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The missing link in national climate plans – cities, green pledges in UK election manifestos, and more
Welcome to this month’s Global Government Forum Sustainability Monitor, bringing you the latest government news on this topic from around the world. We want these newsletters to provide insight on the work of government and we’d love to hear more about the projects you’re working on and the challenges you’re addressing, so please get in touch.…
Attack versus defence: central bank digital currencies and cybersecurity threats
Most nations are exploring the possibility of launching a central bank digital currency (CBDC) and a handful of CBDCs are already live. This Global Government Fintech webinar explored the cyber-risks Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are an increasingly prominent topic for government authorities worldwide. Just a handful of nations – including the Bahamas, Jamaica and Nigeria – have to date…
Reset your economy: the power of green stimulus packages
Around the world, governments are using stimulus packages to jump-start business growth. Catherine Early explores the potential of ‘green recovery’ investments, designed to reshape as well as rebuild national economies The economic damage inflicted by Covid-19 has been rapid and massive: in June, the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimated a decline in global working hours…
Subsidy scheme boosts cashless payments in Japan
Government subsidies designed to encourage cashless payments in Japan are being taken up much more quickly than predicted, and last week the country was urged to extend the scheme. Under the initiative, consumers earn shopping points worth up to 5% of a purchase’s value for using non-cash payment methods – including credit cards – at…
IMF report highlights tax benefits of tackling corruption
Reducing corruption could raise tax revenues by US$1 trillion annually, according to the IMF’s 2019 Fiscal Monitor, if the world’s most corrupt countries make progress in tackling the problem over the years ahead. The annual report, published earlier this month by the International Monetary Fund’s Fiscal Affairs Department, focuses on corruption and fiscal policy. On…
Guarding the public finances: the power of fiscal rules
When politicians are feeling virtuous, they introduce fiscal rules. When they succumb to temptation, they break them – and the public suffers the consequences. Gavin O’Toole explores their power and their pitfalls Italy recently looked set to implement a set of “bad fiscal policies led by populists”, says Grégory Claeys, research fellow at the…
Calls for end to US monopoly as World Bank chief quits
The resignation of the World Bank’s president has prompted calls for his successor to be non-American, amid fears that the bank’s policies could shift to reflect US president Donald Trump’s attitudes to protectionism and the developing world. Jim Yong Kim announced earlier this week that he would leave his post at the end of January,…
The public finance tools that marry economy and environment
For years, China has been using subsidies and taxation to build its solar power equipment industries – and as a result, it dominates world markets. Now other countries are using fiscal tools to align economic growth with environmental sustainability. Gavin O’Toole reports “As you invest in your economy to make it greener and more oriented…
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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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