The awarding of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics to Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer hits close to home for several reasons. First, in bringing "an experimental approach to alleviating global poverty," as the Nobel committee said in its Oct. 14 announcement of the prize, these distinguished economists have changed the way we do research at the Research … [Read more...] about A Nobel Prize for Development: A Look From Inside the IDB
The Psychology of Support for Trade
Is free trade beneficial to Latin America and the Caribbean? Most economists believe it is. Free trade allows countries to specialize in what they do best, developing competitive advantages and leading to greater consumer choice and lower prices. Most citizens seem to agree. An IDB-commissioned poll, included in the cross-regional Latinobarómetro survey, finds popular … [Read more...] about The Psychology of Support for Trade
Latin America Confronts Obesity
It took nearly ten years, a full-blown epidemic and two physicians in the top ranks of government. But after ferocious resistance from the food industry, Chile has put into effect a law that tackles the problem of obesity head-on and is considered by nutrition experts to be among the most, if not the most, stringent law in the world. The law, which went into effect in 2016 … [Read more...] about Latin America Confronts Obesity
How A Simple Sign Helped Cut Household Emissions by 17%
When the bitter chill of winter descends on the cities of south-central Chile, residents load up their wood-burning stoves with firewood, turn the dampers, or levers, on their stoves down to keep the wood burning longer and settle in to enjoy the crackle and warmth of log-heated homes. Energy produced by wood-fuel burning is around 4 to 6 times cheaper than that of … [Read more...] about How A Simple Sign Helped Cut Household Emissions by 17%
A Rapid Transit System That Boosts Productivity
Confronted with sprawling development and paralyzing traffic, cities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean have moved to built rapid transit systems, ranging from subways to bus rapid transit systems (BRTs). New rapid transit, government officials hope, will get people out of their cars, improve the environment and boost wellbeing and productivity. But demonstrating … [Read more...] about A Rapid Transit System That Boosts Productivity