Advantages and pitfalls of green public procurement as a European strategic tool
Green public procurement supports EU climate goals but may conflict with other objectives, creating trade-offs that challenge its effectiveness. Public procurement, or the purchasing of
When the heat rises, progress on women’s economic empowerment cools
Hotter-than-usual years can slow or derail advances in women’s legal rights. A new analysis spanning five decades finds that temperature anomalies—years significantly hotter than a country’s historical
Belt, Road Summit concludes with nine deals, $1bln deals
Organizers highlighted that Hong Kongآ’s external trade with Belt and Road countries reached $276bln in 2024. The 10th Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong
Artificial intelligence in the office and the factory: Evidence from administrative software registry data
The rapid adoption of AI in the workplace has raised concerns about job loss. This column uses data covering all AI-related commercial software registered with
Information and the labour market
Workers often remain in their jobs even when they know they may get higher wages elsewhere, raising questions about the effectiveness of pay transparency laws.
How wage inequality affects the labour movement
The negative correlation between inequality and unionisation rates in the US has been extensively documented, but while the other direction of causality – the impact
Beyond fragmentation: Building self-reliance in a shifting aid landscape
The global development landscape is undergoing seismic shifts. Foreign aid, a critical lifeline for billions, is shrinking, after becoming fragmented at an alarming rate over the
Adult skills and productivity: New evidence from PIAAC 2023
Adult skills play a crucial role in shaping productivity. This column uses data from the 2023 OECD Survey of Adult Skills to analyse the relationship
Does index insurance really work for smallholder farmers?
Traditional insurance for smallholder farmers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is prohibitively expensive. Serving rural and remote areas requires costly on-site visits to assess
Part-time work slows the narrowing of France’s lifetime gender earnings gap
France has narrowed its gender lifetime earnings gap, but has not managed closed it. Despite legal guarantees, French women still earn 30% less than men
