In this, the second annual OECD Yearbook, renowned guests from government, business, trade unions and civil society join OECD experts to explore the key questions which confront the world economy in 2012. What has the crisis taught us about the need for a new approach to economic policymaking? What risks do we face and how do we deal with them? Will unemployed youths ever reach their full working potential? How do we give greater economic empowerment to women? Is the middle class on the way out in advanced economies and on the way up in the emerging world? Can better governance prevent future crises? Do green and growth go together? How do we really measure the progress of our societies?

The OECD Yearbook looks at these and other questions. It also presents country snapshots for 40 economies with data and commentary from selected OECD publications. This Yearbook counts as issues 288 and 289 of the OECD Observer.