©Marcos D’Paula/Agência Estado
Managing the resource boom
The production of oil has been growing in Brazil at a steady pace since the beginning of the 2000s, and the pace is set to intensify over the next few years. Indeed, massive oil reserves were discovered in 2007 in the Tupi area, 250km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, and since then other offshore fields have also been found.
(670 words)
With the sun on its wings
On 7 April 2010, a light aircraft with an unusually wide wingspan took off from a small airfield in the Swiss canton of Vaud. During its one-and-a-half hour flight it reached an altitude of 1,200 metres and went through its paces of turns, approaches and landing. Unlike in the legend of Icarus, the sun did not melt this plane’s wings, but actually powered them. This was one of the world’s first solar-powered flights, and the OECD Observer caught up with one of the creators and pilots of the Solar Impulse HBSIA aircraft, Bertrand Piccard.
(622 words)First International Transport Forum
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will address the first International Transport Forum on climate change and transport at Leipzig on 28-30 May.
(29 words)Over-nutrition?
For millions of people worldwide, hunger and malnutrition are common everyday challenges. For some, even famine is a threat. But in many developed countries, food abundance brings other serious nutritional and health problems. Though these are being addressed, western habits are starting to spread.
(728 words)Struggling with green goals
Ensuring Environmental Compliance: Trends and Good Practices
Despite their progress in developing green laws and policies, OECD countries are noton track to achieve some of their key environmental goals and commitments.
(283 words)Bio-people
Improving the diversity of biological habitats and ecosystems is a vital goal in itself, yet policies to encourage biodiversity, like most legislation, will have both supporters and naysayers. Limitations on land use to protect biodiversity can sometimes reduce income, but have broad benefits for the general public.
(238 words)Making city sense
Cities are economic drivers at the heart of globalisation. Policymakers should look more closely at their potential, too. Here is why.
(1999 words)
Where are we in the current economic crisis?
- Women in work: The Norwegian experience
- Clinical trials for better health policies
- Policy can brighten the economic outlook
- Information society: Which way now?
- Asia’s Challenges
- Study abroad
- The EU fish discard ban: Where’s the catch?
- Homo Economicus: An uncertain guide
- Knowledge is growth
- “Made in the world”








