Successfully attracting investment and innovation in renewable energy requires not only core climate policies, such as pricing carbon, but also a focus on the broader investment environment. Based on new research from the OECD, this article reviews some of the main factors holding back investment and innovation in renewable energy and looks at what governments can do to take action.

The OECD is developing a general Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct to provide practical support to companies on the implementation of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The Due Diligence Guidance contains plain language explanations of the due diligence recommendations and associated provisions in the OECD Guidelines and can be used by companies in any sector of the economy.

7 December 2017, Paris - This workshop addressed the growing demand for transparency and information on how companies deal with human rights, environmental, social and other "non-financial" issues with a particular focus on how companies are identifying and addressing impacts in their supply chains.

On the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, this roundtable focused on the impact of the Convention 20 years on, the impact of the Convention on major emerging economies not yet party to the Convention, and the detection of foreign bribery.

Significant corruption, labour, human rights and environmental risks are associated with the organisation of large sporting events. The OECD has instruments and expertise in implementation of complex projects can help host governments, event organisers and their business partners ensure that the world of sport remains associated with the traditional values of excellence and fair play.

This paper reviews alleged societal benefits and costs of International Investment Agreements (IIAs) as suggested by academia, governments, business and civil society. It sets out the wide range of issues that diverse actors have proposed in the context of assessing the societal benefits and costs of IIAs.

In the wake of the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh in 2013, initiatives to strengthen regulation of global supply chains in the textile and garment sector have multiplied. Tackling the issues involved requires sustained collaboration among industry, government, worker organisations and civil society. This project promotes such collaboration as well as the harmonisation of existing standards in the sector.

30/01/2018 - The China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC) and the OECD today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that sets out their commitment to intensify co-operation to promote responsible business in global textile and apparel supply chains.

16 February 2018 - OECD and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched a pilot project in Paris today to kick-start the practical application of the OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains with 30 leading enterprises.

29/03/2018 - The OECD Working Party on Responsible Business Conduct is seeking candidates for a new Chairs to assist in implementing and promoting the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

This annual, multi-stakeholder forum provides the opportunity to review and discuss compliance and implementation of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance, the ICGLR Regional Certification Mechanism and other initiatives to enable responsible mineral supply chains.

This country note explains how the Czech Republic taxes energy use. The note shows the distribution of effective energy tax rates across all domestic energy use. It also details the country-specific assumptions made when calculating effective energy tax rates and matching tax rates to the corresponding energy base.

The tax-to-GDP ratio in the Czech Republic increased by 0.4 percentage points from 34.9% in 2017 to 35.3% in 2018. The corresponding figure for the OECD average was a slight increase of 0.1 percentage point from 34.2% to 34.3% over the same period.

This note presents selected findings based on the set of well-being indicators published in How's Life? 2020.

The tax wedge for the average single worker in the Czech Republic increased by 0.1 percentage points from 43.8 in 2018 to 43.9 in 2019. The OECD average tax wedge in 2019 was 36.0 (2018, 36.1). In 2019 the Czech Republic had the 7th highest tax wedge among the 36 OECD member countries, occupying the same position in 2018.

An overview of the long-term care situation in the Slovak Republic is available here.

An overview of the long-term care situation in the Czech Republic is available here.

"It is estimated that air pollution from diesel-fuelled road transport kills 10 times more people each year in France than those who die in road accidents": OECD Insights Blog's post by Simon Upton, head of the OECD Environment Directorate, founder and Chair of the Round Table on Sustainable Development, and former New Zealand environment minister.

This paper provides new projections of public spending on health and long-term care for OECD countries and the BRIICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, Indonesia, China and South Africa). Despite the inevitable uncertainty surrounding projections, they suggest a rapidly rising trend over the next 50 years.

This report presents the findings of a research project to investigate the drivers and criteria shaping the application of genomic biotechnology to health in different national settings, and the barriers to implementation nationally and internationally. Findings are based on case studies on Finland, Israel, Luxembourg, Mexico, the United Kingdom, China and South Africa.

This book discusses scientific and technological tools at the centre of a renewed interest in marine biotechnology that is contributing to a new bioeconomy sector in many countries and offering potential new solutions to global challenges.

The future of public health: policy decisions today for tomorrow’s populations. Our health, our economy, our society, our future: a Brave New World. Remarks by Yves Leterme, Deputy Secretary-General, OECD. Brussels, Belgium, September 4th 2013.

Strengthening primary health care and prevention programmes would help stem the growing tide of diabetes and other chronic health conditions in the Czech Republic, according to a new OECD report.

Countries in the Asia/Pacific region need to step up their efforts to give more people access to affordable, quality health care. Too many people, especially women, cannot get the medical treatment they need due to high costs, difficulties in getting permission to see a doctor or a lack of health care providers in rural areas, according to a new OECD report.

Healthcare costs are rising so fast in advanced economies that they will become unaffordable by mid-century without reforms, according to a new OECD report.

Austria needs to do more to help people with mental health problems find a job or stay in the workplace, according to a new OECD report. A more comprehensive approach would help employees and firms alike: mental health issues are estimated to cost the Austrian economy around 3.6% of GDP every year in lost productivity, health care and out-of-work benefits.

The OECD is launching an online consultation: tell us how we can improve sustainable access to innovative therapies!

This new series of OECD Reviews of Public Health provide in-depth analysis and policy recommendations to strengthen priority areas of countries’ public health systems, highlighting best practice examples that allow learning from shared experiences, and the spreading of innovative approaches.

This report identifies, and seeks to address, key challenges for the responsible development of neurotechnology. In particular, it analyses frameworks and mechanisms for integrating social concerns in the early development of technology, and discusses best practices for research funders across the public and private sector.

Education at a Glance 2013 - Country notes and key fact tables

Australia should provide early access to more intensive employment services for disadvantaged laid-off workers to help them find a new job more quickly, according to a new OECD report.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - 5-6 June 2013 - This meeting served as an opportunity to better understand the particular features and challenges associated with equity market developments worldwide and in particular, corporate governance policies and practices and their relationship to equity market growth in Asia.

Education at a Glance 2013 - Country notes and key fact tables

Note summarising the performance of 15-year-olds in Japan in the PISA 2012 assessment of problem solving.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is increasingly recognised worldwide as an efficient waste management policy to help improve recycling and reduce landfilling of products and materials. This Forum took place on 17-19 June 2014, in Tokyo, Japan, to identify key challenges and opportunities for further developing EPR policies.

Agriculture is a provider of commodities such as food, feed, fibre and fuel, and it can bring both positive and negative impacts on the environment. Yet most policy measures target farm systems, inputs and practices and agricultural infrastructure (driving forces) rather than the provision of agri-environmental public goods (environmental outcomes).

Japan must make revitalising growth its number one priority with reforms to boost productivity and encourage more women and older people into jobs to compensate for its rapidly shrinking labour force, according to the OECD.

The Japanese economy is undergoing the longest expansion in its post-war history, marked by strong job creation and business investment. Government policy must overcome the intertwined challenges posed by rapid population ageing and high government debt to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth for future generations, according to a new report from the OECD.

Japan’s agriculture sector has traditionally been characterised by small-scale rice production, but has recently begun to respond to new market opportunities for higher value food products across a rapidly growing East Asia. Today, rice represents less than 20% of the value of agriculture production, and larger, more productive, and more profitable farm businesses now account for more than half of total agriculture output.

OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría and Japan’s Minister of Finance Taro Aso presided today over a signing ceremony to establish a new centre of the OECD International Academy for Tax Crime Investigation in Wako, Japan.

Exports of Vegetable Products in South Africa increased to 5893.59 ZAR Million in March from 5286.37 ZAR Million in February of 2020. Exports of Vegetable Products in South Africa averaged 4470.80 ZAR Million from 2014 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 8298.46 ZAR Million in July of 2018 and a record low of 1800.62 ZAR Million in November of 2014. This page includes a chart with historical data for South Africa Exports of Vegetable Products.

Exports of Vegetable Products CMLV in South Africa increased to 15936.77 ZAR Million in March from 10050.24 ZAR Million in February of 2020. Exports of Vegetable Products CMLV in South Africa averaged 27846.27 ZAR Million from 2014 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 61042.39 ZAR Million in December of 2018 and a record low of 2816.78 ZAR Million in January of 2015. South Africa accounts for Exports of Vegetable Products using cumulative values for each year (CMLV). This page includes a chart with historical data for South Africa Exports of Vegetable Products CMLV.

Imports of Vegetable Products CMLV in South Africa increased to 6219.48 ZAR Million in March from 3456.92 ZAR Million in February of 2020. Imports of Vegetable Products CMLV in South Africa averaged 13082.20 ZAR Million from 2014 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 32299.66 ZAR Million in December of 2016 and a record low of 1300.71 ZAR Million in January of 2015. South Africa accounts for Imports of Vegetable Products using cumulative values for each year (CMLV). This page includes a chart with historical data for South Africa Imports of Vegetable Products CMLV.

Imports of Vegetable Products in South Africa increased to 2765.60 ZAR Million in March from 1876.72 ZAR Million in February of 2020. Imports of Vegetable Products in South Africa averaged 2048.16 ZAR Million from 2014 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 3662.67 ZAR Million in September of 2019 and a record low of 1203.22 ZAR Million in December of 2014. This page includes a chart with historical data for South Africa Imports of Vegetable Products.

Imports of Animal & Vegitable Fats & Oils in South Africa increased to 1037.68 ZAR Million in March from 767.27 ZAR Million in February of 2020. Imports of Animal & Vegitable Fats & Oils in South Africa averaged 762.05 ZAR Million from 2014 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 1221.56 ZAR Million in November of 2017 and a record low of 336.58 ZAR Million in January of 2015. This page includes a chart with historical data for South Africa Imports of Animal & Vegitable Fats & Oils.

Imports of Animal Or Vegetable Fats & Oils CMLV in South Africa increased to 2878.80 ZAR Million in March from 1841.12 ZAR Million in February of 2020. Imports of Animal Or Vegetable Fats & Oils CMLV in South Africa averaged 4645.95 ZAR Million from 2014 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 10113 ZAR Million in December of 2017 and a record low of 336.58 ZAR Million in January of 2015. South Africa accounts for Imports of Animal Or Vegetable Fats & Oils using cumulative values for each year (CMLV). This page includes a chart with historical data for South Africa Imports of Animal Or Vegetable Fats & Oils CMLV.

Education at a Glance 2013 - Country notes and key fact tables

Austria needs to do more to help people with mental health problems find a job or stay in the workplace, according to a new OECD report. A more comprehensive approach would help employees and firms alike: mental health issues are estimated to cost the Austrian economy around 3.6% of GDP every year in lost productivity, health care and out-of-work benefits.

Government Debt in Germany decreased to 1899167.55 EUR Million in the fourth quarter of 2019 from 1930352.07 EUR Million in the third quarter of 2019. Government Debt in Germany averaged 1568450.35 EUR Million from 1995 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 2082420.07 EUR Million in the second quarter of 2012 and a record low of 968305.53 EUR Million in the third quarter of 1995. This page provides - Germany Government Debt- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Government Debt in the United Kingdom decreased to -2325 GBP Million in March from -65 GBP Million in February of 2020. Government Debt in the United Kingdom averaged -4293.61 GBP Million from 1993 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 12509 GBP Million in January of 2019 and a record low of -21052 GBP Million in April of 2012. In the United Kingdom, net borrowing or net lending is the difference between the net acquisition of financial assets and the net incurrence of liabilities. This page provides the latest reported value for - United Kingdom Public Sector Net Borrowing - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.