Cornell Policy Review

Can media literacy and civic education revitalize democracy? In an era of political polarization and digital misinformation, equipping citizens with the tools to think critically and engage meaningfully in civic life is more crucial than ever. Alejandro J. Ramos, Anya Mateu-Asbury, and Callie Jacobson explore how media literacy can combat misinformation while civic education fosters active participation. Through case studies and innovative strategies—like social media engagement and gamification—this paper offers insights on strengthening democratic resilience. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e_P7CisD #CornellPolicyReview #Democracy #MediaLiteracy #CivicEducation #Misinformation #PoliticalEngagement #DemocraticResilience #CivicParticipation

What does it take to build a career in public service and national security? The Cornell Policy Review podcast team—Maxwell Norteman, James Paterek, and Henry Deng—sat down with Lt. General Ben Hodges (Ret.), U.S. Army, for an insightful conversation about his distinguished career, leadership lessons, and advice for young professionals looking to enter government service. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/dtcMTEM5 #CornellPolicyReview #PublicService #NationalSecurity #Leadership #GovernmentCareers #PolicyPodcast #MilitaryLeadership #CareerAdvice

The fast fashion industry thrives on rapid production cycles, but at what cost? Current U.S. policies fail to hold brands accountable for their environmental impact, leaving critical gaps in sustainability regulations. Megan Thompson and Kelly Conroy explore policy solutions that could transform the industry, including extended producer responsibility, improved waste management, and ethical business models. Their analysis highlights key strategies to make fashion more sustainable and accountable. Read more: https://lnkd.in/erhggRik #CornellPolicyReview #SustainableFashion #FastFashion #EnvironmentalPolicy #EthicalFashion #CircularEconomy #LegislationMatters

The failures of the Hurricane Katrina response revealed critical gaps in coordination, communication, and resource allocation. How can we prevent history from repeating itself? Adrian Gomez explores how a systems thinking approach can transform disaster management by fostering collaboration across stakeholders. Using FEMA’s 2024 National Resilience Guidance (NRG) as a framework, the paper highlights how improved communication and resource-sharing could strengthen community resilience and disaster response. Read more:https://lnkd.in/efxnSmKD? #CornellPolicyReview #DisasterResponse #SystemsThinking #EmergencyManagement #CommunityResilience #ClimateAdaptation #FEMA #HurricaneKatrina

The United States lags behind China and the EU in carbon trading and ESG standards, emphasizing the financial sector's need to commit to sustainability amid growing demand for ESG investments and climate finance. Yiming Zhong explores the U.S. role in the global shift to sustainable finance, highlights regulatory, geopolitical, and resource challenges within the carbon market, and stresses the importance of comprehensive sustainable finance strategies not just to achieve climate goals but also to mitigate economic security and competitiveness risks.? Read more: https://lnkd.in/g8cx2fwW #CornellPolicyReview #ESG #CarbonMarket #China #EU #Sustainability #SustainableFinance #ClimateFinance #EconomicSecurity

Climate change is driving up home insurance costs, forcing policymakers to rethink risk-based models. As insurers withdraw from high-risk areas, homeowners face rising premiums and limited options. Price caps alone won’t solve the problem—so what’s the solution? Stephen Shiwei Wang explores a hybrid approach that combines government subsidies and resilience grants to stabilize the market, incentivize insurers, and protect homeowners from financial strain. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e63wxxM8 #CornellPolicyReview #ClimateInsurance #HomeInsuranceCrisis #ResilienceFunding #PolicyInnovation #ClimateRisk #DisasterPreparedness #InsurancePolicy

Green Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) can make data centers more resilient and environmentally friendly by sourcing energy directly from renewable providers. Data centers use large amounts of energy, often straining local grids. Green PPAs help stabilize the grid and promote clean energy investment. Parmis Mokhtari-Dizaji will explore policy tools like tax incentives, streamlined permitting, and resiliency credits to advance green PPAs. Case studies will evaluate regulatory frameworks and community benefits, positioning green PPAs as a model for sustainable data center development and contributing to the energy justice conversation. Read More: https://lnkd.in/e63wxxM8 #CornellPolicyReview #GreenPowerPurchaseAgreements #CleanEnergy #EnergyTransition #GridReliability #SustainableEnergy #Renewables #ClimateAction #EnergyPolicy

As global energy demands rise and renewable sources can't guarantee grid reliability, nuclear energy emerges as the solution to balance net-zero goals with demand. Rana Ojasvi highlights examples like France’s nuclear adoption to advocate for increased investment in nuclear energy, diversified systems, and grid modernization while cautioning against overreliance on intermittent renewables that may cause grid instability and greater dependence on fossil fuels.? Read more: https://lnkd.in/e63wxxM8 #CornellPolicyReview #RenewableEnergy #NetZero #NuclearEnergy #Energy #France #EnergyIndependence #Emissions #ClimateChange

Despite initial Republican opposition, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has driven significant investments in Republican-led states, boosting economic growth and clean energy, including projects like Agricultural Waste-to-Energy (AWE). Muhammad Rifki Darmawan explores U.S. environmental policy under a second Trump administration, highlighting Trump's fossil fuel agenda and attempts to repeal the IRA. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gGsrypcG #CornellPolicyReview #InflationReductionAct #EconomicGrowth #CleanEnergy #AgriculturalWasteToEnergy #SecondTrumpAdministration #FossilFuelAgenda #IRARepeal #EnvironmentalJustice #ClimateChange #ClimatePolicy

Behind every latte in New York lies a complex network of agriculture, immigration, and climate, connecting the global supply chain reliant on Costa Rican coffee and New York dairy. Mira DeGregory highlights the vulnerabilities of migrant labor and discusses how climate change worsens these issues. By comparing New York's policies to the framework in Costa Rica, this piece outlines steps to strengthen the migration-climate-agriculture network and emphasizes the need to reinvest in human capital to sustain global supply chains. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e2phqRwY #CornellPolicyReview #Coffee #CostaRica #ClimateChange #Immigration #Sustainability #NewYork #MigrantWorkers #HumanCapital