Mongolia was one of the East Asian economies hardest hit by the global downturn, as copper prices collapsed and external demand fell. With the recovery in economic activity currently well underway, but the policy challenges highlighted by the crisis yet to be fully addressed, this economic...

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...

Revenue administration is a major point of contact between government and the people. Good revenue administration thus becomes an important feature of good governance. This fact has made policy makers increasingly mindful of the need to promote voluntary tax compliance by reducing the costs...

The study includes a conceptual overview of the link between climate impacts and human rights, focused on the relevant legal obligations underpinning the international law frameworks governing both human rights and climate change. As such it makes a significant contribution to the global debate...

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...