The rivers run thick with sewage and agricultural chemicals. They flow with detergents, carry fertilizers, and yield pathogens that spread diarrheal diseases, hepatitis and other infections. Latin America has nearly one-third of the world's fresh water resources, with high mountain glaciers and grand rivers like the Amazon and Orinoco. But, according to the United Nations … [Read more...] about Researchers Rally to Combat Pollution and Disease
When Information on Higher Education Narrows the Skills Gap
Higher education in Latin America has achieved some impressive gains over the past quarter century. An elite system consisting of at most a few dozen traditional universities in each country has radically transformed to include hundreds of new professional institutes, technical and vocational schools. At the same time, enrollment has soared. Between 1992 and 2012, the … [Read more...] about When Information on Higher Education Narrows the Skills Gap
Monitoring Corruption in Mexico: The Watchful Eye and the Cracking Whip
Corruption is a widespread problem in Latin America, despite recent progress. Some cases can have high visibility, especially when high-level authorities are involved in multi-million dollar scandals. Other cases stay mostly out of the spotlight, as they involve low-level civil servants who, for example, take bribes to approve a permit. Although they might seem isolated and … [Read more...] about Monitoring Corruption in Mexico: The Watchful Eye and the Cracking Whip
Fiscal Transfers in Latin America: Red de Centros Is Calling for Proposals
Red de Centros, a network of nearly 350 research institutes, is calling for proposals for the project Fiscal transfers in Latin America: What are their composition and cyclicality patterns? It involves the composition of fiscal transfers (unemployment insurance, conditional transfers, transfers to decentralized public entities, etc.) and their contribution to counter-cyclical … [Read more...] about Fiscal Transfers in Latin America: Red de Centros Is Calling for Proposals
When Too Much External Borrowing to Finance Investment Gets Dangerous
Life is full of people who never save, spend like sailors, and find from one day to the next that they’ve maxed out on their credit cards and must cut back on their lifestyle and even long-term investments like their children’s education. Countries are similar. Nations that don’t save sufficiently and finance investment with borrowing from abroad can suffer catastrophes when … [Read more...] about When Too Much External Borrowing to Finance Investment Gets Dangerous