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"The prospect of joining the European Union defines much of Poland's current policy agenda. The political and economic consensus in favor of joining the EU as quickly as possible is very strong, and indeed, most of the adjustments required are likely to be in Poland's immediate interest. However, the changes required to comply with EU directives in the environment sector involve sustained high levels of investment and significant uncertainty about the timing and nature of the associated benefits."The European Commission's Opinion on Poland's application for EU membership acknowledges the severity of the environmental problems in Poland and comments on the challenges the country will have to ...
Mass mobilization is among the most dramatic and inspiring forces for political change. When ordinary citizens take to the streets in large numbers, they can undermine and even topple undemocratic governments, as the recent wave of peaceful uprisings in several postcommunist states has shown. However, investigation into how protests are organized can sometimes reveal that the origins and purpose of "people power" are not as they appear on the surface. In particular, protest can be used as an instrument of elite actors to advance their own interests rather than those of the masses. Weapons of the Wealthy focuses on the region of post-Soviet Central Asia to investigate the causes of elite-led ...
Bangladesh has the world s fastest growing off-grid solar home system coverage, yet only 10% of mainly rural households have so far benefited. A key policy issue is whether the partial subsidy provided under the current program should be continued and this study highlights how the social benefits far exceed the cost of the subsidy.
Massive private investment that complements public investment is needed to close the demand-supply gap and make reliable power available to all Indians. Government efforts have sought to attract private sector funding and management efficiency throughout the electricity value chain, adapting its strategy over time.
The book looks at water availability and water demand in various sectors till 2050, presenting a methodology to prioritize options both on the demand and on the supply side, with a special focus on renewable energy desalination.
With the larger role that the agricultural sector plays in the Eastern Europe and Central Asian (ECA) region, emphasis must be placed on the sector's sustained growth and prosperity. The Bank strategy for rural development in the ECA region during the early phase of transition emphasized the reform of agricultural policies and assistance in privatizing, restructuring, and rebuilding agriculture and agro-industrial complexes. In retrospect, it can be seen that the ECA countries concerned made the right choice when they set their objective to transform their socialized agriculture into a private-ownership and market-based system. Given the developments of the past decade, it is clear, however,...
This report presents the findings of a survey of public officials in Guyana, on a wide range of civil service issues from personnel management practices to rewards and disciplinary action, and from budget environment to corruption. The objective of the study is to draw conclusions about those institutional weaknesses that should be the immediate target for reform.
This report contains the most significant elements of intergovernmental fiscal relations in the Czech Republic including administrative structure, expenditure and revenue assignments, fiscal imbalances and transfers, access to borrowing and indebtedness, and budgeting. Although each of these elements is discussed in its own chapter, it is important to remember that they are interrelated and that reform design needs to be conducted in a coordinated manner.
Food safety is receiving more attention worldwide with the rising incidence of foodborne disease, concern over new potential hazards, and growth in agricultural trade. Investments to improve food safety in developing countries can reduce the burden of disease and remove the barriers to fresh food product exports, providing another source of income for the rural sector. International disputes over sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures influence the ability of developing countries to compete in export markets. These countries need to evaluate their interest in the SPS agreement under the World Trade Organisation (WTO); participate more fully in international agencies responsible for harmonisation; develop the capacity to assess equivalence for process standards, which are increasingly used for fresh food products; and resist the imposition of inappropriate standards.
The main focus of this paper is to assess household welfare in Albania, describe the labor market, and evaluate the equity and efficiency of public expenditures on cash benefits and education. This report provides a benchmark against which future welfare developments of the population can be measured. It also includes a statistical annex.