Towards greener travel for the holidays and beyond
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The Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) recently published an Evaluation Insight Note (EIN) exploring the key challenges and opportunities in the World Bank’s support for decarbonizing transport. The EIN is a new product launched to meet the demand for more rapid and focused evaluative evidence to inform the thinking around key development challenges and to address knowledge gaps.The Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) recently published an Evaluation Insight Note (EIN) exploring the key challenges and opportunities in the World Bank’s support for decarbonizing transport. The EIN is a new product launched to meet the demand for more rapid and focused evaluative evidence to inform the thinking around key development challenges and to address knowledge gaps.
Evaluation Insight Note: Transport Decarbonization
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Evaluation Insight Notes (EIN) offer new insights from existing evidence on important strategic and operational issues. This first EIN identifies patterns in the World Bank’s transport decarbonization work and finds opportunities for bolder actions.Evaluation Insight Notes (EIN) offer new insights from existing evidence on important strategic and operational issues. This first EIN identifies patterns in the World Bank’s transport decarbonization work and finds opportunities for bolder actions.
Evaluation of World Bank Group Support to Creating an Enabling Environment for Private Sector Participation in Climate Action, Fiscal Years 2013–22 (Approach Paper)
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The objective of the evaluation is to derive lessons from Bank Group experience in improving the enabling environment for private sector participation in climate action. The evaluation will assess the relevance and effectiveness of Bank Group support to enabling private sector participation in climate action, including the drivers that led to positive results. It aims to identify lessons Show MoreThe objective of the evaluation is to derive lessons from Bank Group experience in improving the enabling environment for private sector participation in climate action. The evaluation will assess the relevance and effectiveness of Bank Group support to enabling private sector participation in climate action, including the drivers that led to positive results. It aims to identify lessons applicable to the World Bank, IFC, and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) by obtaining evidence-based findings on what works, why, and for whom. Such lessons can inform the implementation of the Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) 2021 and subsequent Bank Group activities. The focus on the enabling environment has been chosen because researchers, policy makers, and climate action practitioners realized that creating an enabling environment is a key priority for the private sector to engage in climate action. The need to enhance the enabling environment for private sector participation in climate action is critical to meet the trillions in investments needed to address climate change and achieve Paris Agreement goals.
Georgia: Secondary and Local Roads Project and Kakheti Regional Roads Improvement Project (PPAR)
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Trade is important for Georgia’s economy, and good transport links are essential to promote and sustain it. Roads are the main mode of transport in the country. Therefore, upgrading and managing roads adequately is vital to sustained economic growth. These two projects were the first World Bank projects that focused on secondary and local roads in the country. Previous operations focused on Show MoreTrade is important for Georgia’s economy, and good transport links are essential to promote and sustain it. Roads are the main mode of transport in the country. Therefore, upgrading and managing roads adequately is vital to sustained economic growth. These two projects were the first World Bank projects that focused on secondary and local roads in the country. Previous operations focused on highways and other transport modes. Secondary and local roads both support the country’s economy by providing access to agriculture areas and tourism sites and are important to improving people’s living standards by facilitating access to markets and services, for example. The key finding of this Project Performance Assessment Report is that the two projects contributed to improved road management in Georgia linked to strong government commitment and continuous World Bank support, though results were limited for certain project components mainly because of design and implementation shortcomings.
Ratings for the Secondary and Local Roads Project are as follows: Outcome was moderately satisfactory, Risk to development outcome was moderate. Bank performance was moderately satisfactory, and Borrower performance was satisfactory. Kakheti Regional Roads Improvement Project ratings are as follows: Outcome was satisfactory, Risk to development outcome was modest, Bank performance was moderately satisfactory, and Borrower performance was satisfactory. This assessment offers the following key lessons of experience: (i) It is impossible to implement a holistic road safety approach through a small, regional project without the formal involvement of key road safety stakeholders, (ii) A sustained engagement on road safety over time can help transform the road safety culture in a country, (iii) Upgrading a road that is barely passable can make it less safe despite the implementation of road safety engineering measures. (iv) Measuring improved road safety resulting from project interventions requires a carefully designed approach. (v) The successful introduction of performance-based maintenance and rehabilitation contracts requires contractors to be aware of the paradigm shift such contracts imply to avoid financial losses.
Myanmar – Completion and Learning Report : IEG Review
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This review of the World Bank Group’s (WBG) Completion and Learning Review (CLR) covers the period of the Country Partnership Framework (CPF), FY15-FY17, and updated in the Performance and Learning Review (PLR) dated June 2, 2017, which extended the CPF period by two years to FY19. This CPF followed the end-2012 Interim Strategy Note (ISN) that resumed WBG operations after a hiatus of about 25 Show MoreThis review of the World Bank Group’s (WBG) Completion and Learning Review (CLR) covers the period of the Country Partnership Framework (CPF), FY15-FY17, and updated in the Performance and Learning Review (PLR) dated June 2, 2017, which extended the CPF period by two years to FY19. This CPF followed the end-2012 Interim Strategy Note (ISN) that resumed WBG operations after a hiatus of about 25 years. To support the Government’s development efforts, the WBG implemented a major expansion of its activities (a seven-fold increase in the Bank’s portfolio), possibly beyond what the country could absorb. Nevertheless, this support contributed to good progress on farming productivity; on access to electricity, telecommunications, health, education, and finance; and on the business climate. IEG agrees with the lessons drawn by the CLR. These are reformulated and summarized as follows: (i) In an environment of constrained implementation capacity, projects with diverse objectives and multiple implementing agencies may become unwieldy and lead to delays in project implementation. (ii) A results framework that excludes the program’s cross-cutting issues will impede assessment of success in addressing these issues. (iii) Use of country systems, support of key reform champions, and joint analytical work are among the factors that build trust with counterparts and stakeholders. (iv) Access to and coordination of trust fund resources will encourage effective implementation and collaboration across development partners. (v) Good and timely data is critical for evidence-based policy dialogue and timely response to country developments. (vi) A “one WBG” approach is critical to leverage WBG instruments toward specific objectives such as access to electricity. Seventh, more careful attention to indicators, including their sources, baselines, targets and time frames will facilitate program monitoring. (vii) A “disconnect’ between written implementation rules and actual practices in Myanmar, e.g., on procurement, may cause implementation delays. IEG adds the following lesson: Joint Implementation Plans (JIPs5) can improve the effectiveness of the “one WBG” approach noted by the CLR lessons. WBG CPFs normally intend collaboration across the Bank, IFC, and MIGA, but more often than not, CPFs do not spell out how such collaboration is to happen. Myanmar’s CPF JIP to improve access to electricity helped ensure that joint work would materialize. IEG rates the CPF development outcome as Moderately Satisfactory and WBG performance as Good.
Mexico - Completion and Learning Review : IEG Review
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This review of Mexico’s Completion and Learning Review (CLR) of the World Bank Group’s Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) covers the CPS period FY14-FY19 and the Performance and Learning Review (PLR) of January 26, 2017. Mexico is an upper-middle-income country with a gross national income (GNI) per capita (in current US$) of US$9,180 in 2018. During 2014-18, the average annual GDP growth rate Show MoreThis review of Mexico’s Completion and Learning Review (CLR) of the World Bank Group’s Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) covers the CPS period FY14-FY19 and the Performance and Learning Review (PLR) of January 26, 2017. Mexico is an upper-middle-income country with a gross national income (GNI) per capita (in current US$) of US$9,180 in 2018. During 2014-18, the average annual GDP growth rate was 2.2 percent in a show of resilience in the face of a complex external environment. In the first half of 2019, economic growth came to a virtual halt owing to policy uncertainty, tight monetary conditions and budget under-execution as well as slowing global manufacturing activity. Over the longer term, Mexico’s economic growth has been below the level needed to converge toward advanced country economies. The country’s per capita GDP, which is closely related to productivity, stands at 34 percent of U.S. per capita GDP compared with 49 percent in 1980.2 Poverty rates (share of individuals living on less than the 2011 PPP US$1.90 per day poverty line) fell from 3.8 percent of the population in 2016 to 2.2 percent in 2016. There was a small decline in the Gini index from 48.7 percent in 2014 to 48.3 in 2016. IEG’s Country Program Evaluation for Mexico (2018) indicates that Mexico’s multidimensional poverty index for the extremely poor fell from 11.3 percent in 2010 to 7.6 percent in 2016, helping reduce the overall index from 46.1 percent to 43.6 percent. At the same time, income growth of the bottom 40 percent was below the population mean.
The World Bank Group Partnership with the Philippines, 2009–18
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This Country Program Evaluation (CPE) assesses the development effectiveness of the World Bank Group program in the Philippines between 2009 and 2018.This Country Program Evaluation (CPE) assesses the development effectiveness of the World Bank Group program in the Philippines between 2009 and 2018.
China CLR Review FY13-17
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China, with a population of 1.4 billion, is an upper middle-income country with a GNI per capita of $8,690 in 2017. During 2013-2017, the economy grew annually at 7.1 percent on average, slower than the previous CPS period of 11.0 percent. A long period of economic growth put pressure on the environment and raised serious sustainability challenges. China is now contributing around 30 percent to Show MoreChina, with a population of 1.4 billion, is an upper middle-income country with a GNI per capita of $8,690 in 2017. During 2013-2017, the economy grew annually at 7.1 percent on average, slower than the previous CPS period of 11.0 percent. A long period of economic growth put pressure on the environment and raised serious sustainability challenges. China is now contributing around 30 percent to the world’s GHG emissions, partly because it is the largest consumer of carbon for electricity. Significant gains in poverty reduction continued during the CPS period. Absolute poverty, measured at $1.90 per day (2011 PPP), dropped from 1.9 percent in 2013 to 0.5 percent in 2018. Poverty and vulnerability in China are concentrated in rural areas and lagging regions in Central and Western China. The welfare of the bottom 40 percent of the income distribution has increased steadily. The Gini coefficient dropped to .46 in 2015 after having risen to a high of .5 in 2008. China’s Human Capital Index (HCI) stands at 0.67 and ranks 45th amongst 158 countries. The CPS had two focus areas: (i) supporting greener growth; and (ii) promoting more inclusive development as well as a cross-cutting theme of advancing mutually beneficial relations with the world.
The Key to Making Cities More Resilient? Accountability.
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Governments and lending institutions must learn to identify—and track the progress of—interventions that build resilience in urban areas.Governments and lending institutions must learn to identify—and track the progress of—interventions that build resilience in urban areas.
Cabo Verde - Completion and Learning Review for the Period FY15 - FY17 : IEG Review
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This country partnership strategy
(CPS) objectives are broadly congruent with Cabo Verde’s
Third Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (GPRSP
III), covering 2012-2016, which emphasized structural
reforms to improve country competitiveness, including
improving public investment, fostering private sector
development, and Show MoreThis country partnership strategy
(CPS) objectives are broadly congruent with Cabo Verde’s
Third Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (GPRSP
III), covering 2012-2016, which emphasized structural
reforms to improve country competitiveness, including
improving public investment, fostering private sector
development, and strengthening the agriculture and fisheries
sectors’ linkages with tourism. The CPS had two pillars as
follows: (i) enhance macro-fiscal stability, setting the
foundation for renewed growth; and (ii) improve
competitiveness and private sector development. During the
CPS period, the Bank Group showed flexibility and responded
to changes in country conditions, macro fiscal developments,
and government priorities by refocusing the program and
dropping several planned interventions. The completion and
learning review (CLR) highlighted six lessons. Independent
evaluation group (IEG) adds the following lessons: (i)
effective use of the performance and learning review (PLR)
is crucial in the face of evolving country contexts and
government priorities; and (ii) a focused assessment of
likely areas attractive for private investment may be
appropriate, and the government will have to cede space
convincingly for private operators to enter key sectors.