CA Event: The Next World - How Should the United States Respond to Rising Powers?

The rise of other global powers is a profound new reality of today’s world. As headlines remind us nearly everyday, China, India, Russia, as well as the European Union, Japan, and others are rapidly gaining strength and influence. How should the U.S. navigate this new world landscape? Does the rise of these powers represent an ideological challenge or an economic boom? Will global warming convince us we are all in the same boat? The Next World conference will explore these questions and others, focusing on key foreign policy priorities for the next administration.

Steve Coll, President and CEO of the New America Foundation and John Podesta, President and CEO of the Center for American Progress opened the conference with an intimate conversation, and later joined the discussion with the best and brightest minds of a new generation of foreign policy thinkers who will help shape America’s evolving role in the world.

Three panel discussions explored whether or not the U.S. is in decline, and if it matters, and how the rise of other powers impact American influence, prosperity, and security. They also debated whether there is a global battle over ideology and strategic priorities for the U.S. in this new world.

Over lunch, Terry Tamminen, Cullman Senior Fellow for Climate Change and Director of the Climate Policy Program at the New America Foundation, gave an address on how the United States can develop a coherent climate change strategy, with an emphasis on how meaningful formal and informal agreements to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases can be negotiated with rising powers.

This conference was co-sponsored by the Center for American Progress, the New America Foundation, and The Stanley Foundation.

Agenda

Agenda

8:00 – 8:30 Registration and Breakfast

8:30 – 8:40 Welcome and Introductions

Nina Hachigian, Senior VP and Director for California, Center for American Progress
Michael Schiffer, Program Officer, Policy Analysis and Dialogue, The Stanley Foundation
Leif Wellington Haase, Director, California Program, New America Foundation

8:40 – 9:35 The Politics and Policy of Global Power: A Conversation (VIDEO)

Steve Coll, President and CEO, New America Foundation
John Podesta, President and CEO, Center for American Progress
Moderator: Matt Miller, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress

9:40 – 10:35 Is the U.S. in Decline and Does it Matter? How Does the Rise of Other Powers Affect American Influence, American Security, and American Prosperity? (VIDEO)

Nina Hachigian, Senior VP and Director for California, Center for American Progress
Parag Khanna, Senior Research Fellow and Director, Global Governance Initiative, New America Foundation
Matt Yglesias, Senior Editor, Center for American Progress
Moderator: David Shorr, The Stanley Foundation

10:40 – 11:35 Them vs. Us? Who's on our Side and is There a Global Battle over Ideology? (VIDEO)

Suzanne Nossel, Chief Operation Officer, Human Rights Watch
Peter Scoblic, Executive Editor, The New Republic
Steve Weber, Professor and Director, Institute of International Studies, UC Berkeley
Moderator: Steve Coll, President and CEO, New America Foundation

11:40 – 12:35 What Now? What are the US’s Strategic Priorities vs. Big Powers and Does the US Need to Get Comfortable With a New Role? (VIDEO)

Brian Katulis, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress
John Podesta, President and CEO, Center for American Progress
Kal Raustiala, Professor and Director, UCLA Ronald W. Burkle Center for International Relations
Moderator: Leif Wellington Haase, Director, California Program, New America Foundation

12:45 – 1:50 Luncheon

1:00 – 1:50 Climate Change and American Leadership (VIDEO)

Terry Tamminen, Director, Climate Policy Program, New America Foundation

1:50 – 2:00 Closing remarks (VIDEO)