WT … Oh no!

Today we’re talking about a key player in international trade: the World Trade Organization.

The WTO is responsible for setting and enforcing the rules of global trade between 164 member countries. While the United States once supported the idea of a rules-based system, lately the country hasn’t been a big fan of the rules.

Among other things, the Trump administration’s decision to impose steel and aluminum taxes in violation of WTO policies sent the organization’s ability to govern into freefall. What would it take for the WTO to get back on its feet?

“It’s clear that we need new trade rules on things like digital trade, e-commerce, and privacy data. There’s a whole series of areas that are completely unregulated by the WTO, and we need rules. It needs to get back to becoming that forum in which you can negotiate rules,” said Jennifer Hillman, Georgetown law professor and former member of the WTO appellate body.

On the show today: the ins and outs of the WTO, why the organization isn’t running like it’s supposed to, and what that could mean for the future of global trade.

In the News Fix: Despite the ongoing trade war, imports and exports between the United States and China are higher than ever. We’ll discuss how this fits into the shifting landscape of globalization. Plus, we’ll look at the effects a 20-year-long drought is having in one community outside of Scottsdale, Arizona.

Later, climate scientist and author Kimberly Nicholas shares what she got wrong about a popular climate a statistic.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

“What’s Next for the WTO?” from the Council on Foreign Relations

“Australia and China team up to protest WTO blockages caused by US vetoes on appeal body” from The Guardian

“Trump, China, and Steel Tariffs: The Day the WTO Died” from the Council on Foreign Relations

“WTO says Trump’s steel tariffs violated global trade rules” from Politico

“US-China Trade is Close to a Record, Defying Talk of Decoupling” from Bloomberg

“Davos summit is starting. What’s on the agenda?” from Marketplace

“Skipped Showers, Paper Plates: An Arizona Suburb’s Water Is Cut Off” from The New York Times

It’s a new year, and we’re looking for new answers to the Make Me Smart question. Leave us a voice message at 508-U-B-SMART and your submission may be featured in a future episode.