Published in Knoema·May 12, 2021US Cannabis Industry and Marijuana Use StatisticsOn January 1, 2014, establishments licensed by the state of Colorado began commercial sales of marijuana to the general public, which led cannabis industry stock values to skyrocket by about 200% from January to March 2014 as measured by the MJIC Marijuana Global Index. Since then, 15 more states in…Cannabis2 min read
Published in Knoema·Apr 27, 2021Energy Transition Puts High Economic Burden on Low-Income Fossil Fuel ExportersWith the United States’ reentry into the Paris Agreement and the $2 trillion American Rescue Plan that aims to reduce the carbon intensity of the US economy, the global energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables is gaining momentum. …Energy2 min read
Published in Knoema·Apr 19, 2021Growing US Immigration Crisis At Mexican BorderThe rollback of Trump’s hardline immigration policies by the Biden-Harris administration and struggling Latin American economies are pushing hundreds of thousands of migrants to cross the US-Mexico border in hope of a better life. According to the latest data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the US Border Patrol…Migration2 min read
Published in Knoema·Apr 12, 2021Which Countries Have the Most Ambitious 2030 Emissions-Reduction Targets?Climate change is recognized as a significant issue for people’s lives and economic well-being worldwide. Since greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are associated with climate change, many countries have been making efforts to regulate and limit them. Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, countries pledged to advance climate change mitigation by committing…Co 2 Emissions3 min read
Published in Knoema·Apr 2, 20217% of Global Trade Was Held Up in Blocked Suez CanalPoor weather conditions and lack of visibility resulted in a giant 200,000-ton container ship, Ever Given, blocking the Suez Canal for almost a week, from Tuesday, March 23 to Monday, March 29. …Suez Canal1 min read
Published in Knoema·Mar 22, 2021Cryptocurrency: “The Digital Tulip”?During the last five months, the price of Bitcoin increased more than five times — from $10,000 to over $50,000 while the global cryptocurrency market capitalization topped $1.7 trillion. When it comes to traditional assets, such a rapid rise in the value of an asset typically indicates the emergence of…Cryptocurrency2 min read
Published in Knoema·Feb 25, 2021COVID-19 Vaccination Progress Report | February 2021January marked a critical point in the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccinations globally. Kicked off in the United Kingdom in late 2020 with a fully trialed and tested vaccine, Canada, Bahrain, and Mexico and followed soon after. …Coronavirus2 min read
Published in Knoema·Feb 16, 2021The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Future of the Global EconomyBased on the original paper by Dr. David L. Blond, Principle Researcher and President, QuERI-International. In a world where the policy responses to COVID-19 vary from indifference to economic shut-ins for weeks and months at a time, the result is an economic reality that feels akin to wartime disruption. The…Covid 193 min read
Published in Knoema·Feb 2, 2021Earth’s Biodiversity Vanishing Under Human Ecological FootprintAfter WWII the world entered an era of unprecedented economic growth. Three simple facts capture the magnitude of this change. Between 1960 and 2019 (1) the global economy increased more than seven times; (2) average per capita income and personal consumption increased almost 3 times; and (3) the world population…Biodiversity2 min read
Published in Knoema·Jan 26, 2021Insights Into the Accuracy of Weather Forecasts for Major US CitiesA century ago, daily weather forecasts were largely based on the experience each individual forecaster had accumulated over several years of practice, vaguely formulated rules of thumb, and poorly understood associations. Predictions were riddled with errors. The 1900s brought major advancements in the science of weather and later widespread access…Weather2 min read
