Lara Merling

We don't just need conferences, more 'blah blah blah'—we need connected, joined-up action written into the operating system of our multilateral order. My latest, reflecting on #FfD4, on building a multilateralism that's greater than the sum of its parts, from Seville to Belém to Johannesburg. Link ⬇️

Real Constraints The Global North talk constantly about the

Excellent piece in @the-breakdown.bsky.social by @laramerling.bsky.social on reframing the issue of the climate finance gap. Lots I agree with but I still wonder how we can move beyond the status quo in time to avoid climate breakdown

www.break-down.org/post/real-co...

Real Constraints The Global North talk constantly about the

Framing climate policy as a finance issue obscures the real stakes. We need to refocus debates on mobilizing real resources, challenging economic orthodoxies, and building a more just financial system.

My latest for @the-breakdown.bsky.social

www.break-down.org/post/real-co...

Real Constraints The Global North talk constantly about the

Framing climate policy as a finance issue obscures the real stakes. We need to refocus debates on mobilizing real resources, challenging economic orthodoxies, and building a more just financial system.

My latest for @the-breakdown.bsky.social

www.break-down.org/post/real-co...

Real Constraints The Global North talk constantly about the

"Economics treats a lack of public finance as a natural constraint, obscuring how money is actually created. In reality, the only true constraints lie in the availability of real resources... to meet our needs."

- @laramerling.bsky.social, now free to read online

www.break-down.org/post/real-co...

Must read.

Real Constraints The Global North talk constantly about the "Finance Gap", but finance for climate is limited by orthodoxy, not reality.

The Global North talk constantly about the "Finance Gap", but finance for climate is limited by orthodoxy, not reality.

@laramerling.bsky.social writes for RIGHT TURN (ISSUE #1)

“it’s baffling to argue China’s success in building out critical infrastructure is simply a result of a combination of power abuses and the absence of regulations and “debating with judges.””

It is indeed. Great review.

A book with just the right ambition to provide a vision for a different future that yet misses the moment.

My review of Abundance for Foreign Policy.

Had a great time launching Issue I of @the-breakdown.bsky.social last night with the exceptional @geoffmann.bsky.social and Quinn Slobodian.

Thanks to everyone who turned out, asked great questions and supported new climate writing.

Issue I here: www.break-down.org/issues/1

Health is not just human capital or a byproduct of economic growth—it's a fundamental human right. Today I share insights from our WHO Council on Health For All at G20 Health Working Group on why health spending is an investment in economic resilience.

Final report ➡️ www.who.int/publications...

It would definitely solve all the issues about governance reform where the US has veto over giving up veto and has pushed very hard not to have to cede any influence and to block any attempts to actually reform the IMF

Issue 1 is HERE! 📖

Our first print issue launches on May 7 - join us for a LIVE podcast & party 🎉

Join @adriennebuller.bsky.social, @geoffmann.bsky.social & @quinnslobodian.com to discuss RIGHT TURN — on the afterlives of neoliberalism & climate politics in the age of the new right...

📢 In DC for the Spring Meetings?
Join us for an event on real economy approaches to financing sustainable development and climate action.

🗓️ April 24 | 🕐 1–4 PM | 📍 ActionAid USA
🍽️ Light lunch provided
🧭 Organized by the G-24 and IDEAs

🔗 Registration info in comments
#SDGs #ClimateFinance

Very excited to share that we've put together our first print issue of @the-breakdown.bsky.social feat. some incredible contributors 🥲

Join us 7 May in London where I'll be in conversation w/the excellent @quinnslobodian.com and @geoffmann.bsky.social

Tix @ the link

📢 In DC for the Spring Meetings?
Join us for an event on real economy approaches to financing sustainable development and climate action.

🗓️ April 24 | 🕐 1–4 PM | 📍 ActionAid USA
🍽️ Light lunch provided
🧭 Organized by the G-24 and IDEAs

🔗 Registration info in comments
#SDGs #ClimateFinance

Government debt interest costs hit highest level since 2007 Payments surpass defence spending and have risen to 3.3% of GDP for richest countries, says OECD

Interest spending ⬆️ because central banks ⬆️ rates. OECD countries mostly get to create their own conditions. Higher rates resulting in more government $ going toward interest simply illustrates another consequence of a blunt & ineffective approach to monetary policy
www.ft.com/content/d69a...

Government debt interest costs hit highest level since 2007 Payments surpass defence spending and have risen to 3.3% of GDP for richest countries, says OECD

Interest spending ⬆️ because central banks ⬆️ rates. OECD countries mostly get to create their own conditions. Higher rates resulting in more government $ going toward interest simply illustrates another consequence of a blunt & ineffective approach to monetary policy
www.ft.com/content/d69a...

There was always an alternative to austerity and austerity was always a choice

"Climate change cannot be addressed as a siloed policy area. Questions of mining & energy, finance & development, migration & tech, cannot be separated out from the vast changes occurring in the world’s climate. No crisis is an island"
@polycrisis.bsky.social
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/pol...

America First? | Lara Merling & Kate Mackenzie Escalations and reverberations in the trade war

What does Trump 2.0 mean for 2025?

Will tariffs escalate even further? Will sanctions impact $ dominance? Can the South successfully challenge a multilateral system long dominated by the North?

@katemac.bsky.social and I break down these questions:
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/ame...

Tweet by Keith Wasserman: “Does anyone have access to private firefighters to protect our home in Pacific Palisades? Need to act fast here. All neighbors houses burning. Will pay any amount. Thank you.”

I keep thinking about this (of course). The post poses a question - not the one asked explicitly, but: at what point might climate change make those with power care enough to do something about it?

America First? | Lara Merling & Kate Mackenzie Escalations and reverberations in the trade war

What does Trump 2.0 mean for 2025?

Will tariffs escalate even further? Will sanctions impact $ dominance? Can the South successfully challenge a multilateral system long dominated by the North?

@katemac.bsky.social and I break down these questions:
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/ame...

America First? | Lara Merling & Kate Mackenzie Escalations and reverberations in the trade war

America First...and now America alone.
@katemac.bsky.social @laramerling.bsky.social take stock
phenomenalworld.org/analysis/ame...

America First? | Lara Merling & Kate Mackenzie Escalations and reverberations in the trade war

This piece by @katemac.bsky.social and @laramerling.bsky.social is worth a read. Full of interesting information.

"Today over half the global economy is subject to some sort of US sanction."

www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/ame...

@katemac.bsky.social @laramerling.bsky.social look at persistence of an America First stance through Clinton-bush-obama-trump biden buttondown.com/polycrisisdi...

Dollar’s surge sparks biggest fall in emerging market currencies in 2 years Developing economies also suffering from ‘confluence of bad news’

Global South countries will witness evermore uncertainty in exchange rates and capital flows. Important to put in place capital flow regulations to stem the time—the lack thereof has already done too much damage since 2020 and worst could be yet to come

International Debt Report The World Bank’s International Debt Report features external debt statistics and analysis for low- and middle-income countries and information on new bond issuance in international capital markets.

Christmas has arrived early for the debt community with the release of the World Bank International Debt Report 2024 🎅

After a quick scan (still have to go through the data), two things caught my attention 🧵

www.worldbank.org/en/programs/....

Africa Group and CSO reps reject paltry offer from developed countries of $250 bn in public climate finance by 2035, as too little, too long (of a timeframe), and having no clear ‘quality’ guardrails

#COP29 #NCQG

Via @theguardian.com live blog:
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

If green industrial policy doesn’t speak to people’s needs, it’s doomed to fail as a political project in a time of the rise of the far right.
Great G20 side event in Rio
@phenomenalworld.bsky.social
@cebrapazbr.bsky.social
@lauraabcarvalho
@pedrolrossi.bsky.social