Sector/Thematic Studies

6,525 items available

Permanent URI for this collection

http://hdl.handle.net/10986/2110

Economic and Sectoral Work are original analytic reports authored by the World Bank and intended to influence programs and policy in client countries. They convey Bank-endorsed recommendations and represent the formal opinion of a World Bank unit on the topic. This set includes the sectoral and thematic studies which are not Core Diagnostic Studies. Other analytic and advisory activities (AAA), including technical assistance studies, are included in these sectoral/thematic collections.

Sub-collections of this Collection

Equitable Growth, Finance & Institutions Insight

Items in this collection

Now showing 1 - 10 of 27

R&D Policy and the Role of Research Institutions in Fostering Green Innovation in Poland

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2023-05-18) Ambasz, Diego ; Sanchez-Reaza, Javier ; Zuniga, Pluvia

The diagnostic and analysis presented in this report unveils a complex and challenging picture of Polish R&D capacity and its technological preparedness to engage and deliver green-innovation solutions for regions and industries. The report pinpoints opportunity areas to catch up, as well as the competences that Poland can leverage to address capacity and preparedness challenges. Policy goals should, therefore, ensure that actions by the state, research centers, universities, private sector, and all agents in the innovation eco-system help meet environmental and sustainable development commitments.
Greening Public Human Development Buildings in Croatia: Support for the Implementation of the European Green Deal in the Croatian Health and Education Sectors

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2023-05-18) Dozol, Adrien ; Ambasz, Diego ; Shmis, Tigran ; Dozol, Adrien ; Ambasz, Diego ; Shmis, Tigran

The goal of this policy note is twofold: first, to identify and propose how to address some of the key regulatory and implementation hurdles that Croatia and potentially other EU Member States are facing in greening their HD infrastructure while improving HD outcomes; and second, to compile best practices and examples in green design, construction, and renovation of public HD buildings. The Note will also provide guidance and encourage dialogue among relevant policy makers at national, regional, and local levels, and with targeted clients. Furthermore, the recommendations would address the importance of green skills development and other related topics relevant to the implementation of EUGD. Overall, the analysis results and the recommendations on these issues could also be useful for World Bank experts and other external stakeholders focused on the green economy and human development.
Steering the Human Development Strategy for a Sustainable Green Economy in the Slovak Republic

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2023-05-17) Abdul-Hamid, Husein ; Ambasz, Diego

The rippling effects of multiple overlapping crises on the economy, declining education outcomes, and inability of the education system to meet the upcoming needs of the labor market puts the Slovak Republic in a human capital crisis. There is a misalignment between the supply and outcomes of the education system and requirements of the labor market. Education-to-work pathways through vocational and tertiary education are insufficient to prepare students for the green economy transition. Education-to-work pathways need to be flexible to align worker choices with needs of the labor market. This policy note provides a deep dive into the education situation in the Slovak Republic and proposes specific policy recommendations aiming at the skilling and reskilling toward the green and digital agenda, utilizing European and international experiences in this area.
Designing and Delivering Government-Led Graduation Programs for People in Extreme Poverty

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2023-02-17) Gollin, Maxwell ; Miranda, Carolina de ; Muriuki, Taddeo ; Commins, Steve

While governments face significant obstacles in designing and delivering approaches for people living in extreme poverty, a substantial body of research shows that programs can achieve transformative impact by addressing the socioeconomic barriers that often exclude this population. An increasing number of governments are adopting and scaling economic inclusion programs, including Graduation programs, to address the multidimensional vulnerabilities of people living in extreme poverty. By integrating the Graduation approach into their poverty reduction initiatives, governments can increase the impact and scale of their initiatives by investing in the systems, processes, and capacities needed to reach those furthest behind and deliver multidimensional, timebound, and sequenced program interventions. This In Practice paper shares insights and learning from four non-governmental organizations on the potential to scale up government-led Graduation programs for people living in extreme poverty. It contributes to the growing policy space around economic inclusion and identifies good practices for designing and implementing government-led Graduation programs. It makes recommendations and identifies key considerations for governments on how to identify, reach, and deliver impactful programming to individuals and households facing socioeconomic exclusion and marginalization.
Opportunities for All: Brazil Policy Notes 2022

(Washington, DC, 2022-12) World Bank

This package of Public Policy Notes is directed to Brazilian policy makers and society to present the World Bank Group’s overview of key challenges facing the country at this juncture, and possible ways forward to address them. We present an agenda prioritized around four issues of core relevance to Brazil’s recovery and its future resilience. First is the goal of financing development sustainably given the immediate challenge of situating the country’s enormous growth, inclusion and climate action needs within a credible macroeconomic framework and efficient and effective fiscal policies. The second theme addressed in this note is building opportunities through productivity-led growth. With the growing reliance of Brazilians on social assistance policies, it is critical to keep sight of growth and jobs as the most important vehicles for the dignity and upward mobility of the poor. Third is increasing the capabilities and economic inclusion of the poor so that they are better able to capture the opportunities that come with growth. Thefourth theme we address in this note is meeting Brazil’s potential as a as a leader in green and climate friendly development. This document is accompanied by a package of six policy presentations and an underlying set of more detailed policy reports that can be accesses here: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/brazil.
Digital Transformation of Philippine Higher Education

(Washington, DC, 2022-11-21) World Bank

The Digital Transformation of Philippine Higher Education recommends a medium-term strategy for the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). Chapter 1 presents an overview of the Philippine higher education sector and analyzes the sectoral and country context for digital transformation of higher education. Chapter 2 discusses the foundations and pillars that support digital transformation as well as the building blocks of common and shared platforms and services for students and academic, research, and administrative stakeholders in higher education. Based on the findings in Chapter 1 and global good practices on digital transformation in Chapter 2, Chapter 3 recommends strategic goals and actions for CHED and HEIs as well as other higher education key players to digitally transform Philippine higher education.
Iraq Economic Monitor - A New Opportunity to Reform: With a Special Focus on Iraq’s Intertwined Development and Climate Realities, An Urgent Call for Action

(Washington, DC, 2022-11) World Bank

Iraq’s economy is rebounding thanks to rising oil output and a recovery in domestic economic activity after the pandemic. Higher government oil revenues, driven by increased export prices and quantities, have significantly strengthened the fiscal position and international reserves. Without deeper structural reforms and economic diversification, Iraq’s extreme oil dependence leaves it vulnerable to commodity price volatility. Persistent high oil prices bode well for the economic outlook, but global demand is expected to gradually weaken. Downside risks to the economic outlook relate to further weakening of global demand, insecurity and political instability, and renewed inflationary pressures. Vulnerabilities could further be amplified by intensifying climate change shocks both in physical and financial terms. Furthermore, Iraq’s dependence on oil leaves it vulnerable to new economic risks amid the global transition towards a decarbonized world. A new government was confirmed into office in October 2022, marking a new opportunity to implement reforms towards economic diversification, tackling longstanding structural challenges and addressing climate challenges.
Lesotho Policy Notes

(Washington, DC, 2022-11) World Bank

Lesotho witnessed poverty reduction prior to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the subsequent shocks, but the pace was slow, and poverty remained widespread. The World Bank Group (WBG)’s partnership with Lesotho is fully aligned with the country’s development vision articulated in the second National Strategic Development (NSDP II) and key findings of its 2021 Mid-Term Review. The overall objective of the proposed CPF FY2023-2027 is to support Lesotho in building a sustainable and resilient economy in a post-COVID environment by promoting a private sector driven, export-oriented economy for job creation supported by an enabling, efficient and effective public sector. The CPF consists of three high-level outcomes (HLOs) -increased employment in the private sector, improved human capital outcomes and improved climate resilience with seven objectives under the HLOs. There are two foundational themes (governance and government capacity, and macroeconomic and fiscal sustainability) and three approaches (gender, digitalization, and lagging-region approach) that cut across the CPF. The CPF is scheduled to be finalized with the new government by early 2023.
From Learning Recovery to Education Transformation: Insights and Reflections from the Fourth Survey on National Education Responses to COVID-19 School Closures

(Washington, DC, Montreal, New York, Paris, 2022-09) World Bank ; UNICEF ; UNESCO ; OECD

To explore how countries have progressed in learning recovery and longer-term education transformation, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank have conducted the fourth round of the Survey on National Education Responses to Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) school closures (joint survey’, with responses from Ministries of Education in 93 countries. While the first three rounds of the survey were implemented in relatively rapid succession during the periods May to June 2020, July to October 2020, and February to June 2021, respectively, the fourth round was implemented more than one year after the last data collection during the period April to July 2022, when almost all schools had re-opened and policymakers were beginning to reflect on responses going forward in the post-pandemic normalization period. Findings from the joint survey are supplemented by data from the global education recovery tracker (GERT) survey, administered with 166 World Bank and UNICEF country offices between May to July 2022. This report includes the main findings from the surveys, which are analyzed and presented along the lines of the five RAPID key policy actions. Furthermore, each of these analyses is complemented by a discourse of the policy implications and related measures required for longer-term education transformation to address the longstanding systemic bottlenecks, ensure future system sustainability, and achieve national, regional, and global goals, including sustainable development goal 4 on education.
The Trade Policy Strategy 2.0 for North Macedonia: Trade Competitiveness Diagnostic and State Aid Effectiveness Report

(Washington, DC, 2022-09) World Bank

For a small and landlocked country like North Macedonia, trade integration is particularly important to sustain the country's economic growth and transformation. The importance of trade became even more visible during a global crisis and in the post-pandemic recovery period. Trade integration has contributed to North Macedonia’s rise to the status of a middle-income country, but its trade strategy is showing signs of fatigue. The lack of trade diversification and economic transformation limits the role of trade in North Macedonia’s growth model. Also, trade openness in services has been weaker than for merchandise, highlighting the untapped potential for trade in services. North Macedonia's growth strategy should aim to diversify the economy and seek export oriented FDI that would have stronger spillover effects on the domestic economy. State aid provided through tax incentives to boost exports and attract FDIs will need to be redesigned to be more effective. A revamped trade strategy is needed that will allow North Macedonia to move further up the GVC ladder and expand its economic diversification through agriculture, agri-business, services, or more complex manufacturing, which will ultimately lead to greater job creation, business survival, and diversification of the economy as a whole. The proposed reform agenda needs to be considered as part of a broader strategy to improve the business climate and attractiveness for investment and raise productivity in the economy. Ultimately, the country’s ability to achieve greater economic diversification and upgrading will depend on a large number of different factors, including competition policy, investment policies, innovation, education policies.