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Today, corruption has moved to the top of the global political agenda as its dramatic impact on economic development and its corrosive effect on political stability and democratic political institutions has become increasingly obvious. A whole arsenal of legal instruments to combat corruption has now been developed to improve ethical standards in the public sector, to end tax deductibility for bribes, to curtail money laundering, and to clean up public procurement practices. The private sector and civil society will continue to play a critical role in making these new rules a reality. This collection of papers provides the key elements needed to build and preserve corruption-free institutions, systems, and private enterprises.

Wind and solar photovoltaics (PV) are currently the fastest-growing sources of electricity globally. A "next generation" phase of deployment is emerging, in which wind and solar PV are technologically mature and economically affordable.

The success of variable renewable energy (VRE) is also bringing new challenges to the fore. Electricity generation from both technologies is constrained by the varying availability of wind and sunshine. This can make it difficult to maintain the necessary balance between electricity supply and consumption at all times.

As these variable renewables enter this next generation of deployment, the issue of system and market integration becomes a critical priority for renewables policy and energy policy more broadly. The paper highlights that this will require strategic action in three areas:

- System-friendly deployment, aiming to maximise the net benefit of wind and solar power for the entire system

- Improved operating strategies, such as advanced renewable energy forecasting and enhanced scheduling of power plants

- Investment in additional flexible resources, comprising demand-side resources, electricity storage, grid infrastructure and flexible generation

In addition, the paper argues that unlocking the contribution of system-friendly deployment calls for a paradigm shift in the economic assessment of wind and solar power. The traditional focus on the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) – a measure of cost for a particular generating technology at the level of a power plant – is no longer sufficient. Next-generation approaches need to factor in the system value of electricity from wind and solar power – the overall benefit arising from the addition of a wind or solar power generation source to the power system. System value is determined by the interplay of positives and negatives including reduced fuel costs, reduced carbon dioxide and other pollutant emissions costs, or higher costs of additional grid infrastructure.

In addition to general analysis and recommendations, the paper also includes summaries of three case studies in China, Denmark and South Africa.

Wind and solar photovoltaics (PV) are currently the fastest-growing sources of electricity globally. A "next generation" phase of deployment is emerging, in which wind and solar PV are technologically mature and economically affordable.

The success of variable renewable energy (VRE) is also bringing new challenges to the fore. Electricity generation from both technologies is constrained by the varying availability of wind and sunshine. This can make it difficult to maintain the necessary balance between electricity supply and consumption at all times.

As these variable renewables enter this next generation of deployment, the issue of system and market integration becomes a critical priority for renewables policy and energy policy more broadly. The paper highlights that this will require strategic action in three areas:

System-friendly deployment, aiming to maximise the net benefit of wind and solar power for the entire system
Improved operating strategies, such as advanced renewable energy forecasting and enhanced scheduling of power plants
Investment in additional flexible resources, comprising demand-side resources, electricity storage, grid infrastructure and flexible generation

In addition, the paper argues that unlocking the contribution of system-friendly deployment calls for a paradigm shift in the economic assessment of wind and solar power. The traditional focus on the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) – a measure of cost for a particular generating technology at the level of a power plant – is no longer sufficient. Next-generation approaches need to factor in the system value of electricity from wind and solar power – the overall benefit arising from the addition of a wind or solar power generation source to the power system. System value is determined by the interplay of positives and negatives including reduced fuel costs, reduced carbon dioxide and other pollutant emissions costs, or higher costs of additional grid infrastructure.

In addition to general analysis and recommendations, the paper also includes summaries of three case studies in China, Denmark and South Africa.

 

The economics of news production and distribution is in a state of radical change. After very profitable years, newspaper publishers in most OECD countries face declining advertising revenues and significant reductions in titles and circulation. About 20 out of 30 OECD countries face declining newspaper readership, which is now at its lowest among younger people.

At the same time, many promising forms of news creation and distribution are being tested. Some of these are empowered by increasing technological sophistication, new information intermediaries and the resulting decentralised forms of content creation. However, despite these new possibilities, no business and/or revenue-sharing models have been found to finance in-depth independent news production. This raises questions about the supply of high-quality journalism in the longer term and roles that government support might take in supporting a diverse and local press without putting its independence at stake.

This study provides an in-depth treatment of the global newspaper publishing market and its evolution, with a particular view on the development of online news and related challenges.

This report describes recent trends in retail investment in France and presents the results of two studies to measure the financial knowledge as well as motivations, attitudes and behaviours of retail investors who have recently entered the market. It provides evidence and analysis for the design of a financial literacy strategy aimed at these new retail investors.

New Zealand has set ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The country enjoys many natural advantages for its energy transition, including an enviable renewable resource base.

New Zealand already has a low‑emissions electricity system, with significant production from both hydropower and geothermal, and therefore has an attractive opportunity to leverage this clean electricity to decarbonise end-user sectors. This will require not only sizeable technological investments to efficiently electrify transport and industry, but will also necessitate a sizeable buildout of additional renewables generation capacity, along with supplemental grid and storage investments. Notably, the transport sector accounts for the highest share of emissions and is almost entirely dependent on oil. Industry is also a major contributor to New Zealand’s emissions and is heavily reliant on fossil fuels.

In this report, the IEA provides energy policy recommendations to help New Zealand effectively manage the transformation of its energy sector in line with its climate targets.

Logistics is an issue of major importance not only to companies but also to regions and governments. Complex systems, based on the latest advances in information technology, are now beginning to appear at the interface between transport flow generation and the corresponding aspects of industrial organisation. In response to the globalisation of trade, firms are increasingly tailoring their in-house logistics structures and associated transport operations to meet their own specific needs. The environment is also becoming a key factor in policy decisions. In view of these developments, how will logistics systems evolve in the future? Is the current trend in logistics systems towards greater polarisation or wider dispersion? What role will individual modes of transport play in these systems?

Round Table 104 brought together leading European experts on transport and logistics to answer these fundamental questions. This report describes current thinking on anticipated trends in logistics systems.

This scoping document aims at bringing forward relevant in vitro and ex vivo thyroid assays to the attention of OECD member countries, to provide recommendations for their development/use, and also, to identify aspects/blocks of the thyroid signalling pathways that are not covered and would require further development of thyroid assays.

 

Those who manage schools and educational systems today have an arduous task as schools everywhere are being asked to do more than ever before. They also face a complex world and seemingly endless pressures on resources and demands for better performance.

How are schools and educational systems responding to these major challenges? What is the role of school managers within this new context? This book analyses those key questions, focusing on new school management approaches at the primary and secondary school levels. It is based on 29 innovative initiatives examined in nine countries: Flanders (Belgium), Greece, Hungary, Mexico, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, England (the United Kingdom) and the United States.

Realising the contribution of nuclear energy to achieving net zero carbon emission in 2050 will require raising significant amounts of capital at competitive rates. On the basis of work under the aegis of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) – International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC) Initiative on Nuclear Financing, this report explores a new framework for analysing the cost of capital for nuclear new build projects. Its key insight is that capital costs can be substantially lowered if the different risks pertaining to such projects such as construction risk, price risk or political risk are properly understood, optimally managed and fairly allocated. In a carbon-constrained world, the true capital costs of nuclear energy and other low-carbon generators will also be lower than customarily assumed due to their ability to offset systemic financial risk. The findings of this report apply equally to private and public investments. Governments nevertheless have important roles to play in ensuring credible net zero commitments, implementing frameworks for optimal risk management and by becoming involved as project participants, in cases where they judge that private actors do not realise the full value of a nuclear power project.

This report is the first in the collection New perspectives on financing nuclear new build, highlighting complementary aspects of financing nuclear new build. Other volumes in the series address the financing frameworks and risk allocation strategies proposed or adopted for recent or ongoing nuclear new build projects, environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria and the electricity market design, project management and incentive structures necessary for nuclear new build projects to succeed.

New patterns of globalisation are accelerating the internationalisation of industry and reshaping industrial structure at the global level. Rapidly growing cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and strategic alliances are distinctive features of globalisation in the current era. They have become common paths to internationalising business operations, research and markets, together with traditional forms of trade and investment. An overwhelming share of foreign direct investment (FDI) is now in the form of M&As rather than greenfield investment, as firms shelve earlier diversification and expansion strategies and focus on core competencies. Strategic alliances are also a powerful mechanism for industrial restructuring on a global basis.

This book presents the latest trends and drivers of globalisation in major OECD countries and their implications for industrial performance and government policies. It analyses regional as well as sectoral trends, including in telecommunications, automobiles, steel, pharmaceuticals, airlines and financial services. Growing alliances for business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) electronic commerce, and globalisation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are assessed. A Statistical Annex presents data through 2000.

The global economic slowdown and the significant decline in foreign direct investment (FDI) have made it even more imperative to attract international investment in order to achieve sustainable development and poverty reduction. The need to maximise the benefits of FDI compels host and home governments to move beyond the traditional policy of liberalising FDI. A broader set of policies for an enabling environment for investment must be embraced: competition, taxation, financial markets, trade, corporate governance, public administration, respect for workers and environmental rights, and other public policy goals. Developing policy frameworks to ensure that multinational enterprises contribute to development goals and capacity building also remain a priority issue on the international agenda.

The OECD Global Forum on International Investment, at its inaugural meeting in Mexico City in November 2001, provided a unique platform for participants originating from OECD and non-OECD economies, representing academia, business and labour, and civil society to address the challenges posed by FDI. These selected conference papers add to the existing literature on FDI. They highlight the principal conclusions, include analyses of recent FDI trends and prospects, and discuss ways of maximising the benefits of FDI for development. The papers also examine lessons learned in OECD and non-OECD economies, governments’ responsibilities in FDI policies, corporate responsibility initiatives and the role of multilateral organisations in capacity building for FDI in host countries.

Bank lending is the most common source of external finance for many SMEs and entrepreneurs, yet has proven challenging to newer, innovative and fast growing companies, as well as to those undertaking important transitions in their activities or seeking to de-leverage and improve their capital structures.

This report maps a broad range of external financing techniques to address diverse needs in varying circumstances, including asset-based finance, alternative debt, hybrid instruments, and equity instruments. It further highlights key enabling factors for their development, discusses major market trends and obstacles to SME uptake, and suggests some key areas of policy action to overcome challenges to market development.