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OECD Statistics Blog moving to OECD.org

< 1 minuteby the OECD Statistics and Data Directorate Communications Team (stat.contact@oecd.org) Dear readers, Thank you for following the OECD Statistics Blog. We would like to let

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Environment

Understanding datasets on greenhouse gas emissions

4 minute readReducing emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) is the key to mitigating climate change. It is essential to have reliable data on human-induced GHG emissions to analyse the trend of historical emissions, develop policies to reduce emissions and track the progress towards climate goals.

There are several datasets for GHG emissions and they serve different objectives. For example, there are “production-based” emissions and “demand-based” emissions datasets. The former cover GHG emissions generated from production activities in a country’s economy, whereas the latter (also called “consumption-based emissions” or “carbon footprints”) capture GHG emissions generated along global production chains to meet the demand of a country.

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by oecdstatistics
New Data, Prices

New purchasing power parities reveal large relative cost of living difference across the OECD in 2022

4 minute readComparing macroeconomic indicators across countries is a tricky issue, as it requires adjustment for differences in currencies and price levels to ensure a like-for-like comparison. Purchasing Power Parities (PPPs) are the right tool for this. This is possible because PPPs are calculated based on prices of a common and comprehensive basket of goods and services. As a result, PPPs are the go-to conversion rates to be used when comparing macroeconomic indicators, such as GDP or price levels, across countries.

The latest “flash” PPPs point to large variability across countries for Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in PPPs in 2023.

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by oecdstatistics
Government, National Accounts

Tips for reading government debt-to-GDP ratios

5 minute readThis article explores how and why different debt-to-GDP ratios for the same country and period may be correct. While there is only one figure used for GDP, there are usually several official measures of debt in OECD countries. The differences reflect users’ demand for different indicators. There may also be differences in the ‘valuation’ and ‘consolidation’ bases of the debt measures. Individuals and institutions using or quoting debt-to-GDP ratios should be aware of the differences behind the indicators.

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by oecdstatistics
Globalisation, New Data, Trade

Monitoring global trade using data on vessel traffic

4 minute readRising uncertainties and geo-political tensions, together with more complex trade relations have increased the demand for data and tools to monitor global trade in a timely manner. At the same time, advances in Big Data Analytics and access to a huge quantity of alternative data – outside the realm of official statistics – have opened new avenues to monitor trade. These data can help identify bottlenecks and disruptions in real time but need to be cleaned and validated.

New work from the OECD Statistics and Data Directorate proposes a new methodology to identify ports, at a higher level of precision than in past research; builds indicators to monitor port congestion and trends in maritime trade flows; and provides a new Dashboard to get detailed information and better understand those flows.

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Globalisation, New Data, Trade

Insights on engagement in global value chains in 2023

8 minute readGetting timely information on global value chains is of key interest to policymaking, given the renewed interest in their resilience since the COVID-19 crisis. This article updates nowcasts of selected TiVA indicators for 2021-23 for 41 countries (36 OECD countries and Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, South Africa) and 24 industries, building on the OECD TiVA database, most recent data on balance of payments, national accounts and short-term indicators of the business cycles.

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by oecdstatistics
Economic Growth, Labour Market, New Data, Productivity

Labour productivity amidst global uncertainties: Insights from 2022-23

4 minute readIn 2022, the economic environment deteriorated, with challenges associated with the aftermath of the pandemic compounded by emerging hurdles and rising global uncertainties. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine led to a widespread energy crisis. Globalisation showed signs of stalling, with global FDI flows falling by 12% in 2022, reflecting deteriorating economic and business conditions. Inflation in 2022 reached record levels, potentially deterring investment and hampering productivity growth by increasing firms’ operating costs and disrupting long-term planning. Labour markets were tight and the number of bankruptcies rose markedly during 2022, while firm entries remained flat. The 2024 edition of the OECD Compendium of Productivity Indicators takes a closer look at how productivity and related indicators evolved under these conditions in 2022 and how this environment affected longer-term productivity trends.

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Climate Change, Digitalisation, New Data, SMEs, Surveys

Business Statistics as Usual Will No Longer Suffice

6 minute readThe business sector contributes 63% to GDP in the OECD and is a key driver of economic development, trade, innovation, and job creation. It is also a key source of emissions. OECD’s business statistics are therefore an important tool for monitoring economic growth and the transition to climate neutrality. In addition, to reduce their carbon footprint, firms must innovate with cleantech and digital solutions. This means radical changes in how they produce, invest and trade, as well as a greater need to monitor these changes. The digitalisation that occurs during these processes presents opportunities for new high-quality data to complement traditional business statistics, with the additional benefit of mitigating the survey fatigue experienced by firms in OECD countries. This blog deals with statistical issues that are particularly relevant to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), but many of them also apply to business statistics in a broader sense.

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by oecdstatistics
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