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The green gold rush: a sustainable future for finance policy
Finance departments have rarely been the loudest champions of environmental sustainability – but at the Government Finance Summit, it was clear that some of their underlying assumptions have shifted: in today’s economic climate, green policies look like the most pragmatic way to revive growth. Matt Ross reports During the pandemic, the finance leaders of key…
Letter from Ottawa: After a winter of shocks, Canada’s Budget is the latest sign of stability
A political agreement that increased the durability of the government and a Budget that that launched a number of policy reviews indicate that the government in Ottawa is trying to think more long term, says Michael Wernick, former clerk of the Privy Council Canadians are always glad to see the official arrival of spring and…
Canadian federal Budget announces strategic policy review amid spending restraint
Canada’s finance minister Chrystia Freeland has announced a “strategic policy review” in the 2022 federal Budget to ensure that spending matches government’s priorities, while also setting out plans to rein in public spending. In a speech on Thursday in parliament, Freeland said the 2022 Budget was focused “on growing our economy and on making life…
Taking stock of the pandemic response: building human resilience in civil services
Managing COVID-19 has placed huge demands on public and civil servants everywhere. Una O’Brien, leadership coach and former permanent secretary at the UK’s health department, explores what research tells us about strengthening personal and team resilience Every crisis elevates some buzzwords and for me “resilience” will forever be associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The fragile…
Autumn for urbanism? Cities after the pandemic
Since COVID-19 arrived, demand for homes and offices has moved out of city centres – raising questions over their future. Adam Branson asks whether this shift will endure, and considers how cities are likely to develop in the post-pandemic world In August last year, author, comedy club owner and former hedge fund manager James Altucher…
Infection barriers: the emerging ecosystem of COVID passports
As ever more governments introduce COVID passports, experts from the private sector and three national civil services explored the issues at a GGF webinar – debating both their potential to restore international travel, and the challenges around citizens’ privacy, governments’ capabilities, and global fragmentation. Elaine Knutt reports For some, vaccination passports – by supporting the…
Today’s headlines, tomorrow’s to-do list: key takeaways from the G7 for civil servants
The G7 leaders met in Cornwall last week, with an agenda dominated by the COVID-19 recovery. What tasks are likely to end up on officials’ desks? Karen Day reports on the communiqué In what was billed as one of the most important summits for decades, the G7 countries met in Cornwall last week with an…
WHO to recommend a global health board to oversee pandemic preparation and response
A World Health Organisation commission is set to recommend the creation of a global health board to oversee the world’s preparation and responsiveness to future pandemics, according to a former UK civil servant who sits on the commission. The Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development was convened to analyse countries’ response to the COVID-19…
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Discover independent research reports, surveys and in-depth studies from Global Government Forum and knowledge partners, exploring the most important issues facing governments and the public sector. Our research provides practical insights and evidence-based recommendations for senior civil servants, policymakers and public sector leaders. Our reports combine exclusive survey data, expert analysis and interviews with government leaders from around the world to help public sector organisations improve performance, inform policy and deliver better outcomes for citizens.
Empowering Public Servants to Make Confident, Informed Decisions with Data and AI
Governments around the world are working hard to extract – and act upon – the insights held in their vast data stores, and to embrace AI and the promise it holds for innovation and transformation. At the same time, economic pressures and constrained budgets are compelling public servants to do more with fewer resources, while governments are called to respond quickly and effectively to complex challenges.
Against this backdrop, data and AI can help those working in government both to streamline their workflows and make fast, informed decisions. This in turn drives efficiency and can unlock productivity gains – and ultimately lead to improved performance and better services for citizens.
Global Government Forum surveyed over 600 civil servants worldwide to understand how data and AI are being used in government decision-making and where there are further challenges and opportunities.
Read this report for insight into how governments are using data and AI in decision-making today and the potential for the future; the major challenges to using data and AI in decision-making and how to overcome them; and how AI agents can be used in decision-making.
The report includes examples of data and AI in decision-making from countries including the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Singapore, the US, and more.
(Published September 2025)
Making Government Work: Five Pillars of a Modern, Effective Civil Service
Around the world, governments are dealing with substantial challenges – from economic stagnation to the transition to net zero, military conflicts and cyber threats. Governments are also grappling with shifting geopolitics and the rise of populism – and all of these factors are set against the emergence of new technologies, including generative AI, which have the potential to fundamentally transform every aspect of society, but which also pose huge ethical, security and regulatory questions for the public sector.
The Making Government Work: Five pillars of a modern, effective civil service report was undertaken to help identify the key characteristics needed in a modern public service, with priorities ranging across leadership, digital service delivery, workforce development, cross-departmental integration, and citizen trust.
This report has been covered by publications around the world including the Financial Times, BBC Radio 4’s PM programme, Ottawa Citizen, Fed Manager, the Mandarin and the i newspaper.
(Published August 2024)
The Future of the Finance Ministry
From setting tax rates and financial regulations that create the ground rules for national economies, to allocating – and tracking – spending for public services, finance ministries occupy an essential role at the centre of government. Geopolitical crises have reinforced the importance of finance ministries, as they tackle both immediate shocks and long-term trends such as ageing populations, the digital transition, and the impact of moves to net zero.
Against this backdrop, this global research explores what the future finance ministry looks like and how to prepare for it.
Based on interviews with 10 senior leaders from finance ministries – led by John McCarthy, chief economist in Ireland’s Department of Finance, working with Ian Hall, editor, Global Government Finance, and Richard Johnstone, executive editor, Global Government Forum – the study identifies four key themes: the evolving role of the finance ministry in response to uncertainty; the shift to more flexible finance systems that support outcomes; digital transformation and the growth of AI; and the battle for talent and trust.
(Published May 2026)
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