Vista helps the World Bank in Asia

Vista in Bangladesh and Pakistan
Vista Analysis has recently signed an agreement with the World Bank on analyzing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene and Urban Environmental Health Risks in the Province of Sindh in Pakistan and Sundarbans in Bangladesh. The objective of the project is to estimate the cost of inadequate water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WSH), including effects on child malnutrition, and respiratory illness from poor hygiene practices in Sindh and Sundarbans, and urban environmental health risks (urban air pollution including particulate matter (PM) and lead (Pb) poisoning; noise from road traffic; and traffic accidents) in Karachi, Sindh.

Subsequently, we should also undertake a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) of alternative interventions that the Governments could carry out to reduce the burden of environmental degradation, particularly in areas where vulnerable groups, such as the poor, children, and women are more severely affected. Part of the assignment is also to evaluate the incidence of the impacts of environmental health risks on vulnerable groups, including the poor and children under the age of 5.

The study should serve to guide the efforts of the Governments and other stakeholders, the World Bank and its development partners, NGOs, and research centers, to invest their resources in environmental protection activities and other interventions that will yield the greatest net social benefits.

The study is carried out in cooperation with independent consultant Bjørn Larsen. Project Manager at Vista Analysis is John Skjelvik.