Message-ID: <8525664A.00756FC0.D6@WBLN0014.worldbank.org> Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1998 17:25:09 -0400 From: mailto:Dshaman@WORLDBANK.ORG Subject: NIPR newsletter for July, 1998 To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
1 - "What Improves Environmental Performance? Evidence from Mexican Industry" research paper 2 - The corresponding Mexico survey and survey data 3 - IPPS Training Module 4 - IPPS coefficients in kilograms 5 - New section started for Brazil 6 - More of What's Hot on EPA Sites Around the World 7 - New additions to the OnTheNet pageDear Friends:
We are pleased to be able to provide the New Ideas in Pollution Regulation (http://www.worldbank.org/nipr) users with a new round of research information and updates.
1 - Using new survey evidence Susmita Dasgupta, Mala Hettige and David Wheeler analyze the effects of regulation, plant-level management policies, and plant and firm characteristics on environmental performance in Mexican factories. They focus especially on management policies: the degree of effort to improve performance and the type of management strategy adopted. They present their findings in a new research paper, "What Improves Environmental Performance? Evidence from Mexican Industry". Some of their findings are that internal management procedures are important, environmental training for all personnel is effective, regulatory pressure works, plant size matters, and public scrutiny promotes better environmental performance.
http://www.worldbank.org/nipr/work_paper/1877/
2 - As preparation for the research paper, "What Improves Environmental Performance? Evidence from Mexican Industry," the authors used survey evidence to analyze the effects of various factors on environmental performance. The survey, designed by the World Bank and conducted by the Monterrey Institute of Technology, provides detailed information on performance and determinants, including plant, firm and market charecteristics, pollution control costs, relationships with regulators, and measures to improve environmental performance. In coordination with presentation of the paper, we are pleased to also provide the full survey and corresponding datasets.
http://www.worldbank.org/nipr/work_paper/1877/survey/index.htm
3 - As part of a seminar recently hosted by the World Bank's Economic Development Institute on "Environmental Economics for Development Policy", we have developed a training module on how to use the IPPS. The IPPS is a modeling system used to estimate pollution load in countries, regions and sectors when environmental data is scarce. Although many developing countries have little or no industrial pollution data, many of them have relatively detailed industry survey information on employment, value added or output. IPPS is designed to convert this information to the best feasible profile of the associated pollutant output.
http://www.worldbank.org/nipr/ipps/index.htm
4 - The original IPPS coefficients, calculated from the U.S. EPA's Toxic Release Inventory and the U.S. Census Bureaus' manufacturing survey data, was originally produced in pounds per unit of production. Since its publication, it has become apparent that researchers would be helped by having the IPPS coefficients estimate kilograms of pollution load. We have now been able to make a set of IPPS "kilogram" coefficients available.
http://www.worldbank.org/nipr/ippsdata.htm
5 - We have started a new section on Brazil to reflect the important environmental work and research happening there. The section includes a new addition to NIPR, a background paper on Brazil's environmental regulations and laws by David Shaman. The section also includes NIPR team research papers and links to Brazilian environmental agencies.
http://www.worldbank.org/nipr/brazil/index.htm
6 - We have some new additions to a feature we started recently on information from websites of enviromental ministries worldwide. NIPR conducted an informal search to locate innovative datasets or informational kiosks such as detailed reports on regulatory backgrounds or management agendas. Recent updates include: Austria's Federal Environment Agency's daily updates of air and water quality information; Indonesia's BAPEDAL site which links to major online newspaper dailies; and the United Kingdom's Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions, which also provides daily air quality conditions and forcasts throughout the country.
http://www.worldbank.org/nipr/epas/index.htm
7 - We've put a new round of environmental and pollution-related links to the OnTheNet page. A few of our favorites include the Environmental Working Group, a public interest group who's site makes a wide range of environmental information available through reports, articles, and technical assistance. Another interesting site is the Global Directory for Information Technology, which lists information on environmental products and services from 3,000 suppliers from 65 countries. Also there is UNEP's International Environmental Technology Centre which provides information and advice on sustainable development technologies on a range environmental issues.
http://www.worldbank.org/onthenet.htm
Please continue to let us know your thoughts and comments. They are always appreciate. If you wish to no longer receive our monthly mailings, please let us know by writing David Shaman at mailto:dshaman@worldbank.org. Best wishes.