Indonesia has had a long and unfortunate history of endemic political corruption. In 1998, when it was rescued from economic disaster by the IMF, the country was obliged to pass legislation to create an anti-corruption commission, the KPK. Despite many… Read more
Archives: Public Impact Fundamentals
Fighting drug crime in Rio de Janeiro’s ‘favelas’
In the late 1980s, Rio de Janeiro was rocked by violence as drug gangs moved into the slums and shantytowns of the city. Observing the failure of conventional forces, the state governor invited José Mariano Beltrame, an experienced narcotics officer,… Read more
Revitalising the public administration of Naga City
Elected in 1988, Mayor Robredo of Naga City was faced with an array of problems, including government corruption and public scepticism about the city’s administration. He devised a plan to revitalise the city by opening up the administration and involving… Read more
The Kenya Open Data Initiative
In 2010, Kenya revised its constitution, which included a section giving citizens a right to government information. This was made available online through the 2011 Kenya Open Data Initiative, the first such programme in sub-Saharan Africa. Over 800 datasets have… Read more
The WHO’s Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak Response Plan
The Ebola epidemic began in Guinea in December 2013 and caused over 11,000 deaths, principally in the West African countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Six months after the first recorded incidence of the disease, the World Health Organization… Read more
Basic Income Grant (BIG) in Namibia
Namibia has long suffered from high levels of poverty and income inequality. A pilot Basic Income Grant project was conducted in the region of Otjivero-Omitara area from 2007 to 2009 with very positive results in reducing poverty and crime and… Read more
Waste-to-energy innovation in KwaZulu-Natal
The city of Durban in the South African province of Kwa-Zulu Natal produces, like any typical modern metropolis, an enormous amount of waste. In 2003, the local authority, together with the World Bank, began a project to use the methane… Read more
Integrated solid waste management in Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Belo Horizonte, Brazil’s third largest city, recognised in the 1990s that it had a problem with managing increasing levels of waste, especially given its rapid population growth. It addressed the issue by improving recycling, creating sustainable landfill, and partnering with… Read more
Renewable energy in Germany: Energiewende
During the 1970s, it became clear to many people that climate change was a reality and that its effects could be disastrous. The West German government of the time wanted to move to greener forms of energy, such as wind… Read more
The French water management agencies
In 1964, the French defined a water management framework which resulted in the creation of six water agencies. They have been charged with improving water quality so that it meets the requirements of the EU water directive of 2000. They… Read more