The Arab Spring protests marked the beginning of a new era in the Syrian Arab Republic in 2011. Minor public protests began almost immediately after the initial protests in Cairo in January 2011. The first large demonstrations began two months later in March, and the following months saw a...

The Enterprise Surveys (ES) focus on many aspects of the business environment. These factors can be accommodating or constraining for firms and play an important role in whether an economy's private sector will thrive or not. An accommodating business environment is one that encourages firms to...

Much of the world's built environment is found in urban areas, and cities are thought to be responsible for up to 70 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and up to 80 percent of primary energy demand. Most of the energy consumed in the world fuels urban industry, powers urban homes...

Experience shows that there is often ample room for more effective and efficient use of investment tax incentives in low-income countries. Tax incentives generally rank low in investment climate surveys in low-income countries, and there are many examples in which they are reported to be...

Regulatory sandboxes have become synonymous with fintech innovation and offer the unique benefit of providing the empirical evidence needed to substantiate decisions. This paper on Global Experiences from Regulatory Sandboxes brings together detailed lessons learned and case studies from...

In the last five years, the number of voices calling for stronger international action on climate change and health has increased, as has the scale and depth of activities. But current global efforts in climate and health are inadequately integrated. As a result, actions to address climate...

Women, business and the law focuses on this critical piece of the puzzle, objectively highlighting differentiations on the basis of gender in 141 economies around the world, covering six areas: accessing institutions, using property, getting a job, providing incentives to work, building credit...

This global report examines the opportunity for special economic zones to promote women's economic empowerment and boost zone and enterprise competitiveness in developing countries. The research covers Bangladesh, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, El Salvador, Jordan, Kenya, and the Philippines. The...

The approach taken in this report reflects the view of the collaborating international organizations that price volatility and its effects on food security is a complex issue with many dimensions, agricultural and non-agricultural, short and long-term, with highly differentiated impacts on...

Rising losses from adverse natural events are compelling leaders of countries to develop more proactive approaches to risk management. In 2011 the world witnessed record losses from disasters caused by natural hazards with estimated costs of up to US