PRESS RELEASE (October 5, 2015) The World Bank, with an overarching mission to end poverty, hosts its Annual Meetings this week in Peru. Given that the impacts of climate change disproportionately harm the poor, and that world leaders are set to make a global agreement on climate change this December, climate is at the top …
BIC recently published two reports analyzing the impact of World Bank and IFC finance on forests and forest peoples around the world. These publications outline the findings of BIC’s review of World Bank Group public and private sector lending from the perspective of investments both within the forest sector, and in the primary sectors that …
On August 4, 2015 the World Bank publicly released the second draft of its Environmental and Social Framework (ESF), thus initiating Phase 3 of the safeguards review. The ESF contains the safeguard policies designed to protect communities and the environment in World Bank investment projects. The effectiveness of the World Bank’s new safeguards is compromised by several …
PRESS RELEASE Dangerous Rollback in Environmental and Social Protections World Bank’s New Framework Undermines President Kim’s Commitment to “No Dilution” (Washington, August 4, 2015) The World Bank has released new draft safeguard policies[i] that will vastly weaken protections for affected communities and the environment at the same time as the bank intends to finance more …
A group of Nobel Peace Prize winning women (The Nobel Women’s Initiative) sent a scathing letter to World Bank President Kim detailing concerns they have with Safeguards draft.
The World Bank seems eager to provide financial support to the Kosovar government for construction of a new coal-based power plant. But what about the people who are in the path of the expanded power plant and coal mine? Kosovo and the World Bank are trying to avoid responsibility for the impoverishment and suffering that will surely come on the heels of the involuntary resettlement of over 7,000 Kosovars from their homes and communities.
Like previous safeguard consultations, Lima was draped in a sense of secrecy with a total lack of transparency from the get go. The response of civil society groups in Lima to the draft safeguard policies presented by the Bank was very straight-forward, outright rejection.
A new case study on the development of a national safeguard system for REDD+ in Mexico was just published by Bank of Information Center (BIC), the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), and Mexican Environmental Law Center (CEMDA).
Child Rights Organizations express disappointment over poorly managed Tanzania Safeguards consultation.
CSOs from the Middle East and North Africa participated in several statements, workshops, demonstrations and consultations on the World Bank draft Environmental and Social Safeguards.