COVID-19 had a profound impact on global economic output, resulting in a contraction of approximately 3% in world GDP in 2020. Furthermore, the impact was not only significant but also unevenly distributed, with certain nations being more severely affected than others. While the effects of COVID-19 on economic performance are well-documented on both global and national levels, one may ask: what effect did COVID-19 have on a regional scale?

In this analysis, we develop a simple model to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the private economic output of different municipalities in Bahrain. To the authors' knowledge, this is not only the first study to explore the municipal-level effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on economic growth but also the first to estimate private economic activity at the municipal level for the Kingdom of Bahrain. As of 2022, our results indicate that most municipalities had returned to their pre-pandemic levels of economic activity. However, when compared to pre-pandemic economic trends, the results show that the Muharraq and Northern Municipalities were the most affected compared to the rest of the economy.

In this discussion paper, we look at the potential effects of adopting electric cars and their outcomes on the Kingdom of Bahrains Energy consumption and CO2 emissions. We construct a simplified model that looks at different potential adoption rates of electric vehicles and how this affects transportation energy and emissions outcomes based on assumptions about fuel consumption, internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle fuel efficiencies, and other essential variables. We find that under our assumptions, the Kingdom would see 17% lower energy usage for transportation sector, 0.84% lower overall energy usage, 8% reduction in per year emissions for the transportation sector, and a 0.51% reduction in overall emissions per year.

COVID-19 has led to severe disruptions in how society interacts in 2020 and onwards. With COVID-19 restrictions being placed in the earlier stages of the pandemic, the need for daily mobility towards work, education, and leisure centers had dwindled significantly. However, it is unknown to what extent the COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions affected fuel demand in the Kingdom of Bahrain. This article aims to explore how the early-stage pandemic affected gasoline and diesel consumption in the Kingdom. Furthermore, we also extrapolate from the findings on the potential hypothetical benefits of transitioning to a “work at home” type of environment and whether this would have any significant economic effects that the Kingdom would reap.

This discussion paper looks at the latest employment data published by LMRA. In particular, we look at Bahraini employment ratios derived using working-age population estimates from IGA. We find that overall, Bahraini employment ratios have decreased in recent years, with a particular notice in a decline of male employment ratios.

Recent legislation passed by some governments worldwide requires mandatory nutrition labeling at all restaurants. The perceived benefits of nutrition labeling at restaurants are that consumers will have the ability to decide meals and dishes with more consumer information, thus potentially allowing those consumers to consume healthier foods, and potentially reduce caloric intake. The result from this may potentially allow for a reduction in obesity levels with healthier food choices by consumers, thus potentially reducing the overall impact of health costs on the economy and a positive effect on productivity levels. This article will look at the policy and see the potential impacts towards final consumers, restaurants, and the economy as a whole, and the benefits and costs associated with nutrition labeling. Last we shall look if other GCC Nations should follow the footsteps of other nations in Mandatory nutrition labeling.

Public transport might not be the most pressing or even the most interesting topic to talk about. However, what the public transport issue signifies is a clear revelation of how intrinsic attitudes can shape the decisions individuals take within the economy. These attitudes, more often than not, can also be rooted in mistaken assumptions, made by economic agents without any basis of fact or evidence. And instead of mainly delving into the complex analysis of whether incentives are properly aligning or investigating and analysing the different data-sets that economic agents have to offer us, perhaps it is only a simple matter of changing abstract concepts, like the perceptions or attitudes within people’s minds.