Economic Reform and Environmental Performance in Transition Economies

Gordon Hughes () and M. Lovei

Working Papers from World Bank - Technical Papers

Abstract: Most global economy and environmental watchers expect the transition to a market economy to yield environmental benefits. The changing incentives that a market economy introduces should foster more efficient production, better use of resources, and increased community input. The advanced reformers of the Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries proved this to be the case. They improved energy efficiency and reduced emissions intensity of pollutants. The slower-reforming countries of the Newly Independent States (NIS) also experienced lower pollution. However, that downturn coincided with the economic decline, which shut down many major polluters. This report reviews progress in environmental trends since transition began. It looks at air and water pollution and health indicators in the trends and in light of the environmental issues identified in the Environmental Action Programme for Central and Eastern Europe. It continues and builds on the World Bank's work in analyzing the environmental effects of transition, restructuring, and privatization with a view to identifying priority areas for investment and policy initiatives. The report will interest environmental policy makers and practitioners.

Keywords: ENVIRONMENT; ECONOMIC POLICY; HEALTH (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q20 Q28 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 57 pages
Date: 1999
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:fth:wobate:446

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Working Papers from World Bank - Technical Papers THE WORLD BANK; 1818 H STREET, N.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20433, U.S.A.. Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Thomas Krichel ().