Urban Environment and Infrastructure : Toward Livable Cities

This review of the active portfolio of
World Bank projects aimed at improving urban environmental
quality was carried out during 2002-03 in order to assess
the level of commitment of the institution to urban
sustainability. The review focuses on the contributions of
key sectors to urban environmental improvements, in
particular on those belonging to the Infrastructure
Vice-Presidency, and on how projects are contributing to
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. It also
highlights some of the apparent gaps in current Bank lending
in regional, spatial, and thematic terms and argues for a
more comprehensive and holistic approach to urban
environmental priorities, which could lead to
better-integrated investments. The Bank corporate strategy
on urban development (World Bank 2000a) addresses the urban
environment as part of enhancing urban livability. The
corporate environment strategy (World Bank 2001b) states its
importance through its goals of improving the quality of
life, improving the quality of growth, and protecting the
quality of regional and global commons.