The objective of the Functional Review
of the Environment, Water and Forestry sector (FR-EWF) is to
help the Government of Romania (GoR) develop an action plan
for implementation over the short- and medium-term to
strengthen the effectiveness and efficiency of the sector
administration, and provide input to the Government National
Reform Program (NRP 2011- 2013) and beyond, especially in
relation to those functions that support Romania's

This policy note examines the policy and
investment framework between 2003 and 2010, resulting sector
performance and the priorities for future development. It
draws attention to the need to refocus on completing the
fundamental reforms and investments on which
Kyrgyzstan's early successes were built. These include
further development of land market, building rural finance
markets, further public investment and institutional

This paper examines whether and how
rainfall shocks affect tariff setting in the agricultural
sector. In a model of strategic trade policy, the authors
show that the impact of a negative rainfall shock on optimal
import tariffs is generally ambiguous, depending on the
weight placed by the domestic policy maker on tariff
revenue, profits and the consumer surplus. The more weight
placed on domestic profits, the more likely it is that the

Ningbo serves as the Chinese pilot city
for the World Bank Climate Resilient Cities (CRC) Program.
The CRC program aims to, prepare local governments in the
East Asia region to better understand the concepts and
consequences of climate change; how climate change
consequences contribute to urban vulnerabilities; and what
is being done by city governments in East Asia and around
the world to actively engage in learning capacity building,

The paper reports on improving feed and
fodder supply for the dzud management in Mongolia study, and
aims to identify policy options that could improve the
effectiveness and efficiency of dzud emergency management
and response. It includes an assessment of the appropriate
roles for the private and public sectors, identification of
issues, and capacity building requirements. The study will
support a policy dialogue and could provide the foundation

The European neighborhood and
partnership instrument east countries forest law enforcement
and second governance program will support the participating
countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova,
Russian Federation and Ukraine) in strengthening forest
governance through improving implementation of relevant
international processes, enhancing their forest policy,
legislation and institutional capacity, and developing,

There is overwhelming consensus amongst
climate scientists that the Earth's warming in recent
decades has been caused primarily by human activities that
have increased the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the
atmosphere. To mitigate the most serious impacts of climate
change a range of different strategies to lower carbon
dioxide (CO2) concentrations in the atmosphere are required.
Building on outcomes and recommendations from various

Tanzania has tremendous potential to
support a thriving agribusiness sector. Agriculture is
diverse and extensive, employing more than 80 percent of the
population, and contributing about 28 percent of Gross
Domestic Product, or GDP and 30 percent of export earnings.
A wide range of agricultural commodities are produced in
Tanzania, including fiber (sisal, cotton), beverages
(coffee, tea), sugar, grains (a diverse range of cereals and

Payments for Environmental Services
(PES) are one of the instruments that countries might use to
try to reduce deforestation, and hence receive payments for
Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation
(REDD). This paper discusses four aspects related to the use
of PES as an instrument to implement an avoided
deforestation program, based on a review of PES experiences
in Latin America. First, the paper discusses the

To ensure sustainable and optimal use of
its common property natural resources, Mexico will need to
strengthen its focus on enhancing stewardship in three key
sectors-forests, water, and energy resources. The key
objectives include the following: 1) identifying options
that would contribute to Mexico's climate agenda and
build social resilience through forest management; 2)
ensuring economically efficient and environmentally and

This book provides an overview of the
World Bank's Eco2 cities : ecological cities as
economic cities initiative. The objective of the Eco2 cities
initiative is to help cities in developing countries achieve
a greater degree of ecological and economic sustainability.
The book is divided into three parts. Part one describes the
Eco2 cities initiative framework. It describes the approach,
beginning with the background and rationale. Key challenges

International river basins will likely
face higher hydrologic variability due to climate change.
Increased floods and droughts would have economic and
political consequences. Riparians of transboundary basins
governed by water treaties could experience non-compliance
and inter-state tensions if flow falls below levels presumed
in a treaty. Flow information is essential to cope with
these challenges through water storage, allocation, and use.