Sector/Thematic Studies
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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
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Country Gender Assessment -
Recent Economic Development in Infrastructure -
Energy Study -
Energy-Environment Review -
Equitable Growth, Finance & Institutions Insight -
Debt and Creditworthiness Study -
General Economy, Macroeconomics, and Growth Study -
Legal and Judicial Sector Assessment -
Gender Innovation Lab Federation Causal Evidence Series -
Health Sector Review
Items in this collection
1 - 10 of 499
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Publication
Plastic Waste in Road Construction - A Path Worth Paving?: Application of Dry Process in South Asia
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2023-05-24)As global plastic waste continues to grow, the global community is coalescing to reduce plastic waste. Some stakeholders are also exploring new options to use plastic waste as partial substitute for raw material. The use of plastic waste as a bitumen modifier in road construction, referred to here as ‘plastic roads’, is one option being explored. We reviewed the scientific literature, news articles, and patents; conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis; and interviewed representatives from private companies and independent, scientific researchers to determine the existing knowledge gaps regarding the (1) technology feasibility, including engineering performance; (2) environmental issues; (3) occupational health; (4) economic viability; and (5) industry standards surrounding plastic roads. We found that many companies are starting to implement or pilot this technology worldwide though key gaps in engineering performance, such as cracking resistance, remain. The environmental issues reviewed also have research gaps, including the generation of hazardous air pollutants during production; microplastics and nanoplastics generation during use; and leaching of additives from plastic waste during use. Industry standards for the use of plastic waste in road construction are lacking. In addition, there is prevailing uncertainty in the economic viability of the technology. As a result of these key research gaps, the Ways Forward section presents a roadmap for short- and longterm research priorities. -
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R&D Policy and the Role of Research Institutions in Fostering Green Innovation in Poland
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2023-05-18)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. -
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Jobs, Food and Greening: Exploring Implications of the Green Transition for Jobs in the Agri-food System
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2023-05-16)The agri-food system (AFS) employs about one third of the global workforce and contributes about one third of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This together with its large exposure to the effects of climate change and environmental degradation makes what happens in AFS central to the green transition and its implications for jobs and the structural transformation. Microeconomic evidence suggests that the adoption of climate smart agricultural practices will increase labor requirements, at least in the short run and at lower levels of incomes, when its mechanization is still limited. Econometric macro-model-based simulations suggest however that especially substantial investment in climate friendly agricultural R&D as well as soil and water preserving practices and market integration will more than offset the negative effects of climate change and even accelerate the structural transformation, especially in Sub Saharan Africa. Overall, the findings underscore the tremendous potential of increasing agricultural and climate friendly R&D investment for brokering an environmentally sustainable structural transformation. Repurposing of agriculture’s current US$ 638 billion support package towards supporting more climate friendly practices, including to overcome the time lag between the moment of investment and the realization of the benefits, provides an important policy entry point. -
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Gender-Responsive Tourism in Cabo Verde: Ensuring Better, Safe, and More Jobs for Women
(Washington, DC, 2023-04-19)This report is the result of an assessment of the gender dimensions of current tourism development in Cabo Verde. The report’s recommendations aim to ensure the project has a gender-responsive approach that positively impacts gender equality in the tourism and blue economy sectors. The report was drawn up to understand what constraints are preventing increased economic empowerment of women in the tourism sector in selected sites, assess the nature of these constraints, and propose recommendations and actions that would fit under the project. -
Publication
Syria Earthquake 2023: Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA)
(Washington DC, 2023-03-28)Following the magnitude (Mw) 7.8 Türkiye-Syria Earthquake on February 6, 2023, and the (Mw) 6.3 earthquake on February 20, 2023, the World Bank launched the Syria Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA). The objective of the RDNA is to estimate the impact of the earthquake on physical assets and service delivery in the most affected areas. The RDNA covers six governorates with roughly 10million inhabitants, with an in-depth analysis of nine cities. It provides preliminary estimates to rebuild infrastructure and restore service delivery, and general guiding principles for recovery and building back better, focusing on early recovery (0–12 months) and short-term needs (1–3 years). The RDNA also analyses the macroeconomic and socioeconomic impacts of the earthquake to anticipate repercussions on the economic outlook and on the population’s well-being. This RDNA contributes to the understanding of the impactof the earthquake on Syria. While the RDNA focuses on the damages incurred by the earthquake, the compounding effect of the pre-existing damages caused by the conflict are reflected in the pre-earthquake baseline. The RDNA follows a globally established and recognized damage, loss, and needs assessment methodology developed by the World Bank Group (WBG), the European Union (EU), and the United Nations (UN). This methodology has been applied globally in post-disaster and conflict contexts to inform recovery and reconstruction planning. Prior to this RDNA, the World Bank Group conducted six assessments to provide information on the effects of the ongoing conflict on population, physical infrastructure, and quality of service delivery. -
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Infrastructure Tokenization: Does Blockchain Have a Role in the Financing of Infrastructure?
(World Bank, Washington DC, 2023-03-22)The purpose of this report is to assess whether digitizing the equity or debt financing used for infrastructure projects using blockchain, that is, tokenized infrastructure, provides enough benefits to justify the use of this technology. The information presented here aims to inform the World Bank whether it should explore the possibility of tokenizing one of its infrastructure projects. The conclusions are based on interviews with tokenization start-ups, experts, and the review of current and planned regulatory frameworks in selected jurisdictions and use cases/pilots to date. -
Publication
Managing the Fiscal Implications of Public-Private Partnerships in a Sustainable and Resilient Manner: A Compendium of Good Practices and Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic
(Washington, DC, 2023-03-22)Public-private partnerships (PPPs) can sometimes be perceived as a means for delivering infrastructure for free. A more nuanced but still inexact view is that they are a mechanism to overcome fiscal constraints. Some argue, perhaps rightly, that often governments enter PPP contracts without fully understanding their fiscal implications. These misconceptions lead to several challenges. There is evidence that fiscal sustainability is often overlooked or ignored by countries with PPP programs, with long-term fiscal implications the governments did not understand or manage well. Governments also struggle with perceptions that they are not fully transparent about the real, ultimate costs of PPP projects. This report aims to illustrate how to improve fiscal risk management and treatment of fiscal commitments and contingent liabilities (FCCL) arising from PPP projects, to build better Infrastructure post-COVID-19. It intends to be a resource for World Bank client countries, including low income and fragile economies, to design their fiscal PPP management frameworks in a viable way that helps them develop their PPP programs while maintaining medium-to-long-term fiscal sustainability and resilience. With that in mind, Volume I highlights and contextualizes the main findings from a set of case studies that assessed the PPP fiscal risk management framework in select countries, and synthesizes the observable and qualitative results in managing the impact of crises, in particular the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on that, it also explores how this crisis has affected PPP projects and overall PPP programs, and suggests improvements to FCCL management frameworks in order to strengthen the capacity of countries to continue with their PPP programs in a sustainable fiscal manner. Volume II contains the detailed case studies on which Volume I is based. -
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Institutional and Procurement Practice Note on Cloud Computing: Cloud Assessment Framework and Evaluation Methodology
(Washington DC, 2023-03-16)Despite widespread awareness on the benefits of cloud computing, authorities in most of the World Bank’s client countries have not explored the opportunity of adopting cloud computing solutions. Task teams are finding it difficult to provide relevant advice to the counterparts and address their concerns. Most authorities have identified risks of moving to cloud computing: Will their data be safe? Will they have sovereign control over access to data stored offshore? Will privacy be protected? These risks are real. Due to an inadequate assessment framework to identify and assess these risks, the typical response of most client governments is to develop a government’s cloud (G-Cloud or GovCloud). This seems logical for more sensitive or mission critical data. However, this is not enough. Adopting a hybrid cloud model, which leverages the cloud services from the private sector to work in conjunction with the G-Cloud can offer immense opportunities to save costs, improve security, enhance performance, and strengthen resilience in a post COVID-19 world. However, client governments need guidance to change their policy response on cloud computing - from the risk-avoidance to the one of risk-management. This note provides guidance on institutional and procurement arrangements and risk mitigation methodology for acquiring and managing public cloud solutions using a whole-of-government approach. -
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Data Classification Matrix and Cloud Assessment Framework: Cloud Assessment Framework and Evaluation Methodology
(Washington, DC, 2023-03-16)This data classification matrix and cloud assessment framework supports the policy goals articulated in the World Bank’s Institutional and procurement practice note for cloud computing services in the public sector. The framework is intended to support World Bank client countries, practitioners, and multilateral and bilateral development partners to manage the risks of acquiring public cloud solutions. These suggestions are based on good practices identified in the practice note. The framework first offers a data classification scheme for government data and personally identifiable information (PII) of citizens that governments and their contractors handle based upon the confidentiality, integrity, and availability security objectives. The framework then suggests cloud security requirements corresponding to each proposed data classification level. These security requirements are based upon international standards and good practices identified in the practice note. The framework also offers a checklist for procuring agencies seeking to procure cloud services. -
Publication
Digital Public Goods for Disaster Risk Reduction in a Changing Climate
(Washington, DC, 2023-03-16)The growth of the disaster and climate risk analysis has largely taken place through the development of proprietary models and data only accessible to a restricted group of users. However, core digital assets have received a push early this century to open access so that larger populations can benefit from their use as public goods. This includes: (i) data used to produce evidence on past disasters or climatic conditions; (ii) models used by scientists to run future climate risk scenarios; (iii) technology and standards for disaster risk modeling; and (iv) crowdsourced maps created by volunteers and used by governments to prepare for and respond to crises. This briefing note aims to promote and explore ways that digital public goods can support disaster risk reduction. It starts by providing a series of definitions and historical context, before delving into the prevailing trends and opportunities that promote the use of open resources to support disaster risk reduction. The target audience for this note includes governments, international organizations, and other institutions that might want to play a role in advancing digital public goods. While the note focuses on disaster risk reduction, preventing new and reducing existing disaster risk, it also addresses the broader aspects of resilience and climate change adaption and might be of interest to practitioners or decision makers in those fields. Finally, this briefing note is a result of a collaboration between the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) with inputs from 40 people gathered through a virtual workshop in November 2021. While short and concise, this paper aims to inspire more discussions and actions at the nexus of digital technologies, disaster risk management, and international development.