International Bar Association: Global Insight podcast

China’s latest five-year plan reaffirmed support for the country’s clean energy transition, following its pledge to reduce economy-wide net greenhouse-gas emissions in absolute terms, by seven to ten per cent from peak levels by 2035. 
While China remains the world’s largest annual greenhouse-gas emitter, its stated policy direction contrasts sharply with that of the US – the world’s second-largest annual emitter – where President Donald Trump has sought to expand oil and gas production and rolled back green initiatives as part of an effort to ‘unleash’ American energy.

In this podcast, our speakers consider the challenges and opportunities facing China, as well as the implications for other parts of the world, particularly India and Africa.
With:

Yuhua Yang, partner at Thornhill Legal, London – a China-centric international practice

Christoph Nedopil Wang of the Griffith Asia Institute, Brisbane ­– a research institute focusing on new opportunities and major challenges in Asia and the Pacific 

Avirup Nag, partner in the M&A and Energy & Infrastructure Team, Saraf & Partners, New Delhi

Image: Molten salt tower solar thermal power station in Jiuquan, Gansu Province, China 泰豪 顾/Adobe Stock

This podcast contains a clip from a Southern Finance Omnimedia Corporation interview with Selwin Hart, Special Adviser and Assistant Secretary-General for Climate Action at United Nations, available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=idTZYWXJmHA

Ten years ago, the UK voted to leave the EU, leading to a sustained period of upheaval and uncertainty. A decade on, Brexit continues to affect everything from defence and security to the economy, tech, AI and the rule of law.
This Global Insight podcast assesses the UK's relationship with the EU, which the UK government has recently sought to ‘reset’.
With:

Benjamin Martill, Associate Fellow in the ‘UK in the World’ Programme at think-tank Chatham House;

Sarah Andrew, Legal and Campaign Director, Avaaz; 

Catherine Barnard, Professor of EU Law at the University of Cambridge, and

Kerstin Mathias, Director, International Affairs at trade association UK Finance.

The independence of the US Department of Justice (DOJ) from political interference is central to the rule of law in America.
Critics argue that, during President Trump’s second term, this principle has come under pressure on several fronts, including allegations that the President has pressed the department to pursue cases against his opponents for personal or political reasons. 
Concerns have also been raised about conflicts of interest and the leadership of the DOJ: former Attorney General Pam Bondi was a close ally of President Trump who served on his first impeachment defence team, while current Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche previously represented Trump in several criminal cases. Bondi was removed from the role in April, reportedly amid controversy over her handling of the Epstein files and frustration within the administration over the pace of politically sensitive prosecutions. 
While there are concerns, court rulings and institutional pushback suggest that the wider US justice system continues to provide some counterbalance.
This IBA Global Insight podcast features:

Gene Rossi, former federal prosecutor; shareholder, Carlton Fields, Washington DC

Richard Painter, Associate Counsel to the President and Chief White House Ethics Lawyer under President George W Bush; Professor of Corporate Law, University of Minnesota

Glenn Kirschner, former DOJ prosecutor with 30 years of trial experience, Washington DC

Image: US Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche depart following a closed-door briefing for members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, on the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein investigation and compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, US, 18 March 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard

The US government’s decision to issue waivers for sanctions on Russian oil in March has proven highly controversial and at odds with the position of the EU and the UK for example, who have insisted that despite the global economic situation it is crucial to maintain pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine via sanctions. This IBA Global Insight podcast explores the issues.

Chile Eboe Osuji has for 30 years stood at the forefront of international law and justice. He has served as a judge of the International Criminal Court as well as prosecution counsel at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and on the Special Court for Sierra Leone, among other notable positions, during that time. Called to the Nigerian Bar in 1986, he now sits as a judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice. He is a published author, with his latest book The End of Immunity exploring the history and concept of immunity from foreign prosecution for heads of state. 
In this IBA Global Insight podcast he discusses his experiences, counters criticisms of the mechanics of the international legal system and explains the importance of peace as an 'actionable right'.