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Views from the Center

CGD experts offer ideas and analysis to improve international development policy. Also check out our Global Health blog and US Development Policy blog.

 

December 23, 2013

A Learning Profile for Bangladesh: Too Darn Flat

Many learning assessments only evaluate children of a given age (e.g. PISA for age 15) or grade.  This approach gives a snapshot that can be compared across countries and produces differentials in learning across 15 year olds (e.g.

Lant Pritchett
December 20, 2013

Carbon Fund Pioneering Multilateral Payments for Forest Carbon in a Bottom-Up Climate World

Here’s what was supposed to happen at the 2009 climate talks in Copenhagen: Rich, industrialized nations like the US and Australia would commit to deep reductions in their greenhouse gas pollution, joined by rapidly industrializing countries like China and India. Part of these commitments would be met by paying for emission reductions from reduced deforestation by tropical forest countries like Brazil and Indonesia.

Jonah Busch
December 18, 2013

From OECD Financial Secrecy to African Child Mortality

This is a joint post with Bernadette O’Hare (St Andrews University) and Innocent Makuta (University of Malawi).

As new research reveals the stark scale of unnecessary child mortality in sub-Saharan Africa linked to illicit financial flows, the OECD has today launched a damning report on the financial secrecy and related failings of its own member states. Global policy commitments are required to turn the rhetoric against illicit financial flows and tax abuse into reality.

Alex Cobham
December 18, 2013

Dealing with Big Tobacco Bullies Part 2: The Trade and Investment Angle

Colleagues Amanda Glassman and Bill Savedoff posted an excellent piece on the role of the World Bank, the US Agency for International Development, and other nontrade agencies in helping developing countries fend off the “Big Tobacco Bullies.” They argue that agencies like the World Bank could use their money, technical assistance, and policy dialogue to provide big visible support for developing countries to implement their anti-tobacco policies.

Kimberly Ann Elliott
December 17, 2013

Jump-Starting the Green Climate Fund

Hela Cheikhrouhou has a tough job.  As the first ever executive director of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) she is tasked with establishing a new institution for climate finance amidst considerable fatigue with concept of new climate finance bureaucracy; raising billions of dollars at a time when many promising donor countries face fiscal austerity; and devising implementation processes that satisfy the interests of developing and developed countries, as well as appeal to ministries of environment (critical GCF sponsors) and ministries of finance (funding managers). 

Michele de Nevers
December 16, 2013

A Big Deal for Tropical Forests

This month Wilmar International – Asia’s leading agribusiness group and the world’s largest trader of palm oil – announced a “No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation” policy that is good news for the communities and wildlife that live in fast-shrinking rainforests across the tropics and for everybody else who depends on a stable climate.  While the announcement was

Frances Seymour

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