Many European leaders express concern, or even dismay, that Europe is unable to launch and grow its own tech giants like those in the US . This reflects European insecurity about tech inferiority that goes back at least as far as France’s Plan Calcul in the 1960s. Europe wants the benefits that large, innovative firms create […]
Africa is not on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of eradicating extreme poverty. While many countries were successful in reducing poverty during the years before the pandemic, its economic disruptions coupled with climate disasters and food and fuel inflation caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have put spanners in the wheels. Growing vulnerabilities to […]
Clean hydrogen, including green hydrogen, is a building block for the energy transition. It can potentially eliminate the world’s reliance on fossil fuels, especially in hard-to-abate sectors, and contribute to achieving net zero emissions. We can produce green hydrogen by harnessing renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. As low-income countries and vulnerable populations experience […]
The use of artificial intelligence in the private sector is accelerating, and the financial authorities have no choice but to follow if they are to remain effective. Even when preferring prudence, their use of AI will probably grow by stealth. This column argues that although AI will bring considerable benefits, it also raises new challenges […]
The induced transition from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy can affect firm investment through powerful anticipation effects. This column uses a firm-level measure of climate policy exposure to show that climate policies have already led to a 6.5% decline in global investment by publicly traded oil and gas companies between 2015 and 2019. The findings […]
Emerging markets will need increasing amounts of foreign private capital to finance their climate transition. This column explores the specific role of investment funds in financing green companies in emerging markets. It argues that despite the recent boom in ‘sustainable’ investing, only a tiny part of this reaches green companies in these markets. The barriers […]
We need water for every aspect of our economic and social development. How we manage water resources affects whether poor girls are educated, whether cities are healthy places to live, and whether growing industries or rural villages can withstand the impacts of floods or droughts. Continuing population growth, urbanization, climate change, and economic development are all […]
In 2021, the Nile Basin Discourse (NBD) program, with the support of the CIWA Program, empowered women and youth to become resilient Climate Change Champions. This training had a major positive effect on the lives of its participants, as exemplified by the story of Asia Namusoke. Asia found her training inspiring, prompting her to create […]
Between 18 to 20 million people join the working-age population in South Asia, every year, but only a third to a half of them will be employed. While the region is now the fastest growing in the world, too few of its people are engaged in or benefit from productive activities. So, what needs to […]
A year later, the flood water has receded, but the impacts still loom large. The numbers are staggering – over 33 million people affected, 8 million displaced, 2 million homes destroyed. The floods have been described as a climate catastrophe, submerging nearly a third of the country underwater. For many communities in Pakistan, the devastating […]
