Public information campaigns are a complex, delicate undertaking. Getting them right is crucial, as undoing the damage of misinformation is very difficult: once perceptions have been formed, it’s very hard to modify behavior. And when it comes to vaccination —an issue that has sparked controversy over the years and became news again this week— the repercussions of poor … [Read more...] about Public Information on Vaccines Can Be a Matter of Life and Death
Natural Disasters: How Nations Build Resilience
In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake which struck Haiti in 2010, killing more than 220,000 people and leaving 1 million homeless, governments and multilateral organizations gathered in New York to pledge an unprecedented $10 billion in emergency aid and long-term reconstruction. “Our goal is not to rebuild. It is to build back better,” said then U.N. … [Read more...] about Natural Disasters: How Nations Build Resilience
When Solar Power Cuts Costs and Emissions
The epic droughts that have devastated Latin America over the last five years, drying up river beds and crippling electricity generation, stand as a clear warning. Latin America and the Caribbean may be one of the world's most important regions for hydroelectric power, with nearly half of generation capacity currently supplied by dams. But ever increasing dry spells engendered … [Read more...] about When Solar Power Cuts Costs and Emissions
Interactive Learning: Making it Work in Latin America
Can technology improve education? For most educators, advances in computational capacity and artificial intelligence open the doors to potential revolutions in learning. So do increases in mobile devices and broadband access. Interactive textbooks, using web-based animations and videos, allow students to visually grasp math, science and engineering issues in ways that were … [Read more...] about Interactive Learning: Making it Work in Latin America
Fiscal Discipline: Can Constitutions Help?
By Mark Hallerberg Recently, there has been renewed interest in incorporating fiscal rules directly into constitutions. In 2012, the signatories of the so-called "Fiscal Compact" in Europe were expected to introduce a balanced budget rule that would "preferably (have) constitutional provisions." Those signatories included 25 of the current 28 member states of the European … [Read more...] about Fiscal Discipline: Can Constitutions Help?