News

⁠Meeting the global Sustainble Development Goals seems increasingly out of reach. Their funding is too scarce and unreliable. How could additional financing sources - especially taxes - ensure those needs are fulfilled? What criteria should be taken into account? In a ‘Deep Dive’ at the Global Solutions Summit 2024 at ESMT Berlin, Michael Thöne discusses the prospects of the emerging concept with Quentin Parrinello, José Siaba Serrate and Christian Kastrop.

No matter what the future debt brake may look like, public budgets must be consolidated qualitatively in order to maintain fiscal sustainability and the power to govern. This also means cutting out old habits. ‘That means action. We don't have a knowledge problem,’ states Michael Thöne in the Handelsblatt cover story on the reduction of subsidies and tax breaks. If everyone has to swallow bitter pills, it becomes politically easier and 20 billion euros or more can be generated each year. Tagesspiegel, Focus, The Pioneer and Welt (paywalls in some cases) also report on this.

Demographic change, digitalisation and the climate neutrality goal are putting Germany's economy through a great transformation. Maintaining and strengthening our model of value creation is crucial - but not easy in times of increasing labour shortages. In the Böll Foundation's Economic Atlas, Michael Thöne writes that immigration, AI and smart, not reality-shy policy-making can be part of the solution. Listen to the podcast here.

The KDZ Centre for Public Administration Research has appointed Michael Thöne to its Advisory Board. The KDZ in Vienna is an institute that is as rich in tradition as it is forward-thinking, bringing together research and practice for excellent scientific policy advice. "I am very much looking forward to the deepened exchange with the KDZ and the other trustees from Austria, Switzerland, Germany and South Tyrol," says the FiFo Director, expressing his gratitude for the honour.

The survey "NRW.BANK.Fokus Kommunen" enters its second year. In addition to investments and climate change, this edition focuses on the retention of skilled labor. We warmly invite all financial decision-makers of the municipalities to contribute their perspectives through the survey. The results will be published in August 2024 in an anonymized research report.

For questions, feedback, or support, please contact us: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We appreciate the participation and support!