Environment, Infrastructure and Social Security Reforms under the Spotlight in CEPAL Review

(06 August 2010) Articles on the environment and productive efficiency in the region, social security reforms in Argentina and Chile and the problems in financing infrastructure in Latin America are included in a new number of CEPAL Review posted today.

The 10 articles contained in the 101st issue of the journal are now available on the ECLAC Internet page and feature the Prebisch Memorial Lecture 2010 by Aldo Ferrer, "Raúl Prebisch and the Dilemmas of Development in a Global World".

In the article Latin America: Measuring Productive Efficiency and Technical Changes Incorporating Environmental Factors, Daniel Sotelsek and Leopoldo Laborda analyze growth in a group of countries in the region from 1980 to 2004 by breaking down the total productivity of factors through the double perspective of maximizing production and minimizing carbon dioxide emissions caused by productive processes.

Rafael Rofman, Eduardo Fajnzylber and Germán Herrera describe in their article Reforming Social Security Reforms in Argentina and Chile the recent changes in the social security systems in those countries and the different ways in which each responded to the evidence that these systems were not providing adequate coverage for older persons and their benefits were low.

In his article Latin America: Problems and Challenges in Financing Infrastructure, Patricio Rozas, expert at ECLAC's Natural Resource and Infrastructure Division, examines the general trends in the development of basic infrastructure in Latin America, with special attention to investment problems in the sector.

Other articles analyze the economic performance of a group of countries in the region from 1955-2003 under the perspective of the so-called convergence groups (Juan Gabriel Brida, Silvia London and Wiston Adrián Risso), social coordination through public policies in Chile (Aldo Mascareño) and the economies of agglomeration and development levels in 1997 and 2007 of Brazilian municipalities (Eva Yamila da Silva Catela, Flávio Gonçalves and Gabriel Porcile).

In addition, Carlos Andrade and Sara Arancibia examine the interaction between the State and civil society in infancy policies in Chile; Germán Alarco and Patricia del Hierro look at the growth and concentration of Mexico's largest business groups; and Achyles Barcelos da Costa reviews the competitiveness of the shoe industry in Vale do Sinos, Brazil.

Founded in 1976, CEPAL Review has served as an academic forum for the presentation and debate of ideas generated at ECLAC and for the publication of the efforts of researchers and analysts of Latin American and Caribbean issues. In general terms, the journal has become a platform for the discussion of approaches, strategies and policies that may contribute to development with equality in the region.

For enquiries, please contact ECLAC's Public Information and Web Services Section. Email: dpisantiago@cepal.org; telephone: (56-2) 210-2040/2149.