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Following a brief pause after the economic crisis, health expenditure is rising again in most OECD countries. Yet, a considerable part of this health expenditure makes little or no contribution to improving people's health. In some cases, it even results in worse health outcomes. Countries could potentially spend significantly less on health care with no impact on health system performance, or on health outcomes. This report systematically reviews strategies put in place by countries to limit ineffective spending and waste. On the clinical front, preventable errors and low-value care are discussed. The operational waste discussion reviews strategies to obtain lower prices for medical goods and to better target the use of expensive inputs. Finally, the report reviews countries experiences in containing administrative costs and integrity violations in health.
Mexico is slowly advancing on the path to gender equality. Many public policies aimed at empowering women are now in place: over the past two decades, Mexico has increased investments in girls' education, greatly expanded childcare and preschool, improved gender mainstreaming in government, and ensured that female politicians are well-represented at the ballot box. Yet, despite these efforts, many Mexican women still do not feel the effects of these policies at home, at work, or in public spaces. Large gender gaps remain in educational outcomes, participation in the labour market, pay, informality status, and hours of unpaid childcare and housework. “Unlocking Mexico’s full potential,” as Mexico's National Development Plan prescribes, will depend crucially on how well Mexico closes existing gender gaps in political, social and economic life and promotes real social change. Mexico must continue to invest in social and labour market policies that empower women, and reinvigorate efforts to reduce inequalities in education, labour force participation, job quality, unpaid work, and leadership. This will require embedding gender equality objectives in all public policies and budgets, across all levels of government, and ensuring the effective implementation, enforcement, and evaluation of policies and laws to achieve inclusive outcomes.
Key aspects of any Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) programme are the estimation techniques used to generate data on releases. Companies (facilities) that report data to a national PRTR generally estimate the data using, for example, emission factors or mass balance calculations, rather than using measured data, such as specific continuous monitoring data. As different industrial processes and activities involve different throughputs, equipment and operating conditions, different methods for estimating pollutant releases and transfers are required. The scope of this document is to describe methods and considerations for determining quantities of a pollutant that has been released into the environment or otherwise managed as waste. This document provides an overview of example transfers that contain chemicals of concern, the sources of those transfers, the chemicals included and management methods for these transfers.
The scope of this document is to identify relevant releases to the environment from the use phase of end-products, to present techniques to quantify the releases, as well as to provide information on how to include these releases into PRTRs. This document does not make specific recommendations on preferred estimation techniques; rather, it provides a catalogue of release and transfer estimation techniques available and summarises the pertinent information needed to apply them. Another aim of this project is to provide a listing of reports and other documentation describing the various methods being used in OECD countries to estimate releases of pollutants to air, water, and land.
Ambitious structural reforms and sound macroeconomic policies have ensured the resilience of the highly-open Mexican economy in the face of challenging global conditions. Mexico’s productivity growth has recently picked up in sectors that benefitted from structural reforms – energy, financial, and telecoms. Trade openness, foreign direct investment, integration into global value chains and innovation incentives have boosted exports, notably of autos. Yet other sectors lag behind, suffering from overly stringent local regulations, weak legal institutions, rooted informality, corruption and insufficient financial development. Moreover, growth has not been inclusive enough to achieve better living conditions for all Mexican families, many of whom live in poverty, and whose children’s opportunities to do better than their parents could be improved. Past policies have already begun to correct these trends, but more needs to be done. The 2017 Survey makes key policy recommendations that could help to boost productivity and make growth more inclusive.
SPECIAL FEATURES: INCLUSIVE GROWTH; PRODUCTIVITY
This publication identifies the main regulatory obstacles of the following transport sectors in Mexico: road transport, railways, ports, border crossing, and airway passengers. The report also offers recommendations to improve the quality of the regulatory framework of these sectors.
Since the last in-depth review in 2009, Italy has made strong progress in the development and implementation of energy policy. The most notable improvement has been the publication of a comprehensive long-term energy strategy.
The adoption of the National Energy Strategy in 2013 sent a strong signal to stakeholders as to the government’s medium- and long-term objectives for the energy sector. It established clear goals: reduce energy costs, meet environmental targets, strengthen security of energy supply and foster sustainable economic growth. Nonetheless, the adoption of the Strategy is only a first step towards achieving the government’s ambitions. Monitoring implementation and maintaining momentum will present a challenge for the government.
Italy has experienced impressive growth in the renewable energy sector and has been successful in integrating large volumes of variable renewable generation. Containing costs is a priority, and policies need to focus on bringing deployment costs towards international benchmarks.
Italy has also continued to progress in terms of market liberalisation and infrastructure development, notably in the electricity market where transmission improvements between north and south, as well as market coupling, have resulted in price convergence throughout the country and wholesale prices tending towards those elsewhere in Europe. Development in the gas sector has been slower, and greater progress is needed if Italy is to be become a southern European gas hub. Furthermore, institutional arrangements within the energy sector remain complex and should be reformed and strengthened. Implementation of the National Energy Strategy provides a timely opportunity to address each of these challenges in a comprehensive way.
This review analyses the energy policy challenges facing Italy and provides recommendations for further policy improvements. It is intended to help guide the country towards a more secure and sustainable energy future.
The Czech Republic recently approved a new National Energy Policy (SEP) that aims to reduce energy consumption and improve the economy’s energy intensity. This IEA country review provides a snapshot of the energy sector in the Czech Republic and examines the impact of the SEP. The review warns that reaching long-term energy targets will require greater effort if the country is to play its part in the on-going global energy transition.
The SEP broadly seeks to strengthen security of energy supply and build a competitive and sustainable energy sector. While the Czech Republic has experienced strong growth in the renewable energy sector – notably solar PV – policy changes have created uncertainty. Meanwhile, greenhouse gas emissions, which have been falling since 2000, are expected to increase. Coal dominates the power sector and is the largest source of carbon emissions and also poses a substantial threat to local air quality.
The review finds that natural gas supply security remains strong, and the country is expected to remain a net exporter of electricity. The expansion of nuclear power is one of the main pillars of the SEP, and will play a greater role in coming years. The SEP also establishes key targets for energy security, emissions, energy savings, electricity generation and affordability.
This review also provides recommendations for further policy improvements that are intended to help guide the country towards a more secure and sustainable energy future.
Wind and solar photovoltaics (PV) are currently the fastest-growing sources of electricity globally. A "next generation" phase of deployment is emerging, in which wind and solar PV are technologically mature and economically affordable.
The success of variable renewable energy (VRE) is also bringing new challenges to the fore. Electricity generation from both technologies is constrained by the varying availability of wind and sunshine. This can make it difficult to maintain the necessary balance between electricity supply and consumption at all times.
As these variable renewables enter this next generation of deployment, the issue of system and market integration becomes a critical priority for renewables policy and energy policy more broadly. The paper highlights that this will require strategic action in three areas:
- System-friendly deployment, aiming to maximise the net benefit of wind and solar power for the entire system
- Improved operating strategies, such as advanced renewable energy forecasting and enhanced scheduling of power plants
- Investment in additional flexible resources, comprising demand-side resources, electricity storage, grid infrastructure and flexible generation
In addition, the paper argues that unlocking the contribution of system-friendly deployment calls for a paradigm shift in the economic assessment of wind and solar power. The traditional focus on the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) – a measure of cost for a particular generating technology at the level of a power plant – is no longer sufficient. Next-generation approaches need to factor in the system value of electricity from wind and solar power – the overall benefit arising from the addition of a wind or solar power generation source to the power system. System value is determined by the interplay of positives and negatives including reduced fuel costs, reduced carbon dioxide and other pollutant emissions costs, or higher costs of additional grid infrastructure.
In addition to general analysis and recommendations, the paper also includes summaries of three case studies in China, Denmark and South Africa.
This statistical report is designed to help understand what drives final energy use in IEA member countries in order to improve and track national energy efficiency policies.
It provides the first comprehensive selection of data that the IEA has been collecting each year after its member states recognised in 2009 the need to better monitor energy efficiency policies.
The report includes country-specific analysis of end uses across the largest sectors – residential, services, industry and transport. It answers questions such as:
- What are the largest drivers for energy use trends in each country?
- Was energy saved because of efficiency progress over time?
- How much energy is used for space heating, appliances or cooking?
- What are the most energy-intensive industries?
Improving energy efficiency is a critical step for governments to take to move towards a sustainable energy system. This report highlights the key role of end-use energy data and indicators in monitoring progress in energy efficiency around the world.
L'Initiative Aide pour le commerce a permis l'engagement actif d'un grand nombre d'organisations et organismes pour aider les pays en développement et, en particulier, les pays les moins avancés à se doter des infrastructures et des capacités d'offre dont ils ont besoin pour se connecter aux marchés régionaux et mondiaux et pour améliorer leurs résultats commerciaux. Le nouveau modèle de développement dans le cadre du Programme de développement pour l'après 2015 exige une approche intégrée pour faire en sorte que l'Aide pour le commerce aboutisse à un développement inclusif et durable. Le fait d'inscrire les coûts du commerce au centre de l'Initiative Aide pour le commerce permet de faire converger les actions menées dans ce domaine par un large éventail de parties prenantes.
La publication conjointe OCDE/OMC intitulée Panorama de l'Aide pour le commerce 2015 explique comment la réduction des coûts du commerce aidera à assurer une croissance économique inclusive et durable. Elle contient des contributions de la Banque mondiale, du Cadre intégré renforcé, du Centre du commerce international, et de la Conférence des Nations Unies sur le commerce et le développement.
La Iniciativa de Ayuda para el Comercio ha permitido que numerosas organizaciones y organismos participen de forma activa en la prestación de ayuda a los países en desarrollo, y en particular a los países menos adelantados, con el fin de construir la infraestructura y la capacidad de oferta que necesitan para conectarse con los mercados regionales y mundiales y mejorar sus resultados comerciales. El nuevo paradigma de desarrollo en el marco de la Agenda para el Desarrollo después de 2015 exige un enfoque integrado para que el resultado de la ayuda para el comercio sea un desarrollo inclusivo y sostenible. Incorporar los costos del comercio como elemento central de la Iniciativa de Ayuda para el Comercio equivale a activar esa función de coordinación entre una gran diversidad de colectivos interesados.
La publicación conjunta de la OCDE y la OMC, La Ayuda para el Comercio en síntesis 2015, centra la atención en cómo la reducción de los costos del comercio ayudará a conseguir un crecimiento económico inclusivo y sostenible. En esta publicación se reúnen aportaciones procedentes del Marco Integrado mejorado, el Centro de Comercio Internacional, la Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre Comercio y Desarrollo y el Banco Mundial.
Цели данного отчета: повысить осведомленность о видах и рисках коррупции в трех секторах, а также о важности устранения этих рисков с помощью целенаправленной политики и мер; поделиться опытом стран ACN в борьбе с коррупцией в этих секторах с помощью специальных инструментов; выявить успешные практики, применяемые для предотвращения коррупции в этих секторах на уровне правительства, НПО, частного сектора, а также в рамках инициатив с участием многих заинтересованных сторон.
Die OECD hat praktische Maßnahmen für Unternehmen entwickelt, um die schlimmsten Formen der Kinderarbeit in den Lieferketten für mineralische Rohstoffe zu erkennen und zu bekämpfen, um ihnen zu helfen, die Risiken der Kinderarbeit in ihren Lieferketten für mineralische Rohstoffe zu erkennen, zu mindern und zu berücksichtigen. Sie wurden entwickelt, um auf dem Sorgfaltspflichtrahmen der OECD-Leitlinien zur Sorgfaltspflicht aufzubauen.
El presente documento ayuda a los inversionistas institucionales a implementar las recomendaciones en materia de debida diligencia de las Líneas Directrices de la OCDE para Empresas Multinacionales, a fin de prevenir o abordar los impactos negativos en sus carteras de inversión, relacionados con los derechos humanos y laborales, el medio ambiente y la corrupción.
The paper presents the findings of an international stock-taking of the regulatory frameworks that apply to institutional investment in different jurisdictions and how these frameworks are interpreted by institutional investors in terms of their ability or responsibility to integrate ESG factors in their governance processes. It builds on OECD work on the regulation of insurance company and pension fund investment and is linked to OECD instruments, in particular the OECD Principles of Private Pension Regulation and the G20/OECD High-Level Principles of Long-term Investment Financing by Institutional Investors. It also supports the OECD's work on responsible business conduct which aims to assist multinational enterprises in the financial sector in applying the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
The objectives of this report are: to raise awareness about corruption types and risks in the three sectors, and the importance of eliminating those risks through targeted polices and measures; share the experience of ACN countries in tackling corruption in these sectors through specific tools; identify good practices implemented to prevent corruption in these sectors, at the level of government, NGOs, the private sector as well as multi-stakeholder initiatives.
This paper helps institutional investors implement the due diligence recommendations of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises in order to prevent or address adverse impacts related to human and labour rights, the environment, and corruption in their investment portfolios.
เอกสารฉบบั น้ีการด าเนินธุรกิจที่มีความรับผิดชอบส าหรับนักลงทุนสถาบัน: ข้อควรพิจารณาที่ส าคัญในการตรวจสอบธุรกิจอย่างรอบด้านภายใต้แนวทางส าหรับบรรษัทข้ามชาติของ OECD ช่วยให้นักลงทุนสถาบันด าเนินการตามข้อเสนอแนะเรื่องการตรวจสอบธุรกิจอย่างรอบด้านของแนวทางส าหรับบรรษัทข้ามชาติของ OECD เพื่อป้องกันหรือรับมือกับผลกระทบเชิงลบที่เกี่ยวข้องกับสิทธิมนุษยชนและสิทธิแรงงาน สิ่งแวดลอ้ม และการทุจริตในพอร์ตการลงทุนของพวกเขา บทความน้ีระบุถึงการดา เนินการที่สา คญั ส าหรับผูจ้ดัการสินทรัพยแ์ละเจา้ของสินทรัพยภ์ ายใตแ้ ต่ละข้นั ตอนของกระบวนการตรวจสอบธุรกิจอยางรอบด้านแ ่ ละรวมถึงการอภิปรายเกี่ยวกับข้อพิจารณาที่ส าคัญ เช่น ความท้าทาย แนวทางปฏิบัติที่มีอยู่ หรือกฎระเบียบเฉพาะส าหรับภาคการลงทุนซึ่งอาจส่งผลกระทบต่อแนวทางการตรวจสอบธุรกิจอย่างรอบด้าน
L'OCDE a mis au point des actions pratiques à l'intention des entreprises pour identifier et traiter les pires formes de travail des enfants dans les chaînes d'approvisionnement en minerais, afin de les aider à identifier, atténuer et prendre en compte les risques liés au travail des enfants dans leurs chaînes d'approvisionnement en minerais. Ce document s'appuie sur le cadre de diligence raisonnable des lignes directrices de l'OCDE en matière de diligence raisonnable.