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Happy New Year from the OECD! As we step into 2025, we are filled with optimism and a renewed commitment to our mission to build better policies for better lives. This year, we will continue to: ➡️ Promote policies that secure strong, sustainable, inclusive, and resilient economic development and growth. ➡️ Provide global leadership on climate action, aiming for global net zero by 2050 through the diffusion of evidence-based best practices and enhanced international co-operation. ➡️ Seize the opportunities of digital transformation and AI, while effectively managing the associated risks and disruptions. ➡️ Promote well-functioning global markets and ensure a level playing field with a robust, rules-based trading system. ➡️ Advance OECD standards through active membership, partnerships, and a sound approach to sustainable development. Together, let's make 2025 a year of progress, innovation, and shared success.

The Caribbean is one of the most climate-vulnerable regions, even though it contributes very little to global emissions. Extreme climate events, such as heatwaves, droughts, storms, and wildfires surged by 85% in 2001-20. Building resilience is crucial—through adaptation planning, resilient infrastructure, and early warning systems.  But there's also huge potential: The Caribbean's rich biodiversity offers opportunities in renewable energy, sustainable tourism, the blue economy, and nature-based solutions. Find out more in the Caribbean Development Dynamics report ➡️ https://oe.cd/5Sd

High labour shortages call for action. Despite some easing in labour markets, labour and skill shortages remain high. Persistent labour shortages can hinder economic growth and the success of digital and green transitions. Read the report: https://brnw.ch/21wPKFJ | #EconomicOutlook

Decarbonising industries like steel and concrete is key to tackling climate change, but to do so we need reliable ways to measure the carbon footprint of goods produced in these sectors. A 🆕 report from the #IFCMA explores how we can better use carbon intensity metrics to drive more effective action: https://brnw.ch/21wPHFw

In 2023, official development assistance (ODA) from Development Assistance Committee member countries rose to an all-time high of USD 223.3 billion, representing a 1.6% increase from 2022 in real terms. Overall, developing countries received USD 258.4 billion in ODA and other concessional finance from all official providers. Explore the latest statistics on resource flows to developing countries ➡️ https://brnw.ch/21wPGND | OECD Development

The global economy has remained resilient this year, despite differences in the strength of activity across countries and sectors. Global GDP growth is projected to strengthen slightly to 3.3% in 2025 and remains stable at this level in 2026. Inflation has continued to moderate, and headline inflation is now back to central bank targets in most economies. Labour market tightness has also eased, although unemployment rates generally remain at or near historical lows. However, risks are casting a shadow over what is otherwise a relatively benign central projection. Key risks include the intensification of geopolitical risks, inflation turning out more persistent than anticipated and a sharp repricing of risk in financial markets. What should policymakers do? ➡️ Monetary policy should continue to loosen but needs to remain prudent. As inflation moderates towards central bank targets, policy rate reductions in advanced economies should continue and remain data dependent to ensure that underlying inflationary pressures are durably contained. ➡️ Governments need to step up efforts to consolidate public finances. Decisive fiscal actions are needed to ensure debt sustainability, preserve the capacity for governments to react to future shocks and generate resources to help meet significant upcoming spending pressures. ➡️ Ambitious structural policy reforms are needed to improve the foundations for growth. Reforms to enhance education and skills development and reducing constraints in labour and product markets that hinder investment and labour mobility are essential. These will improve productivity, enhance the spread of new technologies and boost labour force participation. In this #EconomicOutlook, our special chapter focuses on the importance of tackling pervasive labour shortages. Read in full: https://brnw.ch/21wPG76

The 2024 MENA-OECD Women’s Economic Empowerment Forum (WEEF), a two-day event in Cairo chaired by Egypt and France, took place last month. For over 15 years, the WEEF has facilitated regional cooperation to enhance women's access to economic opportunities through fostering partnerships between government and non-government representatives from MENA and OECD economies. This year’s WEEF features the official launch of the EU-OECD Regional Action for Women's Economic Empowerment in the Southern Mediterranean. This new project promotes reforms that enhance women’s financial literacy, protect their consumer rights and provide tailored support for their entrepreneurial journeys in eight MENA economies. We are grateful to the EU for funding the Regional Action for Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Southern Mediterranean project and to Egypt for co-chairing and hosting this year’s WEEF and to France as the other co-chair. Learn more: https://brnw.ch/21wPECh | #MENAOECD | #MENAwomen

The holidays can be a prime opportunity to clean out your closet — but have you considered the environmental impact of throwing away that sweater? The fashion industry contributes an estimated 4% to global greenhouse gas emissions. The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) approach makes producers responsible for a product at the end of its life. Our 🆕 working paper looks at how this approach could help mitigate the textile sector’s environmental impact. Some key findings: ➡️ Between 2010 and 2022, the reported export weight of used clothing by OECD Member countries has increased by 59%. ➡️ Under current policies, plastic waste generated from synthetic textiles is projected to more than double by 2060. ➡️ EPR schemes can enable re-use and recycling by supporting separate waste collection, while transferring the costs from governments to producers. ➡️ France is the first OECD Member country with a fully implemented national policy on clothing, but several more countries are beginning to design and implement new schemes. Explore all the paper’s insights: https://brnw.ch/21wPDTz | OECD Environment | #Textiles #Waste #Plastics

Even though primary school completion in Africa rose from 55% in 2000 to 75% in 2022, African children average only 5.1 effective learning years compared to 7.2 in Asia and 10.5 in high-income countries. Math and reading proficiency are also lower than in other regions, and many graduates lack essential technical, digital and soft skills. African countries need to invest in quality education and training programmes for youth to fuel productivity and development. Learn more in #AfricaDevelopment Dynamics report: https://brnw.ch/21wPAe7 | OECD Development | African Union

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