly...

The President has launched our nation and our great military into a war of choice, risking American lives and resources, ignoring American law, and endangering our allies and partners. It does nothing to help with the urgent problems here at home that Americans face every day.

Global Skill Partnerships -- grounded in and born of @mclem.org research -- is Nobel prize winning material.

Do not miss Springsteen (& the others -- but Springsteen - wow) on Minneapolis. Thank you @jenrubin.bsky.social

The World Bank Doesn’t Need to Generate More Knowledge. It Needs to Want It. At least since former World Bank President Jim Wolfensohn coined the phrase “knowledge bank,” there have been periodic efforts to strengthen evidence-based policymaking at the World Bank. They have fo...

What? ...no longer the case @worldbank1.bsky.social?:" Having an independent research group .. protected by strong quality control and publication norms ...would enhance credibility and impact." www.cgdev.org/blog/world-b... @cgdev.org @shantad.bsky.social @eeshani.bsky.social

Life after DREAMS: Kenya’s girls navigate HIV risk without US support The end of the PEPFAR-funded DREAMS program cut off HIV-prevention support for millions of girls across sub-Saharan Africa. In Kenya, health experts warn the consequences are already visible.

Akoth gave up her ambition to become a doctor -- just one of many sad stories: www.devex.com/news/life-af...

Where Are the Women? Gender and Technocracy among Economic Advisers in Latin America and the Caribbean We analyze data on senior economic advisers in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) from 1961 to 2020 and find a striking and persistent gender gap at the very top of economic decision-making across ...

I'm surprised and depressed. "...time alone won’t close that gap—it will require intentional efforts to rethink how economic leadership is identified and appointed." www.cgdev.org/blog/where-a... @eeshani.bsky.social

good if you're wondering about the merits or not of stablecoins: www.imf.org/en/publicati...

Ouch. $3 billion compared to $85 billion.

Michael Bloomberg tops up climate spending to beyond $3bn Billionaire behind eponymous financial data terminals becomes more influential in funding as others retreat

“Michael Bloomberg doesn’t let himself be bullied.” Bravo to Bloomberg on climate financing: www.ft.com/content/69d6...

I’ve been thinking about this song a lot lately.

"We know you know we're lying." Why we're scared of our own govt in USA. From @hcrichardson.bsky.social post today.

Was This a Murder Too Far? The execution of Alex Pretti has made even some MAGA loyalists waver

Krugman's coda asks: Will the ICE killings in Minneapolis be, as with the Kent State 1970 killings of Vietnam War protesters, when enough Americans say "enough" of ICE/Trump impunity?
open.substack.com/pub/paulkrug...

"We know you know we're lying." Heather Cox Richardson today --"It's time for elected Republicans to say something".

So, You Want to Run for President? What 2028 aspirants should consider before running

What the Democrats should do, starting now: contrarian.substack.com/p/so-you-wan.... (Who will fund the Dem equivalent of Heritage F 2025?)

World Bank's record profits could help fund IDA. Yes IDA a priority. But 🙏 some portion to to Livable Planet Fund -- to protect the poor everywhere from ravages of climate change. www.cgdev.org/blog/world-b.... Thanks Clemence @cgdev.org

Tracking the Economic Impact of the Trump Tariffs The Trump tariffs are the largest US tax increase as a percent of GDP since 1993 and amount to an average tax increase per US household of $1,500 in 2026.

US tariffs are taxes on Americans.

The Trump tariffs amount to an average tax increase per US household of $1,500 in 2026.

They are the largest US tax increase as a percent of GDP since 1993.

Impact tracker by @taxfoundation.bsky.social —>

Barreling Blindly Ahead: The Seizure of Venezuela’s Oil The notion that the US can restore “prosperity, safety and security” to Venezuela through threats and coercion directed at its government as well as reluctant US oil executives is the height of folly....

"...a breathtaking level of naivete and hubris..." Excellent write-up on the Trump approach to Venezuela/oil: www.cgdev.org/blog/barreli... @cgdev.org

ICE’s Reign of Terror and Violence Must End Voters can bring ICE to heel

contrarian.substack.com/p/ices-reign... Democrats in Congress, with a funding deadline approaching, should take note of the massive turnout at anti-ICE events over the weekend, reflecting the level of rage that is bubbling up in both blue and red states.

What Americans lost in the dismantling of USAID Many Americans do not realize how profoundly the loss of USAID will affect us here at home.

What Americans have lost with end of USAID -- more than you think -- by former Rep and Dem heads: thehill.com/opinion/inte... (End of DHS a blow to development economists) @cgdev.org @charlesjkenny.bsky.social @eeshani.bsky.social @ecollinson.bsky.social @ifpri.org

Phillips O'Brien on Venezuela and More YouTube video by Paul Krugman

"Corina Machado, someone who could represent a regime change in VEnezuela is being stonewalled by Trump out of pique." With @pkrugman.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=29tv...

An entire social science paper, synthesized from nothing in one hour.

I see academic researchers very excited about this.

It seems to me catastrophic. “Flooding the zone“ will break our strained systems to distinguish between good and bad research.

I hope you’ll explain why I’m wrong. (Really)

Rapid Response Call: ICE Killing and Lawlessness in Minneapolis · Third Act Initiative, Inc. Join us Thursday, January 8th, at 8:00 pm ET / 5:00 pm PT to discuss the killing by ICE in Minneapolis and their lawlessness and harm in communities across the country. We will talk with local and n...

I'm attending Indivisible's event, “Rapid Response Call: ICE Killing and Lawlessness in Minneapolis” - sign up now to join me! www.mobilize.us/thirdact/eve...

The Brazen Cruelty of the Trump Regime Its plan to warehouse immigrants has shades of Nazi concentration camps and America's shameful imprisonment of Japanese Americans during World War II.

When the history of this cruel era is written, the shame should be no less than the shame we now feel about the roundups and detention of Japanese Americans in World War II.The Brazen Cruelty of the Trump Regime
open.substack.com/pub/robertre...

"There is little doubt many people have died." The authors are careful and convincing: 1 to 1.5 million people, mostly in Africa in 2025. My heart goes out to mothers who lost DOGE babies.

@justsand.bsky.social concludes: Development finance (eg World Bank IFC) for poor countries should go to making STUFF(as in manufacturing) for EXPORT) not to banks. (As in East Asia Miracle -- exporters got publicly funded credit subsidies.)