The Bank will showcase new initiatives on oceans and the valuation of ecosystem services at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, or Rio+20, in Brazil in late June, but is attracting criticism from civil society groups for its approach to 'green growth'.
Forests
Land
Background
Notes of meeting between Stewart James, Alternate UK Executive Director to the World Bank, and NGOs
Civil society organisations met UK Executive Director to the World Bank and staff from the Department for International Development to discuss agriculture, land grabs, food security, the safeguards review process, the selection of the next World Bank president, the doing business indicators, and the debt sustainability framework.
Accountability
News
The World Bank and extractives: a rich seam of controversy
As World Bank projects fail to reduce corruption in the mining sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), International Financial Corporation (IFC) investments in extractives are provoking complaints and protests around the world.
Land
News
On a carbon market mission
While steaming ahead with new carbon market initiatives, the World Bank attracted further criticism and suffered potential setbacks on agriculture and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) at the UN climate negotiations in Durban.
Infrastructure
News
Petra Kjell joins the Project
We are delighted to welcome Petra Kjell as the new head of the Project's work programme on climate and the environment, human rights and social impacts, taking over from Ama Marston.
Land
News
IFC accused of standards breach over Ugandan land grab
A September report by NGO Oxfam International includes criticism of forestry operations in Uganda in which the World Bank's private sector arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has a stake.
Environment
Analysis
Climate Investment Funds Monitor 4
The Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) are financing instruments designed to pilot low-carbon and climate-resilient development through the multilateral development banks (MDBs). They are comprised of two trust funds - the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) and the Strategic Climate Fund (SCF).
Environment
Background
Safeguards and climate finance in Indonesia in the context of REDD+
Notes of meeting, Washington DC, September 23, 2011
Environment
News
IFC investment linked to forest loss
A group of researchers from the American Sociological Association have completed the first cross-national study that examines the impact of International Finance Corporation (IFC) lending on forest loss.
Environment
Analysis
A faulty model?
This paper critically assesses the appropriateness of the Bank-housed Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) as a model for the Green Climate Fund (GCF). It takes proposals and recommendations by civil society groups and uses them as benchmarks to analyse the CIFs. It finds that in terms of institutional arrangements the CIFs have achieved some notable progress, however, in operations and performance there are serious concerns.