This staff sector assessment note accompanies the recently completed national environmental action plan for sustainable development (NEAP-SD), which, as an output of the Industrial Pollution Control Project in Algeria, focused on charting a new course for environmental management in the country,...

The pace of biodiversity loss requires drastic shifts in conservation efforts that carry substantial costs. We investigate how the financial market prices such conservation costs exploiting the "Green Shield Action," a major regulatory initiative launched by the Chinese central government in...

The use of Payment for Environmental Services (PES) is not a new type of contract but they have become more in vogue because of the potential for sequestering carbon by paying to prevent deforestation and degradation of forest lands. We provide a framework utilizing transaction costs to...

Albania is gradually emerging from the unprecedented economic disruptions caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. As the pandemic is overcome, it is crucial to shift attention back to Albania's long-term objective of building a stronger underlying economic growth model. This...

Georgia has made remarkable progress in terms of economic growth and poverty alleviation. In 2019, the country became an upper middle-income country Georgia's endowment of natural resources is a significant source of national wealth and has the potential for accelerating inclusive socio-economic...

This report is an extended Country Environmental Assessment that identifies key issues and priorities for action as Uzbekistan transitions to a sustainable and inclusive market economy. Land degradation, water stress, and air pollution from particulate matter are the main environmental issues,...

How should international economic policy address climate change? Does trade cause deforestation and endangered species depletion? How does globalization affect air and water pollution? Do trade and investment create a race to the bottom in environmental policy? How important are environmental...