IFC’s dismissive response to the CAO’s findings regarding the Tata Mundra plant was met with immediate and heavy backlash from NGOs, especially those surrounding the Gujarati power plant. The full press statement from Machimar Adhikar Sangharsh Sangathan, along with the documents in question (IFC response, CAO audit), can be found here. Since that time, though, there …
The Peruvian Amazon, the fourth largest extension of tropical rainforest in the world, is a battleground for indigenous rights and defense of critical environments. Key issues facing indigenous peoples are playing themselves out every day – territorial encroachment, illegal logging, government-sanctioned extraction of natural resources, construction of other mega projects, informal gold mining, among others. …
Congressional Briefing: Children’s Voices on the World Bank October 29, 3:30 – 5:00pm, 1539 Longworth Refreshments will be provided Please RSVP to jschwarz@bicusa.org by Monday, October 28th The Bank Information Center, in cooperation with Representative Nita Lowey (D-NY), invites you to a Congressional briefing, “Children’s Voices on the World Bank”, featuring children from Peru, Yemen, Cambodia …
Machimar Adhikar Sangharsh Sangathan Mundra, Kutch, Gujarat, India The International Finance Corporation (IFC) broke its own social and environmental rules, says the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) which released an investigation report yesterday. A recourse mechanism for communities affected by private sector projects that the World Bank Group supports, CAO found that IFC committed serious violations of …
©2013 E&E Publishing, LLC, Republished with permission Obama admin doubles down on lignite coal plant in Kosovo (Monday, October 21, 2013) Lisa Friedman, E&E reporter The United States will continue to support $58 million in World Bank financing for a lignite coal plant in Kosovo despite President Obama’s pledge to stop funding for overseas coal, according to …
In the context of World Food Day, established by the United Nations and celebrated on October 16th each year, the Mexican Network of Rural Forestry Organizations (Red MOCAF in Spanish) has published a news release on the important role of forests in the process of food production. In this publication, Gustavo Sánchez Valle, president of …
Last month, the World Bank Inspection Panel completed 20 years. The Panel is an independent recourse mechanism for people and communities who believe they have been, or are likely to be, adversely affected by a Bank-funded project. On September 26, BIC, along with the Center for International Environmental Law and World Wildlife Fund, hosted an …
Representatives of civil society, indigenous communities, government and the press gathered in San Pedro Sula, Honduras from Sept. 23 to Sept. 25 for the “First International Workshop on Social and Environmental Safeguards in Indigenous Territories and Forest Communities of Mesoamerica,” an initiative of the Bank Information Center, and for the Community Forestry Pre-Congress, organized by …
BIC, behind the efforts of Senior Policy Advisor Vince McElhinny, now has an informational brief on lending trends with the World Bank available. The document, replete with informational figures and facts, forecasts a further decline in safeguard coverage and points to signs of a return to to higher risk/reward lending. With these lending policies and …
Between August 14 and October 5 2013 the Bank Information Center held a series of seven children’s consultations in six countries on the World Bank safeguards. The countries in which consultations have been carried out include: Peru, Yemen, India, Cambodia and Uganda. The World Bank is currently reviewing its social and environmental policy standards, and is …