Economics & Development

The Jiangxi Fuzhou Supplementary ESIA focuses on implementing nature-based solutions to restore degraded ecosystems and enhance environmental conditions in the Qingfeng and Dingjialong project areas. The key objectives are to improve water quality, rehabilitate ecological functions, strengthen biodiversity through wetlands and green spaces, and support sustainable urban development. While the project is expected to deliver long-term environmental and social benefits, several short-term negative impacts are anticipated, primarily during construction. These include dust emissions, construction noise, soil erosion, and temporary deterioration of water quality due to excavation and dredging activities. Disturbance to aquatic and terrestrial habitats, generation of construction waste, and localized social impacts such as traffic disruption and safety risks are also expected. In addition, there is potential risk to underground utilities during excavation works. To address these impacts, the project incorporates comprehensive mitigation measures under the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP). These include dust suppression and noise control measures, soil stabilization and erosion control techniques, proper wastewater and solid waste management, and scheduling of dredging during low-impact periods. Ecological protection measures such as habitat restoration and revegetation are also implemented. Social mitigation includes traffic management, public consultation, and grievance redress mechanisms, along with strict coordination to safeguard underground infrastructure. Continuous monitoring and maintenance during the operational phase ensure sustained environmental performance. With effective implementation of these mitigation measures, the project is expected to minimize adverse impacts and achieve significant long-term ecological and social benefits.

This policy brief examines the key barriers limiting women’s economic participation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and highlights evidence-based solutions. Women face constraints including unpaid care burdens, limited access to education and finance, and widespread gender-based violence. The brief identifies four priorities: expanding childcare to reduce time constraints, strengthening livelihoods through public works and social protection, scaling effective violence prevention and response programs, and investing in adolescent girls’ education, health, and skills. These targeted interventions can improve productivity, empowerment, and well-being, contributing to long-term development and greater gender equality across the DRC.

The development objective of the Climate Resilient Transport Project for Vanuatu is to improve the climate resilience of the Recipient’s Road network, with emphasis on the selected project road, and in the event of an eligible crisis or emergency, to provide an immediate response to the eligible crisis or emergency. The project will be implemented within the existing 20-meter gazetted road reserve and does not require land acquisition. However, minor impacts have been identified, including the removal of four productive coconut trees, relocation of an approximately 5-meter fence, and temporary impacts on non-land assets affecting two Project Affected Persons (PAPs). These impacts are localized, site-specific, and considered minor in nature. To address these impacts, the project obtained signed consent forms from all affected land users, conducted consultations with PAPs and community leaders, and established compensation arrangements for affected assets. Cash compensation will be paid at replacement value for the removed coconut trees prior to construction, while the affected fence will be relocated or replaced if damaged. Existing grievance redress, monitoring, and entitlement mechanisms under the approved ARAP will continue to apply.

The purpose of this review is to inform policy decisions on how Ukraine can strengthen the effectiveness of Active Labor Market Programs (ALMPs) to support economic recovery by supporting skills development that match labor demand, tailoring employment services to jobseekers with special needs, targeting business grants to economic sectors strategic for the recovery, and promoting transitions into sustainable jobs.

The Philippines’ blue economy - spanning maritime transport, fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism—is a growing contributor to economic output but is increasingly threatened by escalating plastic pollution. With substantial plastic leakage into the ocean each year, the environmental, socioeconomic, and public health impacts are significant, particularly for coastal communities reliant on these sectors. This report evaluates three policy reforms aimed at reducing plastic waste: the Extended Producer Responsibility Act, a proposed plastic bag excise tax, and a phased ban on single-use plastics. Using a combination of simulation modeling and stakeholder surveys, the analysis assesses environmental outcomes alongside distributional and behavioral impacts. Results indicate that, without reform, plastic waste and associated emissions will continue to rise sharply, while policy interventions can curb waste growth through reduced consumption and increased reuse. Successful implementation will depend on strengthening waste management infrastructure, ensuring viable alternatives to plastic, and supporting affected stakeholders, including informal workers, through targeted measures.

This paper measures and analyzes management practices in the Kenyan health care sector, drawing on a nationally representative survey and linked administrative data. The paper adapts the World Management Survey to measure management quality in primary health care facilities and hospitals, surveying 429 primary health care facilities and 73 hospitals. Primary health care facilities are the primary point of contact for most patients, providing treatment for common infectious diseases and chronic conditions, as well as services related to maternal and child health. Management quality is low on average, and the distribution is highly compressed. The analysis uses administrative data to test the association between the management quality and performance of primary health care facilities, measured by outpatient attendance, during a period of disruption that included the COVID-19 pandemic and a public health workers' strike. Overall attendance fell during this period. Private facilities experienced a smaller decline than public facilities, consistent with substitution during the strike. Within the private sector, better-managed facilities showed greater resilience, driven primarily by operations management. These results underscore the role of management quality in strengthening facility-level resilience and the complementarity of public and private sectors in absorbing healthcare shocks.