The pressure is mounting for the World Bank to adopt a climate safeguard
The following map shows where Civil Society groups have spoken out for a climate change policy at the World Bank. Over 100 Civil Society Organizations representing more than 60 countries have been reaching out to the Executive Directors of the World Bank Group to ask for the adoption of a policy on Climate Change Assessment (CCA)as part of the Safeguards review process.
Roll over each country to see which organizations have signed on.
International organizations not displayed on the map: CARE International Poverty, Environment and Climate Change Network; 350.org; Conservation International; International Rivers; Oxfam International; CIVICUS; Greenpeace International
The Time is Now
President Jim Kim of the Bank has made it clear that the safeguard review will not entail any dilution of existing policies and that strong action on climate change is essential for implementing the main goals of the World Bank Group corporate strategy: ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity. Not long ago he said that “the world needs a bold global approach to help avoid the climate catastrophe it faces today. The World Bank Group is ready to work with others to meet this challenge.” CSOs are asking now that Directors and Management of the Bank commit to this goal and get climate change incorporated across all Bank safeguard policies.
The lack of climate change risk assessments for all Bank lending is a serious deficiency, and the safeguards review presents an important opportunity to address this shortcoming. If this opportunity is missed, “the future will look bleak” indeed.