Knowing your balance sheet: a tool for sustainable public finances?

Many governments don’t have the basic financial information that businesses are required to provide. They ignore the value of public assets and most liabilities, which leads to inefficiency and poor decision-making. Governments need to create balance sheets that properly reflect assets and liabilities, and understand their future obligations and revenue prospects. Only if this information is put at the centre of government financial decision-making can the present challenges to public finances around the world be addressed effectively. Our panel of experts will discuss how to make government finances more resilient and fairer for future generations.