In the last few years, South America has emerged as one of the most attractive regions for investment in natural gas exploration and production, pipelines, LNG facilities and gas-fired power generation. The continent boasts abundant and growing natural gas reserves

Interest in the quality and health of soil has grown with the recognition that soil is vital not only to production of food and fiber, but also the smooth functioning of the ecosystem, and overall environmental stability. Agriculture needs economic soil management practices that provide...

 In the face of rapid population ageing, there is a need to promote better employment opportunities for older people. Much has been said about the need for reform of old-age pensions and early-retirement schemes but this may not be sufficient to raise employment rates for older people...

Although delivery of goods is vitally important for residents and industries in urban areas, the presence and operations of goods transport vehicles in urban areas are often regarded more as a nuisance than an essential service. Relatively little has been done by governments to facilitate the...

Science systems in nearly all OECD countries have experienced increasing pressures for change. These pressures reflect new challenges that go beyond the important issue of ensuring sustained funding for the research enterprise as a whole. These challenges must be addressed in the broader...

Transport policy may well have reached a turning point. It will not be possible to manage projected traffic growth using traditional methods that concentrate on increasing infrastructure capacity. New incentives, new pricing, and new instruments to better manage investment and demand are all...

Building open and transparent government is a challenge shared by all countries. Transparency and accountability in the public administration are enhanced by strong public scrutiny based on solid legal provisions for access to information. Investing in consultation and public participation...

Despite improvements in many areas, foodborne disease caused by microbiological hazards and chemical contaminants continues to be a growing public health concern, according to the World Health Organisation. Economic costs associated with foodborne disease represent a significant economic burden...

Today, all OECD member countries recognise new information and communication technologies (ICTs) to be powerful tools for enhancing citizen engagement in public policy-making. The unprecedented degree of interactivity offered by new ICTs has the potential to expand the scope, breadth and depth...

Waste generation and waste management receive increasing attention among policy makers. On the one hand, waste causes environmental problems, both if it is handled properly and -- especially -- if it is mishandled, e.g. through illegal dumping