The world economy in 2012 is set to grow by just 2.5 percent, weighed down by ripple effects from the 2008 financial crisis, says the World Bank's latest Global Economic Prospects (GEP) 2012. The sovereign debt crisis in Europe, which took a turn for the worse in August 2011, coincides with slowing growth in several major developing countries (Brazil, India and, to a lesser extent, Russia, South Africa and Turkey), mainly reflecting policy tightening begun in late 2010 and early 2011 to combat rising inflationary pressures from overly-fast growth.

In poor countries, most governments implement policies aiming to stabilize the prices of staple foods, which often include storage and trade measures insulating their domestic market from the world market. It is of crucial importance to understand the precise motivations and efficiency of those interventions, because they can have consequences worldwide. This paper addresses those issues by analyzing the case of a small, open developing country confronted by shocks to both the crop yield and foreign price.

This document presents the discussions and recommendations emerging from a global workshop which aimed to enhance understanding of policy makers and practitioners on how social protection can be used for climate risk management in developing countries that empowers the poor to build resilient communities and livelihoods; and to create a forum for cross-regional learning about good practices in realizing the potential synergies among social protection, disaster risk reduction, and climate change adaptation.

This study aims to strengthen the understanding of the vulnerability of Kolkata from increased precipitation caused by climate change effects with a specific goal to: compile a data base with past weather related information and damage caused by extreme weather related episodes; develop hydrological, hydraulic, and storm drainage models to identify vulnerable areas and determine physical damage estimates resulting from climate change effects; assess monetary, social, and environmental impacts resulting from such climate change events; and strengthen local capabilities so that the planning p

This collection of papers aims to contribute to an improved understanding of the role and practice of SEZs in developing countries, in order to better equip policy makers in planning and implementing SEZ programs. Organized around three broad themes—attracting investment and creating jobs, facilitating dynamic benefits, and ensuring sustainability—this report addresses many of the emerging issues and challenges in SEZs with practical case examples from SEZ programs in developing countries, including China, the Dominican Republic, Bangladesh, Honduras, and Mauritius.

International migration has increased rapidly in recent decades and this has been accompanied by a remarkable increase in transfers made by migrants to their home countries. This paper investigates the effect of the rural economic growth brought about by migration and remittances on Nepal’s Himalayan forests.

The Little Data Book on Climate Change includes a diverse set of indicators selected from the global economic and scientific communities. These indicators recognize the intrinsic relationship between climate change and development and attempt to synthesize important aspects of current and projected climate conditions, exposure to climate impacts, resilience, greenhouse gas emissions, and the current state of efforts to take action.

The impact of climate change is likely to have considerable implications for water resource planning, as well as adding to the risks to water infrastructure systems and effecting return on investments. Attention is increasingly being paid to adaptation strategies at the regional and basin level; however, the current paucity of information regarding the potential risk to hydrological systems at this scale presents a substantial challenge for effective water resources planning and investment.

Initiated in 2005, this study was requested by the government of India to: develop the analytical capacity required to help identify low carbon growth opportunities, up to the end of the 15th Five Year Plan (March 2032), in major sectors of the economy; and facilitate informed decision-making by improving the knowledge base and raising national and international awareness of India’s efforts to address global climate change. India is at a unique juncture in its development.

This practical guide on responding to the challenges of climate change adaptation in cities offers examples of good practices and successful experiences, and describes other available resource materials and tools.