By Zainab Babar, Dr. Khalid Waleed Pakistan’s power sector is a study in contradictions: real progress shadowed by unresolved structural problems, and genuine potential left largely untapped. Over the past decade, coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) developed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) account for 90 percent of Pakistan’s installed coal capacity, and has added 6,600 […]
A new report released in collaboration with the Boston University Global Development Policy Center and the Sustainable Development Policy Institute in Pakistan by authors Mengdi Yue, Zainab Babar, Ying Qian, and Khalid Waleed, reveals that a strategic coal transition can simultaneously improve fiscal sustainability, strengthen energy security, and reduce emissions, and outlines exactly how to achieve […]
By Tim Hirschel-Burns This blog is part of a blog series on past large-scale international investment programs and the lessons they provide for the investment push needed for development and climate action today. You can read the introduction to the blog series here, part 1 on the Marshall Plan here, part 2 on South Korea here and part 3 […]
Starting school at an older age may result in greater health, educational, and economic well-being among children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), according to a new study by a School of Public Health researcher and Global Development Policy Center affiliate. Children who are younger for their grade often fall behind academically and eventually drop […]
By Rebecca Ray, Kevin P. Gallagher and Marina Zucker-Marques Once again, developing countries are experiencing shockwaves from a crisis they did not create. Since the US-Israel strikes on Iran began on February 28, global oil prices have skyrocketed, with consequences rippling far beyond the Middle East, impacting sovereign bond spreads across developing and emerging markets […]
“Dear President Gustavo Petro Urrego, We write to you as economists and legal scholars deeply concerned that investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) poses a serious obstacle to building prosperous, equitable, and sustainable societies. As Colombia prepares to co-host the First International Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels in Santa Marta from April 24-29, where discussions […]
Across sub-Saharan Africa, informality is not the exception, but the economic reality. Four out of five workers in sub-Saharan Africa earn their living through the informal economy. In many countries, that figure exceeds 90 percent. The informal economy across the region remains the principal provider of jobs and livelihoods. However, while informality sustains millions, it […]
The Human Capital Initiative (HCI) is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2026 Collaborative Grant award to advance innovative, policy-oriented research and support faculty-led projects that bridge evidence and policy to improve human capital outcomes globally. The HCI Collaborative Grant engages core faculty members and affiliates within Boston University to provide up to 12-months […]