Envisioning a Sustainable Development Agenda for Trade and Environment


Book Description

This book systematically explores the trade and environment interests of developing countries from a Southern perspective. The contributors write explicitly about both hopes and fears in the South. Essays are from leading experts and thought leaders from various regions of the South who work for bold new agendas and priorities for their region.




Environmental Standards and Competitiveness of Key Economic Sectors


Book Description

This study provides examples from both sides of the debate, namely: (a) cases where conformity with environmental standards increases costs and reduces exports; and (b) cases where the cost of conformity with environmental, health and safety standards is minimal, and where improvement in environmental performance provides opportunities for increasing competitiveness and accessing new markets. The report seeks to underscore the importance of assessing the scope and scale of impact on key economic sectors within the framework of set environmental requirements, thereby informing effectively the decision-making process and policy debate on sustainable development. It uses the Larsen Model as an economic policy forecasting tool, and focuses on Arab countries.










Achieving Sustainable Development and Promoting Development Cooperation


Book Description

This book presents an overview of the key debates that took place during the Economic and Social Council meetings at the 2007 High-level Segment, at which ECOSOC organized its first biennial Development Cooperation Forum. The discussions also revolved around the theme of the second Annual Ministerial Review, "Implementing the internationally agreed goals and commitments in regard to sustainable development."--P. 4 of cover.










Syria’s Conflict Economy


Book Description

Five years into the ongoing and tragic conflict, the paper analyzes how Syria’s economy and its people have been affected and outlines the challenges in rebuilding the economy. With extreme limitations on information, the findings of the paper are subject to an extraordinary degree of uncertainty. The key messages are: (1) that the devastating civil war has set the country back decades in terms of economic, social and human development. Syria’s GDP today is less than half of what it was before the war started and it could take two decades or more for Syria to return to its pre-conflict GDP levels; and that (2) while reconstructing damaged physical infrastructure will be a monumental task, rebuilding Syria’s human and social capital will be an even greater and lasting challenge.