This paper introduces preliminary evidence from a cross-country database of policy characteristics and potential uses of that database. While most databases have emphasized either the content of policies (e.g., size of government deficits) or countries formal institutions (e.g., political...

The capacity to sustain policies over time and the capacity to adjust policies in the face of changing circumstances are two desirable properties of policymaking systems. The veto player approach has suggested that polities with more veto players will have the capacity to sustain policies at the...

This paper investigates the effects of political (mis)alignment on public service delivery when mandates are shared between state and local governments. We analyze sewage treatment policies in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Relying on difference-in-differences estimations, we establish a...

Als onderdeel van de technische samenwerking "Energiebesparing voor de Caraïbische Drinkwater en Afvalwaterbedrijven" heeft het "Sustainable Energy and Climate Change Initative (SECCI)" van de IDB een regionale methodologie ontwikkeld om de energie-efficiency en het onderhoud van...

Als onderdeel van de technische samenwerking "Energiebesparing voor de Caraïbische Drinkwater en Afvalwaterbedrijven" heeft het "Sustainable Energy and Climate Change Initative (SECCI)" van de IDB een regionale methodologie ontwikkeld om de energie-efficiency en het onderhoud van...

In the last decade, Belize has seen major improvements in access to water, but it is behind in achieving universal access to improved sanitation facilities. Belize has also made progress in terms of the disposal of solid waste in the central and western regions, including in the largest urban...

While privatization of water, electricity, transport and communications infrastructure continues to gain momentum in Latin America, its success often depends on whether countries implement the reforms essential to attract private investment. This book analyzes the legal, regulatory, economic and...

Power sector reforms across Latin America in the 1990s based on privatization, liberalization, and market forces were largely unavoidable. This book argues that while there is no turning back from this process, many reforms may not prove sustainable without further efforts to build a stronger...

During the last decade, Latin American countries have brought about important reforms in infrastructure services based both on private sector participation for enhancing internal efficiency and competition for increasing consumer welfare. Infrastructure services have evolved from monopoly and...

This book provides a detailed microeconomic analysis of the impact of various privatizations in different countries in the region. Its central message is that in many cases, contrary to popular belief, society as a whole and in particular the poor have benefited from privatization. The book...