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The article analyses the results of a nationally representative survey on local democracy conducted in Ukraine in the autumn of 2017, offering insights into attitudes towards local authorities and ongoing decentralization reforms, as well as participation in local politics. The survey shows that people have very low trust in the authorities, but more trust in them than in national institutions. Respondents feel that they have little influence on local politics and that local authorities do not take their opinion into account. On the other hand, the majority report being active in various forms of local political activity. Further, there is considerable support of decentralization reforms; people have already noted certain local improvements since the decentralization reform was launched in 2015. Differences among the several geographical regions of Ukraine are small. Survey findings are explained through three analytical frameworks that emphasize the historical heritage, important economic and political conditions, and structural adjustment to European institutions. ; Artikkelen er skrevet med finansiering fra det norske Utenriksdepartementet (prosjekt UKR-14/0013) og Norges Forskningsråd (NORRUSS Pluss-programmet, prosjektnr. 287620). Norges forskningsråd 287620 Utenriksdepartementet UKR-14/0013 ; publishedVersion

Forestry has traditionally been one of Myanmar's most important economic sectors, generating more in export earnings in the period 2010-2018. It is estimated that the country will have lost 12 million ha of forest between 1990 and 2020 - the third largest absolute forest loss of all countries during that period. The government now aims to restore or reforest about 884,000 ha on reserved forest (RF) and public protected forest (PPF) land under its 2016-28 Myanmar reforestation and rehabilitation program (MRRP). A range of reforms is needed to encourage private sector investment. These include: (i) identification of sufficiently large areas of suitable land close to potential processing sites or transport infrastructure and planning of land-use allocation; (ii) improving the availability of information on identified areas and on the process of acquiring plantation leases; (iii) streamlining leasing procedures and terms and scope of leases, including possible private management of state plantations; (iv) simplifying regulations on harvest and transport of plantation timber; (v) reviewing the suitability of current fiscal incentives, including tax holidays; (vi) improving information on areas and productivity of established plantations; and (vii) identifying priority research and development needs and delivery mechanisms.