Download or read book China s High Speed Rail Development written by Martha Lawrence and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2019-06-24 with total page 101 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the past decade, China has built 25,000 km of dedicated highspeed railway—more than the rest of the world combined. What can we learn from this remarkable experience? China’s High-Speed Rail Development examines the Chinese experience to draw lessons for countries considering investing in high-speed rail. The report scrutinizes the planning and delivery mechanisms that enabled the rapid construction of the high-speed rail system. It highlights the role of long-term planning, consistent plan execution, and a joint venture structure that ensures active participation of provincial and local governments in project planning and financing. Traffic on China’s high-speed trains has grown to 1.7 billion passengers a year. The study examines the characteristics of the markets for which high-speed rail is competitive in China. It discusses the pricing and service design considerations that go into making high-speed rail services competitive with other modes and factors such as good urban connectivity that make the service attractive to customers. One of the most remarkable aspects of the Chinese experience is the rapid pace of high-quality construction. The report looks at the role of strong capacity development within and cooperation among China Railway Corporation, rail manufacturers, universities, research institutions, laboratories, and engineering centers that allowed for rapid technological advancement and localization of technology. It describes the project delivery structures and incentives for delivering quality and timely results. Finally, the report analyzes the financial and economic sustainability of the investment in high-speed rail. It finds that a developing country can price high-speed rail services affordably and still achieve financial viability, but this requires very high passenger density. Economic viability similarly depends on high passenger density.

Download or read book Historical Dictionary of the World Bank written by Sarah Tenney and published by Scarecrow Press. This book was released on 2013-10-30 with total page 455 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This second edition of the Historical Dictionary of the World Bank shows the substantial progress the Bank has made, this mainly through the dictionary section with concise entries on its component institutions, related organizations, its achievements in various fields, some of the major projects and member countries, and its various presidents. The introduction explains how the Bank works while the chronology traces the major events over nearly 70 years. Meanwhile, the list of acronyms reminds us just who the main players are. And the bibliography directs readers to useful internal documentation and outside studies.

Download or read book The Urban Rail Development Handbook written by Daniel Pulido and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2018-09-11 with total page 845 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cities across the globe are looking to develop affordable, environmentally friendly, and socially responsible transportation solutions that can meet the accessibility needs of expanding metropolitan populations and support future economic and urban development. When appropriately planned and properly implemented as part of a larger public transportation network, urban rail systems can provide rapid mobility and vital access to city centers from surrounding districts. High-performing urban rail services, when carefully approached as development projects, can help enhance quality of life by giving citizens access to employment opportunities, essential services, urban amenities, and neighboring communities. The purpose of this Handbook is to synthesize and disseminate knowledge to inform the planning, implementation, and operations of urban rail projects with a view towards: -- Emphasizing the need for early studies and project planning; -- Making projects more sustainable (economically, socially, and environmentally); -- Improving socioeconomic returns and access to opportunities for users; -- Maximizing the value of private participation, where appropriate; and -- Building capacity within project implementing and managing institutions This Handbook provides experiential advice to tackle the technical, institutional, and financial challenges faced by decision makers considering urban rail projects. It brings together the expertise of World Bank staff and the input of numerous specialists to synthesize international 'good practices' and recommendations that are independent of commercial, financial political, or other interests. The material presented is intended as an honest-broker guide to maximize the impact and manage the challenges of urban rail systems in cities in both developed and developing countries. Rather than identify a single approach, this Handbook acknowledges the complexities and context necessary when approaching an urban rail development by helping to prepare decision makers to ask the right questions, consider the key issues, perform the necessary studies, apply adequate tools, and learn from international good practice all at the right time in the project development process.

Download or read book Financing Transit Oriented Development with Land Values written by Hiroaki Suzuki and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2015-01-15 with total page 267 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides cities with strategies and methodologies for applying land value capture financing schemes for capital-intensive transit and transit-related investments, based on the successful experiences of Mass Transit Railway Corporation in Hong Kong SAR, China, and Japanese railway companies in Tokyo metropolitan areas.

Download or read book The World Bank written by Devesh Kapur and published by Brookings Institution Press. This book was released on 2010-12-01 with total page 792 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This effort constitutes the most comprehensive and authoritative work to date on the history of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, or the World Bank. Author-editors John Lewis, Richard Webb, and Devesh Kapur chronicle the evolution of this institution and offer insights into its successes, failures, and prospects for the future. The result of their intense labors is an invaluable resource for other researchers and a fascinating study in its own right. The work is divided into two volumes. The first is organized thematically and examines the critical events and policy issues in the World Bank's development over the last fifty years. Chapter topics include poverty alleviation, structural adjustment lending, environmental programs, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the International Development Association (IDA), and the evolution of the Bank as an institution. The second volume contains case studies written by experts with experience in the various regions in which the Bank operates. There are chapters on the Bank's activities in Korea, Mexico, Africa, South Asia, and Eastern Europe. Volume 2 also contains essays on the World Bank's relationship with the United States, Japan, and Western Europe, and its partnership with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). By special arrangement, the authors have had wide-ranging access to confidential documents at the World Bank, making this work a unique source of information on the internal workings of this critical institution. They have also drawn on extensive interviews with current and past Bank officials. Moreover, publication could not be more timely, coming as it does when many in the development community and in the U.S. Congress are questioning the Bank's track record and even its reason for existence. The World Bank: Its First Half Century will be of great interest not only to development practitioners but also to students of international relations, development economics, and global finance. During the course of the project, John P. Lewis and Richard Webb were nonresident senior fellows, and Devesh Kapur was a program associate, in the Foreign Policy Studies program at the Brookings Institution. Lewis is professor emeritus at Princeton University and formerly served as chairman of the Overseas Development Council. Webb is managing director of Instituto Cuanto and formerly served as governor at the Central Reserve Bank of Peru and governor at the International Monetary Fund.

Download or read book Selecting Development Projects for the World Bank written by Jean Baneth and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 1996-01-01 with total page 102 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents a selection of topics of special interest and relevance to eight Pacific Island countries that are member of the World Bank (PMCs)--Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Western Samoa. The themes selected are: the impact of recent changes in the external trading environment of the PMCs; economic diversification into tourism; improving the management of and getting better returns for natural resources such as fisheries and forestry; and regional cooperation. The report also includes profiles of these eight countries.

Download or read book The Rail Freight Challenge for Emerging Economies written by Bernard Aritua and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2019-01-18 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report captures ways in which policy makers and senior officials in railway organizations from emerging economies can accelerate modal shift to rail. Such officials, as well as the general public, aspire for more freight to be moved by rail. The environmental and societal benefits of such a shift are compelling. And yet investment in railways is often not followed by a corresponding increase in freight moved by rail. This report highlights the fact that, in a world of changing global supply chains and logistics, the approach to regaining modal share needs to be different. The expectation that lower cost and efficient rail service will automatically lead to modal shift from road to rail has not been a reality in most emerging economies. Modern railways focus on understanding the logistics of targeted freight and positioning rail transport services as part of an overall logistics system aimed at meeting the needs of customers.

Download or read book World Development Report 1994 written by and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 1994 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: World Development Report 1994 examines the link between infrastructure and development and explores ways in which developing countries can improve both the provision and the quality of infrastructure services. In recent decades, developing countries have made substantial investments in infrastructure, achieving dramatic gains for households and producers by expanding their access to services such as safe water, sanitation, electric power, telecommunications, and transport. Even more infrastructure investment and expansion are needed in order to extend the reach of services - especially to people living in rural areas and to the poor. But as this report shows, the quantity of investment cannot be the exclusive focus of policy. Improving the quality of infrastructure service also is vital. Both quantity and quality improvements are essential to modernize and diversify production, help countries compete internationally, and accommodate rapid urbanization. The report identifies the basic cause of poor past performance as inadequate institutional incentives for improving the provision of infrastructure. To promote more efficient and responsive service delivery, incentives need to be changed through commercial management, competition, and user involvement. Several trends are helping to improve the performance of infrastructure. First, innovation in technology and in the regulatory management of markets makes more diversity possible in the supply of services. Second, an evaluation of the role of government is leading to a shift from direct government provision of services to increasing private sector provision and recent experience in many countries with public-private partnerships is highlighting new ways to increase efficiency and expand services. Third, increased concern about social and environmental sustainability has heightened public interest in infrastructure design and performance.

Download or read book The Broad Sector Approach to Investment Lending written by Peter Harrold and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 1995-01-01 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The persistent inequality between women and men constrains society to lower levels of productivity and economic growth. The evidence for taking corrective action is now more compelling than ever. This report draws on case studies and other evidence to show how public policy can and should support services and infrastructure where the social returns are the highest and the use by women the greatest. It reviews progress made to date on gender issues and explores why inequalities persist. The report also stimulates ideas for creative solutions by pointing out innovative and less-than-obvious strategies that have proved successful. In Morocco, for instance, a study shows that paving the public road to school increases a girl's probability of attending classes by 40 percent. Also available: Toward Gender Equality: The Role of Public Policy on CD-ROM (ISBN 0-8213-3471-9) Stock No. 13471.

Download or read book Sustainable Railway Engineering and Operations written by Simon Blainey and published by Emerald Group Publishing. This book was released on 2022-08-08 with total page 366 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Railways are frequently promoted as one of the most sustainable modes of transport. However, their impact will in practice be significantly affected by the ways in which they are designed, constructed, and used. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the issues involved in planning, engineering and operating sustainable railway systems.

Download or read book World Development Report 2019 written by World Bank and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2018-10-31 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Work is constantly reshaped by technological progress. New ways of production are adopted, markets expand, and societies evolve. But some changes provoke more attention than others, in part due to the vast uncertainty involved in making predictions about the future. The 2019 World Development Report will study how the nature of work is changing as a result of advances in technology today. Technological progress disrupts existing systems. A new social contract is needed to smooth the transition and guard against rising inequality. Significant investments in human capital throughout a person’s lifecycle are vital to this effort. If workers are to stay competitive against machines they need to train or retool existing skills. A social protection system that includes a minimum basic level of protection for workers and citizens can complement new forms of employment. Improved private sector policies to encourage startup activity and competition can help countries compete in the digital age. Governments also need to ensure that firms pay their fair share of taxes, in part to fund this new social contract. The 2019 World Development Report presents an analysis of these issues based upon the available evidence.

Download or read book The World Bank written by Devesh Kapur and published by Brookings Institution Press. This book was released on 2011-08-01 with total page 1310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This effort constitutes the most comprehensive and authoritative work to date on the history of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, or the World Bank. Author-editors John Lewis, Richard Webb, and Devesh Kapur chronicle the evolution of this institution and offer insights into its successes, failures, and prospects for the future. The result of their intense labors is an invaluable resource for other researchers and a fascinating study in its own right. The work is divided into two volumes. The first is organized thematically and examines the critical events and policy issues in the World Bank's development over the last fifty years. Chapter topics include poverty alleviation, structural adjustment lending, environmental programs, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the International Development Association (IDA), and the evolution of the Bank as an institution. The second volume contains case studies written by experts with experience in the various regions in which the Bank operates. There are chapters on the Bank's activities in Korea, Mexico, Africa, South Asia, and Eastern Europe. Volume 2 also contains essays on the World Bank's relationship with the United States, Japan, and Western Europe, and its partnership with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). By special arrangement, the authors have had wide-ranging access to confidential documents at the World Bank, making this work a unique source of information on the internal workings of this critical institution. They have also drawn on extensive interviews with current and past Bank officials. Moreover, publication could not be more timely, coming as it does when many in the development community and in the U.S. Congress are questioning the Bank's track record and even its reason for existence. The World Bank: Its First Half Century will be of great interest not only to development practitioners but also to students of international relations, development economics, and global finance. During the course of the project, John P. Lewis and Richard Webb were nonresident senior fellows, and Devesh Kapur was a program associate, in the Foreign Policy Studies program at the Brookings Institution.

Download or read book Managing the Regulatory Process written by J. Luis Guasch and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 1999-01-01 with total page 478 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: '...developing countries, complementing their far-reaching privatization programs, are engaged in deregulating various sectors of their economies and devising new regulatory frameworks for others, particularly the utilities sectors.' As economies become more open, pressures on countries to become more competitive drive the call for regulatory reform to reduce costs and foster increased productivity, competitiveness, and growth. This report provides an overview of the costs and benefits of regulation throughout the world. It provides case histories of regulation in different countries, developed and developing and in various sectors, such as, transportation, utilities, and power. It presents different strategies that were employed. Furthermore, it identifies lessons learned and lays the foundations for a best practice scenario for other countries to adopt. While the challenges to regulatory reform are considerable, so are the efforts that developing countries are making to face them. These lessons, when properly adapted to each country's own environment, can significantly increase the likelihood of effective regulation.

Download or read book The Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee s Credit Programs written by Shahidur R. Khandker and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 1996 with total page 174 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Spanish edition (Pobreza, Desigualdad y FormaciÃ[3]n del Capital Humano en América Latina, 1950-2025) Latin America is marked by wide inequality in income and entrenched poverty. This paper argues that the main reason these conditions persist is the lack of adequate education for new generations. The author cites several factors--economic growth and structural transformation of the economy, the convergence of regional per capita income, and the diminishing rates of return on education--that have combined to lower the region's areas of inequality. To bring the region quickly out of poverty, the report recommends that universal basic education be given to all young people in the next two decades. See also the English edition: Stock No. 13630 (ISBN 0-8213-3630-4).

Download or read book Sustainability of a Government Targeted Credit Program written by Shahidur R. Khandker and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 1995-01-01 with total page 114 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: World Bank Technical Paper No. 304. Reviews the status and availability in developing countries of photovoltaic (PV) technology and looks at the prospects for using this technology in light of current energy use and costs of other energy sources. The report provides the necessary background information and highlights the questions raised and the calculations that must be made whenever PV applications are being considered in the developing world

Download or read book Lessons for the Urban Century written by Patricia Clarke Annez and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The World Bank since Bretton Woods written by Edward S. Mason and published by Brookings Institution Press. This book was released on 2010-12-01 with total page 942 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines the origins, policies, operations, and impact of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the other members of the World Bank group: the International Finance Corporation, the International Development Association,and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes.