Reports

Averting the next energy crisis: The demand challenge

Source:  The McKinsey Global Institute

The world has been witnessing extraordinary volatility in energy prices in the past five years. Crude oil prices escalated as robust demand for energy, particularly from rapidly growing developing economics, combined with supply shock; even as crude hit record highs, economic growth developing economies, combined with supply shock; even as crude hit record highs, economic growth and energy demand appeared to be immune. Then suddenly, everything changed. The credit squeeze and subsequent GDP slowdown have seen energy-demand growth slow down rapidly and prices drop sharply in response. Producers began to cut back on capital projects, and comanies struggled to find credit to drill attractive wells and build new power capacity.

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Saudi Arabia Economics

Source:  Banque Saudi Fransi

Saudi Arabia’s economic recovery this year will most likely follow a gradual, steady track. Economic growth should accelerate following a stagnant and difficult year, inflation will remain at manageable but historically high levels and expansion of the private sector is set to take a turn for the better along with credit expansion at Saudi banks. The government, through a stimulatory public spending programme, will continue to lead the pick up in the economy as Saudi oil averages around $74 a barrel and low levels of government debt bolster the kingdom’s fiscal position. A higher oil price environment will enable Saudi Arabia to experience comfortable budget and current account surpluses.

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The Impact of the Credit Crisis on Poor Developing Countries and the Role of China in Pulling and Crowding Us Out

Source:  United Nations University

We show that the credit crisis of OECD countries has a negative impact on the growth of the world economy according to an error correction model including China and Australia. This causes negative growth effects in poor developing countries. The reduced growth has a direct or...

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OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2009-2018

Source: OECD-FAO

Preparation of the 2009 OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook report, in this year of unprecedented global economic turmoil, has been particularly difficult and requires additional caution on the part of readers when interpreting the results as the macroeconomic situation is constantly unfolding.

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OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2008-2017

Source: OECD-FAO

This version of the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook is set against a background where world reference prices for most agricultural commodities covered in this report are at or above previous record levels, at least in nominal terms. While some of the reasons for these high prices are transitory, there is strong reason to believe that there are now also permanent factors underpinning prices that will work to keep them at higher average levels than in the past

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Mapping the Global Future

Source: National Intelligence Council

At no time since the formation of the Western alliance system in 1949 have the shape and nature of international alignments been in such a state of flux. The end of the Cold War shifted the tectonic plates, but the repercussions from these momentous events are still unfolding. Emerging powers in Asia, retrenchment in Eurasia, a roiling Middle East, and transatlantic divisions are among the issues that have only come to a head in recent years. The very magnitude and speed of change resulting from a globalizing world-apart from its precise character-will be a defining feature of the world out to 2020.

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The GCC in 2020
Outlook for the Gulf and the Global Economy

Source: Economist Intelligence Unit

Over the past ten to 12 years, the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) region, which comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, has undergone rapid economic, demographic and social changes. Since 1998, the GCC's real GDP has expanded by an annual average of 5.2% and by a cumulative total of 65%. Meanwhile, the population has risen from just over 28m in 1998 to an estimated 39m in 2008.

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2020 Global Food Outlook
Trends,Alternatives, and Choices

Source: International Food Policy Research Institute

Concern about the world’s future food security seems to run in cycles. In the mid-1990s world cereal prices rose dramatically as cereal stocks fell sharply, and some observers foresaw a starving 21st century world unable to meet growing food demands from a deteriorating natural resource base.Worries eased in the late 1990s as global cereal production hit record levels in response to high prices and falling stocks, while declining incomes due to the East Asian economic crisis reduced the demand for food commodities.

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THE FUTURE OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMY:
Towards a Long Boom?

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

One of the most promising and commonly evoked vistas of the future centres on the dazzling potential of new technologies. From that perspective many of today's profound problems, such as unemployment, malnutrition, disease and global warming could be solved through the clever application of breakthroughs in computer science, genetic engineering, nano-device construction and new materials creation.

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GREEN ECONOMY:
The New Big Deal

Source: UNEP

Globalisation does not just spread economic ups - and the current deep downs - rapidly across the globe. It can do the same for compelling and transformational ideas. As ministers gather in Nairobi for the Governing Council, two concepts being developed by UNEP are emerging as a powerful antidote to the economic gloom: the 'Global Green New Deal' and a transition to a global Green Economy. Together, they offer a way of overcoming short-term economic woes while setting the stage for sustainable growth in the 21st century, with markets rewarding nations and companies that invest in decent employment, innovation, resource efficiency and creativity.

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The 2008 Food Price Crisis:
Rethinking Food Security Policies

Source: UNCTAD

The already grave situation of global hunger was further worsened by the 83 per cent increase in global food prices between 2005 and 2008. While maize prices almost tripled, wheat prices increased 127 per cent, and rice prices increased 170 per cent between January 2005 and June 2008. According to preliminary estimates of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), higher prices pushed an additional 40 million people into hunger in 2008, raising the overall number of undernourished people in the world to 963 million, compared to 923 million in 2007 (FAO, 2008a). FAO has warned that the ongoing financial and economic crisis could continue to augment the number of people living in hunger and poverty.

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Information Economy Report 2009

Source: UNCTAD

Over the past few decades, information and communication technologies (ICTs) have proven to be a tremendous accelerator of economic and social progress. They have opened up a previously unimaginable array of possibilities in both developed and developing countries. The speed at which ICTs are diffusing has taken many observers by surprise. This is in no small part thanks to the mobile revolution. With more than 4 billion mobile subscriptions worldwide, one of the targets set by world leaders at the World Summit on the Information Society – that more than half of the world’s population should have ready access to ICTs – may have been reached seven years ahead of schedule.

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Audios & Videos

Real World. Real Learning

Source: IMD

Dr John R. Wells, IMD President introduces the IMD 2009 Responsible Leadership questions.

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The Psychology of the Financial Crisis

Source: Yale University

This is one houre presentation by Yale Prof. of Finance. It is heavy presentation but does not require finance background except some basic. what is presented can be applied to any market and explain some banking behaviour in any country.

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Dan Ariely on what Behavioral Finance tells us about financial crisis

Source: Agenda Steve Paikin - tvo

Duke University's Dan Ariely on behavioural economics and what it tells us about the current recession.

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Paul Krugman says "I'd blame Alan Greenspan and Phil Gramm"

Source: floatingcapital

David Gregory hosts a one on one with economist Paul Krugman who talks about the financial bailout proposed by the Bush Administration. Among many thoughts on the matter, Krugman lays this disaster at the feat of Alan Greenspan and McCain advisor Phil Gramm.

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Paul Krugman on "The Return of Depression Economics?"

Source: UChannel

Paul Krugman, Professor of Economics and International Affairs; 2008 Nobel Prize in Economics
(Apr 18, 2009 at Princeton University) Par of the 2009 Princeton Colloquium on Public and International Affairs.

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Links

Absolute must: Nouriel Roubini website's part with everything on global financial crisis

Source: RGE Monitor

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George Soros on his Institute of New Economic Thinking

Source: Financial Times

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