Browsing: Explainers
Explainers is the reference desk for Erths — a collection of living guides to the most important issues in world affairs, technology, business, and climate.
These pages are designed to be clear, structured, and continuously updated. Each explainer sets out the basic facts, key terms, main actors, and underlying mechanics of a topic, with links to primary sources and related reporting.
Explainers are updated as new information emerges, with timestamps indicating when material changes are made. They are intended both for readers encountering a subject for the first time and for those seeking a reliable refresher grounded in evidence rather than opinion.
If you are looking for context, definitions, timelines, or an overview of how a system works — start here.
How global supply chains actually work (and why they’re hard to change) Introduction: why “supply…
Global trade explained: how supply chains, tariffs, and rules really work Global trade is often…
Corporate lobbying explained: how influence works in practice Corporate lobbying is often described as a…
Net zero explained: what it means, what it costs, and what’s realistic “Net zero” has…
AI regulation explained: UK vs EU vs US — what’s being regulated, what’s changing, and what to watch
AI regulation explained: UK vs EU vs US — what’s being regulated, what’s changing, and…
Sanctions explained: how they work, who enforces them, and what they actually achieve Sanctions are…
Central banks and interest rates: how they work, why they matter, and what to watch…
Erths Brief
Occasional notes when we publish something worth reading