Environmental groups and activists claim victory after years of campaigning.
Safeguards
Rights
News
World Bank releases revised ESF Guidance Notes for Borrowers
Despite improvements, notes still contain gaps in key areas including human rights and climate action
Rights
News
CSOs continue to push for review of Bank’s ESF guidance notes
World Bank ESF draft Guidance Notes for Borrowers continue to concern civil society
Rights
News
Long-awaited ESF Guidance Notes fail to meet CSO expectations
Civil society groups write to World Bank calling for substantial revision of the draft Notes.
Rights
Background
The New World Bank environmental and social framework: Implementation update
Notes of 21 April 2017 spring meetings CSPF session on implementation of new environmental and social framework.
IFI governance
Background
UK civil society meeting with UK World Bank Executive Director Melanie Robinson
Notes of a meeting with UK World Bank Executive Director Melanie Robinson 21 July 2016.
Environment
News
World Bank policy lending undermines climate goals
A CSO report has found that the World Bank’s development policy lending is supporting incentives for fossil fuels in Egypt, Indonesia, Mozambique and Peru.
IFI governance
Background
The new World Bank environmental and social framework: Opportunities and challenges for implementation
Notes from a side event on implementation of the new World Bank environmental and social framework, which took place during the World Bank-IMF 2016 annual meetings.
Environment
Background
Safeguarding climate finance: GCF, MDBs, rights, and social/environmental risk
Notes from a side event at the IMF/World Bank 2016 annual meetings discussing lessons learned from the World Bank Group’s experiences with high risk projects, safeguards, gender equality, Indigenous Peoples, and environmental and social management systems, and how these should be applied to the Green Climate Fund.
Rights
News
World Bank approves new “diluted” safeguards
World Bank approved new safeguards after a four year process. Civil society warned of loopholes in new Bank safeguards, its reliance upon “borrower systems”, the lack of references to LGBTQ people and to recognised core ILO labour standards.
Featured briefings
13 July 2021
The IMF's Comprehensive Surveillance Review: A bungled attempt at meeting the moment
Review maintains inadequate and inconsistent approach to economic and gender inequality, as well as climate change.
13 July 2021
The Bretton Woods Observer: Summer 2021
30 March 2021