Latin America cacao profits look set to disappoint

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Latin America ◽  
National Level ◽  
Viable Alternative ◽  
Extractive Industries ◽  
External Shocks ◽  
Andean Region ◽  
Content Type ◽  
National Governments

Subject Cacao production. Significance Development agencies, national governments and private firms across Latin America are committing to substantial investments to increase the region's cacao output. Such expenditure, motivated by years of high prices, is intended to bolster economic growth, tackle poverty and provide smallholders in the Andean region with an economically viable alternative to coca cultivation. Impacts Production at the sub-national level is likely to fluctuate as localised flooding and droughts affect parts of the Andean region. Lower cacao prices will complicate efforts to tempt Colombian farmers away from growing more profitable coca plants. Long-term, cacao crops could help reduce reliance on extractive industries, but will leave economies susceptible to external shocks.

Prospects for the Andean region in 2017

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Foreign Investment ◽  
Presidential Election ◽  
Extractive Industries ◽  
Andean Region ◽  
Content Type

Subject Prospects for the Andean region in 2017. Significance The Andean region (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia) is set for another year of sluggish growth, although this may still compare favourably with other parts of Latin America. Foreign investment, reduced by the problems facing extractive industries, will be slow to pick up. Ecuador is the only country that will face a presidential election, while pre-election manoeuvring will characterise Colombian politics in advance of the 2018 poll.

Conservation and development: a cross-disciplinary overview

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 234-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Maria Cardoso da Silva ◽  
Julie Topf
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
National Level ◽  
Financial Resources ◽  
Conservation Movement ◽  
Ecological Infrastructure ◽  
Development Agenda ◽  
The People ◽  
National Governments ◽  
Global And Local

SummaryThe ability of national governments to set and implement policies that protect biodiversity is currently facing widespread scepticism within the conservation movement. Here, we review the literature from several disciplines to outline a positive agenda for how the global conservation movement can address this. We combine the strengths of the people-centred and science-led conservation approaches to develop a framework that emphasizes the importance of ecological infrastructure for the long-term prosperity of human societies in an ever-changing world. We show that one of the major goals of the conservation movement (enhancing global ecological infrastructure to end species and ecosystem loss) remains central and irreplaceable within the broad sustainable development agenda. Then, we argue that the conservation community is now more prepared than ever to face the challenge of supporting societies in designing the ecological infrastructure they need to move towards more sustainable states. Because it is where global and local priorities meet, the national level is where impactful changes can be made. Furthermore, we point out two priorities for the conservation movement for the next decade: (1) substantially increase the amount of financial resources dedicated to conservation; and (2) advance the next generation of policies for ecological infrastructure.

scholarly journals Winning the global talent war

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
William S. Harvey
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Environment ◽  
National Level ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Green Card ◽  
Cultural Roots ◽  
Talent Strategy ◽  
Recent Reform ◽  
International Comparative

Purpose – The purpose of this article was to discuss the phenomenon of international talent mobility and competition in relation to China's engagement in the “talent war” for attracting, retaining and managing global talents, from a policy perspective. Design/methodology/approach – The author adopts an approach combining literature review and international comparative analysis. Findings – Factors explaining global talent mobility have been predominantly economic. This paper argues that China should also focus on other critical non-economic aspects for attracting and retaining talents in the long-term. The Chinese Government may learn from the experience of other competing countries in developing a national strategy for attracting and retaining global talents. While China has an advantage in attracting overseas Chinese who are attached to its cultural roots and are other competing countries' residents or citizens, its existing talent policy may not be able to create effective local and institutional environment in attracting and retaining needed talents. Practical implications – An attractive policy is key to winning the global talent war and determining the future development path of a nation. The talent policy at a national level should address not only economic factors but also personal, professional and institutional factors. Originality/value – Winning the global talent war is a policy competition among countries. The Chinese Government may succeed in the war for talent by adopting a multi-pronged, multi-level and long-term talent strategy. This paper calls for China to reconsider its recent reform on permanent residence (green card) policy reform from a global talent competition perspective.

EU telecoms reform will trigger legislative battle

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Market Power ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Sector Reform ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Eu Policy ◽  
Price Increases ◽  
Regulatory Frameworks ◽  
National Governments

Subject Telecoms sector reform. Significance Ministers responsible for the telecoms sector have watered down the European Commission's proposals to reform the industry. Their moves coincide with a wave of consolidation among mobile operators at the national and regional levels, raising questions of whether the balance of EU policy towards the sector has swung against consumers or if these changes are necessary for the sector's long-term competitiveness. Impacts Consolidation will facilitate future investment, leaving the mobile telecoms sector better placed to develop next generation infrastructure. However, if recent mergers are any guide, most consumers can expect price increases in the short term. This may raise fears of a strengthening of incumbents' market power. National consolidation should be followed by European consolidation. However, this will only make sense if national governments agree to greater convergence of regulatory frameworks -- which looks unlikely.

Portuguese coalition parties may clash over austerity

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
European Commission ◽  
Budget Deficit ◽  
Banking Sector ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Rating Agencies ◽  
Structural Funds ◽  
The Government

Significance This reflects the significant risks lying ahead for the government despite the European Council's decision on August 9 to waive fines for Portugal over its excessive budget deficit in 2015. Impacts The European Commission retains the possibility of suspending structural funds for Portugal. The decision to waive the fine could undermine the credibility of EU rules in the long term. Slower economic growth and the weak banking sector could lead to Portugal being downgraded by rating agencies.

Global lessons from Ebola crisis may be ignored

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Priorities ◽  
Local Health ◽  
International Organisations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The World ◽  
National Governments

Subject Lessons from the Ebola crisis. Significance The Ebola epidemic in West Africa caught national governments and international organisations off-guard. As the epidemic begins to abate in the affected countries, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has begun an internal process to learn lessons for future global health emergencies. However, many of the required responses were well-known before the Ebola outbreak but ignored. Shifting entrenched political attitudes will be a challenge. Impacts Popular distrust of local health services continues to mar comprehensive detection of Ebola infections in affected countries. Re-building local health services will be distorted if the Ebola crisis dominates planning over long-term health priorities. However, donors tend to prefer orientation towards disease-specific programmes and interventions over strengthening health systems.

Xi may push Party too far in asserting control

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Leadership Style ◽  
Political Strategy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Elite Politics ◽  
High Level ◽  
Party Congress

Subject Elite politics in China. Significance Former oil executive Jiang Jiemin was sentenced to 16 years on October 12, becoming the latest high-level casualty of President Xi Jinping's vigorous anti-corruption campaign. Jiang is a protege of Zhou Yongkang, the most senior Chinese politician ever to be jailed in post-Mao China. Ahead of a Party plenum set for October 26-29, Xi's campaign shows no sign of abating, and there are rumours of dissension at the top levels of politics. Impacts Xi's leadership style has already challenged many long-term conventions; he may challenge more. As the Party Congress approaches, the competition for the five top posts that become vacant will become an increasing priority. Slowing economic growth makes Xi's political strategy all the riskier.

Inequality progress key to aid Chile long-term growth

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Income Distribution ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Pension Reform ◽  
Economic Inequality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Economic Commission ◽  
The Caribbean

Subject Social and economic inequality. Significance After its progress in reducing poverty, highlighted by a recent report of the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Chile faces the complex and socially divisive challenge of tackling its deep-rooted economic and social inequalities. Impacts The key problem in addressing poverty will be its concentration in specific groups of the population. Some of the government’s planned reforms, such as pension reform, would help to improve income distribution. The outcome of the government’s Country Undertaking initiative will depend on its ability to implement the resulting ideas.

Intensified Kurdish attacks will not shake Tehran

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
National Level ◽  
External Support ◽  
Islamic State ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Border Areas

Significance Clashes between Iranian Kurds and the IRGC increased this year following the loss of territory by Islamic State (IS) in Iraq, a new Turkish military assault in Iraqi border areas where many groups were based and the emergence of wider protests in Iran. Washington’s rejection of the 2015 multilateral Iran nuclear deal in May has also opened up new opportunities for Iranian Kurdish parties to seek US backing. Impacts Sanctions combined with long-term economic and ecological crises will result in more national-level protests. Kurdish groups will increase military attacks, but this will not fundamentally change the security situation. Lack of unity among Iranian Kurdish groups will hinder their effectiveness, including in winning external support.

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