South Asian cities record some of the highest levels of outdoor particulate pollution worldwide. ... more South Asian cities record some of the highest levels of outdoor particulate pollution worldwide. Scientific research over the last two decades has demonstrated that particulate matter is the major pollutant of concern from the health perspective. Current research is focusing on questions relating to particulate matter characteristics such as size, number, and composition, and the mechanisms by which it causes health impacts. This briefing note presents the current understanding of the answers to those questions. South Asia Urban Air Quality Management Briefing Note No. 13 THE WORLD BANK
This paper is a product of the Energy and Extractives Global Practice Group. It is part of a larg... more This paper is a product of the Energy and Extractives Global Practice Group. It is part of a larger effort by the World Bank to provide open access to its research and make a contribution to development policy discussions around the world.
The need to tackle air pollution from transport is widely acknowledged but the menu of options av... more The need to tackle air pollution from transport is widely acknowledged but the menu of options available is varied and can be daunting. Are there key questions that should be answered to guide policymaking? Under what conditions are the different mitigation measures likely to achieve pollution reduction? Are there critical steps to be taken or underlying conditions that must be met, without which pollution reduction is unlikely? Which mitigation measures are robust, which may be implemented successfully, and which are still in the area of pilot testing? The full report and the abridged version (companion report) provide guidelines and principles for answering these questions and other related questions.
The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do... more The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of the World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. Rights and Permissions The material in this work is copyrighted. Copying and/or transmitting portions or all of this work without permission may be a violation of applicable law. The World Bank encourages dissemination of its work and will normally grant permission promptly.
The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encoura... more The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. The papers carry the names of the authors and should be cited accordingly. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or those of the Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent.
This paper is a product of the Energy and Extractives Global Practice Group. It is part of a larg... more This paper is a product of the Energy and Extractives Global Practice Group. It is part of a larger effort by the World Bank to provide open access to its research and make a contribution to development policy discussions around the world.
The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encoura... more The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. The papers carry the names of the authors and should be cited accordingly. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or those of the Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent.
Transport-related air pollution is increasingly contributing to environmental health risks in man... more Transport-related air pollution is increasingly contributing to environmental health risks in many developing country cities. The social costs of poor urban quality can be significant, making this issue an immediate priority. Long-term measures for dealing with the problem include urban planning, and traffic demand management. This paper however, focuses primarily on cost-effective measures, that are feasible to implement, and that can bring measurable results in the short to medium term. There is a tendency in the environment sector, to focus narrowly on controlling emissions by importing the best available technology. Cost-effective, and sustainable solutions, however, require much broader approaches. In developing countries, improving air quality is not simply a matter of importing advanced technologies, while, choices concerning feasibility, sequencing, and timing of pollution reducing measures, have serious fiscal, and economic consequences. Thus the guiding principle for selection of strategies, should be the balancing of costs, benefits, and technical, and institutional feasibility. Monitoring, and enforcement are essential , but countries need to know the nature, and magnitude of the pollution problem, to determine the speed, and rigor with which policies should be implemented. Furthermore, pollution enforcement measures have implications on petroleum taxation, and on the tariff regime, as well as for traffic management.
All rights reserved Produced in the United States First printing August 2008 ESMAP Reports are pu... more All rights reserved Produced in the United States First printing August 2008 ESMAP Reports are published to communicate the results of ESMAP's work to the development community with the least possible delay. Some sources cited in this paper may be informal documents that are not readily available.
The iso-butene oligomerization activity of pure and metal-substituted synthetic mica-montmorillon... more The iso-butene oligomerization activity of pure and metal-substituted synthetic mica-montmorillonite (SMM) was studied by simultaneous thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA). The incorporation of matrix Ni and ion-exchanged Co, Ni and Zn into SMM increased its iso-butene oligomerization activity while the presence of water in the olefinic feed reduced activity. These findings corresponded to trends found in previous work on high pressure (50 MPa) propene oligomerization over SMM and metal-substituted SMM.
The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encoura... more The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. The papers carry the names of the authors and should be cited accordingly. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or those of the Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent.
At times of high and volatile petroleum product prices, commentators in many countries have sugge... more At times of high and volatile petroleum product prices, commentators in many countries have suggested that part of the very high retail price of these products is due to lack of competition that allows sellers to increase their profit margins. Supporting this contention, industry observers have noted that the relationship between crude oil prices and retail petroleum product prices appears to exhibit an asymmetric, "rockets and feathers" 1 pattern-when crude prices rise, retail prices follow quickly (like a rocket); in contrast, when crude oil prices fall, retail prices go down more slowly (like a feather). A large literature analyzes this phenomenon in developed countries, mainly the United States, but very little concerns the experience in developing countries. However, recent experiences following high oil price volatility caused commentators in developing countries to suggest that they too were subject to rockets and feathers pricing, and that the government should act to prevent this pricing distortion. The persistence and pervasiveness of this topic raises a number of important questions for policy makers in developing countries:
The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encoura... more The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. The papers carry the names of the authors and should be cited accordingly. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or those of the Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent.
All rights reserved. This is a publication by the African Renewable Energy Access Program (AFREA)... more All rights reserved. This is a publication by the African Renewable Energy Access Program (AFREA), a World Bank Trust Fund Grant Program funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The report was prepared by staff of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this report are entirely those of the author(s) and should not be attributed in any manner to the World Bank, or its affiliated organizations, or to members of its board of executive directors for the countries they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any consequence of their use. The material in this publication is copyrighted. The World Bank encourages dissemination of its work and will normally grant permission promptly.
Today, Brazil and the United States, which makes ethanol from maize, are the world's two lar... more Today, Brazil and the United States, which makes ethanol from maize, are the world's two largest biofuel markets. In Brazil, after a period of decline in ethanol consumption, new flex-fuel vehiclescapable of running on varying percentages of ethanol are revitalizing the ...
The objective of this paper is to help project teams better articulate the link between their pro... more The objective of this paper is to help project teams better articulate the link between their projects and the World Bank Group's twin corporate goals of reducing poverty and boosting shared prosperity. Based on an extensive literature review, this report examines what type of empirical evidence exists to support linking the project interventions to the twin goals. There are many studies citing a strong link between energy, economic growth, and poverty reduction. However, not all of them are robust, and not distinguishing robust studies from flawed ones risks making exaggerated or inaccurate claims about the benefits of an energy project. The detailed review of the published studies contained in this report is intended to point teams to reliable studies and caution against citing results from studies with serious methodological or data problems.
South Asian cities record some of the highest levels of outdoor particulate pollution worldwide. ... more South Asian cities record some of the highest levels of outdoor particulate pollution worldwide. Scientific research over the last two decades has demonstrated that particulate matter is the major pollutant of concern from the health perspective. Current research is focusing on questions relating to particulate matter characteristics such as size, number, and composition, and the mechanisms by which it causes health impacts. This briefing note presents the current understanding of the answers to those questions. South Asia Urban Air Quality Management Briefing Note No. 13 THE WORLD BANK
This paper is a product of the Energy and Extractives Global Practice Group. It is part of a larg... more This paper is a product of the Energy and Extractives Global Practice Group. It is part of a larger effort by the World Bank to provide open access to its research and make a contribution to development policy discussions around the world.
The need to tackle air pollution from transport is widely acknowledged but the menu of options av... more The need to tackle air pollution from transport is widely acknowledged but the menu of options available is varied and can be daunting. Are there key questions that should be answered to guide policymaking? Under what conditions are the different mitigation measures likely to achieve pollution reduction? Are there critical steps to be taken or underlying conditions that must be met, without which pollution reduction is unlikely? Which mitigation measures are robust, which may be implemented successfully, and which are still in the area of pilot testing? The full report and the abridged version (companion report) provide guidelines and principles for answering these questions and other related questions.
The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do... more The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of the World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. Rights and Permissions The material in this work is copyrighted. Copying and/or transmitting portions or all of this work without permission may be a violation of applicable law. The World Bank encourages dissemination of its work and will normally grant permission promptly.
The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encoura... more The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. The papers carry the names of the authors and should be cited accordingly. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or those of the Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent.
This paper is a product of the Energy and Extractives Global Practice Group. It is part of a larg... more This paper is a product of the Energy and Extractives Global Practice Group. It is part of a larger effort by the World Bank to provide open access to its research and make a contribution to development policy discussions around the world.
The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encoura... more The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. The papers carry the names of the authors and should be cited accordingly. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or those of the Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent.
Transport-related air pollution is increasingly contributing to environmental health risks in man... more Transport-related air pollution is increasingly contributing to environmental health risks in many developing country cities. The social costs of poor urban quality can be significant, making this issue an immediate priority. Long-term measures for dealing with the problem include urban planning, and traffic demand management. This paper however, focuses primarily on cost-effective measures, that are feasible to implement, and that can bring measurable results in the short to medium term. There is a tendency in the environment sector, to focus narrowly on controlling emissions by importing the best available technology. Cost-effective, and sustainable solutions, however, require much broader approaches. In developing countries, improving air quality is not simply a matter of importing advanced technologies, while, choices concerning feasibility, sequencing, and timing of pollution reducing measures, have serious fiscal, and economic consequences. Thus the guiding principle for selection of strategies, should be the balancing of costs, benefits, and technical, and institutional feasibility. Monitoring, and enforcement are essential , but countries need to know the nature, and magnitude of the pollution problem, to determine the speed, and rigor with which policies should be implemented. Furthermore, pollution enforcement measures have implications on petroleum taxation, and on the tariff regime, as well as for traffic management.
All rights reserved Produced in the United States First printing August 2008 ESMAP Reports are pu... more All rights reserved Produced in the United States First printing August 2008 ESMAP Reports are published to communicate the results of ESMAP's work to the development community with the least possible delay. Some sources cited in this paper may be informal documents that are not readily available.
The iso-butene oligomerization activity of pure and metal-substituted synthetic mica-montmorillon... more The iso-butene oligomerization activity of pure and metal-substituted synthetic mica-montmorillonite (SMM) was studied by simultaneous thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA). The incorporation of matrix Ni and ion-exchanged Co, Ni and Zn into SMM increased its iso-butene oligomerization activity while the presence of water in the olefinic feed reduced activity. These findings corresponded to trends found in previous work on high pressure (50 MPa) propene oligomerization over SMM and metal-substituted SMM.
The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encoura... more The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. The papers carry the names of the authors and should be cited accordingly. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or those of the Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent.
At times of high and volatile petroleum product prices, commentators in many countries have sugge... more At times of high and volatile petroleum product prices, commentators in many countries have suggested that part of the very high retail price of these products is due to lack of competition that allows sellers to increase their profit margins. Supporting this contention, industry observers have noted that the relationship between crude oil prices and retail petroleum product prices appears to exhibit an asymmetric, "rockets and feathers" 1 pattern-when crude prices rise, retail prices follow quickly (like a rocket); in contrast, when crude oil prices fall, retail prices go down more slowly (like a feather). A large literature analyzes this phenomenon in developed countries, mainly the United States, but very little concerns the experience in developing countries. However, recent experiences following high oil price volatility caused commentators in developing countries to suggest that they too were subject to rockets and feathers pricing, and that the government should act to prevent this pricing distortion. The persistence and pervasiveness of this topic raises a number of important questions for policy makers in developing countries:
The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encoura... more The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. The papers carry the names of the authors and should be cited accordingly. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or those of the Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent.
All rights reserved. This is a publication by the African Renewable Energy Access Program (AFREA)... more All rights reserved. This is a publication by the African Renewable Energy Access Program (AFREA), a World Bank Trust Fund Grant Program funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The report was prepared by staff of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this report are entirely those of the author(s) and should not be attributed in any manner to the World Bank, or its affiliated organizations, or to members of its board of executive directors for the countries they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any consequence of their use. The material in this publication is copyrighted. The World Bank encourages dissemination of its work and will normally grant permission promptly.
Today, Brazil and the United States, which makes ethanol from maize, are the world's two lar... more Today, Brazil and the United States, which makes ethanol from maize, are the world's two largest biofuel markets. In Brazil, after a period of decline in ethanol consumption, new flex-fuel vehiclescapable of running on varying percentages of ethanol are revitalizing the ...
The objective of this paper is to help project teams better articulate the link between their pro... more The objective of this paper is to help project teams better articulate the link between their projects and the World Bank Group's twin corporate goals of reducing poverty and boosting shared prosperity. Based on an extensive literature review, this report examines what type of empirical evidence exists to support linking the project interventions to the twin goals. There are many studies citing a strong link between energy, economic growth, and poverty reduction. However, not all of them are robust, and not distinguishing robust studies from flawed ones risks making exaggerated or inaccurate claims about the benefits of an energy project. The detailed review of the published studies contained in this report is intended to point teams to reliable studies and caution against citing results from studies with serious methodological or data problems.
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