A new dataset on housing affordability
Housing affordability is a crucial yet subtle concept, especially when it comes to cross-country comparison. This column introduces a new cross-country dataset on a mortgage-based
The end of the gold standard and the beginning of the recovery from the Great Depression
2024 marks the 80th anniversary of the Bretton Woods conference, which led to a major shift from the operation of the gold standard in the
The political economy of adapting to climate change
Support for large-scale climate adaptation investments is insufficient in many countries. This column studies the drivers of voter support for public adaptation, focusing on voters
Long-term effects of equal sharing: Evidence from inheritance rules for land
Historically, inherited land in some German areas had to be shared or divided equally among children, while in others land was ruled to be indivisible.
Not a ‘side dish’: New industrial policy and competition
Industrial policy is undergoing a major resurgence. Spurred by multiple overlapping crises, economists have been seeking to draw lessons from the past, while policymakers have
Sharing the entrepreneurial wealth
Research and development has traditionally been concentrated in Western countries, particularly the US, potentially leading to the development of technologies particularly suited to these economies
Green innovation and deployment: Fuelling economies, reducing emissions
Green innovation is a key ingredient in the fight against climate change. But while there has been significant progress over the last few decades, momentum
The effects of vaccine scepticism on public health and the amplifying role of social media: Insights from Italy
The spread of misinformation online poses grave challenges to public health. This column quantifies the impact that vaccine scepticism circulating through social media had on
The energy transition: Technology versus political backlash
The ambition of the Paris Agreement is to limit global warming to “well below 2°C”. This column argues that while some progress towards this aim
Copyright policy options for generative artificial intelligence
The rise of generative artificial intelligence has triggered a debate about the appropriate protections for copyrighted data. This column examines the economic incentives and social
