US carbon emissions are down c.20% from their peak over the past 20 years, thanks primarily to efficiency gains, such as increased miles per gallon for cars, switching to LED lights and moving towards high-efficiency boilers.

Further emission reductions will require more changes from consumers on a number of fronts, such as switching from fossil fuels to electricity for cars, home heating, and so on.

The US government is trying to influence behaviours through a range of subsidies and incentives. Is pushing on all fronts the best approach, or should efforts concentrate on one big issue that can have an outsized impact over the long term?

In episode 62 of The Flip Side, Global Head of Research Jeff Meli debates that question with Will Thompson from our Sustainable and Thematic Investing Research team.

Inflation in the US peaked at around 9% in 2022, and by January 2024, CPI inflation had fallen to 3.1%. This dramatic reduction was achieved without triggering a widely expected recession. Does the Fed’s interest rate hiking cycle deserve credit for this correction, or were other market forces responsible for the generally positive economic outcome?

In episode 61 of The Flip Side, Global Head of Research Jeff Meli debates that question with Chief US Economist Marc Giannoni, considering how factors such as market expectations, post-pandemic economic realities, shifts in labour force, and housing stock availability drove cooling alongside – or instead of – the Fed’s monetary policy.