The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
(MEA), The Economics of Ecosystems & Biodiversity study
(TEEB) and the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity
and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) provide a comprehensive and
useful framework to understand human dependence on ecosystem
services and how best to protect these services in
perpetuity. In these three authoritative studies, payment
for ecosystem services (PES) is listed as one of the

This paper aims to inform Armenia's
policy dialogue on environmental and social issues in the
mining sector. The paper is based on the premise that for
the mining sector to have positive, long-term impacts in
Armenia, it is necessary to take into consideration the
short- and long-term environmental and social impacts of the
sector and to promote strategic planning and efficient
management of natural resources. The mining sector in

The objective of this report is to
examine the linkages between rural economic activity, food
insecurity and poverty in Haiti as a means of determining
the barriers to rural development. The analysis draws on a
newly available set of house-hold level living standards
measurement data collected in 2012 (ECVMAS). About 70.7
percent of all rural households are poor, and education
levels are low with an average of 2.8 years of education for

The Nigerian labor force, like that of
many countries in Africa, is heavily concentrated in
agriculture. According to World Bank reports, the
agricultural sector in Nigeria grew by about 6.8 percent
annually from 2005-2009. This report focuses on the
characteristics of the agricultural sector and rural
households in Nigeria, and their implications for poverty.
This report examines the relationships using nationally

India’s sustained and rapid economic
growth offers an opportunity to lift millions out of
poverty. But this may come at a steep cost to the nation’s
environment and natural resources. This insightful book
analyzes India’s growth from an economic perspective and
assesses whether India can grow in a “green” and sustainable
manner. Three key issues are addressed. The first is the

Climate change presents significant
threats to sustainable poverty reduction in Tajikistan. The
primary impacts on rural livelihoods are expected to stem
from reduced water quantity and quality (affecting
agriculture), and increased frequency and severity of
disasters. Options for farming households to autonomously
adapt (and thereby move from climate vulnerability to
resilience) include adoption of on-farm and off-farm

Bhutan has recently made significant
progress in sustaining economic growth and reducing poverty.
Bhutan also has valuable deposits of primary materials
including dolomite, lime stone, gypsum, quartzite, stone,
and marble, which are useful for fabrication of other
materials. Thus, a significant part of Bhutan's current
and prospective economic gains come from use of natural
resources called, green sectors. The basic message in this

Understanding the trade-offs in
improving the precision of agricultural measures through
survey design is crucial. Yet, standard indicators used to
determine program effectiveness may be flawed and at a
differential rate for men and women. The authors use a
household survey from Mozambique to estimate the measurement
error from male and female self-reports of their adoption
and knowledge of three practices: intercropping, mulching,

The Convention on Biological Diversity
(CBD) defines biodiversity as the variability among living
organisms from all sources including, inter alia,
terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the
ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes
diversity within species, between species, and of
ecosystems. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and TEEB
(The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity) demonstrated

The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN)
has formulated an ambitious strategy, known as Vision 20:
2020, which aims to make Nigeria the world s 20th largest
economy by 2020. This book argues that there are many ways
that Nigeria can achieve the Vision 20: 2020 development
objectives for 2020 and beyond, but with up to 32 percent
lower carbon emissions. A lower carbon path offers not only
the global benefits of reducing contributions to climate

Bhutan has recently made significant
progress in sustaining economic growth and reducing poverty.
In 2012, average per capita household income was somewhat
under USD 2,400/year (Living Standards Measurement Surveys
2012). Growth has averaged around 9 percent per annum over
the past decade and is expected to be on the order of 8
percent per annum over the next five years. According to the
2012 Bhutan Poverty Analysis, 12 percent of the population

This report presents the World Bank
Group's experience in climate and disaster resilient
development and contends that it is essential to eliminate
extreme poverty and achieve shared prosperity by 2030. The
report argues for closer collaboration between the climate
resilience and disaster risk management communities through
the incorporation of climate and disaster resilience into
broader development processes. Selected case studies are