In the lead up to Cancun climate negotiations, the Bank has used a conference on agriculture and climate as a platform to expand its agricultural activities and link them to its interests in carbon markets, despite new evidence of problems with investment in the sector.
Agriculture
Land
Background
Notes of meeting between Minster Alan Duncan, the UK Department for International Development and Ci
Meeting notes
Land
News
World Bank admits 'land grab' risks, proceeds anyway
A long-suppressed report by the World Bank remains supportive of large-scale land acquisitions in developing countries by foreign investors, despite highlighting significant risks for vulnerable populations. Civil society groups have argued that the Bank is complicit in violations of human rights associated with the so-called ‘land grabs’
Rights
News
Palmed off: World Bank's palm oil framework 'business as usual' despite environmental and rights con
The World Bank’s draft framework for investment in the palm oil sector was met with dismay from civil society groups, who said that it failed to offer a credible strategy to address manifold social and environmental problems.
Land
News
UK reviews World Bank, multilateral aid
In June the new UK coalition government announced a hasty review of its funding to multilaterals, including the World Bank Group.
Rights
News
Is IFC palm oil investment a foregone conclusion?
The World Bank is currently undertaking a major review of its controversial engagement in palm oil production, but critics warn that consultation has been inadequate and that the Bank seems to have already decided to continue investment in the sector.
Land
News
World Bank work on land supports "a new form of colonialism"
A set of voluntary principles for agricultural investment in developing countries, launched by the World Bank and other institutions in April, veils the promotion of investors' interests at the expense of host populations, warn civil society groups.
Infrastructure
Background
Meeting on the World Bank with DFID
Notes of a meeting between Rachel Turner of DFID and UK NGOs, April 2010
Land
News
US pledges to controversial World Bank agriculture fund
The US administration is seeking to allocate $1.6 billion to its global agriculture and food security initiative. Of this, $408 million has been earmarked for the global agriculture and food security programme (GAFSP), a new multi-donor trust fund, to be managed by the World Bank.
Land
News
Farming furore: World Bank launches new agriculture fund
The Bank’s new multi-billion dollar agriculture trust fund has got off the ground while its recent agriculture strategy signals a renewed attempt to push the controversial policies of the 2008 World Development Report.
