China’s accession to the WTO increased pollution via coal powerplants, not exporters or their suppliers and consumers
As countries consider trade deals to foster development, the question of how trade impacts pollution keeps resurfacing. This column examines how China’s rapid entry into
Less focus on poverty reduction? An evaluation of the EU 2028-2034 development aid plan
European Union development aid is emphasising poverty reduction less and directing attention to other geopolitical priorities. As part of the planned European Union budget for
Independent central banks take more risk, not less
The fiscal dominance view holds that politically captured central banks are more likely to be pushed into taking risky positions, while independent ones resist. This
From bilateralism to a system: Europe’s early trade treaties and lessons for EU trade policy in a contested world
As tensions rise between major powers and the global trading system becomes more contested, policymakers often frame the choice they face starkly: either deeper centralised
Green finance or financing green? Bridging the EU’s sustainable-finance and capital-market architectures
The European Union has not done a good job of integrating its green goals with its overall approach to finance. Sustainability disclosure and capital markets
Planning for the rising fiscal costs of climate disasters
Low insurance coverage is turning EU governments into disaster insurers of last resort, strengthening the case for prevention and adaptation finance. Climate-related disasters are affecting
Taking the pulse of global trade policy
How much has trade policy changed globally? This column introduces the Trade Policy Activity Index, a monthly measure of policy changes across 197 economies since
Fighting misinformation with truth: Why mainstream news matters on social media
How can misinformation on social media be countered in the age of AI-generated content? This column uses an experiment conducted during the 2024 US presidential
How do trade restrictiveness and trade policy uncertainty affect FDI? An empirical investigation
Rising trade barriers and uncertainty are choking FDI inflows, hitting low and middle-income investors hardest in a fragmented global economy. In the context of rising
Bahrain raises $1bln in 10-year USD bond; demand exceeds $3bln
Strong demand enabled Bahrain to tighten pricing by 37.5 basis points from IPTs. Bahrain has raised $1 billion through a 10-year USD bond, attracting strong
