Copenhagen Consensus Center
Identifying Best Buys in Global Health and Development
Brief
Copenhagen Consensus's Halftime project identifies solutions that deliver the greatest social, economic and environmental returns for every dollar over the last half of the Sustainable Development Goals agenda. Five academic papers were commissioned by Copenhagen Consensus focusing on maternal and neonatal health, free trade, education, tuberculosis and, agricultural research and development.
Reports:
Five papers published in the Journal of Benefit Cost Analysis
Each paper, published in the Journal of Benefit Cost Analysis provides a rigorous estimate of the benefit-cost ratio from increased investment in the best interventions within each field. The results demonstrate returns ranging from $33 in benefits per $ spent for agricultural research and development to $95 per $ for freer trade.
Findings disseminated around the world
The findings have been covered in media and podcasts around the world, and collated in a book Best Things First. Aspects of the work have been cited by Bill Gates, Jordan Peterson and other leading figures. The project is likely to guide development policy for years to come.
