Commodities & Shipping

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....

John Stuart Mill, in the 19th century, defined utilitarianism as a doctrine that makes the useful, that which serves life or happiness, the principle of all values in the field of knowledge as well as in that of action. For most of us, and I am obviously no...

If I told you that a very elegant lady waits for her electric car to be charged, undoubtedly everyone would be expecting to see a lady dressed in Prada or Dior next to a Tesla, Polestar or an EQC. However, this is not the case, as the photo illustrating my point shows, and...

It’s not unusual for the younger generations consider their elders, typically of their parents age, as selfish, having emphasised their personal comfort and favouring a society of unrestrained consumption. All of this by destroying precious natural resources and by creating...

During the past year, freight prices have been increasing nonstop and have now hit a record high. Bloomberg has highlighted that the rate to ship a forty-foot container to Rotterdam from Shanghai has jumped by 485% year-on-year, following a 3.1% rise over a week, according to...

For centuries now, gold has consistently attracted more investors and higher demand in comparison to the other precious metals. Demand per year outweighs 3,000 billion tonnes, with China and India being top of the list of those demanding more of the ‘yellow...

The immense amount that the shipping industry has changed over time is something that we take for granted in modern society. In the era of free two day shipping and sometimes even 1-day deliveries, it’s important to examine what is different. Means of Travel...

US Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced that “these extraordinary times and circumstances call for extraordinary measures. The US supports the waiver of IP (intellectual property) protections on COVID-19 vaccines to help end the pandemic and we will actively...

COVID-19 accelerated a major shift in working relations with new and elaborate definitions and notions such as smart working. Smart working stands for an employment relationship agreed between the parties, organised through phases, cycles and goals and without any schedule or...

The International Energy Agency (IEA), which I consider to be the global gold standard for energy data, warns that in 2021 global carbon dioxide emissions are set for their second biggest increase in history. This huge spike is second to the massive and...

The Libor (London Interbank Offered Rate) is an indispensable instrument for the entire financial sector, the one that gives direction. Published daily in London since 1986, this reference, on which $300 trillion of financial contracts are indexed, will disappear at the end of...

There are a growing number of articles and reports, which leaves especially small and medium size business owners rather perplexed. One of the major human resources specialists, Manpower, conducted a recent survey, which I find very interesting and...

By far not all the lessons of the 2008 financial crisis have been learned. And those that have been learned have not necessarily been applied. Nevertheless, one of them – drawn and applied – will certainly have been of great help in the current crisis. At...

Geneva is not only a global trade finance hub; it is also home to United Nations and many of its agencies. One of the most prominent ones among these agencies is United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Having established in 1964 as a...

FINMA independent supervisor of the Swiss financial market, has published its annual Risk Monitor. This report specifies the most important risks that supervised institutions are currently encountering and portrays the focus of FINMA’s supervisory activity. After...

International Energy Agency (IEA) published its World Energy Outlook (WEO)2020 report on 13 October. The new report provides the latest IEA analysis of the pandemic’s impact: global energy demand is set to drop by 5% in 2020, energy-related CO2 emissions by 7%, and energy...

Following almost a decade of negotiations, 15 countries in Asia and the Pacific signed a historically important trade agreement on November 15th, forming the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, RCEP. This China – led agreement aims to create a free trade area between...