Environmental issues continue to burden governments and economies
throughout the post-communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe
and the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union. Severe
environmental degradation is endemic to the region, the existing
environmental infrastructure is often inadequate, significant new
investment is perhaps decades away, and there is little knowledge of
advanced techniques for impact assessment, project evaluation, and
project financing.
The first two papers of Environmental Infrastructure Management survey
available cost-effective technology for solid waste treatment and air
pollution control, providing guidance for possible incremental additions
to existing infrastructure. There is also a discussion of transferable
pollution credits as an instrument in regulating air quality. The
discussion of economic incentives also embraces user fees and other
pollution control instruments.
A range of methods is presented for the evaluation and comparison of
alternative projects where data are poor or scarce. Canadian experience
with specific capital budgeting techniques is given comprehensive
attention. Debt financing strategies are addressed in the context of
present-day Ukraine. Finally, an outline is given of a general framework
for making decisions about environmental projects, including the use of
environmental impact assessments.