Early next year, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is expected to make a significant announcement on our global competitiveness when it releases its updated list of critical minerals. Why is this so important? Critical minerals – such as zinc, cobalt, nickel and manganese – are the cornerstone of our modern society. They’re important for our economy, the clean energy transition, our national security, and are found in everything from smartphones to pacemakers and bicycles. 

We asked our team to share their go-to songs this summer. Check out our Summer Tunes from the Lot!

This summer, Lot Sixteen welcomed an impressive group of interns and fellows from different backgrounds and universities. In our latest blog, our 2024 cohort shares their experiences, favorite moments and a few surprises from their time in D.C.

May is recognized as World Trade Month, when the trade community celebrates the many benefits international trade brings to the economy. As such, it is worth reflecting on where U.S. trade policy stands today and how the upcoming election might influence its direction.

In our third installment of our Trading Thoughts “Trade & Climate” series, we are taking stock of negotiations between the United States and European Union seeking to address green trade in steel and aluminum and the prospects of reaching a final agreement as the EU and U.S. forge ahead toward 2024 elections.

Recently on Trading Thoughts, we kicked off our series on “Trade & Climate” with a look at how the European Union’s (EU) Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) could reshape international trade and climate policy. In our second installment of the series, we will explore legislative proposals coming from this side of the Atlantic.

For the first time in its twenty-eight year history, the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly known as COP28, included an entire day dedicated to the role of international trade policy in addressing climate change. In our first in a series of upcoming posts on “Trade & Climate,” we will explore the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

Lot Sixteen found a new way to give this year – gifting employees money to direct to their charity of choice and also matching the first $100 employees donate to that charity, increasing the total amount of money donated to important causes.

In a departure from long-standing U.S. policy on digital trade, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative recently announced it was pulling back its support for certain e-commerce proposals at the World Trade Organization in order to preserve domestic policy space for digital trade regulation. Advocates of the move view these digital trade rules as barriers to regulating the domestic technology industry. Opponents fear the move marks an abandonment of U.S. leadership on setting the rules of the road for digital trade. Lot Sixteen breaks down the Administration’s decision and what to watch for in the coming months.

Geof Koss, Lot Sixteen Vice President, Phish-lover and skateboarder, sat down with us to discuss insights as a past Hill reporter, how to disconnect and recharge from work, and advice for young professionals in Washington, D.C.

For better or for worse, much of corporate America still measures the success of any PR effort based on the number of impressions or mentions it generates. (We would argue that it’s a flawed metric, but that’s for another blog post.)

Over a hundred Aluminum Association members from across the industry attended the Aluminum Association’s annual meeting here in Washington, D.C., at The Wharf. Several Lot Sixteeners were happy to join the meeting to discuss pressing matters facing the industry, from recycling and sustainability to trade and vehicle electrification. Here’s what we covered.