Suchergebnisse

The pandemic of Covid‐19 has exposed the veins of inequality in Latin America. With a socioeconomic disaster looming, social emergency policies seemed inevitable. Yet while governments argue over the continuity of such policies and whether the fiscal rules in place should be respected, no sustainable response has come out. This essay problematises whether the pandemic could represent a critical juncture to forge ahead with political narratives that highlight tax exemptions and privileges enjoyed by the rich. We analyse the mitigation measures adopted by Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay and their repercussions on the debate surrounding progressive tax reforms to fund social schemes.

For the people of Bangladesh, mostly in rural areas, a new disaster is emerging. Two‐thirds of the deep tube wells installed over the last three decades – roughly 3 million in total – contain arsenic concentrations above the permissible levels set by the WHO. These wells were installed to contribute to a secure and reliable drinking water supply, and put an end to various contagious diseases from the use of surface water. In itself that goal has been reached. It is therefore a bitter observation that it is this very approach that has led to the widespread arsenic poisoning of drinking water. Most rural development programs cannot meet the demand of the community because of the absence of appropriate institutional mechanisms, and most programs simply cannot reach the large low‐income groups. It is time to rethink the existing institutional set‐up and redefine the roles of communities, the private sector, NGOs, local government institutions and the central government. An initiative from several Bangladeshi organisations has resulted in international co‐operation – the Arsenic Mitigation and Research Foundation (AMRF). Participation of the local community is one of the guiding principles of AMRF. Local priorities will be a significant component in the decisions made regarding mitigation activities. Given the institutional weakness of governmental bodies in solving problems within a reasonable time, it is natural to look for local solutions based on local experience, knowledge and capacity. Focuses on institutional development and community participation related to arsenic contamination in drinking water and broadly in sustainable development policy and practice in Bangladesh. Looks into possible comprehensive frameworks for the implementation of sustainable drinking water systems, facilitating a basic development strategy for people's participation. Discusses ways to ensure a greater role for the community in achieving a sustainable rural water management system, involving formal institutions as well as informal networks at village community level.

The overarching objective of this article is to stimulate debate about how local authorities could and should manage their austerity measures because the speed, scale and aggregation of the UK public spending cuts risk adversely affecting already disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, exacerbating social exclusion and leading to higher costs for councils in the future. It presents the results of research conducted during 2011-2012 focusing on if and how five Scottish case study councils attempted to mitigate social risks. It found that they were using equalities impact assessment (EIA) procedures in their decision-making. However, EIAs are not fit for purpose as a risk mitigation tool and fail to take account of all groups which may also be adversely affected by service cuts. Hence, this article recommends a more innovative approach in local decision-making processes based on a social risk impact assessment (SRIA) model within a preventative approach to social policy. Adapted from the source document.

The government of the Republic of Belarus plans to increase district heating tariffs to cost recovery levels and gradually phase out subsidies, replacing them with social assistance programs. Residential district heating tariffs in Belarus are currently at roughly 10–21 percent of cost-recovery levels. District heating subsidies are highly regressive, add costs to business, and create significant fiscal risks and macroeconomic vulnerabilities. Belarus Heat Tariff Reform and Social Impact Mitigation analyzes the social, sectoral, and fiscal impacts of the proposed tariff reform and identifies and recommends measures to mitigate adverse impacts of district heating tariff increases on the households. The analysis shows that a negative social impact is manageable if a tariff increase is accompanied by countervailing measures to compensate for the loss of purchasing power—in particular that of the poor—through targeted social assistance and energy efficiency programs. The reform is more likely to be successful if communication campaigns to address consumer concerns are carried out before significant price increases, and consumer engagement and monitoring systems are established. When tariff reform and mitigation measures are properly sequenced and coordinated, the reform will become more socially acceptable, consumers will benefit from better quality of services, the government will achieve positive fiscal savings, and the district heating sector will become sustainable in the long term.

Front Cover -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Abbreviations -- Executive Summary -- Chapter 1 What Are the Government's Plans for the Sector? -- Sector Plans -- Notes -- Chapter 2 Why Is Tariff Reform Necessary? -- Tariff Reform -- Notes -- Chapter 3 What Is the Likely Impact of Tariff Reform? -- Impact of the Reform -- Chapter 4 How Can Tariff Reform Be Best Implemented? -- Implementation of the Reform -- Appendix A Overview of the District Heating Sector in Belarus -- Introduction -- Demand and Supply Characteristics -- Service Providers -- Policy and Regulation -- Tariff and Subsidies in the District Heating Sector -- Notes -- Appendix B The Distributional Impact of Tariff Reform on Households and Industries -- Introduction -- Household Energy Expenditure Patterns -- Distributional Impact of District Heating Tariff Increase -- Cross-Subsidization and Industrial Competitiveness -- Appendix C Methodologies of Focus Group Discussions and In-Depth Interviews -- Introduction -- Focus Group Discussions -- In-Depth Interviews -- The Localities Chosen for Focus Group Discussions and In-Depth Interviews -- Appendix D Communicating Heating Tariff Reform to Household Lessons and Experience from Eastern European Countries and Russia -- Poland -- Hungary -- Estonia -- Bulgaria -- Russia -- References -- Figures -- 2.1 Declining Cost-Recovery Levels of Residential Heat Service, 2005-12 -- 2.2 Import Prices of Russian Natural Gas, 2005-12 -- 2.3 Comparison of Tariffs and Production Costs of ZhKHs and Belenergo, 2005-12 -- 2.4 Industrial Electricity Tariffs, 2005-14 -- 2.5 Cross- and Direct Budgetary Subsidies to Residential District Heating, 2005-12 -- 2.6 Unit Energy Cost of Manufacturing, by Country -- 2.7 Output Price Increases from Imposing Implicit Electricity Tax on Industrial Consumers.

This co-constructed narrative reports on the experiences of a clinical social worker who testifies as an expert witness at death penalty mitigation hearings in Alabama. A state with a historic record riddled with racial inequities and injustices, Alabama uses the death penalty aggressively. For many poor defendants, the difference between death and life in prison without the possibility of parole is made at mitigation hearings in which the jury may hear testimony which puts the defendant's life and crime in context. There is no better-suited profession than social work for conducting this task. This is the story of one social worker and one defendant whose life is on the line.

One of the four core phases of emergency management, hazard mitigation is essential for reducing disaster effects on human populations and making communities more resilient to the impacts of hazards. Presenting an up-to-date look at the changing nature of disasters, Natural Hazard Mitigation offers practical guidance on the implementation and selection of hazard mitigation programs and projects.