Sam Huckstep
@samhuckstep.bsky.social
Working on climate, migration, governance & green transition at CGDev. Any views mine.
I've never before attended a Mass at which there was a standing ovation at the end of the homily. I was very impressed by Cardinal McElroy. A blistering rebuke of the Trump administration's treatment of migrants and refugees, delivered with gentleness.
NEW: On Pope Leo’s World Day of Migrants, Cardinal McElroy told Catholics to “fight every dimension” of the Trump administration’s war on immigrants and to replace politicians who tolerate it.
“In abandoning the words of Deuteronomy and of the Statue of Liberty, we are losing our soul as a nation.”
“In abandoning the words of Deuteronomy and of the Statue of Liberty, we are losing our soul as a nation.”
On Pope Leo’s World Day of Migrants, Cardinal McElroy Indicts Trump’s War on Immigrants
Preaching on the Good Samaritan for World Day of Migrants, Washington’s archbishop named Minneapolis, a five-year-old used as bait, and a nation that “passed on by.” He told Catholics to fight every d...
www.thelettersfromleo.com
September 28, 2026 at 1:27 AM
I've never before attended a Mass at which there was a standing ovation at the end of the homily. I was very impressed by Cardinal McElroy. A blistering rebuke of the Trump administration's treatment of migrants and refugees, delivered with gentleness.
Reposted by Sam Huckstep
As aid declines, more refugees in Kenya are expected to become self-reliant. But a new crackdown on foreign traders could make it even harder for them to work.
@samhuckstep.bsky.social, @helen-dempster.bsky.social, and @qulshtm.bsky.social examine what this means for refugees. go.cgdev.org/3TN3vif
@samhuckstep.bsky.social, @helen-dempster.bsky.social, and @qulshtm.bsky.social examine what this means for refugees. go.cgdev.org/3TN3vif
Kenya's Small-Business Crackdown Risks a Hammer Blow to Refugees
A new crackdown on foreigners operating small businesses in Kenya--announced by President Ruto in September--risks undermining progress made on integrating refugees. The government of Kenya must urgently clarify how it intends refugees to be affected, a...
go.cgdev.org
September 23, 2026 at 5:06 PM
As aid declines, more refugees in Kenya are expected to become self-reliant. But a new crackdown on foreign traders could make it even harder for them to work.
@samhuckstep.bsky.social, @helen-dempster.bsky.social, and @qulshtm.bsky.social examine what this means for refugees. go.cgdev.org/3TN3vif
@samhuckstep.bsky.social, @helen-dempster.bsky.social, and @qulshtm.bsky.social examine what this means for refugees. go.cgdev.org/3TN3vif
An excellent article in the FT.
On climate adaptation: 'The choice is not between paying or not paying. It is between paying earlier for mitigation and adaptation, or paying more later for disaster relief, reconstruction, food insecurity and displaced populations.'
But...
On climate adaptation: 'The choice is not between paying or not paying. It is between paying earlier for mitigation and adaptation, or paying more later for disaster relief, reconstruction, food insecurity and displaced populations.'
But...
A hotter planet meets dearer money
Rising borrowing costs mean new financing instruments will be needed for developing economies to deal with climate change
www.ft.com
September 16, 2026 at 9:29 AM
An excellent article in the FT.
On climate adaptation: 'The choice is not between paying or not paying. It is between paying earlier for mitigation and adaptation, or paying more later for disaster relief, reconstruction, food insecurity and displaced populations.'
But...
On climate adaptation: 'The choice is not between paying or not paying. It is between paying earlier for mitigation and adaptation, or paying more later for disaster relief, reconstruction, food insecurity and displaced populations.'
But...
Thailand, hosting the 29th ASEAN Labour Ministers' Meeting later this month, have put out an interesting press statement.
(Interesting, that is, by the standards of what is the important but undeniably boring policy area of skills recognition):
(Interesting, that is, by the standards of what is the important but undeniably boring policy area of skills recognition):
Thailand Brings Workforce Development to Regional Agenda at the 29th ASEAN Labour Ministers' Meeting
thailand.prd.go.th
August 18, 2026 at 11:00 AM
Thailand, hosting the 29th ASEAN Labour Ministers' Meeting later this month, have put out an interesting press statement.
(Interesting, that is, by the standards of what is the important but undeniably boring policy area of skills recognition):
(Interesting, that is, by the standards of what is the important but undeniably boring policy area of skills recognition):
A close-to-home article on planning + cost of climate adaptation infrastructure.
The Thames Barrier was expected to defend London from rising seas until 2070. But extreme weather means it may need replacing by *2050*, costing £20bn+.
Replacing it will take ~30 years- so a decision is needed soon.
The Thames Barrier was expected to defend London from rising seas until 2070. But extreme weather means it may need replacing by *2050*, costing £20bn+.
Replacing it will take ~30 years- so a decision is needed soon.
Thames Barrier may need £20bn replacement far sooner than expected
Extreme weather has put London’s flood defence under strain, senior government officials warn
giftarticle.ft.com
August 17, 2026 at 2:45 PM
A close-to-home article on planning + cost of climate adaptation infrastructure.
The Thames Barrier was expected to defend London from rising seas until 2070. But extreme weather means it may need replacing by *2050*, costing £20bn+.
Replacing it will take ~30 years- so a decision is needed soon.
The Thames Barrier was expected to defend London from rising seas until 2070. But extreme weather means it may need replacing by *2050*, costing £20bn+.
Replacing it will take ~30 years- so a decision is needed soon.
New @cgdev.org blog with @helen-dempster.bsky.social on the UK Migration Advisory Committee's recommendations on the sub-graduate occupations to get access to Skilled Worker visas.
We think the MAC's done quite a good job, but that the process should give more focus to reliability of labour supply.
We think the MAC's done quite a good job, but that the process should give more focus to reliability of labour supply.
Why the UK Must Put Labour Supply At the Heart of its Visa Access Policy
The UK’s Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has published its recommendations on which occupations should be eligible for Skilled Worker visas. In this blog we assess the MAC’s recommendations and sug...
www.cgdev.org
August 11, 2026 at 11:01 AM
New @cgdev.org blog with @helen-dempster.bsky.social on the UK Migration Advisory Committee's recommendations on the sub-graduate occupations to get access to Skilled Worker visas.
We think the MAC's done quite a good job, but that the process should give more focus to reliability of labour supply.
We think the MAC's done quite a good job, but that the process should give more focus to reliability of labour supply.
Reposted by Sam Huckstep
This is a pretty abject failure from both government and business. We've known for years the economy is going to electrify and we will need thousands more electricians. And yet the pipeline of new skilled workers entering the sector has barely grown. www.businessgreen.com/news/4533537...
'Effectively static': Electrician numbers plateau despite looming net zero skills gap
EXCLUSIVE: Number of electricians working in England saw net increase of barely 1,000 last year, despite need to add more than 32,000 skilled workers to the workforce by 2035
www.businessgreen.com
July 29, 2026 at 8:58 AM
This is a pretty abject failure from both government and business. We've known for years the economy is going to electrify and we will need thousands more electricians. And yet the pipeline of new skilled workers entering the sector has barely grown. www.businessgreen.com/news/4533537...
Why is Africa's growth not boosted by quicker regional/continental integration, asks Bright Simons?
'When customs duties account for 20 to 40 per cent of revenue across much of the continent, finance ministers without alternative fiscal channels have an incentive to delay.'
'When customs duties account for 20 to 40 per cent of revenue across much of the continent, finance ministers without alternative fiscal channels have an incentive to delay.'
Don’t blame colonialism for Africa’s trade woes
The continent’s growth is being hemmed in by blocked trade arteries, not arbitrary borders drawn in Berlin in 1885
giftarticle.ft.com
July 21, 2026 at 10:21 AM
Why is Africa's growth not boosted by quicker regional/continental integration, asks Bright Simons?
'When customs duties account for 20 to 40 per cent of revenue across much of the continent, finance ministers without alternative fiscal channels have an incentive to delay.'
'When customs duties account for 20 to 40 per cent of revenue across much of the continent, finance ministers without alternative fiscal channels have an incentive to delay.'
Reposted by Sam Huckstep
Which immigrants do people prefer and why? Many point to skill levels, but @mfreino.bsky.social @isabel-ruiz.bsky.social and I argue people also consider the social value of work immigrants do, even if considered "lower" skilled. Open access in @ejprjournal.bsky.social: doi.org/10.1017/S147... 🧵
July 17, 2026 at 9:43 AM
Which immigrants do people prefer and why? Many point to skill levels, but @mfreino.bsky.social @isabel-ruiz.bsky.social and I argue people also consider the social value of work immigrants do, even if considered "lower" skilled. Open access in @ejprjournal.bsky.social: doi.org/10.1017/S147... 🧵
Interesting graph on apprenticeship applications from a new paper by @rwi.bsky.social.
'Green' occupations demonstrate much more resilient interest among applicants than non-green.
But apprenticeship applications have cratered across the board- hard to see how Germany produces the workers needed.
'Green' occupations demonstrate much more resilient interest among applicants than non-green.
But apprenticeship applications have cratered across the board- hard to see how Germany produces the workers needed.
July 14, 2026 at 3:47 PM
Interesting graph on apprenticeship applications from a new paper by @rwi.bsky.social.
'Green' occupations demonstrate much more resilient interest among applicants than non-green.
But apprenticeship applications have cratered across the board- hard to see how Germany produces the workers needed.
'Green' occupations demonstrate much more resilient interest among applicants than non-green.
But apprenticeship applications have cratered across the board- hard to see how Germany produces the workers needed.
Useful new European Labour Authority report on labour shortages and surpluses in Europe in 2025.
Among other things, 'the observed growth in both employment in green occupations and green skills requirements underlines a widening skills gap...
Among other things, 'the observed growth in both employment in green occupations and green skills requirements underlines a widening skills gap...
Labour shortages and surpluses in Europe 2025 | European Labour Authority
This report analyses labour market imbalances across EURES countries in 2025. Although labour markets have eased since the immediate post-pandemic period, shortages remain pronounced in key sectors an...
www.ela.europa.eu
July 14, 2026 at 9:31 AM
Useful new European Labour Authority report on labour shortages and surpluses in Europe in 2025.
Among other things, 'the observed growth in both employment in green occupations and green skills requirements underlines a widening skills gap...
Among other things, 'the observed growth in both employment in green occupations and green skills requirements underlines a widening skills gap...
Reposted by Sam Huckstep
Latest important research from PIIE's Michael Clemens: Firms allowed to hire immigrant manual laborers expand to hire more Americans www.piie.com/blogs/realti...
Firms allowed to hire immigrant manual laborers expand to hire more Americans
The US government has recently enacted the largest shift in immigration policy since 1924. As officials restrict unauthorized immigration, they face a stark choice: create offsetting lawful channels f...
www.piie.com
July 2, 2026 at 1:33 PM
Latest important research from PIIE's Michael Clemens: Firms allowed to hire immigrant manual laborers expand to hire more Americans www.piie.com/blogs/realti...
A bracing new report by the UK engineering skills charity Engenuity finds that skill gaps in the UK's manufacturing and engineering sectors cost an annual total of... £5.2 billion.
That's a pretty mammoth sum, but includes only firm-level impact. It doesn't include second-order effects, eg. fiscal.
That's a pretty mammoth sum, but includes only firm-level impact. It doesn't include second-order effects, eg. fiscal.
Mind the Gap | Engineering & manufacturing skills report | Enginuity
A major new Enginuity report exploring the skills challenges facing UK engineering and manufacturing SMEs. Access the full report and findings.
enginuity.org
July 1, 2026 at 9:30 AM
A bracing new report by the UK engineering skills charity Engenuity finds that skill gaps in the UK's manufacturing and engineering sectors cost an annual total of... £5.2 billion.
That's a pretty mammoth sum, but includes only firm-level impact. It doesn't include second-order effects, eg. fiscal.
That's a pretty mammoth sum, but includes only firm-level impact. It doesn't include second-order effects, eg. fiscal.
Reposted by Sam Huckstep
It took me months to figure out how to extract 30,000 careers from the Colonial Office List; it took a little over a day to repeat the full process for the Indian Office List. The visualization now shows the very different global geography of these two bureaucracies in the British Empire.
June 26, 2026 at 11:33 PM
It took me months to figure out how to extract 30,000 careers from the Colonial Office List; it took a little over a day to repeat the full process for the Indian Office List. The visualization now shows the very different global geography of these two bureaucracies in the British Empire.
Late to this, but interesting to see that Germany became the leading provider of ODA in 2025.
www.oecd.org/en/data/insi...
www.oecd.org/en/data/insi...
June 30, 2026 at 4:22 PM
Late to this, but interesting to see that Germany became the leading provider of ODA in 2025.
www.oecd.org/en/data/insi...
www.oecd.org/en/data/insi...
Reposted by Sam Huckstep
A side point - estimates of the fiscal impact of immigration need to take these spillovers into account, as @mclem.org does here. www.iza.org/publications...
June 30, 2026 at 8:33 AM
A side point - estimates of the fiscal impact of immigration need to take these spillovers into account, as @mclem.org does here. www.iza.org/publications...
Interesting research commissioned by the Government of Somalia trying to quantify the extent / likely impacts of ODA cuts.
It emphasises how cuts are a huge negative shock across the board, at the household and macro level.
Suggests 68% of INGOs reduced international staff by up to half...
It emphasises how cuts are a huge negative shock across the board, at the household and macro level.
Suggests 68% of INGOs reduced international staff by up to half...
Quantifying the Impact and Charting Viable Policy Pathways (Volume I) | Ministry of Finance - Somalia
mof.gov.so
June 26, 2026 at 11:18 AM
Interesting research commissioned by the Government of Somalia trying to quantify the extent / likely impacts of ODA cuts.
It emphasises how cuts are a huge negative shock across the board, at the household and macro level.
Suggests 68% of INGOs reduced international staff by up to half...
It emphasises how cuts are a huge negative shock across the board, at the household and macro level.
Suggests 68% of INGOs reduced international staff by up to half...
Reposted by Sam Huckstep
We regret that our event on Extreme Heat: Improving governance and strengthening action around the world has been cancelled due to the red extreme heat warning issued by the UK Met Office.
Our apologies to everyone who was planning to attend the event.
Our apologies to everyone who was planning to attend the event.
June 23, 2026 at 2:38 PM
We regret that our event on Extreme Heat: Improving governance and strengthening action around the world has been cancelled due to the red extreme heat warning issued by the UK Met Office.
Our apologies to everyone who was planning to attend the event.
Our apologies to everyone who was planning to attend the event.
An excellent short paper from @nrdc.org's Ilmi Granoff conceptualising when, why, and how (and whether) different adaptation options are financeable.
It breaks adaptation activities into four financeable categories in a way that I find very helpful and will probably use.
It breaks adaptation activities into four financeable categories in a way that I find very helpful and will probably use.
Adaptation Finance Has a Cash Flow Problem: Can We Fix It?
NRDC’s new framework explains what makes adaptations financeable.
www.nrdc.org
June 23, 2026 at 11:02 AM
An excellent short paper from @nrdc.org's Ilmi Granoff conceptualising when, why, and how (and whether) different adaptation options are financeable.
It breaks adaptation activities into four financeable categories in a way that I find very helpful and will probably use.
It breaks adaptation activities into four financeable categories in a way that I find very helpful and will probably use.
I hadn’t fully realised this: it is the usury of the Foreign Office that is forcing the gutting of the British Council, an agency central to UK soft power efforts? Bizarre.
Glad the repayment period is being lengthened- but still bizarre.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Glad the repayment period is being lengthened- but still bizarre.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
June 17, 2026 at 9:17 PM
I hadn’t fully realised this: it is the usury of the Foreign Office that is forcing the gutting of the British Council, an agency central to UK soft power efforts? Bizarre.
Glad the repayment period is being lengthened- but still bizarre.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Glad the repayment period is being lengthened- but still bizarre.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Cool new research from @mclem.org, Nice, & Rigol!
Authorising work for asylum seekers is politically contested, often due to perceived 'magnet' effects + fears for local labour markets.
New evidence from the US finds work authorisation boosts local wages + GDP, and *doesn't* have a magnet effect.
Authorising work for asylum seekers is politically contested, often due to perceived 'magnet' effects + fears for local labour markets.
New evidence from the US finds work authorisation boosts local wages + GDP, and *doesn't* have a magnet effect.
Economic and Magnet Effects of Work Authorization for Asylum Seekers: Descriptive Evidence from the United States
ROCKWOOL Foundation
www.rfberlin.com
June 17, 2026 at 2:54 PM
Cool new research from @mclem.org, Nice, & Rigol!
Authorising work for asylum seekers is politically contested, often due to perceived 'magnet' effects + fears for local labour markets.
New evidence from the US finds work authorisation boosts local wages + GDP, and *doesn't* have a magnet effect.
Authorising work for asylum seekers is politically contested, often due to perceived 'magnet' effects + fears for local labour markets.
New evidence from the US finds work authorisation boosts local wages + GDP, and *doesn't* have a magnet effect.
Reposted by Sam Huckstep
How do immigration bureaucracies demonstrate accountability beyond formal political oversight? @A.Ellermann and @M.Paquet show how immigration departments direct accountability to different audiences, shaped by institutional design and politicization.
doi.org/10.1093/migr...
doi.org/10.1093/migr...
June 16, 2026 at 7:50 AM
How do immigration bureaucracies demonstrate accountability beyond formal political oversight? @A.Ellermann and @M.Paquet show how immigration departments direct accountability to different audiences, shaped by institutional design and politicization.
doi.org/10.1093/migr...
doi.org/10.1093/migr...
'Here we present a new dataset of annual origin-destination migration across 230 countries and regions from 1990 to the present [2023], integrating diverse data sources into a unified modelling framework...
A paradigm shift for the computational toolset hitherto used to model global migration.'
A paradigm shift for the computational toolset hitherto used to model global migration.'
🚨Out today in @nature.com our new paper uses deep learning to map four decades of global human migration.
By building the first comprehensive, four-decade dataset of annual flows (1990-2023), we reveal that global migration has nearly tripled since 2000.
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
By building the first comprehensive, four-decade dataset of annual flows (1990-2023), we reveal that global migration has nearly tripled since 2000.
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
June 11, 2026 at 4:30 PM
'Here we present a new dataset of annual origin-destination migration across 230 countries and regions from 1990 to the present [2023], integrating diverse data sources into a unified modelling framework...
A paradigm shift for the computational toolset hitherto used to model global migration.'
A paradigm shift for the computational toolset hitherto used to model global migration.'
Fascinating to see planned relocation the subject of an FT Editorial Board article!
'With national funds already stretched, the authorities will need to make difficult but necessary trade-offs. That begins by prioritising what assets need to be protected.'
'With national funds already stretched, the authorities will need to make difficult but necessary trade-offs. That begins by prioritising what assets need to be protected.'
The hard truths about England’s receding coastline
The entire shoreline cannot be protected from erosion, but the state can mitigate future fallout
giftarticle.ft.com
June 10, 2026 at 10:45 AM
Fascinating to see planned relocation the subject of an FT Editorial Board article!
'With national funds already stretched, the authorities will need to make difficult but necessary trade-offs. That begins by prioritising what assets need to be protected.'
'With national funds already stretched, the authorities will need to make difficult but necessary trade-offs. That begins by prioritising what assets need to be protected.'
Another cool piece today on VoxDev- harmonisation of pre-2013 night-lights data with post-2013 data to allow longer-term analysis.
And the data (and replication code) is open source.
And the data (and replication code) is open source.
🆕 An improved nighttime-lights dataset for development research
Today on VoxDev w/ Giorgio Chiovelli (Universidad de Montevideo), Stelios Michalopoulos (Brown University), Elias Papaioannou (London Business School) & Tanner Regan (George Washington University): https://ow.ly/r7gw50Z9gnl
Today on VoxDev w/ Giorgio Chiovelli (Universidad de Montevideo), Stelios Michalopoulos (Brown University), Elias Papaioannou (London Business School) & Tanner Regan (George Washington University): https://ow.ly/r7gw50Z9gnl
An improved nighttime-lights dataset for development research
A new adjusted and harmonised satellite nighttime-lights series for 1992–2023 tracks local development in the Global South more accurately than the off-the-shelf data – especially in panels and at fine spatial resolution.
ow.ly
June 9, 2026 at 9:45 AM
Another cool piece today on VoxDev- harmonisation of pre-2013 night-lights data with post-2013 data to allow longer-term analysis.
And the data (and replication code) is open source.
And the data (and replication code) is open source.