Publication: Toward an Urban Sector Strategy : Georgia's Evolving Urban System and its Challenges
Loading...
Date
2013-02-03
ISSN
Published
2013-02-03
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
This review analyzes the profile, trends and challenges of Georgia's changing urban landscape since independence in 1991 and provides policy suggestions to facilitate the economic transition of the country through its cities. In its analysis and subsequent recommendations on policy interventions, this report draws on a program of diagnostics called the 'Urbanization Review' (UR). The UR diagnostic is based on three main pillars of urban development which have emerged as key areas of policy engagement for successful cities. These are: a) planning, charting a course for cities by setting the terms of urbanization, especially policies for using urban land and expanding basic infrastructure and public services; b) connecting, physically linking people to jobs, and businesses to markets; and c) financing, raising and leveraging up-front capital to meet the increasing demand for infrastructure and services. In moving forward, the review recommends that Georgia focus on: a) developing a national urban strategy that recognizes the contribution of each city to the overall economy, i.e. a 'systems of cities' approach that can assist in reducing regional disparities; b) assisting cities to develop urban plans, including local economic development plans, c) reforming building and planning codes; and d) assisting cities in improving their local governance and finances.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“World Bank. 2013. Toward an Urban Sector Strategy : Georgia's Evolving Urban System and its Challenges. © http://hdl.handle.net/10986/17867 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Density and Disasters : Economics of Urban Hazard Risk(2009-12-01)Today, 370 million people live in cities in earthquake prone areas and 310 million in cities with high probability of tropical cyclones. By 2050, these numbers are likely to more than double. Mortality risk therefore is highly concentrated in many of the world s cities and economic risk even more so. This paper discusses what sets hazard risk in urban areas apart, provides estimates of valuation of hazard risk, and discusses implications for individual mitigation and public policy. The main conclusions are that urban agglomeration economies change the cost-benefit calculation of hazard mitigation, that good hazard management is first and foremost good general urban management, and that the public sector must perform better in generating and disseminating credible information on hazard risk in cities.Publication Assessment of Housing for Low-income Groups in Danang : Phase I Report(Washington, DC, 2006-11)Danang City is the capital and economic hub of the central region of Vietnam. As in all of the major urban centers of the country, Danang is currently experiencing rapid urbanization fueled by consistent economic growth and the resultant steady increase in population, much through rural-urban migration. For this reason, central and city government has been increasingly concerned with the urban development and housing sectors. The objective of the (LIHAS) Study is to undertake an assessment of the low-income housing sector in Danang with a view to: i) determining effective demand for low-income shelter in Danang; and ii) providing alternative models of housing production, including aspects of housing finance, construction and maintenance. The Study will take account of Government housing policy as it affects low-income households (LIH) in Danang. In this regard there has been a move away from direct Government involvement in house construction for the public sector service which was found to be financiallyunsustainable. The scope of work is based on two phases as follows: Phase I. Data Collection and Analysis: this will involve: i) agreement with the DPC on adefinition low-income households for Danang City to be used as basis for the Study; ii) a literature review of relevant reports and studies; iii) preparation of an inventory of all existing publicly constructed housing developments for low-income groups in Danang built since 1980; iv) a rough assessment of the current size and rate of expansion of informal housing in the City; v) an assessment of the type and level of private sector participation in low income housing provision; vi) a review and assessment of the roles and responsibilities of both DONRE and DOC in respect to the provision and maintenance of publicly sponsored low-income housing; vii) a financial assessment of DONRE and DOC operations withrespect to the provision and maintenance of low-income housing; viii) identification of the binding constraints on the creation of low-income housing generally and in Danang specifically.Publication Climate Change Impact and Adaptation Study for Bangkok Metropolitan Region : Final Report(World Bank, 2009-03-01)This report is the primary output from the climate change impact and adaptation study for the Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR) produced for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) with financial support provided by the World Bank. The report concerns climate change, and provides an analysis of climate change impacts and adaptation options for the BMR. In addition to the more general matters on the physical setting and socioeconomics of BMR, the report considers a number of issues related to climate change in detail. These are: changes in the inundation pattern, and impact on the population and socioeconomics, and coping mechanisms to deal with the changed situation.Publication Vietnam Urbanization Review : Technical Assistance Report(World Bank, 2011-11-01)As Vietnam enters a crucial period of urbanization corresponding to its present stage of economic development, the Government of Vietnam has placed strong emphasis on developing its system of cities. In accordance with this objective this Urbanization Review is dedicated to understanding the key dimensions and aspects of Vietnam's urbanization process and to identifying trends, opportunities, challenges and core policy priorities that the government will need to address in order to realize its objective. The Vietnam Urbanization Review was prepared following extensive consultations with various stakeholders, including officials from national and local government, private sector groups and international and bilateral organizations active in development assistance in the urban sector in Vietnam. It builds on a strong portfolio of World Bank engagements in investment and policy lending to the Government of Vietnam. It also builds on a number of more in-depth studies that were commissioned specifically for the Vietnam urbanization review.Publication Arab Republic of Egypt Urban Sector Note : Volume 1. Urban Sector Update(Washington, DC, 2008-06)The objective of this paper is to present a succinct and up-to-date review of the urban sector in Egypt, with a focus on issues for which there is new insight or emerging government interest. The two main themes of the report are the challenges facing the urban sector and the policy implications at various levels of government. Some of the reports mains findings are: urbanization in Egypt takes on forms and processes which are not well understood and as a consequence urban policies are sometimes weak or counter productive; until now policies and actions in the urban sector have mainly consisted of State driven, supply-side interventions; due to the focus on development in the desert, the dynamics of urbanism in the Nile Valley and Delta, which together contain over 95 percent of the country's population, have largely been ignored; and finally it is rare that government of Egypt's urban development projects include a strategy of capturing the appreciation value of their investments ("unearned increment"), cross-subsidization or cost recovery. The note concludes with a set of recommendations of ways to improve the government's response to the urban challenge.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Argentina Country Climate and Development Report(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-11)The Argentina Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) explores opportunities and identifies trade-offs for aligning Argentina’s growth and poverty reduction policies with its commitments on, and its ability to withstand, climate change. It assesses how the country can: reduce its vulnerability to climate shocks through targeted public and private investments and adequation of social protection. The report also shows how Argentina can seize the benefits of a global decarbonization path to sustain a more robust economic growth through further development of Argentina’s potential for renewable energy, energy efficiency actions, the lithium value chain, as well as climate-smart agriculture (and land use) options. Given Argentina’s context, this CCDR focuses on win-win policies and investments, which have large co-benefits or can contribute to raising the country’s growth while helping to adapt the economy, also considering how human capital actions can accompany a just transition.Publication Classroom Assessment to Support Foundational Literacy(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-03-21)This document focuses primarily on how classroom assessment activities can measure students’ literacy skills as they progress along a learning trajectory towards reading fluently and with comprehension by the end of primary school grades. The document addresses considerations regarding the design and implementation of early grade reading classroom assessment, provides examples of assessment activities from a variety of countries and contexts, and discusses the importance of incorporating classroom assessment practices into teacher training and professional development opportunities for teachers. The structure of the document is as follows. The first section presents definitions and addresses basic questions on classroom assessment. Section 2 covers the intersection between assessment and early grade reading by discussing how learning assessment can measure early grade reading skills following the reading learning trajectory. Section 3 compares some of the most common early grade literacy assessment tools with respect to the early grade reading skills and developmental phases. Section 4 of the document addresses teacher training considerations in developing, scoring, and using early grade reading assessment. Additional issues in assessing reading skills in the classroom and using assessment results to improve teaching and learning are reviewed in section 5. Throughout the document, country cases are presented to demonstrate how assessment activities can be implemented in the classroom in different contexts.Publication Lebanon Economic Monitor, Fall 2022(Washington, DC, 2022-11)The economy continues to contract, albeit at a somewhat slower pace. Public finances improved in 2021, but only because spending collapsed faster than revenue generation. Testament to the continued atrophy of Lebanon’s economy, the Lebanese Pound continues to depreciate sharply. The sharp deterioration in the currency continues to drive surging inflation, in triple digits since July 2020, impacting the poor and vulnerable the most. An unprecedented institutional vacuum will likely further delay any agreement on crisis resolution and much needed reforms; this includes prior actions as part of the April 2022 International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff-level agreement (SLA). Divergent views among key stakeholders on how to distribute the financial losses remains the main bottleneck for reaching an agreement on a comprehensive reform agenda. Lebanon needs to urgently adopt a domestic, equitable, and comprehensive solution that is predicated on: (i) addressing upfront the balance sheet impairments, (ii) restoring liquidity, and (iii) adhering to sound global practices of bail-in solutions based on a hierarchy of creditors (starting with banks’ shareholders) that protects small depositors.Publication World Development Report 2006(Washington, DC, 2005)This year’s Word Development Report (WDR), the twenty-eighth, looks at the role of equity in the development process. It defines equity in terms of two basic principles. The first is equal opportunities: that a person’s chances in life should be determined by his or her talents and efforts, rather than by pre-determined circumstances such as race, gender, social or family background. The second principle is the avoidance of extreme deprivation in outcomes, particularly in health, education and consumption levels. This principle thus includes the objective of poverty reduction. The report’s main message is that, in the long run, the pursuit of equity and the pursuit of economic prosperity are complementary. In addition to detailed chapters exploring these and related issues, the Report contains selected data from the World Development Indicators 2005‹an appendix of economic and social data for over 200 countries. This Report offers practical insights for policymakers, executives, scholars, and all those with an interest in economic development.Publication The Journey Ahead(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-31)The Journey Ahead: Supporting Successful Migration in Europe and Central Asia provides an in-depth analysis of international migration in Europe and Central Asia (ECA) and the implications for policy making. By identifying challenges and opportunities associated with migration in the region, it aims to inform a more nuanced, evidencebased debate on the costs and benefits of cross-border mobility. Using data-driven insights and new analysis, the report shows that migration has been an engine of prosperity and has helped address some of ECA’s demographic and socioeconomic disparities. Yet, migration’s full economic potential remains untapped. The report identifies multiple barriers keeping migration from achieving its full potential. Crucially, it argues that policies in both origin and destination countries can help maximize the development impacts of migration and effectively manage the economic, social, and political costs. Drawing from a wide range of literature, country experiences, and novel analysis, The Journey Ahead presents actionable policy options to enhance the benefits of migration for destination and origin countries and migrants themselves. Some measures can be taken unilaterally by countries, whereas others require close bilateral or regional coordination. The recommendations are tailored to different types of migration— forced displacement as well as high-skilled and low-skilled economic migration—and from the perspectives of both sending and receiving countries. This report serves as a comprehensive resource for governments, development partners, and other stakeholders throughout Europe and Central Asia, where the richness and diversity of migration experiences provide valuable insights for policy makers in other regions of the world.