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The New Climate Economy report 'Better Cities, Better Growth: India’s Urban Opportunity' finds that compact cities in India experienced faster economic growth from 2002-2012 than sprawled cities. Smart urban growth could save India between $330 billion and $1.8 trillion annually by mid-century, representing up to 6 percent of GDP. The document identifies three target areas for reform: land regulations, sustainable urban infrastructure (such as bus rapid transit), and the strengthening of urban local governments. It highlights the high costs of car-driven growth, citing Delhi as an example where traffic congestion and air pollution create significant economic and livability crises.

The paper argues that effective governance is a primary determinant of poverty reduction in Africa. Using the International Futures (IFs) forecasting system, it demonstrates that improving governance effectiveness (aligned with SDG 16.6) would lift more than 60 million people out of poverty by 2050, outperforming other targeted health and sanitation interventions.

The National Program for fuel efficiency and emissions standards is a cornerstone of New Jersey's strategy to reduce transportation emissions, which account for 41 percent of statewide emissions. The program has already reduced annual transportation-related emissions in the state by 935,000 metric tons and saved drivers $648 million in fuel costs since 2011. By 2030, the program is projected to lower New Jersey's global warming emissions by 9.3 million metric tons per year, create over 15,000 jobs, and increase the state's GDP by more than $1.5 billion.

The document argues that South Africa is stuck in a middle-income trap characterized by sluggish growth, deep inequality, and declining government effectiveness. It suggests a paradigm shift away from a state-led developmental model toward a labour-intensive, low-wage growth path and a knowledge economy built on private sector partnerships and technological innovation.

The document provides a framework for FSD programmes to set up an Impact-Oriented Measurement (IOM) system. It details a two-step process for 'Stage 1: Clarity of Purpose', which involves ensuring the programme's Theory of Change (ToC) is evaluable and developing specific impact measurement questions. The guide emphasizes the importance of 'nesting' project-level results chains within thematic and overall programme ToCs to capture systemic change and avoid overstating causal contributions. It also introduces 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' approaches to measuring impact, ranging from high-level economic growth to direct intervention effects.

The document outlines a two-step process for measuring change in financial sector development: assessing causality and contribution (Step 5) and developing a research agenda (Step 6). It emphasizes a pragmatic, evidence-based approach to attribution, acknowledging that FSDs act as market facilitators and cannot claim full credit for changes. The guide details 'bottom-up' (intervention-focused) and 'top-down' (sector-level) analysis, offering a menu of methodologies ranging from light-touch monitoring and theory-based approaches (e.g., contribution analysis, outcome harvesting) to rigorous quantitative statistical methods (e.g., experimental and quasi-experimental designs). It also defines the role of research in filling knowledge gaps, informing strategy, and contributing to global learning on the links between financial inclusion, economic growth, and poverty reduction.

A 2014 national survey of 1,578 US adults indicates that a large majority of Americans believe protecting the environment is either beneficial or neutral for the economy, contradicting claims that such actions harm economic growth or cost jobs.

The paper evaluates Namibia's progress toward Vision 2030 and NDP4 targets using the International Futures (IFs) model. It identifies physical capital—specifically electricity, sanitation, and transportation—as the primary constraint on economic growth. Through three scenarios (Current Path, Infrastructure Access, and Leave No Namibian Out), the author demonstrates that while heavy infrastructure investment improves health and GDP, it can detract from education spending. The analysis concludes that Namibia is unlikely to meet its aggressive GDP growth and infant mortality targets by 2030, and that deep-seated structural issues like inequality and extreme poverty will persist across all modeled paths.

The research paper examines the fiscal pressures facing South Africa, highlighting high government debt, sluggish economic growth, and rising public sector costs. It details specific budget allocations for infrastructure and energy, including the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme and nuclear procurement, while framing these economic realities against the backdrop of student demands for tertiary education funding.

The paper argues that South Africa is currently on a 'Bafana Bafana Redux' trajectory characterized by modest growth and structural unemployment due to an electricity supply crisis and poor governance. While a more positive 'Mandela Magic Lite' scenario is possible through improved leadership and policy coherence, the author suggests the country is likely to remain in a middle-income trap in the near term. The analysis highlights a critical generational shift as 'born-free' voters increase in number, potentially reducing the ANC's dominance and pushing the country toward a more competitive multiparty democracy.

The document examines carbon pricing mechanisms, specifically carbon taxes and cap-and-trade programs, as a core strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. It details design features such as scope, point of regulation, and cost-containment mechanisms, while analyzing various ways to utilize generated revenues—including tax cuts, deficit reduction, and dividends—to offset economic impacts and increase political viability. The authors argue that a well-designed carbon price can provide a 'double dividend' of environmental benefit and economic efficiency.

The paper argues that the World Bank's target of reducing extreme poverty to below 3% by 2030 is unrealistic for most African nations. Using a revised extreme poverty line of US$1.75 (2011 PPP), the authors propose a more achievable continental goal of reducing extreme poverty to below 15% by 2030 and below 4% by 2045. The analysis emphasizes that while pro-poor economic growth provides the most immediate impact, a combined approach including social assistance, human development, and progressive social change is necessary to address chronic poverty and structural inequalities.

The 2014 G-20 Summit, hosted by Australia, focuses on 'growth and resilience' to address a 'fragile, sluggish global economy'. A key objective is the 'Brisbane Action Plan', aiming to boost G-20 GDP by at least 2 per cent above projections over five years, potentially adding over $2 trillion to global GDP. The G-20's broader agenda includes financial regulation, international tax reform, and energy market resilience. For South Africa, the summit is critical as it seeks to align global growth outcomes with its National Development Plan's goal of over 5 per cent GDP growth, while advocating for inclusive and sustainable growth across Africa.

The paper identifies a rise in conflict events and fatalities in Africa since 2010, concentrated in five countries: Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan, CAR, and Somalia. It uses the International Futures modelling system to project three scenarios to 2063: a 'Base Case' of continued moderate growth, an 'African Renaissance' of inclusive growth and stability, and 'Politics of the Belly' characterized by elite exploitation and instability. The authors argue that governance is the primary driver of stability and that while democratisation is a general trend, the transition period often increases the risk of violence.

The paper advocates for the use of strategic foresight and integrated policy analysis to help African governments navigate complex development trade-offs and set realistic targets. It highlights the International Futures (IFs) model as a tool for scenario analysis and evidence-based planning, using it to critique the feasibility of certain Agenda 2063 goals, such as the eradication of extreme poverty by 2030 and the 'silencing the guns' initiative by 2020. The author emphasizes that such foresight is dependent on improving the quality and availability of reliable data across the continent.

The authors reassess the DICE model, finding that correcting several 'dubious or mistaken' assumptions leads to a conclusion that more aggressive emissions reductions are warranted to keep global temperatures below 2 degrees centigrade, while maintaining robust economic growth.

The report examines Mexico's efforts to integrate SMEs into the public procurement process to combat economic dualism and low productivity. It details eight 'Big Ideas', including the use of free trade agreement reserves, the CompraNet 5.0 e-procurement platform, and NAFIN's credit guarantee and reverse factoring programs. The document highlights that while SMEs make up 99.8% of Mexican businesses, their participation in public tenders is less than 15%, significantly lower than in other industrialized nations. It argues that leveraging public spending, particularly through state-owned enterprises like PEMEX, can catalyze SME development and overall national productivity.

The research finds that most African countries are unlikely to meet the World Bank's target of reducing extreme poverty to below 3% by 2030. Using the International Futures (IFs) model, the authors argue for a more achievable continental goal of reducing extreme poverty to below 20% by 2030 and below 3% by 2063. The paper emphasizes that poverty reduction requires a combination of pro-poor economic growth, social assistance, human development, and progressive social change, noting that policies must be tailored to individual country contexts due to varying initial conditions and poverty gaps.

The policy brief examines the potential for leveraging private sector activity to enhance Africa's 'rising' economic phenomenon, emphasizing that non-inclusive growth can exacerbate insecurity. It identifies a shift toward more explicit business engagement in sustainable development driven by commercial risk management, a desire to be a 'partner of choice', and investor impatience with state capabilities. The author recommends that governments create transparent platforms for business engagement in national development plans and that donors link foreign investment to local private sector development.

The paper finds that Nigeria's trade with BRICS is heavily skewed toward crude oil exports and manufactured imports, with China and South Africa playing the most significant roles in driving Nigerian GDP growth through imports and exports, respectively.