World Development Report 2003: Sustainable Development in a Dynamic World: Transforming Institutions, Growth, and Quality of Life [Paperback]

World Bank (Author)

Book Description

Series: World Development Report | Publication Date: August 1, 2002

Three billion people will be added to the world's population over the next 50 years and 2.8 billion people today already live on less than $2 a day--almost all in developing countries. Ensuring these people have access to productive work and a better quality of life is the core development challenge of the first half of this century. Growth could itself be jeopardized over the longer term, unless a transformation of society and the management of the environment are addressed integrally with economic growth. Now in its 25th edition, this year's 'World Development Report' examines, over a 50 year period, the relationship between competing policy objectives of reducing poverty, maintaining growth, improving social cohesion, and protecting the environment. The 'World Development Report 2003' emphasizes that many good policies have been identified but not implemented due to distributional issues and barriers to developing better institutions. The Report reviews institutional innovations that might help overcome these barriers and stresses that ensuring economic growth and improved management of the planet's ecosystem requires a reduction in poverty and inequality at all levels: local, national, and international. As in previous editions, the 'World Development Report 2003' contains an appendix of selected indicators from the 'World Development Indicators'.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

How can productive work and a good quality of life be provided for the 2.5-3 billion people now living on less than $2 a day (and the 3 billion people likely to be added to developing countries by 2050) in an environmentally and socially sustainable way? World Development Report 2003 asks where problems and opportunities are likely to arise, why they arise, and how the problems can be solved--in different settings (on fragile lands, on relatively favored agricultural lands, and in urban areas) and at different scales (local, national, and global).

World Development Report 2003 examines the relationship among competing policy objectives--reducing poverty, maintaining growth, improving social cohesion, and protecting the enivironment--over a 50-year horizon. The report notes that many good policies have been identified but not adopted or implemented. It traces this problem to distributional issues and institutional barriers. It then reviews institutional innovations that might help overcome these barriers.

World Development Report 2003 argues that polarized societies have difficulties coordinating actions to eliminate externalities and provide public goods. It stresses that ensuring economic growth and improved management of the planet's ecosystem requires a reduction in poverty and inequality at all levels. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

The World Bank Group is a group of five international organizations responsible for providing finance and advice to countries for the purposes of economic development and poverty reduction, and for encouraging and safeguarding international investment. The group and its affiliates have their headquarters in Washington, D.C., with local offices in 124 member countries.

Product Details

• Paperback: 271 pages
• Publisher: World Bank Publications (August 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821351508
• ISBN-13: 978-0821351505
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,200,770 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)