Colombia

The objective of the Rio Bogota Environmental Recuperation and Flood Control Project for Colombia is to transform the Rio Bogota from an environmental liability int... Mostrar más + o an urban asset for the metropolitan region by improving water quality, reducing flood risk, and creating a series of multi-functional parks along the river. The actions are directed towards reducing the risk of flooding on urban centers adjacent to the Bogota River, improving the characteristics of the plant cover in areas adjacent to the river, the recovery of areas of ecological importance and supply scenarios for the promotion and sustainable use of environmental services by the river communities in the middle basin. Since the project activities will take place in and along there river in an area which has been inhabited for thousands of years, there may be chance archeological finds during construction. There may be potential impacts in that there may be damages to the densely populated neighborhoods and low-income populations with a high level of vulnerability. In all cases the location of the project has sought to avoid involvement of major urban centers and towns, especially in the Capital District. Mostrar menos -

The development objective of the Magdalena Bajo Seco Forestry Project is to reduce emissions of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) through the reforestation and sustainable man... Mostrar más + agement of 3,137 ha. of land traditionally devoted to extensive cattle grazing. Negative impacts for population may include: problems to commercialize the wood, problems of communication between the forest owners and the persons in charge of implementing the project. Mitigation measures will include: create a company, Cormagdalena, to improve commercialization of the wood ; Cormagdalena will also be in charge to help the communication between the different entities. Mostrar menos -

The development objective of the Magdalena Bajo Seco Forestry Project is to reduce emissions of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) through the reforestation and sustainable man... Mostrar más + agement of 3,137 ha. of land traditionally devoted to extensive cattle grazing. Negative impact for this project may include: air, water, and noise pollution; loss of soil; soil erosion; loss of indigenous vegetation; solid waste; health and safety risks from chemical poisoning (pesticides). Mitigation measures include: train farmers on appropriate application of pesticides and on proper use and disposal of chemical sprays; inform farmers on soil protection; enhance communication between the different local actors of the project. Mostrar menos -

The development objective of the Second Programmatic Fiscal Sustainability and Growth Resilience Development Policy Loan (DPL) Program for Colombia is to enhanced f... Mostrar más + iscal sustainability and strengthened resilience of economic growth. The Government of Colombia has requested a DPL for US$200 million. The First DPL for US$300 million, approved by the Board in July 2011, supported the legislative approval of several important fiscal reforms. Building on the progress achieved under DPL I, this program document is the second DPL supporting the sustained implementation of these reforms. The request underscores the Government's continued interest in engaging with the World Bank to support its efforts in improving fiscal management. The fiscal reform program supported by the loan series seeks to enhance fiscal sustainability and strengthen growth resilience. The program includes a series of measures that can be grouped along three main policy reform areas: (a) budget predictability and stability, (b) social security liability management, and (c) disaster risk financing. The first area includes the implementation of a fiscal rule and a tax reform. The second area covers important legal and regulatory changes to the health insurance system, including the update of the mandatory benefit package and the creation of a contingency fund. The final area includes the development of a national disaster financing strategy and measures to enhance agricultural insurance coverage within a holistic agricultural risk management strategy. The Government of Colombia has made substantial progress in implementing its ambitious fiscal reform program. During the first half of the Presidential term, Congress approved a series of major fiscal reforms, including: a fiscal rule, a reform of the royalties system, a fiscal sustainability constitutional change, tax reforms, and a health law. As detailed in this document, the Government has made good progress in implementing this legislative agenda. The Bank is committed to a long-term engagement in support of the Government's fiscal reform program. The operation is fully consistent with the Bank's business model in Colombia, which emphasizes a strategic and integrated client engagement in support of selected development outcomes through three main lines of business, including financial, knowledge and convening services. Mostrar menos -

Three-fourths of the Colombian population, around 34.5 million people, live in urban areas. Bogota, the capital, with almost 8 million inhabitants, is one of the de... Mostrar más + nsest cities in the Western Hemisphere. In recent decades, Colombian cities have been engines of growth, while at the same time improvements in quality of life has been directly associated with urbanization. Nevertheless, this development represents enormous challenges, for which a wide range of innovative solutions is needed. Among the challenges facing the Government of Colombia are congestion, mobility, disaster risk management, urban environmental protection, housing and basic services, as well as redevelopment of cities. This report provides a first effort in analyzing the urban system, in order to maximize urbanization's benefits and minimize its externalities. Mostrar menos -

This document is organized into three parts. The first part provides an overview of tax expenditures in Colombia. The second part addresses the issues of measuring ... Mostrar más + the revenue loss of tax expenditures. In the third and final part there is a comprehensive assessment of three major tax expenditures in effect. In this sense, the analytical approach of the report begins with a broad and comprehensive perspective on the subject of tax expenditures, and ends with a comprehensive and detailed analysis of some specific examples. The authors contend that the growing trend in the number of tax expenditures, observed over the last decade is worrying because there is no knowledge about the net benefit to society can be derived using this instrument of public policy. To improve the management of tax expenditures in Colombia, they propose a strategy that includes the following measures: (1) greater transparency in the process of establishment of tax expenditures, (2) introduction of fiscal rules, (3) gradual reduction the gap between general and special rates on the income tax (ISR) and reduced proliferation in VAT rates, (4) implementation of a comprehensive assessment process of tax expenditures, (5) establishment of dates of effectiveness of these incentives, and (6) review of the requirements for access to certain benefits. Mostrar menos -

The objective of this analysis is to assess the state of progress of risk management in Colombia and propose recommendations to help the Government set public polic... Mostrar más + y in the short-and long-term. For this reason, the study sought to: (i) establish the risk and impact of disasters in recent decades, (ii) identify legal, institutional and conceptual themes in the country, (iii) review the state and evolution of investment in risk management, (iv) analyze the role of local authorities and industry in the risk management, and (v) identify gaps and challenges in the definition of the responsibilities of public and private sectors. This report, a product of joint work with multiple public and private agencies, is not limited in analyzing the causes of risk and measuring their growth. By contrast, it elaborates on the institutional developments in the risk management at different levels of government and how the topic is incorporated in the territory of public administration and industry. It further states the great opportunities for joint risk management instruments of disaster planning, investment, existing monitoring and control, and shows the need to define public and private responsibility as part of a reduction strategy of the state's fiscal vulnerability. In conclusion, the study shows that if the country does not want to see economic growth accompanied by more frequent and larger losses it will be essential to have a radical change in development policies and land management practices and industry. Therefore, the present document defines a set of recommendations to improve management of disaster risk at the level of state policy, showing that the priority to reduce the impact of disasters is based on the task of improving conditions of use and occupation of territory. Mostrar menos -