Download or read book Non payment in the Electricity Sector in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union written by and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 1999-01-01 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In Albania, consumers with guns stolen from the government threatened to shoot the utility officials who attempted to disconnect defaulting customers." This situation and others less dramatic, but every bit as corrupt, aggravated the utility non-payment issue and pushed it into the foreground. This study reviews the non-payment problem in the electricity sector in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union during 1990-1997. In addition to non-payment, the review also covers the problem of low cash collections and the preference in some countries for the use of cash substitutes such as barters, offsets, and promissory notes. The objective of the study is to identify which policies and measures addressing the problem of non-payment in the electricity sector worked in practice and which did not. Therefore, it includes stories of both success and failure. It is aimed at equipping Bank staff and decision makers with a set of practical tools that can be of use when the political will exists to tackle the problem.
Download or read book Non payment in the Electricity Sector in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union written by and published by . This book was released on 1999-01-01 with total page 122 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Energy Pricing in the Soviet Union written by Mr.Manmohan S. Kumar and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 1991-12-01 with total page 18 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Energy exports, which are already the primary source of Soviet convertible currency earnings and an important contributor to the budget, could bring in much more revenue if the Soviet Union were to reduce its extremely high levels of energy consumption. To encourage this process, energy prices need to be raised substantially. Under plausible assumptions, it is shown that an increase in prices could yield sizable foreign exchange earnings. Large increases in energy prices could, however, threaten the solvency of industrial enterprises, precipitate major economic and social dislocation, and severely strain interrepublican economic relationships.
Download or read book Energy Poverty in Eastern Europe written by Stefan Buzar and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-12-05 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the consequences of the post-socialist transformation of Eastern and Central Europe and the Former Soviet Union is the emergence of energy poverty, a condition where households are living in inadequately heated homes. This book provides the first full-length examination of the causes, consequences and patterns of energy poverty in former Communist countries. Based on empirical evidence that spans different spatial contexts and scales and compares these with other parts of the world, the book links household-level deprivation with broader organizational and political dynamics. The book also analyzes the lived experiences of scarcity and marginalization with the aid of two in-depth country studies. Furthermore, it identifies the socio-demographic factors that distinguish energy-poor families from the rest of the population, while stressing the need for a comprehensive range of policy tools to address energy poverty. As the issue of energy supply from the former Soviet Union is likely to become one of the most important economic and political problems across the whole of Europe within the next couple of decades, the book argues that there is a direct link between the energy crises experienced by the region, and the social aspects of energy use in households.
Download or read book Energy Security along the New Silk Road written by Anatole Boute and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2019-06-13 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The impact of the new 'Great Game' on Central Asia's energy reforms illustrates the interconnection between law, geopolitics and institutions.
Download or read book Private Sector Participation in the Power Sector in Europe and Central Asia written by Venkataraman Krishnaswamy and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2003 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Rethinking Power Sector Reform in the Developing World written by Vivien Foster and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2019-12-05 with total page 482 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the 1990s, a new paradigm for power sector reform was put forward emphasizing the restructuring of utilities, the creation of regulators, the participation of the private sector, and the establishment of competitive power markets. Twenty-five years later, only a handful of developing countries have fully implemented these Washington Consensus policies. Across the developing world, reforms were adopted rather selectively, resulting in a hybrid model, in which elements of market orientation coexist with continued state dominance of the sector. This book aims to revisit and refresh thinking on power sector reform approaches for developing countries. The approach relies heavily on evidence from the past, drawing both on broad global trends and deep case material from 15 developing countries. It is also forward looking, considering the implications of new social and environmental policy goals, as well as the emerging technological disruptions. A nuanced picture emerges. Although regulation has been widely adopted, practice often falls well short of theory, and cost recovery remains an elusive goal. The private sector has financed a substantial expansion of generation capacity; yet, its contribution to power distribution has been much more limited, with efficiency levels that can sometimes be matched by well-governed public utilities. Restructuring and liberalization have been beneficial in a handful of larger middle-income nations but have proved too complex for most countries to implement. Based on these findings, the report points to three major policy implications. First, reform efforts need to be shaped by the political and economic context of the country. The 1990s reform model was most successful in countries that had reached certain minimum conditions of power sector development and offered a supportive political environment. Second, countries found alternative institutional pathways to achieving good power sector outcomes, making a case for greater pluralism. Among the top performers, some pursued the full set of market-oriented reforms, while others retained a more important role for the state. Third, reform efforts should be driven and tailored to desired policy outcomes and less preoccupied with following a predetermined process, particularly since the twenty-first-century century agenda has added decarbonization and universal access to power sector outcomes. The Washington Consensus reforms, while supportive of the twenty-first-century century agenda, will not be able to deliver on them alone and will require complementary policy measures
Download or read book Structural Change in the Farming Sectors in Central and Eastern Europe written by Csaba Csáki and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2000-01-01 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Farm structures in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) today cover a whole spectrum of forms, which include small subsistence-oriented household plots, medium-sized commercial family farms, and large corporations. The agricultural sector in CEE definitely has not embraced the family farm as the dominant farming structure, thus confounding the original expectations of Western experts. On the other hand, agriculture did not collapse because of fragmentation and privatization, as predicted by conservative doomsayers. To address the concerns of the farming sector in CEE with relation to EU accession, a workshop was held in Warsaw, Poland in June 1999. This volume represents a selection of papers presented at this workshop. It examines the reforms and policy changes necessary in the food and agriculture sectors of the ten countries that have started the accession process for eventual membership in the European Union (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia). The papers are organized around the following three topics: Evolving farm structures and competitiveness in agriculture; Land laws and legal institutions for development of land markets and farm restructuring; and Development of farm services for improved competitiveness. This volume will be of interest to agricultural policy makers and government officials in the candidate countries, EU officials, World Bank and FAO staff, development scholars, and all others interested in the process of agricultural reform in CEE.
Download or read book The Emerging Industrial Structure of the Wider Europe written by F. McGowan and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2004-05-06 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This informative new book analyses the extent and major determinants of the east and west European industrial networks in reinforcing the competitive advantages of the EU and CEECs.
Download or read book Assisting Russia s Transition written by Gianni Zanini and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2002-01-01 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This evaluation assesses the development effectiveness of the World Bank's lending and non-lending assistance to the Russian Federation since 1991, a 10-year period of tumultuous political, economic, and social change. This report concludes that an assistance strategy, concentrating on analytical and advisory services with limited financial support for Russia, would have been more appropriate than one involving large volumes of adjustment lending.
Download or read book Private Infrastructure in East Asia written by Aldo Baietti and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2001-01-01 with total page 94 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report analyzes the impact of the financial crisis on investment trends and evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of private participation in infrastructure (PPI) in six East Asian countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Download or read book The Development of Electricity Markets in the Euro Mediterranean Area written by Daniel Müller-Jentsch and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2001-01-01 with total page 90 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Annotation The main objective of this report is to outline key policy issues that need to be addressed in order to achieve energy sector reform at the national and regional levels.
Download or read book Subnational Budgeting in Russia written by Lev M. Freinkman and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 1999-01-01 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Not only are Russia's regions economically diverse, but the policies that regional governments have adopted to deal with the strains of economic transition also vary widely. Some regions have generally embraced market reforms, while others have sought to preserve enclaves of socialism, with price restrictions, large subsidies, and barriers to trade." Reforms of Russia's budgetary system at the subnational level are vital to preserve macroeconomic stability, improve the efficiency and accountability of government, and enhance incentives for local and regional governments to vigorously support economic growth. Previous analytical and reform efforts have focused on possible changes at the federal level and in the system of center-region relations. An opportunity now exists to make progress by providing reform advice and conditional aid to policymakers at the regional and subregional level. This report focuses on opportunities for reform at the subnational level. It reviews recent trends in fiscal adjustment, budgeting, and government debt at the regional and local levels in Russia. It analyzes major problems and suggests a number of measures and performance indicators that could form part of a reform strategy initiated by the Government of Russia.
Download or read book Reforming Education in the Regions of Russia written by Mary Canning and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 1999-01-01 with total page 110 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Russia's educational system, with broad access, and high levels of scholarly achievement, has long been a source of strength. The Soviet system, however, was grossly overcentralized, inefficient, and lacking in accountability. In the last decade, attempted rapid decentralization has not been well designed, since there has been no commensurate transfer of resources and levels of responsibility have remained unclear. Unless corrected soon, the harmful impact on educational quality and equity could be very serious. The purposes of this report are to analyze the nature of the current problems and to discuss policy options open to the Russian Government in its efforts to improve educational efficiency, preserving and even improving equitable access, without sacrificing traditions of academic excellence. This report is based on analysis of trends across the 89 Russian regions and case studies. In its conclusions, the report draws on this regional experience to suggest reform options. Among other proposals, efficiency could be increased by giving schools increased financial autonomy, using of per capita financing formulae, and beginning to rationalize the teaching force and improve its quality. A national system of student assessment might help both to raise quality and improve the equity of access to highly selective institutions. Reforms are required to improve the market responsiveness of first-level vocational education, and especially to avoid excessive and premature specialization. Education practitioners and policy makers will find this publication of interest.
Download or read book Access to Education for the Poor in Europe and Central Asia written by Nancy Vandycke and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2001-01-01 with total page 58 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper focuses on the long-term benefits of education. It also examines the supply of education, the short-term incentives to invest in education for the poor, and draws on the policy implications. This paper also stresses the need to study further the determinants of school enrollment among the poor.
Download or read book Assessing Markets for Renewable Energy in Rural Areas of Northwestern China written by Tuntivate Voravate and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2000 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This reports on a detailed market study of rural areas in China without access to electricity from the local or national grid. It obtained basic socio-economic data on households with and without photovaoltaic (PV) systems, and used the data to determine the market potential for PV systems in such areas.
Download or read book Ready for Europe written by Barbara Nunberg and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2000-01-01 with total page 380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As the ongoing political and economic transition in the Central and Eastern Europe countries (CEE) moves into the next century, the most advanced countries in the region are preparing to deal with their prospective entry into the European Union. More a process than an event, joining the EU is likely to place heightened demands on public administrations throughout the region. To assist these countries with their efforts, the Bank conducted a study of the regions. The results of that study are included in this volume.'Ready for Europe' specifies and clarifies the administrative requirements of accession. The author uses in-depth case studies for three pre-accession countries, Estonia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic to make these specifications. The book defines the performance level countries will need to attain for a range of administrative tasks so the countries may reach a minimal threshold for EU membership. It applies selected standards to determine each country's readiness for accession and for the longer-term transition agenda. The author focuses on these three critical areas of administrative performance in the context of EU accession: How advanced is the development of a politically neutral, professional human resource cadre in the civil service? Do countries have the necessary institutional infrastructure at the government's core (that is, cabinet level) to formulate and coordinate policymaking in an efficient and democratic manner? How well are the dedicated institutional structures and processes established to shepherd countries through the accession process working?
