Millie Gould It seems the Labour government’s commitments to climate action are up in the air after Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced her support for Heathrow Airport’s long-debated third runway expansion. This endorsement came amidst her speech at a Siemens Healthineers facility in Oxford, where Reeves highlighted her support for ‘growth at all costs’. In 2023, Reeves pledged to be Britain’s first green Chancellor. However, January’s announcement, along with recent remarks

Udaya Pal The fall of the brutal Assad regime on the 8th of December was rightly celebrated across the world, just as the horrors of the regime became painfully clear. However, as the dust settles, serious concerns are emerging amongst observers who fear that Syria could follow Libya’s post-revolution trajectory into collapse. Further doubts about the future of Syria’s leadership have been cast by those who highlight the former al-Qaeda connections of the leaders of the rebel

Aryanee Nair Fast fashion and fast food. The alliterative pair serves as a sonic anchor, suggesting urgency and immediacy which are central to both industries. The fluidity and catchiness emphasises the nature of modern consumer behaviour, where speed takes precedence over deliberation and ethics. Both of which are emblematic of a capitalist system that prioritises consumerism over moral considerations. The fast-food industry is not just a business but a microcosm of the larg

Abhay Venkitaraman Over the past decade, Canadian governments on both sides of the aisle have implemented reforms to the country’s child benefit regime. These efforts have significantly increased the generosity of welfare provision for households with children. What impact did these policies have – and with child poverty rates on the up in the aftermath of the pandemic, what more needs to be done? Across advanced economies, child poverty rates in the OECD generally exceed tho

Jakub Fegyveres Carbon markets are, currently, a highly topical issue in contemporary environmental policy. Included as one of the three mechanisms for cross-border "voluntary cooperation" within the framework of the Paris Climate Agreement, they are currently one of the main drivers of emissions reduction, as well as providing a source of climate financing. Currently, there are 33 non-voluntary carbon markets in operation around the world, though this number looks set to gro

India Gordon The UK is at a pivotal moment in its history with the proposed Terminally Ill Adults (Assisted Dying) Bill having passed its second reading in the last month. If approved, the Bill could transform end-of-life care in the UK, marking a significant step forward in patient autonomy. However, to truly ensure the safety and dignity of patients, adequate safeguards are needed to address the procedure’s intrinsic practical and ethical challenges. need to be robustly def

Aditi Someshwar The European Union is one of the most powerful and significant geographic blocs in history. The Union extends decision-making dominance across countries both within Europe and beyond, positioning itself as an overarching ideological faction with implicit power at the global stage. However, is being a member of the Union worth the price one pays in accession? This remains a question that begs an answer. Who may enter the Union? Being within the geographic co

Jakub Fegyveres What is the most important area of environmental policy? In my opinion, especially in this context, the relative importance of a given policy should be synonymous with, and measured by, its impact. It may be intuitive to turn to the most well-known policies; the ban on electric vehicles, or the 1.5-degree Celsius target agreed in Paris at COP21. These policies, and many others like them, were formed by educated policymakers, operating on the basis of a politic

Udaya Pal Donald Trump’s incoming return to the White House has many skeptical and concerned about the implications for the future of US relations with the Middle East. He’s been very vocal about his desire to return to a time of US isolationism, outlining a foreign policy characterised by high tariffs, transactional relationships, and a rejection of multilateral organisations. His first term demonstrated his appetite for reckless and aggressive behaviour, but his ambitions w

Aditi Someshwar Food is central to all of our lives, an essential ingredient for our mind, body, and soul. It is also a severely overlooked dimension of how countries exercise power. Cuisine and culinary premise is an unconscious yet effective mechanism of influencing perception and image with very real world consequences in the form of bilateral treaties, trade agreements, and tourism. Setting The Plate - Culinary Exchange To understand the way in which culinary diplomacy i

Syed Hussain BRICS' ambitious bid to level the global financial playing field presents more questions than answers in the evolving landscape of international monetary relations. While the alliance's recent expansion and high-profile Kazan summit signal growing momentum, critical analysis reveals significant structural impediments to achieving true financial parity with the U.S.-led system. The summit's unprecedented attendance by over 30 nations, including EU partners and NAT

India Gordon This year, the UK witnessed a level of national violence not seen since the 2011 riots. However, the violence this time seemed to have a clear ideological fuel: far right-wing populist sentiments driven by anti-immigrant and Islamaphobic rhetoric. These views, having been repeatedly reinforced by leading political figures, mainstream media, and social media platforms, have become deeply ingrained in British society. From this perspective, the riots serve as just

Millie Gould It is no secret that Donald Trump has some controversial and downright conspiratorial views on climate change, with him even going as far as to call climate change “one of the greatest scams of all time”. Despite there being a consensus amongst 97% of climate scientists that climate change is not only real but anthropogenically caused, Trump’s recent re-election for a second term signifies the return of climate denialism to the Oval Office. As this article is

Jakub Fegyveres The 29th iteration of the annual Conference of Parties (COP), is taking place over two weeks, beginning on the 11th of November in Baku, Azerbaijan. Tens of thousands of delegates, NGO representatives, and lobbyists will descend on the city for a fortnight, during which the existential issue of climate change tends to be most politically salient. Its pivotal role in negotiating the requisite worldwide response, coupled with a failure to arrive at sufficiently

Lois Glover Historically, mental health has been a heavily stigmatised, taboo topic and in many ways remains that way. Whilst mental health has gained increasing political and public attention, many misconceptions continue to circulate. From minimising symptoms to ridiculing therapeutic practices, a harmful legacy of misinformation has been created. Political decisions often convey an undertone of neglect toward mental health issues, despite the serious consequences of this d

Aryanee Nair Singapore – known for the best airport in the world and its relations to the film ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ by John M. Chu, adapted from the novel by Kevin Kwan. For those who are unfamiliar with the film, it is set in Singapore, revealing the opulent world of Singapore’s elite. The film explores themes of love, identity and the complexities of family ties against a backdrop of lavish lifestyles. Given its success, prestigious awards, and over $200 million in global ea

Giovanna Zarrebini Since COVID struck in 2020, consumer expectations revolved around a two-hour delivery model. When the pandemic disrupted that model and Just-In-Time frameworks, consumers soon discovered the implications that the term ‘supply chain’ had when the delivery of household goods was delayed. New consumers and corporations are looking into technology to improve supply chain efficiency and alleviate potential bottlenecks in the system (Deloitte, 2023). Supply chain

India Southcott In today’s education system, digital tools have moved from supplementary resources to essential elements for educational engagement. Yet, as education becomes increasingly digitised, the disparity in access to technology reveals deeper inequalities, particularly for students from low-income families. While some students benefit from seamless access to digital devices and broadband, others are left behind, unable to participate fully in online learning environm

Will Allen The Conservative party, the UK's, and arguably the worlds, most storied political party is drawing its protected leadership contest to a close later today. For the first time in nearly two decades, the party is selecting someone to become Leader of the Opposition, rather than Prime Minister. This job is arguably one of the toughest in UK politics, if not the toughest - where there are no right answers or easy decisions. So will the party understand the gravity of i

Read the full editorial here.