The Europe and Central Asia Region of the World Bank has the largest land-area and the largest forested area of any of the Bank’s regions, covering nine time zones and 27 million square kilometers. The region is characterized by its diversity in the terms of ecology, social structure, and wealth.
In addition, the 27 countries that comprise the Europe and Central Asia Region region face a highly diverse set of environmental challenges, including:
- severely deteriorated water and wastewater services
- water pollution from agriculture and industry
- high energy inefficiencies
- hazardous and industrial waste management problems
- urban air pollution
- deteriorating oil pipelines
- poor natural resource management
All countries have faced social upheavals since beginning the transition to a market economy 12 years ago, and several have faced dramatic declines in GDP and increasing poverty. There are, however, similarities. All have had to adapt rapidly to the breakdown of the former centrally planned economy and the formation of newly independent states. Most have well-educated populations and stable or even declining populations.
The goal of the environment sector in Europe and Central Asia Region is to strengthen and develop local capacity in these countries to effectively manage and restore the environment.
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