- COP 21 is over with a deal that has been heralded by world leaders as 'the best chance we have to save the one planet we have', while the expert consensus is that it 'has landed more or less where expected'. Robin Davies pours some cold water on praise for the deal by highlighting three big financing blunders in the negotiations.
- For a poignant reminder of why the Paris negotiations were so important check out this video (and below) from the world’s astronauts, who have witnessed firsthand the fragility of our planet. (h/t Duncan Green).
- The Centre for Global Development has released its 2015 Commitment to Development Index (CDI), which ranks rich countries on seven policy areas that affect the world’s poorest people. Australia tied for 10th place. You can listen to a podcast summarising the CDI here.
- FiveThirtyEight, one of my favourite wonkblogs, has written about the building consensus of evidence that microloans don’t appear to be very effective poverty solutions. Simply giving people money might be a much better alternative.
- On the eve Australia’s Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Update, which in the past has been used to announce major cuts to Australia’s aid budget, Sam Mostyn discusses the importance of a strong Australian aid program.
- Meanwhile, Fairfax Media takes an in-depth look into the programs that have been directly affected by the largest cuts in the Australian aid program’s history.
- Finally, Charles Kenny has produced a holiday giving guide split into two parts: one for those with $45 billion to spend (i.e. Zuckerberg, and one for regular people.
Aid & development links: financing COP 21, microlending, Australia's MYEFO and more
Published 14 Dec 2015
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