Investment is a major driver of long-run growth and development. It is necessary to build productive capacities, transform the structure of economies, generate employment and reduce poverty. Over the past decade, African countries have had relatively good economic growth performance.

This edition of the World Investment Report provides valuable analysis that can inform global discussions on how to accelerate progress toward the Millennium Development Goals and shape a long-range vision for a more sustainable future beyond 2015.

This report examines the economic, climate, budgetary, power generation, and demographic impacts of implementing a revenue-neutral carbon tax for nine regions of the United States. The carbon tax would begin in 2016 with a rate of $10 per metric ton of carbon dioxide and escalate in a linear manner at $10 per year.

This study focuses on evaluating and improving the assessment of forest wealth. In its broad purpose, the study is intended to help improve the current forest wealth assessment methodology by the World Bank to enable more accurate estimates of forest wealth and other related indicators.

Energy is important both for economic development, but it also plays a major role in improving conditions at the household level. The notion of an energy poverty line is well accepted around the world. There is a large body of literature on how to measure income poverty and the reliability of alternate measures.

Climate change will affect South Asia more than most other regions. South Asia’s weather is likely to become hotter than the global average, while monsoon rains and heavy storms will increase in most parts of the region.