All Commentaries
‘Now Is the Time to Be Angry’: Afghanistan’s Progressive Past and Dark Present
A personal reflection on the ‘Big Men’ who’ve meddled in Afghanistan — and the women navigating the aftermath.
Sudan Is Backsliding Dangerously
Since the October 25 military takeover, violent repression has returned in full force. Can the international community support the rule of law?
If You Think Vaccine Mandate Pushback Is Bad…
At some point, governments will start using more sticks than carrots to break our deadly dependence on fossil fuels. How will humanity respond?
It Turns Out Cubans Are More Excited About School Reopening Than Regime Change
A planned, U.S.-backed mass protest in Cuba flopped. Ordinary Cubans explain why.
Climate of Delusion
We all think that climate change is somebody else’s problem. We have to be persuaded otherwise.
How to Cut $1 Trillion from the Pentagon
A CBO report requested by Bernie Sanders lays out three options for a modest Pentagon trim over the next decade. Can we pull it off?
European Green Deal: Step Forward, Backward, or Sideways?
Europe is ahead of much of the world in combining decarbonization with an equitable shift to clean energy. And it’s still not enough.
Chinese Fossil Fuel Investments in Africa
African countries need investments, China needs raw materials, and African activists are fed up with the resulting corruption and environmental damage.
America is a Poor Advertisement for Democracy
Congressional paralysis, voter suppression, and widespread political polarization all suggest that American democracy is far from exemplary.
Missing from the Climate Talks: Corporate Powers to Sue Governments That Limit Pollution
Allowing extractive industries to file expensive lawsuits over environmental regulations could undermine whatever agreements might be reached at COP26 in Glasgow.