above all the US and China. Then there is the pressing need -- in the US and globally -- for education and appropriate skill formation. Without the skills required by new and incipient technologies, too many workers will simply be unemployable. A key benefit of prioritizing broad-based quality education is that it also helps to solve the income-distribution problem. Finally, there is the need for effective international cooperation. China's current-account surplus has declined, but now northern Europe runs a $500 billion surplus, while demand in southern Europe is collapsing and the US is running a deficit that is close to $500 billion. The longer-term challenge of climate change and extreme weather patterns also requires global cooperation and a post-election shift toward much stronger US engagement, which could unleash a multifaceted clean-energy revolution, fueling large job-creating investments and a new cycle of growth. After America's long, hard-fought election campaign, it is time for comprehensive policy reforms. One hopes that the US Congress will recognize this as well, leading to support for measures that could help hundreds of millions of people in the US and around the world. Kemal Dervis, a former minister of economics in Turkey, administrator of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and vice president of the World Bank, is currently Vice President of the Brookings Institution. WE ARE PART OF Follow US on Social Media Our Partners for the European Growth Project Become a SEJ Fan on Facebook Subscribe to SEJ Articles Name: Email: BOOK OUT NOW! 'The