Blog

Monetary Policy Reloaded. Towards a New Growth Path in China

| 19 September 2025
Monetary, Blog | Tags: Central Banks, China, Economic Growth, Financial Inclusion
In recent months, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) unveiled a comprehensive series of monetary policy measures and guidance that combines general easing and targeted support mechanisms. ... continue reading

How to Move Forward with Green Hydrogen

and | 28 August 2025
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Energy, Renewables, Tax Expenditures, Vietnam
Green hydrogen is hoped to be a key solution for decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors, notably steel, petrochemicals, and long-haul transport, all large consumers of fossil fuels in Vietnam. ... continue reading

Bringing Tax Expenditures Into the Debate on Financing for Development

| 23 July 2025
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Development, Domestic Revenue Mobilization, Tax Expenditures
Tax expenditures have traditionally been considered an issue governments are supposed to deal with by themselves. This, however, is changing. The recent Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) FfD4 explicitly refers to tax expenditures in its Outcome Document. ... continue reading

U.S. Energy Policy at a Crossroads

and | 28 May 2025
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Energy, Fossil Fuel Subsidies, Renewables, United States
U.S. energy policy is at a crossroads. While both the Biden and Trump Administrations have made energy affordability and security a key priority, their strategies differ drastically. ... continue reading

Shedding Light on the Use of Tax Expenditures for Social Spending

and | 5 May 2025
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Inequality, Social Protecion, Tax Expenditures
When we think of government spending on social programmes, we generally picture direct cash transfers, public healthcare, education and subsidized housing. Yet a significant portion of social spending happens outside the traditional budget. ... continue reading

Hitting the Mark: Design Choices in Targeted Refinancing

| 17 April 2025
Monetary, Blog | Tags: Central Banks, Targeted Refinancing Lines
To target their objectives, central banks have a broad toolbox. Each of their instruments has impacts on a range of their goals and must be calibrated accordingly. The critical role of design choices in targeted refinancing operations is a case in point. ... continue reading

FfD4 Countdown: A Watered-Down Proposal on Tax Expenditures Risks Undermining Countries’ Domestic Revenue Mobilization

, , , and | 17 April 2025
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Domestic Revenue Mobilization, Investment, Tax Expenditures
At the Fourth Conference on Financing for Development in June, countries must commit to greater oversight of tax expenditures, including implementing minimum reporting standards, and rationalizing ineffective or harmful tax expenditures. ... continue reading

A Renewed Urgency to Rationalize Tax Expenditures in Low- and Low-Middle Income Countries

and | 16 April 2025
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Domestic Revenue Mobilization, Tax Expenditures, Tax Reform
In this blog, we argue that the case for streamlining and reforming TEs has become even more urgent. This urgency arises from recent developments including the decisions by the United States and the United Kingdom to significantly reduce their international aid budgets... ... continue reading

Wang’s Café Goes Green: Innovative Finance Solutions for Small Companies

| 27 March 2025
Monetary, Blog | Tags: China, Entrepreneurship, Financial Inclusion, Green Finance
Financial markets have mobilized a large and growing amount of money for climate action – but most of it goes to large firms. Small companies (micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises or MSMEs in the jargon) struggle to access the finance needed to green their activities. ... continue reading

Clearing the Air: Lessons from the EU ETS for Low Carbon Aviation

and | 6 March 2025
Fiscal, Blog | Tags: Carbon Pricing, Energy, Fossil Fuels, Tax Expenditures, Transport
Aviation has long enjoyed a special tax status. Airline fuel for international flights is generally exempt from excise duties. International air travel also benefits widely from VAT exemption or zero-rated VAT. ... continue reading