The Boston University Global Development Policy (GDP) Center is a university-wide research center in partnership with the Frederick S. Pardee School for Global Studies and the Office of Research at Boston University. In its fourth year of operation, the GDP Center is proud to present the 2021 Annual Report. The report provides an overview of […]
Do central banks rebalance their currency shares? The answer matters, as the dollar’s predominant role in large official reserve holdings means widespread rebalancing requires central banks to buy (sell) a depreciating (appreciating) dollar, stabilizing its value against other major currencies. In a new National Bureau of Economic Research working paper, Menzie D. Chinn, Hiro Ito and Robert N. […]
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and growing climate crisis, it is becoming increasingly apparent that there is an unresolved tension between the network of rules that make up the global trading system, and the individual members of that system. The new book by Rachel Thrasher, Constraining Development: the Shrinking Policy Space in the […]
By Rachel Thrasher There is an unresolved tension between the network of rules that make up the global trading system, and the needs of the system’s individual countries. Indeed, troubling trends in treaty-making and international jurisprudence suggest global rules increasingly present obstacles to national governments pursuing development and economic expansion aims. Consisting of one multilateral […]
Treatment-as-prevention (TasP) refers to the strategy of treating HIV-positive individuals with antiretroviral therapy (ART) to prevent sexual transmission of the disease to others. A landmark 2011 study by the HIV Prevention Trials Network that monitored transmission amongst mixed HIV status couples (in which one partner was HIV-positive and one HIV-negative) provided conclusive evidence that ART […]
By Emanne Khan Antiretroviral therapy (ART) not only extends the lives of people with HIV. It also prevents sexual transmission of the virus. However, knowledge of ART’s impact on transmission has been slow to gain mainstream understanding and traction. In 2011, the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN)-052 study received results from a trial of 1,763 […]
By Bridgette Lang Lithium, an element used in rechargeable batteries and other sustainable energy sources, is in high demand as the green energy market grows. Though lithium products can help countries reduce their carbon footprint, its extraction process is quite far from being eco-friendly. Inevitably, governments and investors must make tradeoffs and difficult decisions. In […]
As China emerges from its COVID-19 recession, the country has already seen an early resurgence in key industrial sectors. This is particularly true for industries linked to renewable energy generation, driven by President Xi Jinping’s quest for carbon neutrality. Conversely to this domestic sustainability drive, China’s demand for lithium from Latin America has been picking […]
By Blake Alexander Simmons The United States has joined more than 84 heads of state or government in support of the “30×30” conservation agenda — a global commitment to conserving 30 percent of lands and seas by 2030. Following an executive order in January 2021, the Biden administration recently outlined a vision for achieving this […]
The global conservation community is uniting around a common goal: to protect and conserve 30 percent of the planet by 2030. With 84 heads of state or government pledging their commitment, this “30 × 30” target will likely inform the next decade of international biodiversity policy. In January 2021, US President Joe Biden joined […]