Research and Publications

The Poverty, Prosperity, and Planet Report 2024 is the latest edition of the series formerly known as Poverty and Shared Prosperity. The report emphasizes that reducing poverty and increasing shared prosperity must be achieved in ways that do not come at unacceptably high costs to the environment.

Recipe for a Livable Planet: Achieving Net Zero Emissions in the Agrifood System
The global agrifood system has been largely overlooked in the fight against climate change. Yet, greenhouse gas emissions from the agrifood system are so big that they alone could cause the world to miss the goal of keeping global average temperatures from rising above 1.5 centigrade compared to preindustrial levels. The report offers the first comprehensive global strategic framework to mitigate the agrifood system’s contributions to climate change, detailing affordable and readily available measures that can cut nearly a third of the world’s planet heating emissions while ensuring global food security.

This is a pioneering research work that delves into the drivers and profound consequences of cyber incidents worldwide. From economic setbacks that can destabilize entire economies to interruptions of vital services and impediments to social and economic development, the impacts of cyber incidents are far-reaching.

The ability of firms to finance investments in physical and human capital and innovate through digital, green, and other technologies is central to productivity and economic growth. Yet a myriad of distortions and frictions can prevent the efficient allocation of financial resources to firms, negatively impacting their growth and productivity.

The Journey Ahead: Supporting Successful Migration in Europe and Central Asia provides an in-depth analysis of international migration in Europe and Central Asia (ECA) and the implications for policy making. By identifying challenges and opportunities associated with migration in the region, it aims to inform a more nuanced, evidencebased debate on the costs and benefits of cross-border mobility.

Despite the reduction in transport costs over the past few decades, creating a single integrated economy remains elusive. This publication makes a unique contribution by assessing the main determinants of shippers’ economic costs of freight transport—economic distance—and identifying the frictions that keep transport prices above an efficient level, shipping times high, and reliability low.