World Development Report 1999/2000: Entering the 21st Century

Abstract

"The development landscape is being transformed--confronting policymakers with new challenges and calling into question existing practices." Policymakers in the next century will need to pursue development across a transformed economic, political, and social landscape. "Entering the 21st Century" examines the contours of the changing development landscape and charts the way forward. The World Development Report 1999/2000, the 22nd edition in this annual series, focuses on two forces of change: the integration of the world economy and the increasing demand for self government, which will affect responses to key issues such as poverty reduction, climate change, and water scarcity. The forces of globalization and localization will require nation states to sustain a dynamic equilibrium with international and subnational partners. The nature of this equilibrium will have far reaching implications for the gains from trade and capital flows, the fruitfulness of global environmental agreements, the pace of regional growth, and the scope of urban development. By drawing on a wealth of recent research on cross-country experience, the Report proposes a rich menu of rules and policies that can serve as the ingredients of a comprehensive approach to development. It explores their applicability, for example, in the cases of urban development in Pakistan and decentralization in Brazil. The challenges remain great, but the opportunities available in the new century hold out prospects for a better future. The Report also includes selected World Development Indicators. The World Development Report 1999/2000 provides invaluable guidance for decisionmakers in the next century.