World Bank Podcasts

Population growth, economic expansion and climate change are increasing the pressures on limited water supplies in cities around the world. A holistic approach is needed to help water scarce cities develop resilient strategies for long-term water security. That’s why the World Bank’s Water Scarce Cities initiative is collaborating with urban water practitioners, global thought leaders, and institutions in over 20 water scarce cities to document and share innovative strategies.

Water belongs to everyone and yet many are excluded from its benefits and often from ownership and control of this critical resource. Inclusion – ensuring everyone reaps the benefits of water – is central to achieving universal access to water and sanitation and the way the World Bank thinks about policy and programs, because prosperity is best when shared. Water World is a new podcast series brought to you by the World Bank’s Water Global Practice and the Global Water Security & Sanitation Partnership (GWSP). It explores the issues that are crucial to delivering a water-secure and healthy world for all. Join us every two weeks to learn more!

Part Two of our discussion on Africa’s Pulse focusses on how African countries can improve access to electricity to accelerate progress in development outcomes, jobs and prosperity. We’re speaking with special topic author, Mike Toman, and member of the core team of economists who crafted the report, Moussa Blimpo. Technical innovations, especially in solar power, provide the possibility for faster progress in electricity provision by complementing grid expansion with mini-grids and home-scale systems. However, in sorting through various possibilities for accelerated electrification, it is important to keep in mind that national electrification strategies generally seek to address several development objectives. These include facilitating accelerated income growth and job creation, and improving lives and livelihoods in more remote areas, as well as limiting environmental and health damages from providing electricity. On the one hand, to accomplish this range of objectives, given the changes in generation technology and the expectation of rapid future growth in electricity demand, the evolution of electricity systems in Sub-Saharan Africa will need to involve more than one national grid. The path to universal electrification also will incorporate interconnected or stand-alone “mini-grids” and “micro-grids” serving small concentrations of electricity users, and off-grid home-scale systems. On the other hand, as rural populations continue to migrate to rapidly growing urban areas in Sub-Saharan Africa, economies of scale and density will lower the costs of grid-supplied power in urban and peri-urban areas.

What does resilience mean when it comes to water? Is it really that important? Experts explain in this podcast. Water World is a new podcast series brought to you by the World Bank’s Water Global Practice and the Global Water Security & Sanitation Partnership (GWSP). It explores the issues that are crucial to delivering a water-secure and healthy world for all. Join us every two weeks to learn more!

AFRONOMICS: Africas Pulse Spring Edition Part 1 by Listen to the latest news, insights, and development highlights from the World Bank.

Achim Steiner, Administrator of the UN Development Program (UNDP), talks about how preventing violent extremism can help us reach the goal to end poverty.

WaterWorld is a new podcast series brought to you by the World Bank’s Water Global Practice and the Global Water Security & Sanitation Partnership (GWSP). It explores the issues that are crucial to delivering a water-secure and healthy world for all. Join us every two weeks to learn more!

Poland moved from middle-income to high-income status in less than 15 years. How did the country do this? Mateusz Morawiecki, Prime Minister of Poland, discusses Poland’s economic development. (This was recorded during the World Bank Annual Meetings in 2017. Mateusz Morawiecki, was Deputy Prime Minister of Poland then.) More on Poland’s journey to high-income status can be found in our report: Lessons for Poland, Insights from Poland.

Joe Gebbia, Co-founder of Airbnb, talks about the new digital economy and its impact on development.

WaterWorld is a new podcast series brought to you by the World Bank’s Water Global Practice and the Global Water Security & Sanitation Partnership (GWSP). It explores the issues that are crucial to delivering a water-secure and healthy world for all. Join us every two weeks to learn more!

Rachel Kyte, CEO and Special Representative of the UN-Secretary General for Sustainable Energy for All, talks climate change, private sector investment, and global access to energy services.

Timothy Antoine, Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, talks about resilience and sustainability in a hurricane-prone region.

Why are partnerships crucial to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? Jeremy Oppenheim, Program Director, Business and Sustainable Development Commission, and Steve Waygood, Chief Responsible Investment Officer of Aviva Investors, discuss in this interview during the 2017 World Bank Annual Meetings.

Anta Babakar, Executive Director of Sedima, and Nour Al Hassan, Founder and CEO of Tarjama, discuss how women entrepreneurs play a critical role in economic development.

Amanda Farnan, GenUN Georgetown Campus Leader, and Mac Darrow, Representative, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights discuss how zero tolerance and global mobilization today is imperative in reaching the sustainable development goals of tomorrow.