Pocket Economics: A Guide To Changing Lives

How does inequality affect economic growth, the fate of reforms and people’s happiness? EBRD Chief Economist Sergei Guriev discusses inequality and globalisation. Inequality is the central theme of the EBRD’s Transition Report 2016-17.

How much will it cost to combat climate change? And who should pay the bill? Who should contribute more: developed or developing countries? Climate change is fast, expensive and the scale of the challenge is enormous. Mattia Romani, EBRD Managing Director for Economics, Policy and Governance, former Chief Economist of the Global Green Growth Institute explains how we can finance the battle against climate change.

Do reformers have to be popular to be successful? It’s a conundrum thinkers have agonised over for centuries. Our guest, the EBRD’s Chief Economist, Sergei Guriev, looks at how the concept of political economy has evolved and discusses the dynamic between rulers, ruled and reforms. He also analyses the importance of leaders’ popularity in both democratic and authoritarian regimes and previews our next Transition Report, which focuses on inequality.

Microcredit used to be regarded as a tool that, by funding the creation and expansion of microenterprises, could help lift households out of poverty. However, in recent years, the notion that microfinance is a “miracle cure” has been subject to intense debate. Ralph De Haas, EBRD’s Head of Research, author of numerous publications on microcredit including ‘Microcredit: neither miracle nor mirage’ helps us shed light on this complex issue.