Latin America and the Caribbean faces uncertain times. Weaker than expected growth in the United States, together with lower corporate earnings and higher interest rates, could lead to a 2.4% accumulated loss in GDP in our region from 2019-2021. Less demand from China might trigger a drop in GDP over the same period, and Brexit potentially threatens to dampen performance in … [Read more...] about As External Challenges Loom, Boosting Growth from Within
Migration Can Shape Local Development Policies in Unexpected Ways
When Brazil's government decided in 1967 to create a free trade zone in Manaus, it had glittering visions of Amazonian development. Located at the meeting point of two tributaries of the Amazon river, the so-called "City of the Forest" had fallen on hard times since the end of the rubber boom nearly a century before. Generous reductions in import tariffs and other tax breaks, … [Read more...] about Migration Can Shape Local Development Policies in Unexpected Ways
A Changing Climate Requires New Farming Habits: How Can Behavioral Economics Help?
Latin America and the Caribbean will face steep challenges in coming decades to provide food security and guarantee a decent income for its rural population. Greater rainfall and increasingly devastating floods may threaten some parts of the region. Others, including northeastern Brazil and Central America, will face extended drought. Erosion and dwindling water resources could … [Read more...] about A Changing Climate Requires New Farming Habits: How Can Behavioral Economics Help?
The Surprising Impact of Teaching Financial Literacy in Schools
In recent years, Latin America and the Caribbean has made important strides in improving access to financial services and products. But use of these services remains stubbornly low. Only around 54% of the region's people have an account at a financial institution or through a mobile money provider, according to the World Bank's Findex. Moreover, in some countries the figure is … [Read more...] about The Surprising Impact of Teaching Financial Literacy in Schools
Scaling up Behavioral Interventions to Continually Changing Societies
Thomas Prehn is a former head of MindLab, an innovation lab established by the Danish government in 2002 to spur creativity and cultural change within government ministries and improve their delivery of public services. Working in numerous policy areas, including education and employment, MindLab became a pioneer in its work both on specific projects and its efforts to make … [Read more...] about Scaling up Behavioral Interventions to Continually Changing Societies