Webinar: Measuring International Finance for Development and Global Public Goods

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The webinar provides valuable insights into the complexities of measuring international finance for development and global public goods. The speakers present well-structured arguments supported by data and examples. Tomasi’s distinction between adaptation and mitigation as a practical approach is compelling. Hos’s analysis of ODA allocation for mitigation reveals important distortions, backed by statistics. Luo’s innovative use of AI to unpack aid flows offers a forward-looking methodology. Vencatachellum’s emphasis on recognizing developing countries’ contributions adds a crucial perspective. The argumentation is solid, though some points could benefit from more detailed evidence.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The webinar demonstrates scientific rigor through the expertise of the speakers and references to specific reports and datasets (e.g., OECD CRS, TOSSD, World Bank reports). The sources are credible, though not all are explicitly cited with URLs. The title accurately reflects the content. The discussion is well-structured and stays on topic, with minimal digressions.

The title accurately reflects the content, which focuses on measuring international finance for development and global public goods.

8/10

The webinar features senior experts from international organizations (OECD, World Bank, African Development Bank) and academic institutions, providing a high level of expertise. The discussion is grounded in data and references to specific reports and frameworks (TOSSD, CRS). However, the lack of formal citations and the format of a webinar limit the verifiability of some claims.

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

• 02:00Introduction by Bruno Cabrillac on the webinar's purpose and context.
• 05:00Serge Tomasi explains why it is essential to distinguish development finance from global public goods financing.
• 10:00Tomasi proposes separating adaptation and mitigation as a practical methodology.
• 20:00Tomas Hos presents findings on the distortionary effects of mitigation funding within ODA.
• 30:00Hos explains how TOSSD measures mitigation across its three pillars.
• 40:00Xubei Luo introduces the use of AI and machine learning to analyze aid flows.
• 50:00Luo discusses the generation of granular clusters and the identification of emerging trends.
• 1:00:00Désiré Vencatachellum highlights the importance of recognizing developing countries' contributions to global public goods.
• 1:10:00Vencatachellum argues that development and global public goods are two sides of the same coin.
• 1:20:00Q&A session and concluding remarks.

• FERDI paper on financing global public goods and development — Mentioned by Serge Tomasi as the basis for his presentation.
• OECD Creditor Reporting System (CRS) — Referenced as the main data source for measuring aid flows.
• TOSSD (Total Official Support for Sustainable Development) — Discussed by Tomas Hos as an alternative indicator.
• World Bank report on Congo Basin (August 2025) — Cited by Désiré Vencatachellum for carbon storage data.
• Center for Global Development estimate on Congo Basin carbon removal — Cited by Vencatachellum for the value of carbon removal.

• OECD CRS data — Used by multiple speakers as the basis for analysis.
• TOSSD framework — Presented as a complementary metric to ODA.

• Potential criticism of TOSSD — Some may argue that TOSSD's broad scope could dilute the focus on development, but this was not explicitly discussed in the webinar.