Public debt has evolved from a temporary fiscal tool into a structural feature of modern economies. Learn why governments rely on debt for stability, development, and crisis response, and what this means for sustainability and policy. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
The paradox of AI labor, sometimes called the paradox of self-replacing workers, captures a striking tension in today’s economy: humans are required to train the very systems that could eventually automate their tasks and displace them. – Written by Doğan Erbek
Interest rates are shifting from restrictive highs toward gradual relief as inflation cools and growth slows. Explore how major economies and regions are navigating this turning point and what it means for businesses and consumers. – Written by Doğan Erbek
The next frontier in global compliance is not just about what companies do within their own walls, but how they manage and monitor every link in their supply chains. This article explores what that next frontier can look like and how to drive accountability in the new era. –...
The European Commission’s 2025 report on simplification, implementation, and enforcement outlines a bold and pragmatic roadmap to streamline EU legislation. This article provides a summary of the report and its key takeaways. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
The 2025 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) report presents a compelling narrative: poverty and climate vulnerability are no longer separate challenges – they are deeply intertwined. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
Despite bold climate commitments, only 16% of European companies are on track to meet net-zero goals. This article explores the gap between green promises and delivery, highlighting regulatory challenges, technological opportunities, and the urgent need for corporate accountability....
As global dynamics shift, supply chains have evolved from rigid, linear systems into agile, tech-enabled networks. This article explores key trends in corporate adaptation, including digitization, resilience strategies, and sustainability efforts shaping the future of supply chains....
Trade policy volatility poses serious risks to financial stability and economic growth by disrupting markets, undermining investor confidence, and stalling long-term development. Learn how unpredictable trade measures affect global economies and what can be done to mitigate these...
This article explores the rise of intelligent technologies and highlights key trends – such as AI, automation, and quantum computing – that are set to transform industries and everyday life over the next decade – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
Explore how emerging markets are driving stronger growth in 2025 despite global uncertainty, with resilient economies, rising investments, and strategic reforms shaping their performance. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
This article discusses how local governments are driving progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and calling for greater representation in global decision-making at the UN’s 2025 Local and Regional Governments Forum. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
The EU’s renewed Capital Markets Union aims to unify financial markets, boost investment, and strengthen Europe’s economic resilience and sovereignty. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
AI’s energy demands are rising. Financial firms must balance innovation with sustainability to manage climate risks and lead responsibly in a digital future. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
UNCTAD reports global trade grew in H1 2025 despite policy and geopolitical challenges, with developed economies and digital trade leading the rebound. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
Food traceability, which is the ability to track food products from their origin to the consumer, has always been essential for safety, quality, and trust. But in recent years, the way we trace food has undergone a dramatic transformation. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
In today’s rapidly evolving world, the intersection of finance and demographics is becoming increasingly critical, especially as populations age. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall in many regions, the financial systems that support individuals and societies must adapt to a...
The concept of smart cities has long promised a future where urban living is more efficient, sustainable, and responsive to the needs of citizens. But in recent years, a new technological force has emerged to supercharge this vision: generative AI. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
Precious metals are becoming strategic assets in a fragmented world. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
While sustainability has long been the benchmark for responsible development, regenerative finance (ReFi) is emerging as a more ambitious and transformative approach. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
Deglobalization is reshaping how nations access and manage critical resources. In this short piece, I explore what deglobalization means for critical resource supply chains and how global trade could evolve in coming years. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
Factory construction faces several significant barriers that affect the pace and feasibility of new projects. Let’s take a brief look at these barriers and potential solutions. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
The European Central Bank (ECB) staff macroeconomic projections for the euro area, released in March 2025, paint a picture of cautious optimism tempered by significant uncertainties. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
I take a look at some of the initiatives the EU has launched recently and consider how they can help put Europe back on the path of innovation. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released its Global Energy Review 2025, shedding light on significant trends in global energy demand and supply. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
Global central banks are currently navigating a complex landscape of economic conditions, leading to divergent paths in their interest rate policies. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
The OECD released its interim economic outlook report for 2025 in mid-March, and it does not make for pretty reading. Here are seven key data points from the report that shed light on current and future economic conditions. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
The circular economy represents a transformative approach to economic growth that prioritizes sustainability, resource efficiency, and environmental health, and it can offer opportunities for companies to innovate and grow. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
Is it possible to balance this growing AI demand with the pressing need for sustainable generation and consumption of electricity, or is achieving such a balance too much to ask? – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
The “World Economic Situation and Prospects 2025” report by the United Nations’ Department of Economic and Social Affairs highlights the global economic outlook for the coming year. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
With the recent exodus of some banks from the Net Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), it’s worth examining how banking commitments towards climate finance have evolved and what we might expect going forward. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
If 2024 was the year that AI took tangible steps into operational effectiveness, 2025 may likely see the world of work begin to truly mold itself around AI. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
While there are still questions about how nuclear energy factors in the drive towards a sustainable global economy, there’s no denying that microreactors are game changers especially with respect to how nuclear power can be developed and deployed. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
The concepts of sustained economic growth and sustainable economic growth are often discussed in economic and environmental circles, but they are not always seen as compatible – and I do not think that they should be. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
Responsible mineral management involves overseeing the extraction, processing, and distribution of minerals in a way that minimizes environmental impact, ensures ethical labor practices, and promotes economic sustainability. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
As we move into 2025, central banks around the world are navigating a complex economic landscape marked by easing inflation, persistent deflationary pressures, and regional economic disparities. How will they adapt monetary policy to tackle these issues? – Written by Seref Doğan...
This article explores how TES is becoming an increasingly credible option for decarbonization, with a particular focus on Europe and its applications around the globe. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
This article describes how climate risk management technologies are being utilized by banks, the challenges faced, and how this sector might evolve in the near future. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
This article explores why the current car industry crunch is more of a transition opportunity than a sector crisis. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
As the world grapples with economic uncertainties, the intertwined issues of inflation and commodity scarcity have profound implications for global food prices. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
The big question is: can we find ways to sustainably source lithium and power a new industrial age without creating more problems while we’re at it? Here’s what I think. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
How can Europe achieve economic growth without sacrificing social equity on the altar of higher per capita income? – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
As the world grapples with the urgent need to combat climate change, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) has emerged as a critical technology in the fight against CO2 emissions. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
This article explores the recent history of impaired loans in Europe and the current concerns surrounding a potential new wave of NPLs. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
This article explores how economic data is utilized in forecasting growth, with specific examples from emerging markets in Asia and Africa. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
While many may have seen ESG as something of a buzzword before 2024, all indications are that sustainability will become a far more concrete concern for companies, investors and other stakeholders this year. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
Governments worldwide have imposed fines on tech giants to curb abuse of their dominance and protect user rights. However, these fines often fall short of achieving their intended goals. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
The quest for sustainable transportation is crucial in our fight against climate change. As the world grapples with environmental challenges, innovations, policies, and practices in transportation are paving the way for a greener future. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources has been accelerated by the urgent need to combat climate change and the increasing economic viability of renewable technologies. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
The global economy is projected to grow at a steady pace of 3.2 percent in 2024 and 3.3 percent in 2025, according to the July 2024 World Economic Outlook (WEO) forecast. But this growth is not expected to be uniform across all economies. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
The carbon market, a key tool in the fight against climate change, is undergoing significant evolution, from growing voluntary participation to a possible future where carbon credits are traded on stock exchanges. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
Sustainable built environments are not just about buildings; they encompass the entire built environment, including transportation systems, open spaces, and communities. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
After years of largely unbroken (and record breaking) interest rate hikes, central banks around the world are finally catching their breaths with newly introduced rate cuts. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
The World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects report for 2024-25 provides a comprehensive analysis of the global economy’s current state and future trajectory. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
In 2023, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from energy use reached their highest levels on record, according to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).- Written by Seref Dogan Doğan
In a reversal of recent trends, the UN has found that the gap between rich and poor countries is steadily widening. This is according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s 2023-24 Human Development Report published in March 2024. – Written by Seref Dogan Doğan
While many countries and regions around the world are moving away from cash to more and more innovative payment methods, the EU seems to be doubling down on cash. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
With the proliferation of generative AI in all manner of sectors, it’s natural to wonder, could 2024 be the year of generative AI? – Written by Seref Dogan Doğan
Here’s a quick summary of the key risks highlighted in the Global Risks Report 2024 and how they are likely to play out over the next decade. – Written by Seref Dogan Doğan
In an age of extensive customer tracking, deeply personalized digital experiences, and endless cookies, data privacy and ethical data practices have become hot button topics. – Written by Seref Dogan Erbek
The Fed and ECB have decided to keep interest rates unchanged after a period of consecutive hikes due to growing fears about the global economy. So what happens now? – Written by Seref Dogan Erbek
On a turbulent day on Wall Street, Big Tech giants experienced a significant setback as their Earnings Per Share (EPS) reports disappointed investors, causing a domino effect that sent shockwaves through various market sectors. – Written by Seref Dogan Erbek
In recent years, humanity has witnessed a remarkable resurgence in space exploration. Here, I share my thoughts on what we can expect from this new era of space conquest. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
The specter of global public debt has become an ever-present concern haunting economies across Europe. But with recent unprecedented rises in public debt burdens, there’s growing concern that the region’s finances are precariously poised. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
AI has rapidly gained a strong foothold in the healthcare sector, creating exciting use cases that bode well for research, diagnosis and treatment. – Written by Seref Doğan Erbek
In line with the increasing deployment of renewable energy projects worldwide, jobs in the sector are also surging — and China is far and away the top employer within the space. – Written by Seref Dogan Doğan
Given the risk of directing scarce resources towards “greenwashed” projects, it has become important to lay down rules for what projects can be considered green and how to verify their sustainability credentials. – Written by Seref Dogan Doğan
As temperatures rise, natural disasters become more frequent and intense, and sea levels continue to rise, emerging countries face a range of threats that could have devastating consequences. – Written by Seref Dogan Doğan
With nearly a year of interest rate increases behind us, it’s potentially time to ask (although perhaps prematurely): have the interest rate hikes had the desired effect? – Written by Seref Dogan Doğan
Greenwashing is a growing concern among consumers, investors and public institutions alike. In my opinion, it is a misleading and dangerous trend that undermines the progress towards a more sustainable economy. – Written by Seref Dogan Doğan
Transportation is the single most critical element to functioning supply chains. However, the growing transport sector strikes globally pose a risk to the unfettered movement of goods around the world. – Written by Seref Dogan Doğan
While AI is improving finance in so many ways, its growing global acceptance is creating uncertainty about the place of humans in a world that is increasingly machine-enabled. – Written by Seref Dogan Doğan
The latest advancements in the maritime sector have seen innovators turn the dial back to rely on a trusted ancient resource – wind energy. – Written by Seref Dogan Doğan
While they are at the heart of the cloud revolution currently unleashing the potential of the internet, data centers are also notorious climate polluters. The sector has received immense scrutiny for years due to its resource-gobbling operations and significant concerns over...
A Bedford-based company has made history after signing a deal to produce and deliver ten 100-passenger helium airships. The deal, concluded between Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) and Spanish airline AV Nostrum, is expected to create 1,800 jobs in South Yorkshire and contribute to...
Amid sharply rising global energy and food prices, inflation has threatened to spiral out of control worldwide, and this is prompting concerted action from major central banks. With inflation hitting multi-decade highs in most economies, central banks are responding by hiking...
In a survey conducted in November 2020, McKinsey & Co. found that roughly 80% of European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) viewed their economy as “somewhat to extremely weak”. While the sentiment varied across national economies, SMEs in Italy and Spain were the...
With the rise of robo advisors, automated portfolios, and intelligent algorithms, artificial intelligence (AI) is making an effective (and intimidating) incursion into the financial sector. Tasks that would have previously fallen to hordes of analysts are increasingly being...
After a minor COVID-induced drop, global energy investments rebounded to pre-pandemic levels in 2021 ($1.9 trillion) – an increase of 10% over 2020 – reports the International Energy Association (IEA). And in what will be music to the ears of policymakers and green energy...
Data privacy and security are a key focus for CFOs, says a 2019 survey by management consulting firm Protiviti. The survey, which polled 817 CFOs and finance leaders worldwide, reported that 84% of respondents rated data privacy/security as their top priority overall and...
Climate change is an increasingly costly, and deadly, event in countries around the world. As the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reports, the past 50 years have seen some of the deadliest and most expensive disasters ever recorded. The period from...
After a brief COVID-induced slump, employment rates in the EU have trended upwards once more, according to Eurostat. While the EU employment rate fell to 71.7% in 2020, a drop of one percentage point compared to 2019, job markets in the region rebounded to 73.1% in...
AAs the World Economic Forum reports, oil prices jumped above $110 per barrel in the weeks after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Likewise, natural gas prices more than tripled between mid-February and early March in reaction to the conflict, signaling how the war is affecting...
There are strong arguments that uncertainty has been the defining economic feature of the past three years. From the US-China trade war to COVID-19 and the supply chain crisis of 2021, markets have been constantly up or down with remarkably few (and generally short) periods of...
For companies still reeling from pandemic tailwinds and last year’s supply chain shocks, the Russia-Ukraine conflict couldn’t have come at a worse time. While most organizations were focused on consolidating growth gained within the past year, new concerns...
Globally, transportation is fingered as a major climate polluter with between 15-20% of total yearly emissions. Consequently, the sector has received significant attention in green research leading to breakthroughs in alternative fuels like hydrogen and the advance of electric...
Although Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) emerged before the pandemic, the attractive e-commerce payment option is soaring on post-COVID adoption. BNPL provides short-term financing to online shoppers, allowing them to split the cost of purchases into affordable...
In the past two decades, national banks pumped trillions into their economies to grapple with recession and stimulate economic growth in a process called Quantitative Easing (QE). However, with inflation at a 40-year high, the Federal Reserve, alongside other central banks, is...
The general view is that energy efficiency is good for the environment. After all, the less energy a device consumes, the better an outcome that provides for the environment. Therefore, if devices consume less than they would have because of technological...
The UAE’s recently launched rail and transport project concretizes the country’s commitment to drastically reducing carbon emissions within its borders. As scientists warn, global warming poses an existential threat to humanity, and the UAE is doing its part...
The World Bank has warned in a recent report that, due to headwinds such as inflation and vaccine inequality, the world faces a two-speed recovery that could damage prior strides in global economic development. Although there’s likely to be a general...
Rapid industrialization and economic development have made China one of the world’s most influential and prosperous countries. The country’s meteoric rise in just under three decades is nothing short of amazing. However, the same factories and industrial centers that fueled...
I have closely followed the recent upsurge in energy costs that characterized the end of 2021. According to global reports, coal, gas, and electricity prices rose to decade-high levels in the final months of the year, and projections were that the energy shortfall would...
As the world looks to bounce back from the 2020 COVID-induced slump, inflation is playing a larger role than anticipated in global economies. A slower than expected economic recovery, a flagging labor market, and supply chain disruptions have created concerning inflationary...
The world uses more energy today than ever before – roughly 575 quadrillion Btu (2015), according to the US Energy Information Agency. Although serious improvements in how we create and store energy mean the resource is cheaper and more accessible than ever, we’re...
The electric revolution in European skies could take just a few years. Judging by the speed at which things are moving, particularly in Scandinavia, the first to see the dawn of zero-emission aircraft will be passengers in the far north, where a number of experimental...
From my point of view, a sensible ecological transition must not make us forget about mankind. As Westerners, our focus is on increasing the share of renewable energy in comparison to fossil fuels. The main resource that humans need is fresh water, before any other...
There is a lot of interest and hope in hydrogen, but what exactly are we discussing? I hear a lot about hydrogen and it is difficult for me to understand exactly what is involved. So here’s why I’m offering a perspective after doing a fair degree of...
As a lover of the sea, I can’t help but be concerned about the way we treat our most precious resource. The facts are there for all to see, below are some of the things that have struck me. Since the 1950s, the production of waste and in particular plastic has...
Ever since I was a child, I have been very interested in shipping. I remember that I couldn’t understand why all boats weren’t powered like my toy…with batteries. Later I understood, and now, it gives me the opportunity to tell you about a sailing company....