Applying Environmental Economics in Africa

World Bank Technical Paper No. 277.Explains how the use of environmental economics could and should improve the quality of decisionmaking for National Environmental Action Plans (NEAPs).During the past few years, many countries in Africa have launched an agenda to prepare National Environmental Action Plans (NEAPs), which integrate environmental concerns with development. However, in the initial preparation and implementation of the plans, economic analysis was used sparingly because the necessary techniques and skills were unavailable. The World Bank supports the NEAPs and, with financial assistance from Norway and Sweden, has initiated three activities: (1) short-term training for NEAP economists; (2) grants for funding applied studies; and (3) the development of tests for training in environmental economics.This paper shows how environmental economics could and should be used to improve the quality of decision-making in NEAPs. The author's expert knowledge of environmental theory and his experience in the field is the basis for the report, which is written for the decision-maker or analyst who cannot wait for more data and research and needs to shape decisions being made today. The text is drafted in an easy-to-read style, accessible to noneconomists, with a minimal use of mathematics and graphs.Convery, Frank J. is the author of 'Applying Environmental Economics in Africa' with ISBN 9780821331903 and ISBN 0821331906.