This Policy Note discusses the status of
Forestry in the Middle East and North Africa Region (MNA) of
the Bank. The Policy Note is a product of the FAO Investment
Center in Rome, the International Food Policy Research
Institute (IFPRI) and the Bank. Experience in natural
resource management shows that to adequately address
sustainable development, solutions must go beyond any single
sector, and be cross-sectoral. They must also go beyond

In conformity with its objective of
functioning as a local Government, Kathmandu Metropolitan
City (KMC) sought the assistance of the World Bank for the
preparation of a City Development Strategy (CDS) for
Kathmandu. The various sectoral as well as integrated
strategies presented in this document seem to be an
overwhelming demand on KMC with its limited manpower and
money. However, a CDS is essential if KMC is to focus its

This report discusses the affects of
rapid economic growth and increased urbanization on the
environmental quality of the Dominican Republic's
natural resource base (e.g., water resources
management--water quality, quantity and watershed management
and solid waste collection and disposal have become major
environmental concerns). It notes that the lack of
systematic data limits an accurate and detailed assessment

In conformity with its objective of
functioning as a local Government, Kathmandu Metropolitan
City (KMC) sought the assistance of the World Bank for the
preparation of a City Development Strategy (CDS) for
Kathmandu. The various sectoral as well as integrated
strategies presented in this document seem to be an
overwhelming demand on KMC with its limited manpower and
money. However, a CDS is essential if KMC is to focus its

China has very serious water problems
despite substantial economic development achievements,
strong technical expertise, and political stability. But in
terms of its potential and the critical pressing needs for
water resources management, China could do much better in
managing its water resources. The World Bank's
assistance to China in water resources development and
management in the past has tended to be reactive and

This review aims to provide the
Government of Madagascar with a situation assessment and
insights and guidance on how to position the rural and
environment sector as an engine for inclusive and
sustainable economic growth. The review has cast the
analytical net quite widely with the aim to come up with a
comprehensive overview of the sector. In view of the
intimate linkages between rural development and the

The Vanuatu Land Use Planning Policy is a national sectoral policy of Vanuatu for the period 2012-2017. Its main objective is to guide land use planning by setting priorities and outlining legislative and institutional settings to enable land use planning that encourages the best current use of Vanuatu’s land resources.The Policy aims to support food security.

The book clarifies many policy, and
technical issues that confront resettlement policymakers,
and practitioners. It provides guidance on resettlement
design, implementation, and monitoring, and, it discusses
resettlement issues particular to development projects in
different sectors, such as urban development, natural
resource management, and the building of dams. Construction
of infrastructure, a prerequisite for sustained

This study attempts to provide an
overview of (a) the amount of Amu Darya flows generated in
the northern Afghanistan; (b) the amount of water presently
used in northern Afghanistan, prospective use in the near
future, and possible impact of the increased use on the
riparian states and the Aral Sea; (c) existing agreements
between Afghanistan and the neighboring Central Asian States
regarding the use waters in the Amu Darya Basin, their

The document is structured in three
parts covering the key thematic areas of water supply
service delivery, sanitation service delivery, and overall
policy. Each part describes a series of different actions
that can be taken to improve service delivery to low-income
communities, outlines key lessons and challenges and
identifies the principles of good practice. This project is
aimed at developing a better understanding of the conditions

The book clarifies many policy, and
technical issues that confront resettlement policymakers,
and practitioners. It provides guidance on resettlement
design, implementation, and monitoring, and, it discusses
resettlement issues particular to development projects in
different sectors, such as urban development, natural
resource management, and the building of dams. Construction
of infrastructure, a prerequisite for sustained

This handbook intends to document the
essential steps for best practice in the design, and
implementation of resettlement action plans. Given that
involuntary resettlement entails both the physical
displacement of peoples, and the disruption of their
livelihoods, social development specialists at the
International Finance Corporation (IFC), worked together
with project developers to ensure consistent, and pragmatic