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This report provides a cross-country review of waste, materials management and circular economy policies in selected OECD countries, drawing on OECD’s Environmental Performance Reviews during the period 2010-17. It presents the main achievements in the countries reviewed, along with common trends and policy challenges, and provides insights into the effectiveness and efficiency of waste, materials management and circular economy policy frameworks. As the selected reviews were published over a seven-year period, information for some countries may be more recent than for others. Nevertheless, the policy recommendations emerging from the reviews may provide useful lessons for other OECD countries and partner economies.
This report examines the current system of water abstraction and pollution charges in operation in Brazil. It assesses the current system’s implementation challenges and provides possible solutions. The report explores how water charges can be both an effective means for dealing with water security issues, and a tool for enhancing economic growth and social welfare. Specific analysis is put forward for three case studies in the State of Rio de Janiero, the Paraiba do Sul River Basin and the Piancó-Piranhas-Açu River Basin. The report highlights that water charges need to operate in conjunction with an effective water regulatory regime and concludes with an Action Plan based on practical steps and recommendations for its implementation in the short, medium and long-term.
The first OECD Conference on Women Entrepreneurs in SMEs in 1997 highlighted their contribution to innovation and job creation. Since that time, women’s entrepreneurship has been burgeoning. Women entrepreneurs constitute a growing share of SME owners, with higher than average start-up rates in several OECD Member and non-member countries. Eliminating obstacles to the creation and development of firms by women and creating a level playing field for women business owners is vital for a thriving entrepreneurial sector and important for national growth strategies. Women business owners are creating new niches for entrepreneurial activity and have the potential to become key players in the new, knowledge-based economy. However, they must adapt to profound changes in the way small enterprises do business, both locally and at the global level. The 2000 Conference aimed at finding ways to help women-owned SMEs seize the opportunities offered by globalisation, ICTs, changes in firm organisation, the increasing importance of the service sector, and other current developments. Cette publication est tirée de la conférence de l'OCDE sur « Les femmes entrepreneurs à la tête de PME : pour une participation dynamique à la mondialisation et à l'économie fondée sur le savoir ». Les lecteurs de langue française y trouveront une synthèse en français des présentations, discussions et conclusions de la conférence.
In the current era of globalisation, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are recognised as major players in innovation and job creation. Furthermore, entrepreneurship is no longer a male preserve: although few women can be found at the head of large companies, an increasing number are taking up the challenge of creating and managing their own businesses.
This conference proceedings explores the phenomenon of women entrepreneurs in small and medium entreprises, examining such issues as governmental support, networks, doing business overseas, starting businesses, and financing.
This publication provides an overview of approaches and measures in MENA-OECD Investment Programme economies to promote, support and advance women's entrepreneurship development in the Middle East and North Africa. It covers such issues as access to credit and business development services and information and information on data collection and research on women entrepreneurs in the MENA area.
Women in Business 2014 summarises the progress made by the OECD-MENA Women Business Forum (WBF) since the publication of its first Women in Business report in 2012. In 2012, five groups of actions had been identified as priorities to be carried out by governments, international stakeholders, financial and business support organisations, as well as statistical agencies. In two years, the WBF has developed inputs for three of these areas of priority actions. The WBF’s contributions are growing along with its increased recognition as a hub which spurs concrete improvements in the business climate for women entrepreneurs in the MENA region.
Today, women’s entrepreneurship is all the more important as governments in the region are facing the colossal challenge of rebooting job creation to improve the well-being of a growing workforce and confidence in the economy. The economic prospects of MENA economies that are going through a political transition have improved but unemployment has increased, inflation is rising and public finances have deteriorated. In these countries, political uncertainties add to long term structural difficulties. In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the challenges still lie in the diversification of their economies.
This report examines how current legal provisions in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia are impacting women’s ability to fully participate in economic life, both as employees and entrepreneurs. It is based on a comparative analysis of the various rights set out in constitutions, personal status laws, labour laws, in addition to tax and business laws. The report recognises the considerable progress made – in particular in the aftermath of the 2011 uprisings – following the adoption of constitutional and institutional reforms to strengthen women’s status.
Yet ensuring sufficient opportunities for women remains a challenge in the six countries. The report suggests that this may be due to different factors such as: the existence of certain laws that are gender discriminatory, contradictions between various legal frameworks, lack of enforcement mechanisms, and barriers for women in accessing justice. Through targeted policies, countries can tackle these challenges, and help unleash women’s potential to boost growth, competitiveness and inclusive social development.
The recent surge in energy prices is drawing attention once again to the availability and security of energy resources and the prospects for both supply and prices. World Energy Outlook: 2001 Insights – a follow-up to the acclaimed World Energy Outlook 2000 – takes a detailed look at all these issues. It analyses the main factors driving energy production and distribution, including the cost of developing resources and bringing them to market, energy pricing and the impact of government policies.
The study’s central finding is that reserves of oil, gas, coal and uranium are more than adequate to meet projected demand growth at least until 2020. But massive investment in energy production and transportation infrastructure will be needed to exploit these reserves. The capability, and willingness, of Middle East oil producers to exploit their low-cost reserves is a major source of uncertainty. For gas, the cost of supply and the impact of technology will be critical. There is a huge potential for expanding the supply of renewable energies if strong government backing can achieve steep reductions in their cost. Beyond 2020, new technologies such as hydrogen-based fuel cells, clean coal burning and carbon sequestration hold out the prospect of abundant and clean energy supplies in a world largely free of climate-destabilising carbon emissions.
Der vorliegende Bericht zieht eine Bilanz der wichtigsten neueren Entwicklungen im Bereich Wissenschaft, Technologie und Innovationen im OECD-Raum. Er schildert die großen Trends, gibt einen Überblick über die Politikentwicklung und arbeitet den Einfluss von Wissenschaft und Technologie auf das Wirtschaftswachstum der jüngsten Zeit heraus. In Sonderkapiteln werden die Verbindungen zwischen Innovationen und Wachstum, die Bedeutung von Innovationen im Dienstleistungssektor, die wachsende Interaktion zwischen Wissenschaft und Industrie, die Auswirkungen staatlicher Förderung auf die privaten FuE-Aktivitäten sowie die Rolle von Netzwerken im Innovationsprozess untersucht. Ein Anhang liefert detaillierte Indikatoren zu Wissenschaft, Technologie und Innovation.