Showing 1 - 10 of 14
Building capacity where it counts
Oped, Mariana Mazzucato & Rainer Kattel, Published on 06/10/2025
» After years of underinvestment, governments around the world are struggling to keep pace with growing demands. The consequences are now widely evident, as underfunded and unprepared public agencies falter whenever crises strike. The problem is not "slimming" government down, but rather rendering it more capable, strategic, outcome-oriented and a good partner in solving the greatest problems of our time: providing adequate housing for all, strengthening climate resilience and ensuring that technology makes all our lives better, not just a few "bros" richer.
State entities too complex to be treated as startups
Oped, Mariana Mazzucato and Rainer Kattel, Published on 17/04/2025
» Around the world, governments are trying to reinvent themselves in the image of business. Elon Musk's DOGE crusade in the United States is quite explicit on this point, as is Argentina's chainsaw-wielding president, Javier Milei. But one also hears similar rhetoric in the United Kingdom, where Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden wants the government to foster a "test-and-learn" culture and move towards performance-based management.
Making public investment work
Oped, Mariana Mazzucato and Jonathan Glennie, Published on 21/11/2024
» Following the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Colombia (COP 16) and in the midst of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 29) in Azerbaijan, we find ourselves at a crossroads. Climate change and biodiversity loss are not just looming threats; they are already here, exacerbating social inequalities, economic instability, and environmental degradation before our eyes.
How Big Tech controls user behaviour for profit
Oped, Mariana Mazzucato & Ilan Strauss, Published on 02/03/2024
» In a new lawsuit in the US against Meta, 41 states and the District of Columbia argue that two of the company's social-media products -- Instagram and Facebook -- are not just addictive but detrimental to children's well-being. Meta is accused of engaging in a "scheme to exploit young users for profit", including by showing harmful content that keeps them glued to their screens.
What local governments need to lead properly
Oped, Mariana Mazzucato & James Anderson, Published on 08/07/2023
» Local governments are manning the front lines of our most important global battles -- from managing severe weather and other climate shocks to preparing for the next pandemic, ensuring health for all, rectifying longstanding racial inequities, and addressing housing affordability. Urban areas now account for over half the world's population, and their governments are uniquely positioned to understand and address their own communities' needs.
Confronting the global water crisis head-on
Oped, Mariana Mazzucato, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Johan Rockström & Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Published on 23/03/2023
» The world's water crisis can no longer be ignored. Unless we manage water properly, we will neither tackle climate change nor meet most of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Consultancy 'warp' drive deepens crisis of capitalism
News, Mariana Mazzucato Rosie Collington, Published on 13/03/2023
» In recent years, McKinsey & Company has become a household name -- but for all the wrong reasons. One of the "Big Three" consulting firms, its work for major corporations and governments has increasingly become a source of scandal and intrigue around the world.
Fixing, shaping AI is in our common interest
Oped, Gabriela Ramos and Mariana Mazzucato, Published on 05/01/2023
» The tech world has generated a fresh abundance of front-page news in 2022. In October, Elon Musk bought Twitter -- one of the main public communication platforms used by journalists, academics, businesses, and policymakers -- and proceeded to fire most of its content-moderation staff, indicating the company would rely instead on artificial intelligence.
Reform the economics and governance of water
Oped, Mariana Mazzucato, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Johan Rockström and Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Published on 30/09/2022
» The floods, droughts, heatwaves, and fires that are devastating many parts of the world underscore two fundamental facts. First, damage to freshwater supplies is increasingly straining human societies, especially the poor, with far-reaching implications for economic, social, and political stability. Second, the combined impact of today's extreme conditions is unprecedented in human history and is overwhelming policymakers' ability to respond.
Pandemic action must be global
News, Mariana Mazzucato & Jayati Ghosh, Published on 25/07/2022
» At their meeting in Bali on July 15-16, G20 finance ministers reaffirmed their commitment to coordinated action to get the Covid-19 pandemic under control and better prepare for the next global health emergency.