Originally drafted as internal operational policies to guide staff, World Bank safeguard policies evolved after pressure from environmental and social groups in the 1980s and were first officially implemented in 1998. They aim to protect people and the environment from the adverse effects of Bank-financed operations and are based on international agreements, even if these protections are not explicitly provided for in the borrower country's national law.
Indigenous peoples
Environment
News
REDD plans move forward despite concerns
As part of the programme for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, the readiness preparation proposals of Guyana, Panama and Indonesia were advanced to the next step by the Participants Committee.
Accountability
Background
IFC and broad community support
Minutes of a session hosted by the IFC at the World Bank spring meetings, April 23, 2009
Environment
News
Inadequate implementation of IFC standards
Two new resources have been released by the Forest Peoples Programme.
Environment
Background
Carbon Finance and the World Bank
World Bank funding of carbon financing
Environment
Background
Dialogue with NGOs and Lars Thunell, Executive Vice President and CEO, IFC
Dialogue with NGOs and Lars Thunell, Executive Vice President and CEO, IFC
Environment
Commentary
Camisea and the World Bank: A lost opportunity to make things better
Several weeks ago the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank approved a loan for Camisea II in Peru, the project to export liquefied natural gas. Even though concerns had been raised about this project over environmental, social and now economic issues, the IFC did not hesitate to provide a loan for the Lot 56 consortium operated by Hunt Oil (Peru NLG).
Environment
News
Forest carbon facility: "more harm than good"?
As details emerge of the World Bank's new facility to pay countries for preventing deforestation, concerns about its operations and governance mount.
Land
News
The Bank, Brazil and biofuels
The World Bank has become a major financial and political supporter of Brazil's campaign for sugar-cane based ethanol and a free market for bio-fuels.
Environment
Background
Highlights of BWI-UK network meeting with Caroline Sergeant, 7 February 2008
Highlights of NGO meeting with alternative executive director to the World Bank, Caroline Sergeant
Featured briefings
6 April 2023
World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings 2023
5 April 2023
The IMF at the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The need for governance reform
As the world celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is time the IMF’s shareholders use the opportunities provided by the anniversary and growing calls for reforms to the international financial architecture to redesign the IMF’s governance structures and programmes to ensure they are consistent with the commitments outlined in 1948 and with international human rights law.
5 April 2023
The global financial architecture and the international debt crisis: An urgent call for reform
Influence of unreformed international financial institutions and creditor interests in debt solutions in low- and middle-income countries plagued by delay and ineffective when undertaken.