Why It Matters

Latest Episodes:

Batteries Not Included Feb 16, 2022

Show notes

The world is moving toward electric vehicles and clean energy, but a green future doesn’t depend on wind turbines, solar panels, and Teslas alone. It will also require a vast supply of advanced batteries. As a result, global demand for lithium—an essential battery ingredient—is outpacing supply, with the gap expected to grow in the years to come.

Featured Guests:

Frank Fannon (Managing Director, Fannon Global Advisors)

Vijay Vaitheeswaran (Global Energy & Climate Innovation Editor, The Economist)

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/batteries-not-included

Season Five Trailer Jan 26, 2022

Show notes

Why It Matters is back for a fifth season, asking the important questions about the global issues, problems, and trends that will affect the future. What role does American music play in international relations? Will the global supply chain put the path to clean energy at risk? What the heck is quantum computing?

For more information on our first four seasons, be sure to visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/why-it-matters

Teaser: Nine Questions for the World Dec 20, 2021

Show notes

The Why It Matters team is pleased to introduce a new CFR series, Nine Questions for the World.

The world is changing, and its future is forming around high-stakes challenges such as climate change and shifting geopolitical power. In this limited series, Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass sits down with nine extraordinary thinkers to explore fundamental questions about the century to come.

To hear more, subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or where ever you get your audio.

For episodes and more information, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcast-series/nine-questions-world.

Hyperventilating Over Hypersonics Nov 12, 2021

Show notes

Last summer, China tested a hypersonic missile that traveled through orbit. The test shocked many observers and led to widespread concern about the potential for nuclear-armed missiles that can evade detection and defense systems. The technology is not as new as it might seem, but this latest test highlights an underlying threat that the world has been living with for decades.

Featured Guests:

Laura Grego (Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Adam Mount (Senior Fellow and Director, Federation of American Scientists)

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/hyperventilating-over-hypersonics

The Climate for Nuclear Energy Oct 29, 2021

Show notes

Nuclear energy is critical for decarbonization in the fight against climate change. But high-profile accidents, substantial costs, and concerns about waste management have kneecapped its expansion. As the climate crisis intensifies, the world is rethinking how to use nuclear energy to tackle ambitious climate targets.

Featured Guests:

Leslie Dewan (CEO, RadiantNano)

Shirley Ann Jackson (President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at: https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/the-climate-for-nuclear-energy

Mexico Oct 14, 2021

Show notes

Experts argue that Mexico affects daily life in the United States more than any other country. For years, U.S. and Mexican officials have attempted to tackle immigration, trade, and security challenges, and their success has depended on cooperation. With so much at stake, Why It Matters investigates the complex relationship and the factors that threaten it.

Featured Guests:

Shannon K. O’Neil (Vice President, Deputy Director of Studies, and Nelson and David Rockefeller Senior Fellow for Latin America Studies, Council on Foreign Relations)

Mariana Campero (Senior Associate, Non-resident, Americas Program, Center for Strategic & International Studies)

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/mexico

Sexual Assault in the U.S. Military Sep 30, 2021

Show notes

Female service members are more likely to be sexually assaulted by a fellow service member than shot by an enemy combatant at war. As the reports increase, the controversial military justice system remains intact. The current policy gives commanders authority over the prosecution, often allowing perpetrators to evade accountability. The consequences are dire for survivors and the armed services at large, as the status quo undermines military readiness.

Featured Guests:

Don Christenson (Colonel, U.S. Air Force, Ret., President, Protect Our Defenders)

Meghann Myers (Pentagon Bureau Chief, Military Times)

Heather Sexton (Captain, Missouri Army National Guard, Ret.)

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/sexual-assault-in-the-us-military

Podcast Takeover: Nuclear Security, From The President’s Inbox Sep 16, 2021

Show notes

Why It Matters is pleased to present an episode from its sister podcast, The President’s Inbox. Today, U.S. national security is dependent on international nuclear agreements. How does the world regulate nuclear weapons as countries continue to advance their arsenals?

Featured Guests:

James M. Lindsey (Senior Vice President, Director of Studies, and Maurice R. Greenberg Chair, Council on Foreign Relations)

Rose Gottemoeller (Frank E. and Arthur W. Payne Distinguished Lecturer, Stanford University Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and Center for International Security and Cooperation)

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/podcast-takeover-nuclear-security-presidents-inbox

Spying 101 Sep 02, 2021

Show notes

The glamour and thrill of espionage, brought to life on screen by characters such as James Bond, have long captivated imaginations. But this profession is deeply misunderstood, and it is always changing. Today, spycraft hangs in the balance as new technologies emerge and societies change.

Featured Guests:

Edward Lucas (Senior Fellow, Center for European Policy Analysis)

Emily Harding (Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, International Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies)

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/spying-101

Perspective on Afghanistan, With Richard N. Haass Aug 19, 2021

Show notes

The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the Taliban’s swift takeover of the country, has prompted a moment of national debate about the war’s cost and legacy. Many are asking what went wrong and what the conflict accomplished.

For insight, Why It Matters turned to CFR President Richard N. Haass, who has spent four decades studying and advising on Afghanistan. As head of policy planning for the State Department under U.S. President George W. Bush, and later as U.S. coordinator for the future of Afghanistan, Haass was in the room when many of the earliest and most important decisions about the war were shaped. In this episode, he offers his critique of how the war unfolded and raises potential lessons the United States should consider as it turns its eyes to future challenges.

Featured Guest:

Richard N. Haass (CFR President)

For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/perspective-afghanistan-richard-n-haass