Mapping and assessing vulnerable areas in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, one of the climate vulnerable countries in the world, cyclones over the Bay of Bengal have already increased in frequency and are projected to become more intense. Mapping vulnerable areas using Geographic Information System (GIS) and making datasets available across agencies is leading to better informed decision-making.

While location data and maps were held previously by individual, non-networked agencies, they are now available for cross-referencing on a platform called GeoDASH, supported by GFDRR and transferred to the Bangladesh Computer Council in December 2015. As of April 2021, over 3,700 users representing 55 public, private, and civil society organizations have shared data, making available 740 datasets from road network maps and building footprints to the location of water, gas, and utilities in a secure platform. All of these datasets are available to the public in a widely...

Established in 2013, the Youth Summit is an annual event hosted by the World Bank Group (WBG) to engage with youth globally on the most pressing topics facing our generation. The WBG Youth Summit is an affiliate of the Youth-to-Youth (Y2Y) network, the largest volunteer organization at the WBG, which aims to inspire and empower youth within and outside the institution.  The primary goals of the Youth Summit are to: 

As of May 28, 2021, the World Bank Board approved operations to support vaccine rollout in 23 countries amounting to $2.4 billion.  See the latest project financing, project documents and procurement information in the list below. More information will be shared here as it becomes available. We expect to reach 50 countries amounting to $4 billion by mid-year.

Through this, the World Bank Group is working with partners on the largest vaccination effort in history to stop the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 2, 2020, at the initial COVID-19 response phase, the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved a $6 billion Global COVID-19 Response Program (also called the COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Program, or SPRP). The program has reached over 100 countries with emergency operations to prevent, detect, and respond to COVID-19 and strengthen systems for public health preparedness. The timing of potential vaccine development was...

Give us 20 minutes, and we’ll take you on a journey around the world of international development in this flagship podcast from the World Bank Group. Everyday World Bank researchers and staffers are working to address the biggest international problems – everything from poverty to climate change, education to nutrition, and a whole lot more. Through conversations focused on revealing the latest data, the best research, and the solutions making the world a better place, let hosts Paul Blake and Raka Banerjee introduce you to the folks working to make the world a better place.

The mountain ranges of the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush, and the Karakoram span 2,400 kilometers across six nations and contain 60,000 km² of ice – storing more water than anywhere besides the Arctic and Antarctic. Climate change and air pollution are speeding up the melting of the Himalayan glaciers, jeopardizing the lives and livelihoods of 750 million people who rely on the water?from these glaciers and snows.

Melting glaciers and loss of seasonal snow pose significant risks not just to the people who live at their foot but to the stability of water resources in the South Asia region more broadly. The impacts will only get worse unless greater efforts are made to curb black carbon deposits from factories, fires, and vehicles that are accelerating melting. Our expert panel will discuss challenges and solutions to address glacier melt, improve water and enery security, and air quality, and thus...

(Download the event transcript .txt)

About the Event: 

The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in developing countries is critical to protecting lives, building human capital, and stimulating economic recovery. The current crisis is exacerbating inequalities throughout the world and, without access to vaccines, the gap will widen further.

This event begins with voices of youth from around the world reflecting on the impact of the pandemic and their hopes for a speedy recovery with a return to school, friends, and family.

World Bank Group President David Malpass then describes what vaccines mean for the world, what needs to be done to accelerate production and ensure safe and effective distribution to developing countries, and the importance of collaboration amongst all stakeholders for a sustainable and inclusive recovery. Read More

Give us 20 minutes, and we’ll take you on a journey around the world of international development in this flagship podcast from the World Bank Group. Everyday World Bank researchers and staffers are working to address the biggest international problems – everything from poverty to climate change, education to nutrition, and a whole lot more. Through conversations focused on revealing the latest data, the best research, and the solutions making the world a better place, let hosts Paul Blake and Raka Banerjee introduce you to the folks working to make the world a better place.

Most entries illustrated the personal impact of the pandemic on the student’s lives, from school closures, to lack of digital access or devices. Some students also detailed their personal family issues, from parents losing jobs, to lowering family income levels, access to food and nutrition or the pressures of taking care of younger siblings while trying to learn.