Posts From Ian Armstrong
The Pentagon’s New Nuclear Gravity Bomb
Despite its advertisement as a low-yield, lower-risk alternative to existing missile models, the recently tested B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb presents several risks that may in fact elevate the threat of
The Nuclear Implications of Turkey-Russia Tensions
Turkey’s downing of a Russian aircraft presents the threat of economic and geopolitical consequences for both nations. Among these consequences, the potential cancellation of a nuclear power agreement poses a feasible
Key impacts of China’s environmental leadership
Recently, China has pursued a much stronger environmental policy than previously seen or expected, and Beijing is now in a position to lead at the climate summit in Paris. Here
What the Paris attacks mean for Syria
Just over a week after coordinated ISIS attacks in Paris, the dynamics of the Syrian war are poised for change. Militarily, change will only come modestly – but confidence-building measures
Risks in Pakistan’s tactical nuclear weapons policy
Recent clarifications in Pakistani nuclear policy confirmed speculations that Islamabad has an alarmingly low threshold for tactical nuclear weapon deployment. Here are the geopolitical risks that emerge from Pakistan’s now
Three Insights from Underwhelming U.S-Pakistan Nuclear Talks
Despite the highly precarious nature of Pakistan’s nuclear program, early reports of U.S.-Pakistan nuclear negotiations in mid-October appear to be overblown. Though the prospects of such a deal are not
Russia is creating a global nuclear power empire
Russia is moving to create a global nuclear power empire — a bold power play that elicits opportunity and risk far beyond the nuclear reactors themselves. With its ploys in
Three trends in Russia’s oil and gas
The status of Russian oil and gas is a factor near the core of many of the world’s most wide-reaching risks and opportunities. Here are three trends set to shape
Growth in renewable energy is slowing, but China still leads the pack
The verdict from the International Energy Agency is in on the medium-term renewables market, and the forecast is mixed. China, however, is still leading the global push for clean energy.
China’s carbon trading market could net positive for investors
This week, China announced plans to launch what will become the world’s largest carbon market in 2017. While this signals long-term optimism surrounding a more environmentally responsible China, the development
