Who has the most nuclear assets in the Middle East? Whose power is waning, whose increasing? Updated annually, these tables of economic, demographic and military indicators establish the pecking order for 236 countries, with estimates of all nuclear arsenals including rarely published data on non-signatory nations. The author also brings a rational perspective to the public debates on the supposed efficiency of private health insurance versus a "public option," and the notion that taxation stifles the economy, by offering comparative statistics from different countries in the developed world.

It seems that public health expenditures as a share of total health expenditures has a stronger correlation with the comparative level (and the rates of improvement) of the main health care indicators than the absolute level (measured as a percent of GDP) of total health expenditures. The data demonstrates that the US has the lowest public health expenditure of developed market economies and is increasingly lagging behind other countries by main health care indicators. The proposed introduction of national health insurance in the US would probably mean some sort of tax increase. The author therefore also seeks to shed light on modern ideological debates about the share of taxation in GDP and its influence on rates of growth.

The author takes issue with the complacent belief that a happy mixture of deterrence, arms control and luck will enable humanity to cope adequately with weapons of mass destruction, arguing that the risks are ever more serious.

Transforming the energy system is at the core of the dedicated sustainable development goal on energy within the new United Nations development agenda. This publication explores the possible contribution of nuclear energy to addressing the issues of sustainable development through a large selection of indicators. It reviews the characteristics of nuclear power in comparison with alternative sources of electricity supply, according to economic, social and environmental pillars of sustainability. The findings summarized in this publication will help the reader to consider, or reconsider, the contribution that can be made by the development and operation of nuclear power plants in contributing to more sustainable energy systems.

Are nuclear weapons useful for coercive diplomacy? This book argues that they are useful for deterrence but not for offensive purposes.

The Handbook of Energy and Environment in the 21st Century discusses the key dimensions of the present energy scenario as well as the emerging trends. Global responses to environmental challenges are examined, taking into account technical, economic, social, and policy perspectives. Responding to the latest developments, the book also discusses the impacts of natural disasters and pandemics on energy in the context of energy and environmental implications. Further, it presents various related topics such as the dynamics of sustainable energy transition, renewable energy implementation, decarbonization of fossil fuels, electric mobility, distributed generation systems, and energy security. The book will benefit a wide range of stakeholders from the fields of energy, environment, socioeconomics, geopolitics, and sustainable development. It serves as a valuable reference for academics, researchers, and analysts in these fields. Provides a comprehensive and balanced account of the interwoven subjects of energy and environment in terms of technology and policy dynamics. Incorporates up-to-date data, case studies, and comparative assessments.

Robert Jervis argues here that the possibility of nuclear war has created a revolution in military strategy and international relations. He examines how the potential for nuclear Armageddon has changed the meaning of war, the psychology of statesmanship, and the formulation of military policy by the superpowers.