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
When oil is scarce and debt is binding: policy sequencing under a severe energy supply shock
With inflation still binding and fiscal space thin, the 2026 Iran shock revives the case for pre-committed, conditional yield anchors with clear exit. The 2026
Challenges to the integration of the Western Balkans into European Union supply chains
Western Balkan economic integration with the European Union has advanced significantly over the past two decades, driven by trade liberalisation and significant EU foreign direct
The limited effects of regulating greenwashing: Evidence from Europe’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation
Disclosure-based regulation is often seen as a low-cost way to address greenwashing. This column uses European mutual fund data to assess the impact of the
Bahrain unveils special reform package to bolster public finances
These measures include increases in fuel prices, higher electricity and water tariffs for certain categories, and greater dividend contributions from state-owned enterprises Bahrain’s government has
Climate change mitigation pathway: The 24-hour economy
It is increasingly perceived as an integrated sustainability solution for transforming how global cities function. As the sun soars and global cities set record temperatures,
When debt perceptions shape fiscal futures
Voters fear debt, but they do not understand it. Using data across 13 countries, this column shows that most people dramatically misjudge debt levels and
Reimaging public finance management: From spending control to delivering outcomes
For as long as governments have existed, so has public financial management (PFM). This approach has always been explicitly designed to ensure the efficiency and
What Germany’s medium-term fiscal plan means for Europe
EU leniency on Germany’s fiscal plan highlights rule rigidity and the need for reform to support investment. Germany’s July 2025 medium-term fiscal-structural plan exposes the
