VoxDev Development Economics

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VoxDev Development Economics

Hear about the cutting edge of development economics from research to practice.

  1. The high price of Pakistan’s polluting power contracts

    5 HR AGO

    The high price of Pakistan’s polluting power contracts

    Where does electricity come from? In developing countries, the power sector uses long-term, rigid contracts called power purchase agreements (PPAs) between a private generator and government-owned utilities. These PPAs are not usually competitive, their terms – including payment guarantees by which suppliers get paid even when there is no demand – are often secret, they can last for up to 30 years, and they guarantee the use of fossil fuels far into the future. Sugandha Srivastav tells Tim Phillips about how the privatisation of electricity generation has created a way to move money “from the public coffers to vested interests”. Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/energy-environment/why-pakistan-locked-overpriced-and-environmentally-damaging-power-sector

    30 min
  2. How government analytics can improve public sector implementation

    20 NOV

    How government analytics can improve public sector implementation

    Can better data analysis improve the way that a government functions. The Government Analytics Handbook, published by the World Bank, is both a practical how-to guide and a fascinating insight into how administrators can improve the quality of government analytics. Daniel Rogger and Christian Schuster are the editors. They talk to Tim Phillips about the challenges, the potential – and their work to create a community of analysts. Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/public-economics/how-government-analytics-can-improve-public-sector-implementation

    46 min
  3. Designing cities in developing countries

    13 NOV

    Designing cities in developing countries

    As cities grow and spread, the uses to which land is put, and the value of that land, will also change. The challenges of urban planning, construction and renewal are complicated. But the way we address those challenges has profound impacts for the people who live, and will live, in that physical city. Vernon Henderson and Maisy Wong of University of Pennsylvania explain to Tim Phillips how cities adapt, change and grow – and how that affects the lives and prospects of the people who live in them.

    32 min
  4. Strengthening climate resilience in agriculture

    7 NOV

    Strengthening climate resilience in agriculture

    Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, and so it has never been more important to increase the resilience of small-scale farmers. What does research tell us are the most effective interventions and policies to do this? In the latest of our special episodes to discuss J-PAL policy insights, Tavneet Suri talks to Tim Phillips about how we can strengthen the resilience of farmers to climate change. Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/energy-environment/financing-climate-adaptation-what-works-what-doesnt-and-can-carbon-credits

    23 min
  5. Development Dialogues: Financing climate adaptation

    5 NOV

    Development Dialogues: Financing climate adaptation

    In the first episode of a regular collaboration between Yale's Economic Growth Center and VoxDev, host Catherine Cheney speaks to Catherine Wolfram and Namrata Kala of the MIT Sloan School, and Rohini Pande of Yale, about how to finance climate adaptation. They discuss what works and what doesn't, what role carbon markets play, and also discuss the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Summit, COP 29. Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/energy-environment/financing-climate-adaptation-what-works-what-doesnt-and-can-carbon-credits

    34 min
  6. The role of cities in economic development

    30 OCT

    The role of cities in economic development

    If you go to the IGC web site, you will discover the BREAD-IGC virtual PhD-level course in economics. The topic for 2024 is urbanisation and the economics of cities in low and middle-income countries. Ed Glaeser and Diego Puga gave the first talk, about the dynamic city. They talk to Tim Phillips about what attracts people to cities, how those cities constantly change and adapt to the needs of those new arrivals, and the urgent need for research into how cities grow and change outside high- income countries. Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/migration-urbanisation/role-cities-economic-development

    24 min
  7. Can we use experiments to understand institutions?

    23 OCT

    Can we use experiments to understand institutions?

    Institutions help to determine economic growth. But studying how they do this using the rigorous experimental techniques popularised in the credibility revolution is difficult. A new review highlights an exciting new wave of empirical research into the consequences of institutional change. Michael Callen and Jonathan Weigel talk to Tim Phillips about how we can do experiments about institutions. Read the full show notes here: https://voxdev.org/topic/institutions-political-economy/can-we-use-experiments-understand-institutions

    31 min
  8. What can we learn from food economics?

    16 OCT

    What can we learn from food economics?

    A new open access textbook called Food Economics analyses the connections between agriculture and resource use, commodity trade, food businesses, and retail markets. It covers how food is produced, brought to market, and sold. But it also looks at consumption: why many have too little food, and the problems caused by malnutrition. Will Masters and Amelia Finaret, the authors, tell Tim Phillips who is it for, and what they can learn. Read the full show notes here: https://voxdev.org/topic/agriculture/what-can-we-learn-food-economics

    33 min
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Hear about the cutting edge of development economics from research to practice.

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