This dissertation thesis touches on some important aspects of development, including financial development and improved access to reliable energy sources, regional integration and expanded opportunities for trade. This thesis was written to help guide policy reforms especially in developing countries to expand sources of growth and put countries on track to better meet their long-term development goals, including a better and more sustainable future for everyone. This dissertation consists of three papers. In the first paper I investigate the empirical evidence on the relationship between financial development and economic growth. In doing so, I assessed over 270 studies for their potential inclusion in a meta-analysis. From those studies that contained an empirical estimate of the finance growth relationship, I compiled 1,334 coefficients and coded study characteristics for each. Taking the reported estimates together, I find a positive link between financial development and economic growth, but with widely varying individual estimates. By applying a multi-variate meta-regression, I explain the variation in reported results, stemming not only from differences in research design (by authors addressing or ignoring potential endogeneity issues) but also from real drivers (different regional and time...