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The future of transport

ASHGABAT, TURKMENISTAN – There are 1.25 million lives lost in road accidents annually—90% of these in low -income countries. Air pollution leads to around 6.5 million deaths each year. And almost 25% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions come from transport systems. To ensure a sustainable future for this planet, the transport sector must undergo a massive transformation.

Without sustainable transport, we won’t be able to make progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate change. This was the topic of discussion at the first-ever United Nations Conference on Sustainable Transport in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, which took place November 26-27, 2016. The event brought together all transport stakeholders—public and private—to discuss how to move from global commitments on transport to concrete action.

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Transport

Weekly links December 23: Bystander effects, causality, some nice profiles, and more holiday reading…

This is our last post of the year, so happy holidays to all our readers. Thanks to everyone who contributed to our job market series, and good luck to those on the job market. We will resume again in early January. In the meantime, here is some holiday reading:

How much does interviewing with bystanders around affect survey responses? The inaugural blog post from Kantar public Africa and Middle East reports that i) bystanders are present in about half the cases. Bystanders are mostly non-family and extended family members, such as neighbours, domestic staff, but also children - not the spouse. Ii) bystander presence has little effect on non-sensitive question responses, but do for some sensitive questions; iii) the presence of the husband or wife can sometimes improve accuracy.
From the IDB Development that works blog – a program in Bolivia manages to reduce malnutrition, but made the kids overweight instead.

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development impact links

The Farmers, Engineers, and Health Workers Helping Rebuild Haiti After Matthew

We visited the most affected region to see how communities are recovering after the storm on October 4th, 2016.

Two months after Hurricane Matthew devastated the southern provinces of Haiti, rebuilding efforts are underway. In some areas, shiny new corrugated steel panels glimmer under the sun where the hurricane stripped away roofs.

Year in Review: Trade & Competitiveness 2016

2016 certainly was a busy year in the world of trade and competitiveness. As you catch up on your end of the year reading, please peruse some of the noteworthy content from the World Bank Group's Trade & Competitiveness Global Practice.

Connecting to Compete 2016: The Logistics Performance Index

Year in Review: 2016 in 12 Charts (and a video)

Between the social, political, and economic upheavals affecting our lives, and the violence and forced displacement making headlines, you’d be forgiven for feeling gloomy about 2016. A look at the data reveals some of the challenges we face but also the progress we’ve made toward a more peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future. Here are 12 charts that help tell the stories of the year.

1.The number of refugees in the world increased.

At the start of 2016, 65 million people had been forcibly displaced from their homes, up from 60 million the year before. More than 21 million were classified as refugees. Outside of Sub-Saharan Africa, most refugees live in cities and towns, where they seek safety, better access to services, and job opportunities. A recent report on the "Forcibly Displaced" offers a new perspective on the role of development in helping refugees, internally displaced persons and host communities, working together with humanitarian partners. Among the initiatives is new financial assistance for countries such as Lebanon and Jordan that host large numbers of refugees.

Sun goes beyond turning on light bulbs in Tanzania

Elisha Thomas Laizer owns a small stationery store that provides photocopying and printing services in Kitumbeine, a Maasai village 150 km (93http://www.esmap.org mi) from the Tanzanian city of Arusha.

Kitumbeine is also 40 km (25 mi) from the nearest electricity grid.

But that hasn’t stopped Elisha. That’s because his store is actually inside a 16 KW mini grid container, under the shade of 60 solar panels. While such easy access to solar power has helped his business tremendously, it has also gifted him with a chance to learn to operate and maintain these mini grids. Consequently, he now acts as a liaison between his community and the solar company that helps set up these grids in remote Tanzanian villages that are starved for electricity.

Elisha’s story is a great example of how the sun paves the way for way more than just turning on a light bulb.

Need healthcare in India? Meghalaya is the place for you.

Imagine you fall ill or have a serious accident. You survive, but to recover you need extensive medical care. The problem? You don’t have insurance and have to pay out of pocket. Your life savings are quickly drained away, as are your dreams. Your children lose hope for higher education; your well-researched business plan becomes a work of fiction.

Now Accepting Applications!! The 2017 World Bank - Annenberg Summer Institute in Reform Communication: Leadership, Strategy and Stakeholder Alignment

Instituting reforms is challenging. The changing environment of politics, the conflicting interests of multiple stakeholders, and contrary public opinions can all become obstacles to the success of a reform agenda.

So how can leaders and change agents create successful and sustainable reforms?

What is the role of strategic communication in planning, implementing and evaluating a reform? Join us for the 2017 World Bank - Annenberg Summer Institute in Reform Communication: Leadership, Strategy and Stakeholder Alignment to find answers to these important questions.

The seventh annual Summer Institute will be held at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, June 5 - June 16, 2017. During the 10-day program, participants will learn the most recent advances in communication and proven techniques in reform implementation. Participants will develop the skills required to bring about real change, leading to development results. Leaders will also connect with a global network of development professionals working on initiatives in the public, private and non-profit sectors.

Much More to Competitiveness than Real Exchange Rates

Policymakers often associate competitiveness with real exchange rates. Not too long ago, firms in Southern European countries attributed their difficulties to compete in global markets with a strong Euro. Worldwide, a lot has been discussed on the implications of an undervalued yuan on the chances of competing with Chinese firms. Also a few years back, Brazil’s finance minister argued that an ‘international currency war’ had broken out, as governments around the globe competed to lower their exchange rates to boost competitiveness.

The power of art: A call to action on the Early Years

View a slideshow of photos by Lieve Blancquaert here

Ed’s note: This guest blog is by Dirk Wouters, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the United States of America in Washington DC

A Kenyan mother seated in the hallway of a hospital, holding a newborn. She looks troubled, the baby has one thin arm up in the air. An Indian mother is resting after giving birth to twin girls. She already has two daughters at home. A Cambodian family looks to the future with hope as they take their newborn child back to their village. Nine babies, wrapped in colorful blankets, have been placed on a hospital bed in Kenya’s Pumwani hospital just after their birth. In this hospital, a 100 children are born every day.

1.The number of refugees in the world increased.

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