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bicusa.org/wb Home InstitutionsWorld Bank World Bank (IBRD & IDA) Overview Structure Lending Policies Getting Info Projects Updates Resources Contacts RSS Update \| 3 February 2012 The World Bank seeks Tunisian citizens’ input on its new strategy for the country As the World Bank prepares its upcoming Interim Strategy Note for Tunisia - which will outline its engagement in the country for 2012-2013 - it is seeking citizens’ input and feedback which they can submit online through March 2012. As the first country in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to spark the Arab Spring, Tunisia has shown that equitable development cannot take place in the absence of participation and accountability. With the World Bank playing a role not only in economic reforms but also in the areas of institutional and governance reforms, this consultation is one of hopefully several opportunities for citizens to play a role in shaping the economic and political future of Tunisia. Read more Press Clipping \| 3 February 2012 World Bank Lifts Suspension on All Credits and Grants to Yemen The World Bank announced on January 23rd, 2012 that it would be re-establishing a presence in Yemen after several months of suspended disbursements to the country. The re-engagement is limited however; staff travel to Sana'a is restricted to essential missions, with much of the work continuing to be done out of the Bank's Amman and Cairo offices. A reassessment of the security situation will be done after Yemen's scheduled elections in February. Read more Update \| 2 February 2012 World Bank’s MENA department opens up to inputs from the region’s citizens The Bank Information Center welcomes the World Bank’s initative to open up and create a larger space for civil society from the MENA region. Read more Update \| 25 January 2012 World Bank defends integrity of Development Policy lending, evidence lacking The outgoing World Bank Country Manager for Brazil, Mahktar Diop, challenges the conclusions of an evaluation by Bank Information Center of the $1.3 billion Sustainable Environmental Management Development Policy to promote environmental reforms in Brazil. Read more Update \| 20 January 2012 World Bank appoints Makhtar Diop as new Vice President for Africa Read more Press Clipping \| 19 January 2012 Cairo From Below on World Bank's proposed loan for Egyptian transportation project: Is it enough? Nicholas Hamilton of the blog Cairo From Below discusses a proposed World Bank loan of $250 million for a major Egyptian transportation project, in the broader context of envisioning a sustainable transport strategy for the Greater Cairo Region. The Bank's proposed project is called the Urban Transport Infrastructure Development and is scheduled to be approved by the Bank's Board of Directors in early 2013. Read more Update \| 15 December 2011 World Bank's current portfolio in Egypt Read more Update \| 15 December 2011 The World Bank Group and Lebanon: A country study BIC/MENA publishes a study which overviews and analyzes the World Bank Group's role in Lebanon over the past five years. Read more Update \| 28 November 2011 Letter to the IADB President Luis Alberto Moreno Read more Update \| 23 November 2011 Green energy from the Sahara: great opportunity, great responsibility The long-awaited solar program for the MENA region being co-funded by the World Bank has the potential to provide clean energy and jobs for the region, if it is implemented in consultation with local communities and with their interests and needs as a priority. Read more Update \| 7 November 2011 Update on the proposed Central Asia – South Asia Regional Energy and Trade Project (CASA-1000) The CASA-1000 project, which begins the process of integrating the energy markets in Central and South Asia, is moving along with updated feasilbility studies from an independent consulting firm. Read more Update \| 7 November 2011 Update on the proposed Rogun Regional Water Reservoir and Hydropower Project (Rogun HPP) The World Bank is continuing apace on its work studying the proposed Rogun hydropower project in Tajikistan, which would be the largest hydropower in Central Asia. Two new assessments were recently released. Read more Update \| 20 October 2011 The Sustainable Environmental Management Development Policy Loan for Brazil A new evaluation of a $1.3 billion World Bank development policy loan to promote sustainability reforms at the Brazilian National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) that questions the effectiveness of DPLs due to weaknesses in existing Bank policy guiding their design and execution. This brief calls for the reform of Bank DPL policy as an urgent part of the ongoing revision of World Bank safeguard policies to ensure consistent management of risk across all World Bank operations. Read more Update \| 19 October 2011 World Bank & Development Policy Lending in Brazil: Lessons for Revising DPL Policy A new evaluation of a $1.3 billion World Bank development policy loan to promote sustainability reforms at the Brazilian National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) that questions the effectiveness of DPLs due to weaknesses in existing Bank policy guiding their design and execution. The report calls for the reform of Bank DPL policy as an urgent part of the ongoing revision of World Bank safeguard policies to ensure consistent management of risk across all World Bank operations. Read more Update \| 19 October 2011 Sierra Club reviews issues in World Bank Terms of Reference for Kosovar coal plant The Sierra Club, along with the Kosovar Institute for Policy Research and Development, has commissioned a report detailing the economic data involved in the World Bank's TOR for its proposed Kosovar power project, including a lignite fired coal plant, finding many problems with the analysis. Read more Update \| 18 October 2011 Sara Margalit Aviel nominated as U.S. Alternate Executive Director at the World Bank On September 6, Sara Aviel was nominated to serve as the Alternate Executive Director at the World Bank. Read more Update \| 17 October 2011 REDD Alert October 2011 Read the latest REDD Alert for updates on the R-Package, Carbon Fund and Common Approach, as well as country updates from Africa, Latin America and Asia. Read more Update \| 13 October 2011 Introduction to the FCPF Readiness Package (R-Package) and the Carbon Fund (CF) Operational This update prepared by the Bank Information Center introduces the FCPF Readiness Package (R-Package) and the Carbon Fund (CF) operational. Read more Update \| 7 October 2011 About 38 million of hectares in Colombia were illegally transferred to carbon credits The irregularity of the voluntary market of carbon credits is outpacing the environmental and legislative capacity of the country: irregular transfer of millions of hectares of forests as part of the market for carbon credits and other environmental services. Read more Update \| 6 October 2011 Civil society comes out of meeting with new MENA VP Andersen with a renewed sense of enthusiasm MENA civil society representatives met with the Bank’s new MENA Vice President, Inger Andersen, to discuss Bank-civil society relations in the post-revolution era. The Bank responded positively to civil society’s demands for inclusive, equitable and sustainable development with full civil society participation. Read more Update \| 6 October 2011 MENA civil society extends Arab Spring demands for participation & transparency to WB BIC/MENA and civil society representatives from across the region engaged World Bank officials at the 2011 Civil Society Policy Forum of the World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings, drawing commitments to inclusive and equitable development strategies and greater participation for civil society. Read more Update \| 5 October 2011 Reaching out: MENA civil society representatives meet with Merza Hasan, WB Executive Director Civil society representatives from Egypt, Yemen, Lebanon and Tunisia find Executive Director Merza Hasan receptive to their concerns and willing to break new ground in future engagement with civil society. Read more Update \| 5 October 2011 Egypt’s Laila Iskandar overviews CSO demands at Townhall Meeting with Zoellick and Lagarde At the Civil Society Townhall Meeting with World Bank President Robert Zoellick and IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, Laila Iskandar, an Egyptian activist and chairperson of the Community and Institutional Development Group eloquently spoke on behalf of global civil society outlining the various CSO concerns which had been brought to her attention. Read more Update \| 5 October 2011 MENA civil society wins commitments to engage from World Bank officials at 2011 Annual Meetings With goals of achieving greater participation for civil society organizations in World Bank operations alongside a commitment to inclusive and equitable development strategies, BIC/MENA and civil society representatives from Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Yemen among others successfully engaged the Bank at the 2011 Civil Society Policy Forum of the World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings Read more Update \| 23 September 2011 Move beyond coal, now! The Sierra Club and Bank Information Center are releasing a new report today describing the daily realities of coal impacted communities from Cirebon, Indonesia, the Konkan coast and Kutch India, Inner Mongolia China, Appalachia USA, New South Wales Australia, and Limpopo South Africa. Read more Update \| 6 September 2011 World Bank lending to post-revolution Tunisia This piece provides a brief update about the role of the World Bank in post-revolution Tunisia Read more Update \| 6 September 2011 World Bank Management proposes action plan in response to complaint on Lebanon water project Read more Update \| 1 September 2011 Bank Information Center (BIC) attended the Oslo REDD Exchange The workshop Oslo REDD Exchange 2011 was organized by Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), on 23-24 June 2011. Read more Update \| 1 September 2011 CSO-World Bank correspondence on World Bank Safeguards Review Civil society organizations (CSOs) submitted a letter to World Bank President Robert Zoellick on the World Bank safeguards review on August 31, 2011. The letter includes signatories as of this date and organizations who wish to sign the letter can do so below. On Sep 20, 2011 World Bank Managing Director Caroline Anstey responded to this letter. Read more Update \| 1 September 2011 Gender and international financial institutions: A guide for civil society As the World Bank plans to engage more fully on gender issues, both in the Safeguards review and in the upcoming release of the 2011 World Development Report, CEE Bankwatch has written a guide for CSOs seeking to identify and ameliorate gender-related problems in IFI projects Read more Update \| 31 August 2011 World Bank Safeguard Policy Review: Early Issues, What to Expect? It took many years to establish the World Bank's operational policies that safeguard society and the environment, and are some of the world's highest development standards. As the Bank reviews these policies, civil society is organizing efforts to present their concerns and expectations, and offer their imputs as to what the outcome of the review should be. Read more Update \| 19 August 2011 World Bank closes Egypt's West Delta project Read more Update \| 18 August 2011 Aid to Yemen continues to dwindle as World Bank announces suspension of disbursements BIC/MENA comments on the string of donors cutting aid to Yemen, including the World Bank which recently stopped disbursing funds to Yemen. Read more Update \| 11 August 2011 Brazil to disimburse funds for TIPNIS until ecosystem preservation is guaranteed The disimbursement of the funds for the third section of the Villa Tunari-San Ignacio de Moxos highway is now being withheld until the preservation of the ecosystem in the Indigenous Territory in the Isiboro Sécure National Park (TIPNIS) is guaranteed, a commitment by the government of Evo Morales to Brazil. Read more Press Clipping \| 11 August 2011 Brazil Planning to Invest in 7 Hydroelectric Dams in Latin America Read more Update \| 4 August 2011 Civil society brief on World Bank safeguards review The Bank Information Center, World Resources Institute, and the Center for International Environmental Law have prepared a briefing that introduces the World Bank safeguards review which will begin in September 2011. Read more Update \| 3 August 2011 Huffpo: As debt talks crescendo, let's not give the World Bank a free ride Michelle Chan, economic policy director for Friends of the Earth, writes that with deficit-mania sweeping Washington, Congressional leaders should be focusing on whether the money put into the World Bank is being well spent. Read more Update \| 2 August 2011 IF-Eye India May 2011 Read the English and Hindi versions of the newest IF-Eye here, including an examination of the World Bank's shift to energy transmission and distribution, as well as a review of recently approved and pipeline projects Read more Update \| 29 July 2011 México y la estrategia REDD+ En COP 15, México se comprometió a reducir sus emisiones de GEI, para lo cual se propuso desarrollar la Estrategia Nacional REDD+ (ENAREDD+). A varios pasos de la preparación para la estrategia, el BM ahora realiza una misión Due Diligence. La gerente del equipo de Latinoamérica, observadora para la misión, nos cuenta más sobre el tema. Read more Update \| 24 July 2011 ABC to begin US$118mn La Paz highway project by early 2012 The project will require an investment of some US$118mn, being financed to the tune of US$103mn by a World Bank loan and US$15mn in counterpart funding by the La Paz government. Read more Update \| 21 July 2011 Unlocking the World Bank's Access to Information Policy BIC presents a toolkit for civil society on how to access information at the World Bank. This resource was officially launched at the World Bank Annual Meetings in October 2010, and updated in July 2011 Read more Update \| 18 July 2011 Transparency and borrowing As Egypt's revolution continues to unfold, potential loans from international financial institutions have stoked intense debates. BIC's Amy Ekdawi writes that the fate of these loans must be contingent on open engagement with Egyptian civil society, not backroom deals. Read more Update \| 13 July 2011 U.S. on both sides of new battle over assistance to 'ugly' coal-fired power plant The proposed Kosovo power project, including a new lignite coal plant, has brought great controversy. The United States government is caught between its stated opposition to new coal-fired plants and support for the Kosovar project. Read more Update \| 12 July 2011 PC9 highlights This report from the Bank Information Center as NGO Observer summarizes the main discussions and outcomes from PC9 in Oslo, Norway. Read more Update \| 7 July 2011 World Bank releases comprehensive review of anti-poverty programs in India BIC South Asia here summarized the report "Social protection for a changing India," first commissioned in 2004 and recently released. Read more Update \| 7 July 2011 WB/TAP/FCPF comment on Colombia R-PP The World Bank, the Technical Advisory Panel, and the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility present their comments on the latest draft of the the Colombia R-PP. (Document links). Read more Update \| 7 July 2011 Peru submits fourth version of Readiness Preparation Proposal to PC8 Peru submits their fourth version to the FCPF Participants Committee at their eight meeting in March 23-25. Read more Press Release \| 27 June 2011 Press release: Red Sea - Dead Sea conduit challenged before Inspection Panel Three civil society groups have filed a complaint with the World Bank's Inspection Panel regarding the Bank's studies for the Red Sea - Dead Sea Water Conveyance project that aims to divert water to the Dead Sea, which has been shrinking for years. The Requesters argue that the World Bank should be considering other alternatives which are less socially and environmentally harmful and that Palestinian civil society was not given the opportunity to participate adequately in the consultation process. Read the press release which was put out by the Requesters in July 2011. Read more Update \| 21 June 2011 BICECA Monthly Bulletin Read more Update \| 14 June 2011 The easy credit that fueled Brazil's boom now imperils it Though the success of Latin America's largest economy is well known, less recognized is how much it owes to massive government lending. For a sense of the scale: The development bank's loans last year, just within Brazil, totaled triple the amount the World Bank lent to more than 100 countries. Read more Update \| 7 June 2011 Why India doesn't need World Bank energy funding In a new interview, BIC partner Srinivas Krishnaswami takes a close look at the World Bank's funding of energy projects in India, and finds that very little of the increased capacity the Bank has funded has gone to helping the poor. He then discusses other paths for India's future. Read more Update \| 1 June 2011 More than 50 CSOs send letter to Zoellick urging new Energy Strategy consultations A wide-ranging group of civil society organizations from around the globe, including BIC, has sent a letter to World Bank president Robert Zoellick urging him to open up the proposed Energy Strategy to another round of consultations following significant revisions to the original Approach Paper. Read more Update \| 26 May 2011 The World Bank's coal electricity headache A new report from CO2 Scorecard, based in part on BIC data, looks into the claims surrounding continued World Bank investment in coal, such as the efficiency of supercritical plants, its effect on poor populations, and what makes up an "exceptional case." Read more Update \| 20 May 2011 World Bank vs. World Bank: Protecting safeguards in a “modern” international institution A new blog post from Kirk Herbertson at WRI asks how relevant the World Bank's safeguards will soon be. Though the Bank may be on a course to strengthen safeguard policies, new options may allow countries to skirt the safeguards altogether. Read more Update \| 19 May 2011 World Bank doesn't punish Cambodia on evictions 60 days after the deadline, World Bank failed to receive a resolution plan from the Cambodian government to address eviction and mitigation issues for more than 20,000 people in Central Phnom Penh. What signal does it send? Read more Update \| 19 May 2011 IF-Eye March 2011 Read the English and Hindi versions of the newest IF-Eye here, including updates on the CAO complaint against the GMR power project, news on projects, institutions, and more. Read more Update \| 18 May 2011 Bolivia: The World Bank and the Government recognize deficiencies in the Takana's Indigenous Plan The World Bank and the Government of Bolivia recognize the observations of the TCO Takana I on deficiencies in the Indigenous Peoples Plan of the Ixiamas - San Buenaventura Highway project and accept to start a process to improve the Indiginous Plan even after the project was approved. Read more Press Clipping \| 9 May 2011 Mexico’s Use of "Green" Financing Questioned Over the last decade, the Mexican government has received significant sums in loans from multilateral institutions such as the IDB and WB and the governments of Norway and Germany for climate change-related initiatives. Yet there has been no assessment of the environmental outcomes achieved through this increase in external debt. Read more Press Clipping \| 9 May 2011 Santander Denies Report It Halted Loans for Amazon Power Dam Banco Santander Brasil SA denied it temporarily suspended financing for the Santo Antonio hydroelectric dam in Brazil’s Amazon region. Read more Update \| 3 May 2011 Where is the World Bank’s energy sector strategy headed? A new article from BIC's Paulina Garzon looks at the current status of the World Bank's energy strategy review, which has run into controversy at the Board of Directors. The article notes the politics surrounding the policy, as well as technical Read more Update \| 29 April 2011 IF-Eye India February 2011 Read the English and Hindi versions of the newest IF-Eye here, including updates on IFC's shifting focus to India, news on projects, institutions, and more Read more Update \| 27 April 2011 Corruption in Egypt should disqualify World Bank from U.S. recapitalization Beatrice Edwards of Government Accountability Project argues against the U.S recapitalization of the World Bank for 2012 in light of the Bank’s involvement in projects linked to corruption allegations. Read more Update \| 22 April 2011 Knowledge is power: Transparency and participation will be the drivers of effective development A new article from independent consultant and former BIC staffer Rebecca Harris reports on transparency initiatives at the World Bank. Since the Bank adopted a new Access to Information policy in 2009, people worldwide have begun using this access to improve development outcomes. Read more Update \| 21 April 2011 Senator Kerry sends letter to World Bank on Energy Strategy Sen. John Kerry, in his capacity as Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, has sent a letter to the World Bank outlining three key areas in which the Bank can improve its draft Energy Strategy, and noting that as the Senate considers money for a General Capital Increase, he is watching the development of the Strategy. Read more Update \| 7 April 2011 Economic failures, revolutions and the role of the World Bank in the MENA region The recent uprisings that have affected almost every country in the Middle East and North Africa region are indicative of deep structural issues that are facing societies in these countries. Calls for democracy, economic reforms, employment opportunities and greater accountability require us to question the development model pursued in the region by institutions like the World Bank and the underlying assumptions that may have led to the failure of this model. Read more Update \| 6 April 2011 Long-awaited disclosure on Lebanon Inspection Panel case On March 14, 2011, the World Bank disclosed two documents related to the Inspection Panel case filed by 51 residents of the Greater Beirut area against the Greater Beirut Water Supply Project (GBWSP), a water project in Lebanon that is being financed by the Bank. The GBWSP aims to provide potable water for the citizens of the Greater Beirut area and the low-income neighborhoods of Southern Beirut from the Litani and Awali rivers. Read more Update \| 4 April 2011 Governance in the Ixiamas–San Buenaventura Highway as a World Bank's Tangible ‘Additionality’ The project has a great potential to reorder and even positively or negatively change the dinamics of development and conservation in the region. Bolivia's government has decided that the PAD will not be public before it's approved. It seems that the project underestimates its indirect influence, and there are shortcomings in planification and consultation. Read more Update \| 28 March 2011 Federal forces sent to control $6 Bn, 3.75 GW Jirau dam riots Brazilian security forces have been sent to the Jirau dam construction site where work has been stopped since riots erupted last week over working conditions. Read more Update \| 23 March 2011 CIEL: World Bank failed to consider health and environmental costs in Eskom coal loan A new report from the Center for International Environmental Law sees a bias at the World Bank in favor of megaprojects like South Africa's Medupi coal plant. As it prepares a new Energy Sector Strategy, the report argues, the World Bank must calculate the true costs of its investments. Read more Update \| 23 March 2011 Press Release: World Bank’s forest climate fund slammed for sidelining indigenous peoples’ rights Read more Country Update \| 22 March 2011 Peru Read more Update \| 16 March 2011 Jorg Frieden Represents Switzerland, Poland, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Serbia-Montenegro Read more Press Clipping \| 12 March 2011 Eike Batista's MPX has BNDES backed investments of R$ 1.3 billion MPX, energy company in the group of businessman Eike Batista, yesterday announced a capitalization of $ 1.3 billion to finance projects in Brazil and Colombia. The company will issue convertible debentures into common shares, based on the fixed price of $ 43 per share. The holding company of BNDES (BNDESPar) will participate in the capitalization of nearly half the subscription of the issue: U.S. $ 600 million in debentures. Read more Update \| 8 March 2011 World Bank project tied to forced evictions in Cambodia The World Bank’s Inspection Panel found that the Bank breached its operational policies by failing to properly design and supervise the Cambodia Land Management and Administration Project (LMAP), contributing to the forced eviction of some 4,250 families. Read more Update \| 3 March 2011 World Bank clean energy chief writes about benefits for the poor Dan Kammen has written a blog post discussing the upcoming UNFCCC conference in Durban, South Africa, the Scaling up Renewable Energy in Low-Income Countries program (SREP), and how the poor can benefit from both. Read more Update \| 1 March 2011 British MPs call for World Bank shakeup The House of Commons International Development Committee has called for an end to the informal practice of the World Bank president always appointed from the United States. Additionally, the report criticized inefficiencies in administrative processes as well as a lack of accountability. Read more Update \| 1 March 2011 PRESS RELEASE: International Day of Action demands World Bank end fossil fuel funding NGOs and activists from around the world held rallies on Tuesday, March 1, in London, Paris, Berlin, Johannesburg, and elsewhere, in tandem with a worldwide social media campaign to demand that the World Bank finally put an end to fossil fuel lending. Read more Press Clipping \| 27 February 2011 Yacyreta, monument to corruption, celebrates 37 years Built by Paraguay and Argentina, the Yacyretá Binational Dam continues to cause serious environmental damage, compromising future generations. After a delay of 37 years, its final cost was almost ten times higher than originally budgeted. Read more Press Clipping \| 22 February 2011 Colombia is the target of Brazilian companies Con 45 millones de habitantes, estabilidad economica, y oportunidades en el carbon y el petroleo, Colombia ha entrado al radar de inversionistas Brasileños. Read more Update \| 16 February 2011 Society, subsidies and BNDES As the Brazilian Treasury and BNDES look into the role that subsidies will play in the future of South America, Roberto Smeraldi of Friends of the Earth Brazil discusses how the question is not one of subsidies or not, but rather what subsidies will apply. Read more Update \| 15 February 2011 Civil society to IDB: Safeguard compliance and sustainability promotion not a trade-off Civil society sent a letter to President Luis Alberto Moreno expressing their support, yet concern and strong disagreement with parts of the report’s analysis which, if misinterpreted, could negatively affect the integrity of the principles of sustainability in Bank operations. Read more Update \| 9 February 2011 PRESS RELEASE: The aid revolution begins here After two years of negotiation, Publish What You Fund celebrates the finalization of the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), stating "When everyone can see how much aid is being spent where, and on what, governments – whether giving or receiving aid – can be held accountable by their citizens for spending it well.” Read more Update \| 4 February 2011 World Bank and DPLs: What middle income countries want As the World Bank sets out to review and update its Safeguard Policy framework over the next two years, the Operational Policy 8.60 governing the use of DPLs should be included in that review. This brief identifies five areas of DPL policy guidance that merit revision and could guide a full DPL evaluation. Read more Press Clipping \| 3 February 2011 Government: Mexico’s Homicide Rate Not Latin America’s Worst Brazil, with a homicide rate of 25.3 per 100,000 inhabitants, Jamaica, with 32.4, Belize, with 32.7, Colombia, with 37.3, Venezuela, with 48, South Africa, with 49.6, and El Salvador, with 61, all ranked above Mexico, Read more Update \| 1 February 2011 COGAM and CODE members Below find the current executive directors who serve on the World Bank's Committee on Development Effectiveness (CODE) and the Committee on Governance and Executive Directors' Administrative Matters (COGAM). For contact and biographical information of each executive director, click on their hyperlinked name. Read more Update \| 31 January 2011 World Bank defends its role in climate finance Andrew Steer, the World Bank's special envoy for climate change, recently sat for an interview with Deutsche Welle, discussing the Bank's role in carbon markets, as well as renewable and non-renewable energy projects. Read more Press Release \| 30 January 2011 Brazil Green Lights Amazon Dam Disregarding Environmental Laws and Local Opposition Just a month after World Bank $500 million DPL payment to Brazil, followed by $614 million BNDES bridge loan to Belo Monte builders, New Dilma Government approves fast-track forest clearance and commencement of controversial Belo Monte construction site. Read more Press Clipping \| 30 January 2011 DAR questions constitutionality of Peru emergency investment decrees It seems that the Government has forgotten its commitment to the environment when in January of 2011, it enacted the Emergency Decree No. 001-2011 to eliminate environmental impact certificates to approve 33 projects for investment. Read more Update \| 26 January 2011 RWI: World Bank releases Extractive Industries Annual Report Heike Mainhardt-Gibbs is quoted in a Revenue Watch Institute article contrasting payment disclosure requirements in the Dodd-Frank law and current IFC disclosure requirements. She explains, "The Dodd-Frank provision requires disclosure down to the project level, and this is where the IFC falls short." Read more Update \| 25 January 2011 CSOs question World Bank disbursement of $500mm on environmental development policy loan to Brazil Transparency and accountability gaps are highlighted in World Bank Board Query to Latin American Vice President, Pamela Cox. Read more Update \| 25 January 2011 World Bank hosts its first dialogue on the MENA CSP program in Cairo On January 20, 2011, the World Bank hosted a dialogue on the Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Program in the Middle East and North Africa in Cairo, Egypt in order to discuss the overall CSP program and any key concerns that stakeholders might have. Read more Update \| 25 January 2011 CSOs question World Bank disbursement of the DPL SEM I to Brasil and the mega risks of Belo Monte Civil Society Organizations question the World Bank disbursement of the DPL SEM I to Brasil without clear evidence regarding the implementation of BNDES Safeguards and Social and Environmental policy in emblematic cases Read more Update \| 21 January 2011 FreedomInfo: World Bank sets rules on public interest review Toby McIntosh reports on the World Bank Access to Information Committee stipulation that Bank staff, not the committee, will make decisions regarding the disclosure of documents less than five years old in cases of public interest. Read more Update \| 18 January 2011 BIC holds workshop in Sana'a on CSO engagement with the World Bank Read more Update \| 18 January 2011 Habi Center holds workshop on water rights in Cairo Read more Update \| 7 January 2011 World Bank releases extractives industries annual report The World Bank has published a review of its activities in the extractives sector for 2010. In previous years, the Bank has published the Extractive Industries Review implementation progress report, which detailed not just extractives investments but also how they relate to the commitments of the EIR. Read more Press Clipping \| 30 December 2010 Brazil's reduction in rate of deforestation A developing country already has nearly achieved what the world’s wealthiest countries have only promised to do. Read more Update \| 24 December 2010 Brazil public prosecutor questions BNDES bridge loan to Belo Monte $US 618 million bridge loan from BNDES prior to full environmental license ignores grave risks. Read more Press Clipping \| 24 December 2010 NGOs attempt to block financing for Belo Monte hydroelectric dam Citing underestimation of risks, new analysis by Amigos da Terra Amazonia and International Rivers questions the integrity of BNDES financing decision. Read more Update \| 22 December 2010 World Bank releases progress report on Access to Information policy The report details progress made since the policy's July 1st effective date as well as pre-implementation preparations. The report notes that prior to July 1st, the institution "released more than 17,000 documents and an additional 5,000 legal agreements, which were either restricted under the previous disclosure policy or not readily accessible." Read more Update \| 21 December 2010 Renosi Mokate Represents Angola, Nigeria, and South Africa Read more Update \| 21 December 2010 CSOs call for World Bank to delay $500 million fransfer to BNDES Read more Press Clipping \| 20 December 2010 Study: Catastrophic drought could turn La Paz, Bolivia, and surroundings into desert by 2040 The Bolivian capital of La Paz and its surroundings, home to nearly 2 million people, is poised to experience a catastrophic drought that will turn productive grasslands into arid deserts as soon as 2040 due to rising temperatures, a new study concludes. Read more Update \| 17 December 2010 BIC publishes Executive Director advocacy toolkit BIC is happy to announce the publication of our new Executive Director advocacy toolkit. Built around our ED advocacy workshop held during the 2010 Annual Meetings, this guide provides strategies for civil society actors to engage and build relationships with the World Bank's Executive Directors. Read more Update \| 16 December 2010 U.S. will sign U.N. declaration on rights of native people, Obama tells tribes After a long process of consultation and consideration, the U.S. government has decided to endorse the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The treaty contains significant requirements for free, prior, and informed consent when dealing with native groups, a key demand in the ongoing IFC policy review. Read more Update \| 16 December 2010 Donors pledge $49.3 billion to World Bank fund for poor nations This week in Brussels, donors pledged nearly $50 billion to the World Bank for the IDA replenishment. The World Bank Board is expected to approve the funding package early next year. Read more Update \| 15 December 2010 NGOs want reforms tied to new World Bank funding As the World Bank is expected to announce a new funding package for the world's poorest countries, Matthew Berger of IPS examines NGOs' last-minute appeals to donor countries to use their leverage to compel reforms at the institution. Read more Update \| 14 December 2010 IPS: Africa's future lies in a green energy grid Stephen Leahy of the Inter Press Service reports that experts are recommending "decentralized, green economic development" to meet both energy access needs and international climate obligations. Read more Update \| 13 December 2010 Sierra Club: Such a shame when the facts get in the way The Sierra Club's Nicole G. writes from Cancun for the organization's Cancun Delegation blog, arguing if the World Bank "is serious about playing a role in climate finance, the Bank must revise its Energy Strategy to phase out fossil fuels and ensure energy access for the poor." Read more Update \| 13 December 2010 BIC article published in PNoWB Network Review newsletter A BIC article detailing the first 99 days of the implementation of the World Bank's access to information policy is published by the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank as part of their 2010 Annual Conference newsletter. Read more Update \| 10 December 2010 Cancún climate change conference: We must end energy apartheid In a Guardian article, Drew Corbyn asserts that as ministers address emissions and targets at COP-16, 1.5 billion people in developing countries have no access to energy. He argues, "meeting the basic energy needs of all the world's people would contribute less than 2% to current global emissions." Read more Update \| 10 December 2010 $165M plan for renewable energy The World Bank announced a multimillion-dollar effort to promote renewable energy in Russia through the Russian Renewable Energy Program, supported by the International Finance Corporation, the Global Environment Facility and the Russian Energy Agency. Read more Update \| 8 December 2010 World Bank chief to launch carbon market fund Friends of the Earth U.S.'s Karen Orenstein speaks to Reuters from Cancun, responding to news of the launch of the multi-million dollar World Bank fund to help emerging market countries set up carbon markets. Read more Update \| 8 December 2010 Global Climate Fund in, World Bank out Elizabeth Bast of Oil Change International reports from the COP-16, raising concerns around the World Bank positioning itself as the trustee for a new Global Climate Fund. In her blog posting, Bast questions "How can the World Bank effectively oversee climate finance funding while its energy portfolio continues to fuel the problem?" Read more Update \| 7 December 2010 CAN International: World Bank to coal: ‘I just can’t quit you!’ CAN International highlights inconsistencies between World Bank rhetoric and action when it comes to their energy lending portfolio and climate finance, arguing "if the World Bank believes it can credibly deliver climate finance, it must make a strong and credible commitment to clean up its act." Read more Press Clipping \| 7 December 2010 New World Bank Group Managing Director addresses Arab economic cooperation Mahmoud Mohielden, Managing Director of the World Bank Group since October, visited Yemen for exploratory talks about how collaboration across the Arab world can help the agenda of this developing nation between the Red and Arabian seas. Read more Update \| 7 December 2010 Laos: World Bank-backed dam powers ahead, despite social cost As the World Bank returns to the big dam business with the inauguration of Laos’ largest hydropower project, many are concerned that the Bank-financed dams "will serve as a template for a big dam culture led by private sector investors with little interest in the environmental and social impact of these projects. " Read more Update \| 6 December 2010 World Bank and climate finance: Kicking the coal addiction The Sierra Club's Justin Guay blogs from Cancun about the importance of the World Bank's energy lending strategy in the context of the institution's interest in playing a role in climate finance. He argues that "in order to credibly deliver climate finance...it is clear the institution must make a strong and credible commitment to clean up its act." Read more Update \| 6 December 2010 Sierra Club: Our Orwellian nightmare: Coal's low carbon pitch Mary Anne Hitt, Director of the Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign, and Justin Guay of the Sierra Club International Program blog from COP-16 in Cancun, highlighting "a fatal incoherency in energy sector lending that has enabled coal to pass itself off as a low carbon option for developing countries." Read more Update \| 2 December 2010 Opinions vary and obstacles persist Blogging from Cancun, Mahabat Murzakanova highlights the obstacles to wide civil society participation and achievement of a diverse spectrum of viewpoints at the COP-16. Read more Update \| 2 December 2010 Press Advisory: Climate and Energy Finance: Funding transformation or propping up the past? The December 8 side event to the COP-16 in Cancun will examine international energy public finance, the World Bank's Energy Strategy review and its implications for climate finance architecture. Read more Update \| 2 December 2010 A day of action: Making Southern voices heard The South-South Summit participants prepare for a December 3rd day of action on climate finance. Read more Update \| 1 December 2010 With each day, voices of dissent gain strength Mahabat Murzakanova of Kyrgyzstan's Citizens Against Corruption blogs from Cancun on day 3 of the South-South Summit on Climate Justice and Finance. Read more Update \| 1 December 2010 Press Advisory: COP-16, climate finance and the World Bank Energy Strategy The World Bank has indicated that it would like to play a central role in the management of international climate funds under discussion at COP-16, however the Bank’s record of fossil fuel investments suggest that the institution is not serious about the climate impacts of its own investment portfolio. Read more Update \| 30 November 2010 Cancun climate chronicles: Rough discussions continued Mahabat Murzakanova of Citizens Against Corruption, Kyrgyzstan blogs about her experiences in Cancun for day two of the South-South Summit on Financial Justice and Finance. Read more Update \| 29 November 2010 Cancun climate chronicles: South-South Summit on Climate Justice and Finance begins Mahabat Murzakanova of Citizens Against Corruption, Kyrgyzstan blogs about her experiences in Cancun for the COP-16 meetings. Read more Update \| 23 November 2010 Inspection Panel receives complaint over proposed water project in Lebanon On November 4, 2010 the World Bank’s Inspection Panel received a complaint from a Lebanese citizen representing himself and approximately 50 Beirut inhabitants who say that a World Bank water project will have negative impacts environmentally and economically. Management at the Bank has until December 13, 2010 to respond to the complaint. Read more Update \| 23 November 2010 World Bank loans to energy projects, both clean and dirty, soar Using BIC numbers, Timothy Hurst of Ecopolitology looks into the current burst of funding for energy projects. He finds that the Bank is still analyzing cost-benefit ratio primarily in terms of dollars, not taking greenhouse gas emissions into account. Read more Update \| 18 November 2010 BIC Announces ECA Energy Fellowship Read more Press Clipping \| 14 November 2010 After Madeira, Alstom focuses on transmission of Belo Monte The French transnational has a US$400 million contract to link Rondonia to Sao Paulo, and now shifts attention to the Xingu region of Para. Read more Press Clipping \| 14 November 2010 Brazil's Electrobras learns Spanish The energy giant plans a global expansion in 2011 that by 2020 will generate 10% of total revenues from outside the region and allow Brazil to import energy for increasing demand. Read more Press Clipping \| 14 November 2010 Norway-Guyana forest aid slated for investment in hydro dam The government of Guyana plans to spend most of the Norwegian forest climate aid it will receive during 2010-11 on the Amaila Falls hydropower project, a dam to be built deep in the Amazon rainforest. Norwegian officials insist this is not a done deal, but President Bharrat Jagdeo has staked much personal prestige in the decades-old project. Read more Press Clipping \| 14 November 2010 Brazilian oil & mining companies invest in reforestation With BNDES support, a Vale and Petrobras initiative reforests 28,000 hectares, and projects total protection of 350,000 ha and reforestation of another 150,000 ha. Read more Update \| 13 November 2010 Jirau launches environmental observatory Suez, the lead corporate member of the Jirau Energia Sustentavel consortium building the dam, launched a web based observatory run by youth in the community of Nova Mutum Paraná, Rondonia to provide information about the issues related to the 3,000 MW hydroelectric project and its influence on communities. Read more Press Clipping \| 13 November 2010 Jirau hydro bidding process proves to be test of energy market The energy auction proposed by Energia Sustentável do Brasil (ESBR) - winner of the Jirau hydroelectric project construction bid on the Madeira River, to sell part of hydroelectric energy from Jirau through the free market ended without a new contract. Jirau proposed energy prices between R$130 and R$140 per MWh Read more Update \| 13 November 2010 New video resources on Amazon dams Read more Update \| 9 November 2010 The World Bank Working Group in Lebanon comments on the Country Partnership Strategy FY 2011-2014 On the heels of the Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) approval by the World Bank’s Board of Directors, the World Bank Working Group (WBWG) in Lebanon, a CSO coalition, pushes for increased transparency and broader representation of affected stakeholders in the design and implementation of Bank strategies, programs, and projects in the country. Read more Update \| 5 November 2010 Ensuring positive development outcomes for North Africa CSP Program As the World Bank pushes forward with a massive investment in North Africa’s energy sector, it is up to the institution to ensure that this program benefits those who need it most. Read more Update \| 5 November 2010 World Bank must look at energy project loans' impact, internal audit says An Independent Evaluation Group report says that while the World Bank has significantly increased its investment in renewables over the last decade, it must focus on accounting for the impacts of its projects if it hopes to meet its mandate on reducing poverty. Read more Press Clipping \| 5 November 2010 Egypt, World Bank sign power project accords Egypt and the World Bank on Thursday signed two new loan agreements worth 820 million dollars, in the largest financing provided by the institution to the country's electricity sector Read more Press Clipping \| 4 November 2010 Carbon offset sales have not worked - World Bank A new World Bank study conducted by the Independent Evaluation Group find offset sales are not working and suggests five solutions. Read more Update \| 4 November 2010 Civil society representatives bring energy concerns to Bank in Kazakhstan In late May, nearly 100 representatives of civil society, government, and private sector companies consulted on the World Bank's Energy Strategy. The meeting, held in Almaty, Kazakhstan and videoconferenced to three other countries in the region, focused on hydropower, governance, and extractives. Read more Update \| 3 November 2010 Safeguard issues shadow forests rescue plan Mark Rentschler and Jelson Garcia of BIC are quoted in an IPS article detailing questions around application of social and environmental standards in REDD projects. Read more Update \| 2 November 2010 PRESS RELEASE: Indonesian civil society proposes safeguards framework in the rush for “green gold” BIC announces the launch of "Beyond Carbon: Rights-based Safeguard Principles in Law," a study that serves as a collective proposal to REDD donors and recipients to uphold human rights in the governance of forest-for-carbon schemes. Read more Update \| 1 November 2010 Peru: Statement by AIDESEP on the rights and consultation of indigenous peoples In a public statement directed at the Peruvian State, the World Bank, UNDP and UNFCCC, the Inter-ethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Forest (AIDESEP) denounces plans of the government and its political and corporate allies to grant mining, logging and tourism concessions, as well as approve REDD and environmental services initiatives after blocking the Indigenous Consultation Law. They insist: without territory, rights and consultation for indigenous peoples, such concessions must not move forward. Read more Update \| 1 November 2010 Hassan Ahmed Taha Represents: Botswana, Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe Read more Update \| 1 November 2010 Felix Camarasa Represents: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Paraguay, Uraguay Read more Update \| 1 November 2010 Marta Maria Garcia Jaurequi Represents: Venezuela, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Spain Read more Update \| 1 November 2010 Ingrid Hoven Read more Update \| 1 November 2010 Marie-Lucie Morin Represents: Canada, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenadines Read more Update \| 1 November 2010 Piero Cipollone Represents: Albania, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, San Marino, Timor-Leste Read more Update \| 1 November 2010 Agapito Dias Represents: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Niger, Rebpublic of Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Somalia (informally), Togo Read more Press Clipping \| 30 October 2010 Brazil's national development bank found guilty of driving Amazon deforestation BNDES, Brazil's national development bank, contributed to Amazon deforestation by lending billions of dollars to commercial meatpackers, driving expansion of cattle ranching across the world's largest rainforest, ruled an audit by the Federal Audit Court. Read more Press Clipping \| 28 October 2010 The Developmentalist As head of BNDES, Luciano Coutinho revitalized the bank that now delivers credit to the largest industrial, technology and meat packing economic groups.` Read more Update \| 27 October 2010 WSJ: Brazil Engineers a Critic-Proof Dam A recent article about the 3,000 MW San Antonio hydroelectric dam being built in a highly sensitive international Amazon watershed purported that Brazil had surmounted the environmental and social criticism of the revived Amazon dam building plans for 24 such sites in the coming years. Critics respond the WSJ writer, John Lyons, ignored much of the evidence and argumentation provided to him, resulting in a one-sided presentation of San Antonio that results in a greenwashing of the highly problematic project. Read more Update \| 21 October 2010 Annual Meetings 2010 recap Civil society organizations from all over the world converged on Washington for the World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings. Click here to watch video, read analysis, and more from this year's meetings. Read more Update \| 20 October 2010 Christian Aid: Energy for our common future Christian Aid and Aprodev compiled several civil society assessments of the World Bank Energy Strategy review from a national or regional perspective. Read the resulting energy briefings from Bolivia, India, Peru and South Africa. Read more Update \| 19 October 2010 Guyana: Amaila Falls Hydro: Social and Environmental Aspects The Government of Guyana is planning to build a 140 MW hydroelectric dam on the Potaro River with funding from China and Norway and technical support from the IDB and WB. The first dam is part of a 1060 MW complex that will have signficant social and environmental impacts in the western Amazon region of the country. Read more Update \| 19 October 2010 World Bank releases few summaries of meetings Under the World Bank's new Access to Information Policy, summaries of meetings of the Board of Directors are regularly released. A new FreedomInfo.org study, however, finds many summaries missing, and the ones that are released significantly shorter than summaries from before the new policy was passed. Read more Press Clipping \| 19 October 2010 Can Colombia's new president Juan Manuel Santos close the equity gap? Compared with other countries in Latin America - the most unequal region in the world, Colombia has extremely high extremes in income levels while the concentration of land ownership remains in relatively few hands. Read more Update \| 18 October 2010 Access to information at the World Bank: The first 99 days The Huffington Post publishes a BIC article examining civil society and World Bank perspectives of the first 99 days of the implementation of the institution's Policy on Access to Information. Read more Update \| 14 October 2010 Economist Jeffrey Sachs makes the case for contract transparency BIC publishes an article in The Huffington Post highlighting economist Jeffrey Sachs' arguments for transparency in the extractive industries. Read more Update \| 12 October 2010 IPS: World Bank pressured over record fossil fuels lending Inter Press Service cites BIC in an examination of the World Bank's energy lending within the context of the 2010 Annual Meetings and a newly released IEG report on the application of safeguards and sustainability policies at the institution. Read more Update \| 12 October 2010 IHT/NYT: World Bank pressured on clean energy BIC is cited in an International Herald Tribune special report focused upon World Bank energy lending. The article notes that the Bank is financing more coal than ever, "even though it said only two years ago in a policy document that climate change posed one of the greatest threats to development in poor countries." Read more Update \| 12 October 2010 Energy poverty: NGOs question how the World Bank will bring power to the powerless The Huffington Post publishes a BIC article on the discussion of energy poverty and sustainability that took place at the 2010 World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings last week. Read more Update \| 11 October 2010 Emerging Markets: World Bank in firing line over power investment Emerging Markets quotes Heike Mainhardt-Gibbs on World Bank energy lending, “The Bank are surely considering our arguments on fossil fuels. But we haven’t seen any clear signal that they are going to address this issue in a new way.” Read more Update \| 11 October 2010 WORLD BANK: Fossil fuel loans not going to help the poorest -- study (10/06/2010) Heike Mainhardt-Gibbs is quoted in a Climate Wire article regarding a new Oil Change International study that challenges World Bank claims that its lending must include dirty fossil fuel projects in order to help alleviate energy poverty. Read more Update \| 6 October 2010 Press Release: World Bank fossil fuel projects do not contribute to energy access Oil Change International releases a study that "dispels the myth that World Bank support for coal and oil projects increases access to energy for the world's poorest." Read more Update \| 5 October 2010 Can the World Bank regain its lead on sustainable development? A new article from the World Resources Institute looks into the World Bank's upcoming safeguards review. Recently, World Bank management acknowledged that the Bank has lost its leadership position on safeguards, and said that it seeks to return to this position. However, significant questions remain. Read more Update \| 5 October 2010 World Bank evaluation shows decline of cost benefit accounting as criteria for project approval In a new study, BIC's Vince McElhinny examines recent IEG findings that point to a significant accountability gap with regard to a lack of cost benefit analysis at the institution and what this implies in the context of the ongoing investment lending reform. Read more Update \| 4 October 2010 World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings 2010 Read the latest information on World Bank and civil society events organized around the upcoming World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) Annual Meetings and how to get involved. Read more Update \| 30 September 2010 Zoellick embraces "Multi-Polar World Economy" Matthew O. Berger of the Inter Press Service quotes BIC on the World Bank's new access to information policy. Read more Update \| 29 September 2010 PRESS RELEASE: Civil society to engage World Bank on transparency and sustainability NGOs challenge the institution at the 2010 Annual General Meetings of the World Bank and IMF in Washington, DC, October 6th through 10th. Read more Update \| 28 September 2010 Activist Q&A: Meet Ahmed Swapan Mahmud BIC highlights the work of Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, Executive Director of VOICE, a rights-based activist organization in Bangladesh. Read more Update \| 27 September 2010 World Bank more than doubled its investment in Egypt in 2010 Relationship between Egypt and the World Bank is gaining momentum with the Bank's hire of a new Egyptian Managing Director Read more Update \| 24 September 2010 Roads and Deforestation: proper diagnosis and Basis for Sustainable Transport in Peru's R-PP In general the REDD discussions are based on the assumption of command and control policies that combines investment and capacity to implement economic incentives to avoid deforestation. In this sense there is relatively little emphasis in the discussion of solutions to structural problems that lead people from different sectors to adopt strategies that lead to deforestation and forest degradation, in other terms governance scenarios. Read more Update \| 20 September 2010 Sierra Club: The World Bank, coal & energy poverty A Sierra Club blog post examines the IFI energy lending incoherence with climate change concerns. Justin Guay suggests full cost accounting for fossil fuels and a prioritization of access to modern energy services for the poor. Read more Update \| 15 September 2010 Lebanese CSOs react to disclosure of strategy Toby McIntosh of FreedomInfo.org writes about Lebanese CSOs' response to the World Bank's disclosure of Lebanon's Country Partnership Strategy. Read more Update \| 15 September 2010 The Guardian: World Bank invests record sums in coal Record sums were invested last year in coal power - the most carbon intensive form of energy on the planet - by the World Bank, despite international commitments to slash the carbon emissions blamed for climate change. Read more Update \| 14 September 2010 Press Release: World Bank coal funding hits record high as it seeks climate finance control Christian Aid highlights a record year for coal financing at the Bank: $4.4 billion in 2010. Dr. Alison Doig, Christian Aid's Senior Advisor on Climate Change stated that "Christian Aid hopes the Bank's new energy strategy, which it is currently preparing and which will guide its lending for the next decade, will fundamentally change its approach." Read more Update \| 13 September 2010 Forest Peoples' Programme and others send letter to Zoellick on palm oil Based on recent consultations and a draft framework document for World Bank engagement in the palm oil sector, eight CSOs wrote the letter to argue that the the Bank is not substantively engaging the criticisms of its previous involvement in the sector and urging specific action. Read more Update \| 13 September 2010 Senate Foreign Relations Committee examines the MDB reform agenda On Wednesday, September 15, Chairman John Kerry presided over the committee hearing as the multilateral development banks request capital increases. Links to transcripts of the opening statements and testimonies follow. Read more Update \| 9 September 2010 ClimateWire: World Bank's climate change envoy steers around hot-button issues Andrew Steer was recently appointed to be the World Bank's first envoy on climate change, overseeing the creation of a coherent plan for the Bank to confront the issue. ClimateWire profiles Steer, seeing many praises of the man, but uncertainty in how much change he can bring. Read more Update \| 9 September 2010 International leader on clean energy joins World Bank The World Bank has announced the appointment of Professor of Energy Daniel M. Kammen of the University of California, Berkeley as the organization’s Chief Technical Specialist for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. This new position will provide leadership on a number of fronts. Read more Update \| 8 September 2010 Zambia to represent Africa on World Bank Board Pending Board approval, Zambia will represent a number of Anglophone African countries on the World Bank's Board of Directors, effective October 21, 2010. Meanwhile, discussions are underway to identify which countries will comprise the newly-formed third African seat on the Board. Read more Update \| 8 September 2010 Large-scale farm deals endanger local control, World Bank says Foreign purchases of agricultural land from Mozambique to Cambodia pose “significant risks” to the livelihoods of farmers in countries with “weak land governance,” the World Bank said in a report. BIC's Vince McElhinny argues that the Bank will not be able to do much to alleviate this problem. Read more Update \| 2 September 2010 Lebanese CSOs demand participation in World Bank's Country Partnership Strategy talks In an effort to influence the outcome of an August 31st World Bank Board of Executive Directors' meeting where the Board planned to discuss Lebanon's new Country Partnership Strategy (CPS), a group of Lebanese CSOs submitted a letter to the Board expressing their concerns with the the CPS and the process through which it was prepared. Read more Update \| 2 September 2010 The World Bank’s $6 billion man on climate change The World Bank recently created the position of Special Envoy for Climate Change, a position charged with overseeing massive amounts of money put toward mitigation efforts. Andrew Steer is the first person appointed to this position. Read more Update \| 31 August 2010 India largest recipient of World Bank loans in 2009-10 In fiscal years 2009 and 2010, India received the highest amount of money in loans among any country from both the IBRD and IDA lending arms, committing 15.1% and 17.7% of their respective budgets to the South Asian nation. Read more Update \| 27 August 2010 World Bank trying to "subvert" UN fix for emission offsets, lobby says Three environmental groups called on the World Bank to stop obstructing the overhaul of the United Nations program for awarding emission credits tied to hydrofluorocarbons. They claim that analytical and factual errors in a World Bank report would lead to a derailing of the Clean Development Mechanism. Read more Press Clipping \| 24 August 2010 World Bank grants Egypt 1.2 bil Egyptian pounds for wind energy The World Bank's Board of Directors has approved a loan of $1.2 billion Egyptian pounds to support the development of wind energy. 800 million Egyptian Pounds will be provided by the Clean Technology Fund, which will be a first for the fund in the Middle East and North Africa. Read more Update \| 12 August 2010 ClimateWire: Senate presses World Bank to reduce coal plant loans The U.S. Senate ratchets up the pressure on the World Bank, including language in the 2011 foreign operations funding bill demanding a fossil fuel phase out and a commitment to renewable energy in the Bank's new energy strategy. Read more Update \| 12 August 2010 World Bank energy team reflects on consultation process The World Bank has posted several videos of their Energy Sector Manager and Lead Energy Specialist discussing the consultation process for rewriting the Bank's Energy Strategy. The interviews, where they discuss both the process and substance of the consultations, have been translated into several languages. Read more Update \| 10 August 2010 BIC publishes best practices models for renewable energy Drawing on consultants worldwide, BIC has created a series of documents laying out successful renewable energy projects and the lessons that can be learned from them. The models cover Mexico, Indonesia, Southern Africa, and Central Asia. Read more Update \| 9 August 2010 Indian NGOs provide input into the World Bank Energy Strategy A consortium of civil society organizations provided comments on the World Bank Energy Strategy review following the consultation held in New Delhi on July 28, outlined in a communique. Read more Update \| 9 August 2010 FY 2011 Appropriations Bill includes language on World Bank Energy Strategy Bill ties the World Bank’s General Capital Increase request to a rapid phase out of Bank support for fossil fuel projects. Read more Update \| 5 August 2010 Transparency in the World Bank: A question of rights or discourse? It is one thing for the World Bank to promote a discourse of transparency and information disclosure and quite another to commit to being a public finance institution that respects all of the rights of people affected by the projects which they finance. Unfortunately, the Bank has not been willing to make this commitment. Read more Update \| 4 August 2010 World Bank releases first set of simultaneously disclosed documents Little over a month after the Access to Information Policy came into effect, the first few documents to be released through the "simultaneous disclosure" clause are trickling out of the Bank. The implications of such releases, however, have yet to be seen. Read more Update \| 4 August 2010 PRESS RELEASE: Eskom Inspection Panel case leads civil society to demand changes Following the Inspection Panel's decision to launch a full investigation into the recently approved loan to South African utility Eskom, South African and international CSOs called for the World Bank to learn from the loan as it reviews its Energy Strategy. Read more Update \| 30 July 2010 World Bank land grab report under fire A draft report set to be released in August details the boom in agricultural land in the global south. Some have argued that the Bank is trying to bury the report because it contradicts Bank policies. Read more Update \| 29 July 2010 Inspection Panel to investigate the Bank's controversial Eskom coal loan The Panel was given the green light today to conduct a full investigation into alleged policy violations in the World Bank's loan to South African power utility Eskom based on a complaint from local communities, who allege that the project will result in significant harms to their health, environment and livelihoods. Read more Update \| 29 July 2010 International Rivers interviews Dan Kammen Kammen was recently selected to head the World Bank's renewable energy unit. In this interview, he discusses how technological change has affected the market for renewable energy and warns of "one size fits all" energy paths for developing countries. Read more Update \| 27 July 2010 Civil Society Organizations submit a letter to President Moreno after his re-election Civil Society Organizations sent a letter to President Moreno to remind him that the mandate of his next Presidential term at the Bank will rest on three fundamental challenges: an Evidence-based Results Management, Institutional Governance, and a Social and Environmental Sustainability vision for the region. This in despite of controversial management style and consequent Bank performance over the last five years under his Presidency. Read more Press Clipping \| 27 July 2010 Bolivian Deputy Minister of Environment and Director of Environment submit their resignation Bolivian Deputy Minister of Environment Juan Pablo Ramos and Director Environment Luis Beltrán submitted irrevocable resignation from their posts on Friday of last week, after government officials tried to force them to sign an environmental permit for the construction of a highway in the Chapare region of Cochabamba. Read more Update \| 27 July 2010 Sustainable energy solutions in Indonesia: A learning opportunity for the World Bank Group The Cinta Mekar Micro-Hydro Power Plant project and the Kulon Progo Improved Cook Stove Project in Indonesia demonstrate the development effectiveness of off-grid renewable energy projects. A best practices study identifies the replicable elements of the two projects. Read more Update \| 22 July 2010 The Republic of Congo’s REDD “Readiness Preparation Proposal” (R-PP) creates controversy Despite controversy surrounding it, the R-PP of the Republic of Congo was deemed of sufficient quality to move forward in the process, at the sixth Participants Committee meeting of the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF). Read more Update \| 21 July 2010 FoEME reports back on World Bank's public hearings on Red-Sead Sea conduit In June 2010, the World Bank held its third set of public hearings with respect to the Red-Dead Sea conduit project. Friends of the Earth - Middle East attended the hearings and presented comments. This report comes from the FoEME website. Read more Update \| 15 July 2010 World Bank, NGOs spar over Indonesian mine project The World Bank's Board of Directors said studies for a potential mining project in Indonesia could move forward Tuesday but civil society groups, citing studies that have already been done, condemned the decision. Read more Country Update \| 14 July 2010 Central African Republic Read more Country Update \| 14 July 2010 Costa Rica Read more Country Update \| 14 July 2010 Cambodia Read more Country Update \| 14 July 2010 Brazil Read more Country Update \| 14 July 2010 Burkina Faso Read more Country Update \| 14 July 2010 Argentina Read more Update \| 13 July 2010 Field report: Fighting for Lake Turkana For the people of northwestern Kenya, fighting to protect Lake Turkana from the Gibe 3 Dam is a fight for their livelihoods and the future of their unique cultures. International Rivers recently took a trip to the area and documented their struggle. Read more Update \| 12 July 2010 PRESS RELEASE: Independent review points to Weda Bay Nickel plans as cause for major concern Global civil society rallies against MIGA endorsement for an Indonesian nickel mine project due to substantial social and environmental concerns. Read more Update \| 12 July 2010 Governance in REDD+ An experts workshop on governance safeguards in REDD+ was held from May 24th-25th, 2010 at the Chatham House, in London. In preparation for the workshop a background paper, "Governance in REDD+" was released, looking into the issues raised in REDD+ thus far. Read more Fact Sheet \| 9 July 2010 Participants Committee Meetings Read more Update \| 9 July 2010 Warning signs for the future of the Peruvian Amazon This month's edition of the BICECA Monthly Bulletin features a summary of the event entitled "Oil and Mining Booms and Sustainable Development: Lessons from Peru for Development Planning & Revenue Management at the National and subnational level" (Washington, DC, June 16, 2010). Read more Update \| 6 July 2010 We need sustainable development banks, say NGOs MEXICO CITY, Jul 5, 2010 (IPS) - Non-governmental organizations from across the Americas are demanding that the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank institute policies that favor sustainable energy and help mitigate climate change. Read more Update \| 1 July 2010 The World Bank's Energy Portfolio: Claiming sustainability amid contradictions This month's edition of the BICECA Monthly Bulletin features updates on the World Bank's Energy Strategy Review as well as the IFC's Policy and Standards Review in Latin America. Read more Press Clipping \| 1 July 2010 Jagdeo intensifies pleas for REDD money Guyana's president implores the FCPF Participants Committee and the World Bank not to "obsess" over gaps in capacity, territorial right and indigenous consultation before REDD funds are disbursed. Read more Press Clipping \| 1 July 2010 APA encourages donors to listen to forest dwellers' views President of the Amerindian Peoples Association Tony James calls on the World Bank to perform its proper due diligence to ensure that issues of territorial rights and meaningful consultation of indigenous peoples are addressed in Guyana. Read more Update \| 1 July 2010 PRESS RELEASE: Revised World Bank access to information policy goes live BIC and partners convene at the World Bank to celebrate the implementation of the Bank's revised access to information policy. Read more Update \| 30 June 2010 Egyptians tell the World Bank what they want loudly and clearly: Renewable energy At an energy consultation on June 29 for which it took weeks to finalize a date, 25 Egyptians from various segments of society, including NGOs, academic institutions, and private firms, all had one clear message for the World Bank to think about when designing its new energy strategy: "focus on renewable energy projects." Read more Update \| 28 June 2010 The Washington Post: Medicine fit for the World Bank? The Washington Post published a BIC Letter to the Editor arguing that significant reform must accompany the World Bank's request for an $86.2 billion general capital increase. Read more Update \| 25 June 2010 ClimateWire: Zoellick to appoint climate change envoy Andrew Steer will begin his role as climate change envoy at the World Bank on July 1. Read more Update \| 25 June 2010 International Rivers and nearly 100 others send letter to World Bank on dams Noting the increased commitment to large hydropower projects, 92 civil society organizations wrote to the World Bank asking that it pay attention to the known social and environmental problems associated with the sector. Read more Update \| 24 June 2010 Activist Q&A: Meet Mirvari Gahramanli BIC highlights the work of Mirvari Gahramanli of Azerbaijan's Oil Workers’ Rights Protection Organization. Read more Press Clipping \| 22 June 2010 Investing in renewable energy for Egypt's future Writing in the Egyptian daily Al-Masry Al-Youm English Edition, Amr Mohsen of Lotus Solar Technologies and BIC's Amy Ekdawi lay out the case for Egypt to seek a transition to renewable energy now, not later, and to request that the World Bank aid this change of direction. Read more Update \| 21 June 2010 Human rights (the World Bank way) A new article published in the Bretton Woods Update from the staff of the World Resources Institute examines the World Bank's relationship with human rights. The Bank has several policies in place that approximate human rights law, but do not explicitly tie the Bank to it. Read more Update \| 18 June 2010 Human rights (the World Bank way) Kirk Herbertson, Kim Thompson and Robert Goodland of the World Resources Institute ask why the World Bank Group – which is owned by the same governments that demanded a human rights policy at the EBRD – is hesitant to discuss human rights openly. Read more Update \| 17 June 2010 CSOs give feedback on IFC Performance Standards More than 50 representatives from civil society organizations (CSOs) and industry convened at the World Bank yesterday to provide feedback for International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) Policy and Performance Standards Review. Read more Update \| 14 June 2010 World Bank will launch new Access to Information Policy on July 1 The Access to Information Working Group is finishing up its preparations for the July 1 launch of the new policy. Though the policy was approved in December, AIWG has been working for 6 months to train staff and create guides for the new policy. Read more Update \| 11 June 2010 Nearly 300 CSOs say there is "no role" for the World Bank in climate finance Civil society organizations from more than 50 countries released a letter to President Obama today asking the U.S. to withhold support for any scheme in which the World Bank would have a major role in climate finance, citing the body's undemocratic nature and poor record with climate change. Read more Update \| 10 June 2010 Red Sea–Dead Sea Water Conveyance Study Program : Public Meetings 13, 14, 15, 16, 20 June 2010 According to the World Bank, as part of the public consultation process under the Red Sea–Dead Sea Water Conveyance Study Program, the Beneficiary Parties (the Government of Israel, the Government of Jordan and the Palestinian Authority) plan to hold a series of meetings to update interested stakeholders on the progress under the Red Sea-Dead Sea Water Conveyance Study Program and seek their feedback. Read more Update \| 8 June 2010 Ten years since the Chad-Cameroon pipeline, has the World Bank learned its lesson? On the tenth anniversary of the funding of the Chad-Cameroon Oil & Pipeline Project, the World Bank continues to practice problematic energy investment strategies. This emblematic project and its problems should inform the Bank's new Energy Strategy and how it invests in poor communities. Read more Update \| 3 June 2010 World Bank investigates Cambodian land titling project The World Bank Inspection Panel began its investigation into the Bank-funded Land Management and Administration Project (LMAP) in Cambodia last week, following a complaint that World Bank safeguard policies were disregarded during the $28.8 million project, leading to more than 20,000 forced displacements. Read more Update \| 3 June 2010 New South African coal plant seeks emission credits for "cleaner" coal On the heels of winning a $3.75 million loan from the World Bank, South African utility Eskom is now seeking carbon credits from the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism. Environmentalists are outraged that one of the largest coal plants in the world could receive public funds from both the World Bank and the CDM. Read more Update \| 3 June 2010 Activists protest Energy Strategy consultation in Brussels The protestors, led by Friends of the Earth Europe, gathered peacefully outside of the meeting where they demanded an end to the World Bank's financing of fossil fuel projects. Read more Update \| 1 June 2010 BIC and FDPD co-host energy workshop in Cairo as first event within new protocol On May 3rd 2010, FDPD and BIC organized a panel discussion to bring together energy experts from NGOs, the private sector, and academia among others, to discuss Egypt's energy sector and the role that the World Bank Group would ideally play in that sector. The event also marked the first collaborative effort within a new BIC-FDPD protocol. Read more Update \| 24 May 2010 ClimateWire: Eskom fallout spurs new opposition to World Bank's role in climate funding A new ClimateWire article looks into the growing number of voices concerned about the World Bank's role in a post-Copenhagen world. The Bank's recent approval of a controversial loan to South African utility Eskom has spurred several previously reserved groups to demand reforms. BIC board member David Hunter was quoted. Read more Update \| 24 May 2010 Spring Meetings 2010 recap A postmortem of the 2010 World Bank Spring Meetings, held April 22-25 in Washington DC, including studies, event descriptions, and videos from selected events. Read more Update \| 21 May 2010 SAVE THE DATE: Oil and mining booms and sustainable development Wednesday, June 16th, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies will host a panel titled "Oil and mining booms and sustainable development: Lessons from Peru for development planning and revenue management at the national and subnational level." Read more Update \| 18 May 2010 Civil society writes letter opposing general capital increase More than 100 civil society organizations from around the globe signed on to a letter demanding an end to all fossil fuel projects at the World Bank with aims other than energy access for the poor. Until the Bank halts the financing of such projects, bringing them into line with the G20 and APEC pledges to phase out fossil fuel subsidies, these CSOs will oppose the Bank's recapitalization ask. Read more Update \| 17 May 2010 Will climate finance mean a new path for the World Bank? Athena Ballesteros writes on the World Bank's blog about the necessary changes as the Bank takes on greater roles in climate finance. Ballesteros is a senior associate at the World Resources Center and a member of BIC's board of directors. Read more Update \| 12 May 2010 Now is the time to shift World Bank resources to clean energy Jake Schmidt of the Natural Resources Defense Council writes that before the U.S. commits to funding the World Bank's capital increase, the Bank must commit fully to being part of the climate change solution. Read more Update \| 12 May 2010 NGO community celebrates 20th anniversary of the Pelosi Amendment At a dinner in the Rayburn Congressional Office Building, representatives of non-governmental organizations, the U.S. government, and multilateral development banks came together to celebrate the Pelosi Amendment, a longstanding requirement for environmental assessment in MDB loans. Read more Update \| 6 May 2010 BIC's model Energy Strategy launch: video and commentary On April 24, BIC launched a model Energy Strategy for the World Bank. Taking advantage of the many representatives of government and civil society in town for the World Bank Spring Meetings, we held an event with an expert panel addressing the World Bank's problmetic approach to energy and how the Bank can transform its lending. Read more Update \| 5 May 2010 PRESS RELEASE: Time for the World Bank to clean its energy investments – or lose relevance A BIC-IeSR press release calls on the World Bank to clean up its energy investments before approval of an $86 billion recapitalization this fall. Read more Press Clipping \| 4 May 2010 The year of coal in 2010? In a recent CEE Bankwatch article, BIC consultant Heike Mainhardt-Gibbs writes that without drastic changes to the World Bank's Energy Strategy, business as usual will ultimately mean more mega-projects for coal power in middle income countries, instead of an actual reduction in poverty for the most vulnerable. Read more Update \| 3 May 2010 Civil society lights the World Bank's path to clean energy at Spring Meetings The Huffington Post publishes a BIC op-ed on civil society's insight and input into the World Bank's Energy Strategy review process. Read more Press Clipping \| 30 April 2010 Obama administration continues to subsidize coal Despite pledges to the contrary, a new report from environmentalist Joshua Frank shows that the Obama administration is subsidizing coal to an unprecedented degree, including through the World Bank and other MDBs. Read more Update \| 30 April 2010 WRI releases report on sustainable energy investments A new report from WRI coathored by BIC board member Athena Ballesteros examines MDB investment in the power sector between 2006 and 2008 and what the policies, regulations, and institutional capacities of this period mean for the future. Read more Update \| 29 April 2010 New analysis: FY2010 already the World Bank's largest year for fossil fuel spending to date A new factsheet from BIC consultant Heike Mainhardt-Gibbs shows that fiscal year 2010 is the most the World Bank has ever loaned for fossil fuel. There are still two months left in FY2010, during which the Bank will decide on a coal plant to be built in Botswana. Read more Press Release \| 28 April 2010 World Bank agrees to full investigation into land activities in Cambodia Human rights organizations welcomed news last week that the World Bank Inspection Panel will conduct a full investigation into the Bank-funded land-titling project in Cambodia, following a complaint that groups vulnerable to forced eviction have suffered serious harm from the project. Read more Press Clipping \| 28 April 2010 Civil society calls on World Bank to reform its energy lending Against the backdrop of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund's spring meetings this weekend, numerous groups have chimed in on the need for and direction of a new World Bank energy strategy. Read more Press Clipping \| 28 April 2010 World Bank $5.1 billion capital increase raises China’s stature The World Bank's planned capital increase will add to the voting share of large middle income countries such as China, but will not increase the votes for least developed countries. The money for the GCI must still be approved by country legislatures including the U.S. Congress. Read more Press Release \| 27 April 2010 World Bank plans reforms to voting power and $86 billion capital boost After much debate, the World Bank has created a plan for both a general capital increase to maintain the Bank's ability to lend and special capital increases to realign the voting power of countries in both the Bank and IFC. Read more Update \| 26 April 2010 BIC releases model World Bank Energy Strategy As the World Bank is crafting its new Energy Strategy, BIC has put together a model for how we think the Bank's final strategy should look. The model was created in consultation with civil society and energy experts worldwide. Read more Press Clipping \| 23 April 2010 Sen. Lugar calls for reform before re-funding In an Op-Ed in the Washington Times, Senator Richard Lugar makes the case for refusing a capital increase for the World Bank until reforms are implemented. Read more Update \| 23 April 2010 World Bank Spring Meetings 2010 Read the latest information on World Bank and civil society events organized around the upcoming World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings and how to get involved. Read more Update \| 22 April 2010 PRESS RELEASE: Civil society opposes Zoellick's GCI request Civil society organizations voice opposition to the World Bank's recapitalization ask. Read more Update \| 20 April 2010 Concentrated Solar Power in MENA In a moment where the World Bank is reviewing its energy strategy, it is channeling the funds for a major program in the MENA region which may lead to technological breakthroughs with respect to mitigating climate change, but at what cost? This article examines the different factors associated with the development of Concentrated Solar Power in the region. Read more Update \| 15 April 2010 BIC's Amy Ekdawi on the World Bank's revised disclosure policy and its implementation Writing for the International Budget Partnership newsletter, Amy explains the origins of the revised policy, its strengths and weaknesses, and the role civil society is playing as it is implemented over the first half of 2010. Read more Update \| 13 April 2010 Access to Information policy implementation weekly updates The World Bank Access to Information Working Group and its seven subgroups will provide information about how the policy is being implemented, encouraging civil society to monitor and help. Read more Update \| 13 April 2010 Access to Information Working Group update April 5, 2010 Read more Update \| 12 April 2010 Forest Carbon Partnership Facility concludes fifth Participants Committee meeting Representatives from donor countries, REDD countries plus observers and World Bank staff met in La Lope, Gabon from March 22 to 25 to discuss readiness proposals from several countries. Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo and Mexico were each allocated readiness grants up to 3.6 million USD. Read more Update \| 9 April 2010 South African activist speaks out about World Bank loan on Democracy Now In an interview with Amy Goodman of Democracy Now, Desmond D'Sa of the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance spoke about the controversial loan to Eskom and what will be done now that the Board has approved it. Read more Update \| 8 April 2010 World Bank approves $3.75 billion loan to Eskom Despite strong opposition from concerned South Africans and marathon deliberations, the Bank today voted to approve a loan that will help fund one of the dirtiest coal-fired power plants in the world. Read more Press Clipping \| 8 April 2010 U.S. to abstain on South African coal plant South African activist Desmond D'Sa is quoted in the ClimateWire article. Sources say that later today, the U.S. will abstain from voting on the controversial Eskom loan rather than vote against it. Read more Update \| 7 April 2010 US and African voices shout a resounding “NO” to Eskom in front of the World Bank Civil society activists converged at the World Bank on Wednesday afternoon in protest of the proposed $3.75 billion loan to South African power utility Eskom. Read more Update \| 6 April 2010 World Bank enhances its support for Mediterranean Integration As the World Bank increases cooperation and coordination of development schemes with the Europeans, how might this affect lending trends in the Middle East and North Africa? Read more Update \| 6 April 2010 PRESS RELEASE: South Africans say "no" to Eskom coal Community members from South Africa's Limpopo Province filed a complaint with the World Bank Inspection Panel today due to the proposed $3.75 billion loan to Eskom. Read more Update \| 5 April 2010 Activists from U.S. & Africa to demonstrate at the World Bank in Washington, DC Civil society activists to converge at the World Bank on Wednesday in protest of the proposed $3.75 billion loan to South African power utility Eskom. Read more Press Clipping \| 5 April 2010 ClimateWire: South African coal plant proposal strains 'culture' of World Bank Underlying the controversial proposed loan to the South African utility company Eskom are changing internal politics of the World Bank. Lisa Friedman of ClimateWire analyzes the implications for future World Bank loans. Read more Press Clipping \| 5 April 2010 Lori Pottinger: World Bank gives South Africa lumps of coal Lori Pottinger of International Rivers writes about South Africa's potential for renewable energy, contrasted to the heavy focus on coal power that Eskom is pursuing. Read more Press Clipping \| 2 April 2010 The Guardian: South Africa is becoming a high-carbon zone to attract foreign investment South Africa's proposed Medupi power station would help maintain the country's status as a low cost location for industry. The Guardian's Joss Garmin discusses the implications of the World Bank loan to Eskom in the context of global politics of climate change. Read more Press Clipping \| 1 April 2010 UK will be key vote on Eskom loan The vote on the controversial loan to Eskom at the World Bank Board of Directors on April 8 is still up in the air. The government of the United Kingdom is still weighing the options, but will very likely be the deciding vote. Read more Update \| 31 March 2010 PRESS RELEASE: The Bank's conceptual leap with limits BIC consultant, Bruce Jenkins publishes report examining gaps and gains in the World Bank's revised information disclosure policy. Read more Update \| 31 March 2010 Activist Q&A: Meet Sergei Vorsin BIC highlights the work of Sergei Vorsin of Tajikistan's Taraqqiet Development Centre. Read more Update \| 30 March 2010 World Bank recapitalization update - “New world – same World Bank” The proposed capital increases for the World Bank and IFC would expand their size without expanding the scope of their reform. Read more Correspondence \| 25 March 2010 CSO exchanges letters with WB & Egypt's Min. of Water Resources re: controversial West Delta project Habi Center for Environmental Rights continues to engage the World Bank and the Egyptian government on the West Delta project. Egyptian CSOs have been urging the Bank to consider an alternative irrigation project which would help poor farmers as well. Read more Press Clipping \| 17 March 2010 Lobbying intensifies on World Bank's proposed South African power plant loan South African activists Caroline Ntaopane and Makoma Lekalakala take on the World Bank's proposed loan to Eskom. Read more Update \| 16 March 2010 World Bank to hold fifth meeting of the FCPF Participants Committee March 22 to 25 in La Lope, Gabon The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility will hold the fifth meeting of its Participants Committee in order to discuss several reforms and readiness proposals. Read more Update \| 16 March 2010 The World Bank Group's strategies in MENA countries Find out what the World Bank's strategy is in your country. In some instances, there is a Country Assistance Strategy (CAS), and in others, the Bank has used a more collaborative approach in designing and defining the pillars of their development program, to design a Country Partnership Strategy (CPS). Read more Update \| 16 March 2010 Five NGOs release a joint statement on REDD in the Democratic Republic of Congo Rainforest Foundation Norway, Rainforest Foundation UK, Greenpeace, FERN and Global Witness, released a joint statement on March 12, 2010, criticizing the Democratic Republic of Congo's REDD readiness proposal for the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility. Read more Update \| 16 March 2010 Invitation: Friends of the Earth meeting on proposed Eskom loan Friends of the Earth is planning a discussion with two South African activists about the proposed $3.75 million loan to Eskom which will fund the construction of the Medupi power station tomorrow at 1 p.m. Read more Update \| 16 March 2010 World Bank Executive Directors Directory Find information about your World Bank executive director, including bios and contact information Read more Update \| 12 March 2010 World Bank research supports renewable energy expansion World Bank research paper debunks conventional views that renewable energy is too costly for large-scale expansion. Read more Update \| 11 March 2010 Ian Solomon confirmed as new U.S. Executive Director at the World Bank The night of March 10, the full Senate confirmed Ian Hoddy Solomon by voice vote to be the Executive Director for the United States at the World Bank. He will replace Eli Whitney Debevoise II. Read more Update \| 11 March 2010 Lugar: No more money for development banks until reform The staff of Senator Richard Lugar released a report to the Committee on Foreign Relations calling for reform of the IFIs before Congress approves upcoming capital replenishment requests for the institutions. Read more Update \| 10 March 2010 World Bank convenes multi-stakeholder energy consultation in DC The multi-stakeholder consultation addressed the World Bank's Energy Strategy Approach Paper which will guide the Bank's energy lending over the coming decade. Civil society, the private sector and international orgs provided feedback to the Bank. Read more Update \| 4 March 2010 New from BIC: CSO participation in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative In 2009, BIC conducted a survey of civil society organizations in 19 countries involved in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, a coalition that works with the World Bank Group to promote transparency in extractives. The survey looked into the effectiveness of CSO participation and the role of the World Bank in the process. Read more Update \| 4 March 2010 New CAP paper on the MDBs and climate change A new report from the Center for American Progress looks into the World Bank's ability to exacerbate or alleviate climate change through its project funding and its ability to set standards for other institutions. BIC's analysis of the Bank's energy lending is cited Read more Press Clipping \| 4 March 2010 World Bank to delay Congo hydro project three years The Bank will delay the proposed refurbishment of the Inga 1 and 2 dams until 2016, and will cut back the size of the project. Staff said that the cutbacks were due to both the world financial crisis and problems specific to the project. Read more Press Clipping \| 1 March 2010 CSOs help train Bank staff on engaging civil society Amy Ekdawi and Nadia Daar of BIC's Middle East and North Africa Program participate in four training sessions for the World Bank's MENA staff on engaging civil society in the region. This training is part of the Bank's Enhanced Action Plan for the MENA region which includes improved consultations, increased translation, and more engagement with civil society. Read more Update \| 23 February 2010 Eskom's R29 billion World Bank loan runs into opposition A broad coalition of civil society in South Africa is mobilizing opposition to the controversial loan proposed to help fund the Medupi coal plant. They threatened a boycott of World Bank bonds if the loan is approved. Read more Press Clipping \| 22 February 2010 MINAM launches consultation on Peru national climate strategy Read more Press Clipping \| 16 February 2010 Bangladesh rejects terms for £60m of climate aid from UK The Bangladeshi government objects to grant money being channelled through the World Bank, which it says will attach unfavourable "strings and conditions." Read more Press Release \| 16 February 2010 PRESS RELEASE: South Africans say no to Eskom's R29 billion World Bank Loan Communities, environmental groups, academics and NGOs today call on the World Bank to cease and desist from a proposed loan of R29 billion ($3.75 bn) to Eskom. If this loan – which may come up for a Board vote in March or April – goes through, poor South Africans will have to bear the burden of Eskom’s debt and the World Bank’s cost recovery programme, and climate change will intensify. A world campaign begins now. Read more Update \| 13 February 2010 GUYANA: Pro-Forest Measures Anger Miners Read more Press Clipping \| 6 February 2010 HAITI: U.S. Lawmakers, NGOs Call for Debt Cancellation On the eve of Friday's meeting by G7 finance ministers in Iqaluit, Canada, 94 members of the House of Representatives sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner that also called for 'the provision of assistance to Haiti in the form of grants so that the country does not accumulate additional debts. Read more Press Clipping \| 5 February 2010 Brazil Gives Green Light to World's Third Largest Dam Despite Kayapo protests over flawed consultation process, IBAMA has granted a preliminary license to move forward with the 11,000 MW - $20 billion Belo Monte hydroelectric dam. Brazilian government officials have threatened the Para Public Ministry not to bring lawsuits to block the dam. Read more Update \| 5 February 2010 Anna Brandt Represents: Norway, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Sweden Read more Update \| 4 February 2010 Nine Executive Directors write to President Zoellick about U.S. coal guidelines On January 13th, nine executive directors representing China, India, and other countries in the Global South wrote a letter protesting the recently announced guidelines from the U.S. for what coal projects it could support. The directors objected to the United States declaring it wouldn't support coal projects while maintaining its own reliance on coal power. Read more Update \| 3 February 2010 World Bank Amazon Dieback Study Predicts Greater Probability & Severity of Biome Collapse "The World Bank released a study that finally put the impacts of climate change, deforestation and fires together. The tipping point for the Amazon is 20 percent deforestation," and that is "a scary result," Tom Lovejoy, a member of the external review panel for the report, told Tierramérica in an interview. The study, "Assessment of the Risk of Amazon Dieback," released Jan. 22, drew on the expertise of several international research institutions, including Japan's Meteorological Research Institute, Britain's Exeter University, Brazil's Centre for Weather Forecasting and Climate Change (CPET/INPE), Germany's Potsdam Institute and Earth3000. Read more Update \| 1 February 2010 United States reform priorities for MDB capital increases Within the context of the upcoming general capital increase for the World Bank, African Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Treasury Department produced a document outlining U.S. reform priorities for these multilateral development banks. Read more Press Clipping \| 1 February 2010 Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union holds a workshop on the World Bank On January 27, 2010, BIC's MENA Program Manager, Amy Ekdawi spoke at a workshop organized by the Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union's Lebanon Budget Project (LBP) which was geared towards educating Lebanese civil society groups on the World Bank's involvement in Lebanon and how to participate in the Bank's decision making process. This workshop was part of LBP's broader mandate to encourage citizen participation in the design of the Lebanese budget. Read more Update \| 29 January 2010 Ian Solomon has hearing in front of Senate Committee Awaiting his confirmation as the new U.S. Executive Director at the World Bank, Ian Solomon testified about how his experience would inform his time at the Bank, and about the role he sees the institution taking. Also testifying was Walter Crawford Jones, nominee to be U.S. Executive Director at the African Development Bank. Read more Press Release \| 28 January 2010 The Desired Future of the Peruvian Amazon 2021? Book Launch: Jan. 26 & 27, 2009 - Lima, Peru: Peruvian Amazon in 2021-Infrastructure and the Exploitation of Natural Resources: What is happening and what does it mean for the future? by Marc Dourojeanni, Alberto Barandiarán y Diego Dourojeanni is a publication in which the authors fill a informational gap that exists for Peruvian citizens regarding what the government and private investors plan to do in the coming decade in the Peruvian Amazon. Read more Update \| 28 January 2010 World Bank Environment Strategy consultation calendar now available Alongside the Energy Strategy review, the Bank has been working on a revision of its broader Environmental Strategy since September 2009. This calendar shows both the upcoming consultation dates and summaries of previous consultations. Read more Press Clipping \| 27 January 2010 Peru lacks Amazon development plan Expert in envrionmental issues Marc Dourojeanni criticized Peru for its lack of an Amazon Development Plan and warned that the Peruvian jungle will experience irreversible changes if even a third of the planned projects are implemented over the next 12 years. Read more Update \| 25 January 2010 New paper from Heinrich Boell criticizes direction of World Bank lending Nancy Alexander's new report finds several worrying trends in how the World Bank spends its money, namely that it is increasing its lending to middle income countries while loans and grants to low income countries stagnate, that DPOs with less stringent safeguards are outpacing project lending, and that the Gender Action Plan is not achieving its goals. Read more Update \| 25 January 2010 World Bank announces dates for first Energy Strategy consultations The Bank has initiated the first round of consultations on its Energy Strategy by opening online comments to the public and publishing dates for meetings in select countries. The consultations will last until June of this year. Read more Press Clipping \| 25 January 2010 China, India and others hit back at new U.S. coal rules A memo from the U.S. Treasury Department laying out conditions for supporting new coal projects at MDBs has angered several other shareholders in the World Bank. Nine executive directors objected that they were being cut off from financing for cheap coal while the U.S. still produces 26% of coal generated electricity worldwide. Read more Update \| 22 January 2010 Glenn Ross Switkes (1951-2009) Read more Update \| 21 January 2010 Environmental NGOs write to Secretary Geithner about U.S. coal subsidies Last year, the executive directors of Sierra Club and Rainforest Action Network sent a letter to Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner encouraging him to end federal subsidies for coal-fired power plants. Included in the letter is the point that the U.S. subsidizes coal plants through its vote at the multilateral development banks. Read more Press Clipping \| 20 January 2010 Brazil, World Bank to promote water transport investment in 2010 Brazil's Ministry of Transport, in partnership with the National Departament of Infrastructure and Transport (DNIT) will begin to implement water transport projects over the next 20 years. The projects will be supported by the World Bank Strategic Waterway Plan. Read more Update \| 20 January 2010 Five new R-PPs submitted to the FCPF Participants Committee Five countries recently submitted Readiness Preparation Proposals to the Participants Committee of the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility. Argentina, DRC, Ghana, Mexico, and Suriname will have their proposals for grant allocation reviewed at the next meeting of the Participants Committee in March. Read more Press Clipping \| 20 January 2010 E&E News quotes BIC on Treasury Dept. coal guidelines The U.S. Department of the Treasury recently released guidelines on the funding of coal power plants by multilateral development banks, prompting mixed reactions from civil society. BIC board member Athena Ballesteros and Sustainable Energy Expert Yong Chen are quoted, expressing enthusiasm as well as concern about the guidelines and their effectiveness. Read more Update \| 14 January 2010 Inspection Panel case plants seeds of cultural change at World Bank What was at first a seemingly simple and non-provocative Inspection Panel case, has now led the Bank to re-evaluate its relationship with civil society across the MENA region and develop an action plan for engagement. Nadia Daar of BIC's MENA program examines the importance of this development. Read more Press Release \| 12 January 2010 More involvement of stakeholders in Bank operations in Yemen In December 2009, the World Bank held two consultative meetings on the Social Welfare Fund Institutional Support Project with Yemeni civil society. These meetings come in the context of the Bank's MENA Management's Enhanced Action Plan. Read more Update \| 7 January 2010 U.S. Treasury guidance note for MDB coal investments In December 2009, the U.S. Treasury released a guidance note intended to be adapted by individual MDBs and incorporated into their respective operational policies, country and sector strategies, and other procedures that are related to the public or private project cycle for coal-powered generation operations. Read more Update \| 4 January 2010 World Bank reviews civil society engagement from 2007 to 2009 In December, the Bank's civil society team released "World Bank – Civil Society Engagement: Review of Fiscal Years 2007 – 2009", and hosted a discussion of the publication in Washington, DC. BIC founder and Executive Director Chad Dobson participated as commenter, noting both the Bank's improvements and continuing obstacles to civil society engagement. Read more Update \| 3 January 2010 Bolivia convenes Peoples Summit on Climate and the Rights of Nature The Plurinational Government of Bolivia has invited social movements, defenders of Mother Earth, scientists, academics, lawyers, government officials that want to work with their citizens to a World Peoples Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Nature to be held in Cochabamba, Bolivia from 20- 22 of Abril, 2010. Bolivia. Read more Press Release \| 23 December 2009 PRESS RELEASE: World Bank approves revised Policy on Disclosure of Information The World Bank released the final adopted version of "Toward Greater Transparency Through Access to Information: The World Bank’s Disclosure Policy," effective date 1 July 2010. The Global Transparency Initiative (GTI) congratulates the World Bank for the significant improvements of the new policy over its predecessor and looks forward to policy implementation. Read more Press Clipping \| 22 December 2009 Foreign Policy: Coal for Christmas Phil Radford, executive director of Greenpeace USA, writes a rebuttal to the World Bank on their energy lending and argues that they are still quite far from being a "climate-friendly" bank. Read more Update \| 22 December 2009 Greenwashing hydropower In the new issue of Worldwatch, Aviva Imhof of International Rivers and Guy Lanza of the University of Massachussetts, Amherst lay out the case that large hydropower projects achieve neither environmental nor social sustainability. Read more Press Clipping \| 15 December 2009 Carbon dating the World Bank Using BIC's recently published numbers on World Bank energy lending, Richard Mahapatra of InfoChange India writes about the "carbon trap" that the World Bank is locking developing countries into for the next 30 to 40 years. Read more Update \| 14 December 2009 Ugandan environmentalist speaks out on large dams, renewable energy, and poverty alleviation In his op-ed featured on All Africa, Frank Muramuzi of the National Association of Professional Environmentalists analyzes the World Bank’s disastrous approach to energy lending, focusing specifically upon large hydropower projects in Uganda. He emphasizes the point that the Bank’s current policies lead to more poverty, further widening the gap between the rich and the poor. Read more Press Release \| 14 December 2009 BankTrack calls upon banks to help fight runaway climate change New position paper outlines hard choices banks must make if they wish to be part of the solution to the climate crisis Read more Update \| 14 December 2009 The human rights dimensions of the World Bank’s energy policy Former Argentinian Environment Secretary Romina Picolotti and Center for Human Rights and the Environment co-founder Jorge Daniel Taillant have authored a new piece laying out the case for the World Bank to determine its energy agenda on a human rights based approach. Read more Update \| 14 December 2009 GroundWork/Friends of the Earth South Africa publish new report on the World Bank and Eskom As the World Bank is expediting a $3.75 billion dollar loan to the South African power utility Eskom, mostly for the coal fired Medupi power station, a new report from South African NGO GroundWork looks at the state of Eskom, and what the influx of money will mean for the company and the country. Read more Press Clipping \| 9 December 2009 Banking on coal: Why is the World Bank subsidizing one of the planet's dirtiest fuels? Phil Radford, Executive Director of Greenpeace USA, has written an Op-Ed for Foreign Policy on the World Bank and coal. He argues that there is a contradiction between the Bank's stated goals about reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the continued funding for coal centered projects. Read more Update \| 9 December 2009 Heinrich Boell Foundation publishes new paper on forestry in Congo Basin BIC board member and environmental expert Korinna Horta considers the challenges and opportunities for REDD and forest governance in the Congo Basin region. Read more Update \| 8 December 2009 BIC cosigns letter to the World Bank about Land Management and Administration Project in Cambodia BIC and several key partners sent the letter to encourage the Board of Directors to approve a full investigation of a how communities have been affected by the project. Though the Cambodian government ended the agreement after seven years, the forced displacement suffered over that time is still weighing heavily on the Cambodian people. Read more Press Clipping \| 8 December 2009 NASA scientist calls for urgency on climate change action James Hansen, the scientist who drew attention to the Bush administration's manipulation of climate change data, says that despite improved rhetoric, politicians are still engaged in "greenwash" and that they are seeking to continue business as usual. Read more Update \| 3 December 2009 BIC publishes new numbers on World Bank Group energy lending trends Heike Mainhardt-Gibbs published today numbers examining World Bank Group energy investments over the last three years. The factsheet contrasts data on Bank lending for fossil fuels, large hydropower, renewable energy, and energy efficiency. Read more Press Clipping \| 3 December 2009 No-shows among South American leaders at Amazon summit Read more Press Clipping \| 2 December 2009 International banks join to support strong climate deal The major IFIs have appealed to the governments meeting at Copenhagen to come to a comprehensive agreement on climate change mitigation, pledging to use their own resources to contribute. Some are critical, however, of how ready these institutions are to tackle the issues involved. Read more Update \| 1 December 2009 Expanding global cooperation on climate justice Former president of Ireland Mary Robinson and Senior Fellow at the Miller Institute Alice Miller have written a new article about the social impacts of climate change. They argue that if the World Bank is going to be the default institution for climate financing, it can vastly improve its practices to live up to this role. Read more Press Clipping \| 27 November 2009 The Evaluation of Health Impacts of the Madeira Hydrolectric Dams Read more Press Clipping \| 24 November 2009 Eskom official sees World Bank loan decision in H1 2010 South Africa's power company believes that the World Bank will make a decision about whether to loan up to $5 billion to the company in the first half of 2010. The money would go toward the construction of the Medupi coal fired power station, as well as other energy projects throughout the country. Read more Update \| 24 November 2009 Faulty systems at the Bank's Forest Carbon Partnership Facility As the Bank seeks to position itself as the vehicle of choice for future climate finance, the experience of the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) calls its competence into question. Read more Press Clipping \| 23 November 2009 Rising sea levels threaten Caribbean region According to a World Bank study, Cartagena and the rest of the Caribbean coastal zone could see sea levels rising as much as 2 feet by the end of the century. Read more Update \| 19 November 2009 Text of Senator Kerry's speech at the World Bank In a speech titled “Building a Twenty-First Century Development Bank: New Challenges, New Priorities,” Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee John Kerry laid out his vision for the role of the US and the World Bank in tackling climate change, energy investment, and economic development. Read more Update \| 18 November 2009 Senator Lugar and Secretary Geithner discuss the G-20 and the World Bank The Senate Foreign Relations Committee today addressed the role the G-20 will play in the changing global economy, including as leaders in the World Bank. Read more Press Clipping \| 16 November 2009 IDB and World Bank to invest US$ 43 million in plans for hydro basins in Peru The Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank will invest in the development of six hydrological basins, located in mining areas around the country during the next five years, according to the coordinator of the hydrological resource management modernization project of the National Water Authority (ANA). Read more Press Clipping \| 16 November 2009 Payback time for causing climate chaos The rich world fails to understand that loans to developing countries are not the answer to climate change. An avalanche of new loans to developing countries who are already repaying debts at a rate of five times what they receive in aid every year solves nothing. Even more troubling, the World Bank will oversee these loans - an institution at the very heart of carbon-fuelled growth and Third World debt. Read more Update \| 13 November 2009 IIRSA: Development for business, an attack on lives The following video was presented to the Inter-American Comission on Human Rights in Washington, protesting the construction of mega-projects financed by the World Bank and IDB. Read more Press Clipping \| 11 November 2009 Stringent conditions to be met before Norway funds to Guyana released Guyana and Norway on Monday inked an agreement that will see Oslo paying up to a total of US$250 million by 2015 for Guyana to preserve its forests. Norway will provide financial support to Guyana based on its success in limiting emissions, enabling Guyana to begin implementation of its Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). Terms of the deal stipulate Guyana must take action on issues of transparency and accountability before any money is disbursed. Read more Press Release \| 10 November 2009 OAS CIDH Tracks Impacts of Megadams in Latin America AIDA, International Rivers, and IMDEC present evidence of human rights violations from dams. Read more Update \| 10 November 2009 $100 Billion Recapitalization of BNDES makes it the largest development bank in Latin America Read more Update \| 8 November 2009 Obama memo on implementing State duty on consultation of indigenous peoples Within 90 days, all US federal agencies must submit a plan for implementation of regular, meaningful, previous consultation processes with indigenous peoples. Read more Update \| 6 November 2009 Climate financing and the World Bank – The IMF and the World Bank to the rescue? The World Bank is moving to become one of the major institutions taking on climate change through its Climate Investment Funds, among other policies. However, Heinrich Boell Foundation president Barbara Unmuessig believes that without reforms, the Bank will not be able to effectively or fairly alter the course on global warming. Read more Update \| 5 November 2009 DPLs now over half of World Bank lending: Gaping hole in transparency and accountability In 2009, Development Policy Operations increased dramatically as a percentage of overall World Bank lending, from an average of about 33% to over 50%. Dogged by concerns that stem from a lack of a strong set of safeguard policies or clear results, this shift to greater dependence on DPLs/DPOs raises concerns about arbitrage by Bank clients to soften or avoid transparency and accountability commitments. Read more Update \| 5 November 2009 BIC co-sponsors workshop in Southeast Asia The workshop, held this Spring in Ho Chi Minh City, brought participants from the region together to learn how to successfully engage the Multilateral Development Banks. Read more Update \| 5 November 2009 World Bank recapitalization conditioned on reforms The World Bank is quietly preparing the first capital increase in nearly 20 years to replenish the coffers after unprecedented lending in 2008 and the coming two years. Read more Press Release \| 3 November 2009 GTI applauds World Bank on improved disclosure policy, though significant weaknesses remain The Global Transparency Initiative (GTI) released its analysis of the World Bank’s new draft disclosure policy, Toward Greater Transparency Through Access to Information: The World Bank’s Disclosure Policy. GTI found that despite gains in access to information, significant policy weaknesses remain. Read more Press Clipping \| 30 October 2009 The Bujagali Hydro BIC's Africa Program Manager, Josh Klemm, is quoted in a This is Africa article about the problematic $860 million Bujagali Hydropower plant project in Uganda, financed, in part, by the IFC. Read more Update \| 30 October 2009 Over-priced Bujagali Dam to raise power costs With a price tag of $860 million and climbing, Bujagali is now amongst the most expensive hydropower plants in the world. Read more Press Clipping \| 29 October 2009 BICster rebuts World Bank talking points on renewable energy BIC consultant Heike Mainhardt-Gibbs was quoted in an IPS article about the World Bank's energy portfolio. While the Bank argued that renewables can only be a secondary part of a large country's energy production, Mainhardt-Gibbs pointed out that current Bank policy locks developing countries into fossil fuel dependence rather than moving them forward on a path toward clean energy. Read more Press Clipping \| 29 October 2009 US$ 34.7 million approved for environmental licensing automation The legal council of the Ministry of Environment of Brazil approved last Wednesday a financing package of 34.7 million dollars for the National Environmental Program (PNMA). 24.3 million will be provided by the World Bank (IBRD) and the rest will be financed by the Brazilian government. Read more Update \| 29 October 2009 Forests Much More Than Carbon Storage The bid to include forests in initiatives to mitigate climate change is turning out to be a sensitive issue for the planet. Read more Press Clipping \| 29 October 2009 Ecuador President says rich world should pay poor countries not to pollute "Climate change has been produced principally by the rich countries, but it most affects the countries of the third world," President Rafael Correa said in London. Read more Press Clipping \| 26 October 2009 350 reasons why carbon trading won’t work There are many reasons to oppose carbon trading. The most important is that carbon trading will not address climate change. Rising Tide North America together with Carbon Trade Watch and the Camp for Climate Action is launching a new website, 350 Reasons. Governments should not be looking for innovative ways to create loopholes for polluters or to create fortunes for carbon traders. Instead we need to dramatically reduce emissions – quickly. Read more Press Clipping \| 25 October 2009 Rondonia State Assemby Seeks to Expedite Road Infrastructure Investment On June 5th, the Legislative Assembly of Rondônia convened a public hearing to seek alternatives for expediting resources amounting to approximately one billion reais, to be applied works directly on the federal highways in Rondônia. Read more Press Release \| 25 October 2009 Specialists question studies and vulnerability of Belo Monte Hydroelectric dam According to specialists, the unprecedented energy inefficiency of the project and the accelerated public hearing process demonstrate that the government and contractors will push for a large project at any cost. The Panel of Specialists warned the government and public about this grave mistake, whose real costs are unknown and whose environmental impact studies are incomplete. Read more Press Clipping \| 25 October 2009 Jirau dam problems related to relocation After work was halted for 45 days, the licensee Sustainable Energy of Brazil, in charge of building the Jirau hydroelectric project on the Madeira River, is cautious about formalizing a request for an advance schedule for the entry into operation of the plant. The president of the company, Victor Paranhos, says it is entirely possible to begin generation of the first megawatts, but fears that new strikes could delay the work further. Read more Update \| 24 October 2009 World Bank Brazil Project Seeks to Automate & Integrate Environmental Licensing With funding from the World Bank, the Brazilian Ministry of Environment is planning to expedite and integrate the environmental licensing processes now divided between Federal, State and Local authoriteis. In an effort to speed up large infrastructure with the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC), the move could lead to licensing regional of river basins. Read more Update \| 24 October 2009 Brazil Environment Ministers Wants to Facilitate Regional Licensing of Dams According to the executive secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Isabella Teixeira, the Brazilian Institute of Environment (IBAMA) is studying a way to streamline licensing by issuing regional licenses to address the country's increasing energy demands. Read more Update \| 24 October 2009 Civilization in crisis and Living Well: "Vivir Bien" Education in the Context of Multiple Crises Read more Press Clipping \| 21 October 2009 Fonam predicts investments in carbon market will reach US$ 1 billion this year On Wednesday, Fonam will host the IV International Carbon Market Seminar: Carbon Projects as a new business opportunity. The event is sponsored by the Minister of Environment, the UN Development Programme and and the World Bank Carbon Finance Unit. Read more Press Clipping \| 21 October 2009 Mexico: World Bank Loans $1.5 Billion To Lower Emissions Read more Press Clipping \| 21 October 2009 World Bank approves 1.5 billion dollar loan for Mexico It was confirmed yesterday that Mexico will receive 1.504 billion dollars in financing for “encouraging green growth”; the loan will focus on economic strengthening and environmental programs. Read more Update \| 8 October 2009 World Bank and Camisea: A Missed Opportunity The problems of the Camisea I project should be more carefully examined before the IFC approves another $300 million loan in February for the Camisea II project. Read more Update \| 8 October 2009 Peru approves regulations for National Environmental Impact Assessment System Peru approves Law Nº 27446, which establishes a national Environmental Impact Assessment system Read more Update \| 8 October 2009 IFC Board Approves Gas Investment to Support Economic Growth in Peru Read more Update \| 5 October 2009 World Bank releases new draft of disclosure policy. The new draft was completed based on public consultations in 33 member countries and online comments. Read more Update \| 5 October 2009 BIC report: World Bank needs to translate independent evaluations into practical reforms The report, entitled "The Potential of Evaluation: Creating Political Space for Dialogue and Action," examines the impact of the World Bank's Independent Evaluation Group's (IEG) findings through the last decade. It finds that Bank management rarely adopts the recommendations of the IEG. Read more Press Release \| 2 October 2009 Cambodian communities facing forced eviction launch Inspection Panel complaint against World Bank Phnom Penh residents facing the largest forced displacement of Cambodians since the Khmer Rouge era have filed a complaint to the World Bank Inspection Panel stating that they have suffered serious harm from a Bank-funded land-titling project. Read more Press Clipping \| 1 October 2009 SEDEPAL recieves proposals from AFC and World Bank to guarantee next disbursement of bonds “Backing from AFC and the IFC would allow us to improve the structuring of bonds”, the Andean agency said today. Read more Update \| 1 October 2009 2009 World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings Get the latest information on World Bank and civil society events organized around the upcoming World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) Annual Meetings in Istanbul, Turkey and how to get involved. Read more Update \| 30 September 2009 Info Brief: World Bank Environmental Policy Loan to BNDES In November of 2008, the WB announced a US$ 1.3 billion development policy loan to the Brazilian National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES). The DPL is the first operation in a series of two loans which span the period 2008-2010. In this article, we review the background and concerns associated with development policy lending since 2004, specifically the lack of transparency, accountability, and a clear public consultation plan. We then offer a detailed analysis of the Brazilian Sustainable Environmental Management (SEM) DPL. Civil society firmly believes that until practices of transparency and dialogue between the World Bank, the Brazilian government and civil society organizations are truly adopted, the laudable goals of the SEM DPL will not be achieved. Read more Update \| 29 September 2009 WB and Egyptian government before Egyptian courts for violating rights of Delta farmers Egyptian NGO, Land Center for Human Rights, has filed an appeal on behalf of farmers in the Egyptian Delta, citing that the joint World Bank and Egyptian government 'West Delta project' violates the Egyptian constitution that should protect the rights of farmers, and not just the interests of wealthy investors. Read more Press Release \| 29 September 2009 PRESS RELEASE: Civil society to address World Bank at Annual Meetings in Istanbul The World Bank/IMF Annual General Meetings in Istanbul October 2-7th provide a window of opportunity for civil society to impact ongoing policy reviews. Read more Press Clipping \| 28 September 2009 Obey the agreement, Nam Theun 2 investors told As the commercial operation date of the controversial hydropower project in Laos is about to begin later this year, the International Rivers found that the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and the Nam Theun Theun 2 Power Corporation are still far from complying with the Concession Agreement, which includes livelihood restoration for resettled villagers. Read more Update \| 23 September 2009 WB commits to enhanced action plan in MENA region: more translation and better consultations The Inspection Panel is to defer its recommendation to investigate into case of the World Bank's "Institutional Reform Development Policy Grant" to Yemen, until after the implementation of Bank Management's enhanced action plan, which seeks to address concerns raised by the Yemen Observatory for Human Rights in their Request to the Inspection Panel in April 2009. Read more Update \| 22 September 2009 New member appointed to World Bank Inspection Panel Ms. Eimi Watanabe, a Japanese national, will replace Mr. Werner Kiene, whose term will expire on October 31, 2009. Read more Press Clipping \| 18 September 2009 Lula to ask for reform of the UN, IMF and World Bank at General Assembly President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, at the General Assembly of the United Nations, will ask for reform of the UN itself, as well as of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, a government spokesperson said. Read more Update \| 17 September 2009 House Committee on Financial Services examines transparency at the World Bank The full committee hearing addressed the 2009 World Bank Disclosure Policy Review and the role of civil society participation in achieving successful development outcomes. BIC board member, Richard Bissell testified. Read more Press Clipping \| 17 September 2009 World Bank spends billions on coal-fired power stations An article in The Times highlights the inconsistencies between the World Bank's continued finance of coal projects and the rhetoric in their recently released 2010 World Development Report on climate change. Read more Update \| 17 September 2009 GTI WB Update 4: World Bank to complete Disclosure Review The World Bank is preparing to complete its disclosure policy review by late October 2009. Read more Update \| 16 September 2009 BNDES looking for new sources of financing The National Development Bank of Brazil (BNDES) nearly quintupled its loan volume between 1997 and 2008, making it one of the largest development banks in the world. Last year, it disbursed loans in the amount of R$ 92.2 billion; as of July this year, it has already disbursed R$ 75.1 billion. Total 2009 loans could reach R$ 131 billion. Read more Update \| 15 September 2009 Development banks to hopefully be held accountable in North Africa – Morocco workshop a great succes A workshop co-organized by the Bank Information Center (BIC), the World Bank’s Inspection Panel, and the IFC and MIGA’s Office of the Compliance/Ombudsman (CAO) was held in Marrakech, Morocco in late July 2009, and lasted three fruitful days. Read more Press Clipping \| 11 September 2009 US Rep Frank threatens to withhold money from World Bank BIC Board Director Richard Bissell testified alongside other IFI experts about access to information at the World Bank during a hearing of the House Financial Services Committee. Chairman Barney Frank stated his intention to withhold any further money for the Bank until the suggestions of the panel were incorporated into policy Read more Press Clipping \| 11 September 2009 World Bank: Renewable investments surge, but enviros continue to question bank's energy portfolio A Climate Wire article cites BIC data to show that World Bank increases in renewable energy investment are outweighed by more investments in fossil fuels. Read more Update \| 11 September 2009 World Bank pledges support for DRC's Grand Inga dam Observers, however, are skeptical that the proposed project presents a solution to Africa's energy problems and whether the millions of Africans without access to electricity stand to benefit. Read more Update \| 9 September 2009 Brazil and BNDES: The Threat of Development for the Amazon In this month's bulletin, we examine some of the concerns about whether the Bank’s and the Brazilian government’s policies address climate change issues and the social and environmental impacts of these projects. Read more Update \| 9 September 2009 World Bank DPL to Brazil: Moving Money or Mainstreaming Environmental Sustainability? This article discusses the changing relationship between the Bank and Brazil within the context of a new $1.3 billion Development Policy Loan. It includes a review of the background and concerns associated with development policy lending since 2004, and then offers a detailed analysis of the Brazilian Sustainable Environmental Management (SEM) DPL. Read more Update \| 9 September 2009 Amazon Dieback Recent evidence suggests that there will be irreversible loss of up to 85% of the Amazon forests by 2100. Still, the prospect of Amazon die-back remains a somewhat misunderstood threat due to perceived uncertainty with the climate models, but also because of the lack of visibility by development institutions. Read more Update \| 8 September 2009 Press kit: House Committee on Financial Services hearing on access to information at the World Bank The full committee hearing addressed the 2009 World Bank Disclosure Policy Review and the role of civil society participation in achieving successful development outcomes. Read more Update \| 4 September 2009 Lula's Veto of PM 458 Considered by many to be a significant step towards protecting the Amazon forest, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva recently vetoed parts of one of the most important and controversial environmental bills in years. Read more Press Clipping \| 4 September 2009 Ministry of Economy and Finance approves external debt measure The loan will finance an environmental sustainability reform program in the country. Read more Update \| 4 September 2009 The World Bank on the West Delta Project: Sorry we can’t consider other options! Egyptian civil society groups suggest an alternative water route for the West Delta Irrigation Project, that could serve poor farmers as well as rich investors, but the World Bank refuses to consider it. Read more Press Clipping \| 4 September 2009 BNDES will need to be recapitalized after Petrobras capital increase says Energy Minister Brazil's national development bank BNDES will need to be recapitalized in order to be able to keep up other investments and lending activities, after it joins in on new pre-salt oil production and the capital increase for federal energy company Petrobras. Read more Press Clipping \| 31 August 2009 Animal Droppings can replace "Jirau" Waste, particularly manure, can also generate income for farmers, FAO study shows. Read more Update \| 28 August 2009 Where is the Red Sea-Dead Sea Water Conveyance Program going? After meeting with World Bank President, Robert Zoellick, Israel’s Deputy Prime Minister of Regional Development, Silvan Shalom, stated that the World Bank had agreed to fund the Red-Sea-Dead Sea Water Conveyance Program that involves Jordan, Palestine and Israel. However, Bank officials say that they have made no promises and that the project is still in the feasibility study phase. Read more Press Clipping \| 27 August 2009 BNDES Portfolio for South America Totals $US 15.6 Billion A significant increase in the number and value of projects approved or under analysis by BNDES for the South American region will bring a commensurate increase in the purchase of Brazlian goods and services over the next four years, says BNDES President Luciano Coutinho. Read more Update \| 27 August 2009 Where is the Inspection Panel's Eligibility Report for the Yemen case? For the first time in Inspection Panel history, an Eligibility Report is being held for board discussion. With little information, we are left wondering what is happening with the investigation into the Yemeni DPL case. Read more Press Clipping \| 23 August 2009 Urban renewal mission plagued by delays, cost overruns: study This is one of several articles spotlighting the findings of a BIC commissioned study by Lalitha Kamath and Vinay Baindur. Findings reveal how India's urban poor are meted out injustice as local needs are left unaddressed. Read more Press Release \| 21 August 2009 Report seeks greater accountability in urban infrastructure projects Money for urban infrastructure in India is being spent on megaprojects that benefit only a tiny, wealthy minority of the population, while access to basic services like clean water and health facilities remains rare. A new report by Vinay Baindur and Lalitha Kamath shows how governance of the World Bank and Asian Development Bank allows privileged access to money for some while the poorest are left in the dust. Read more Press Clipping \| 17 August 2009 Beyond the world creditors’ cartel In Latin America and elsewhere, the IMF may be re–emerging—but in a changed landscape. Read more Update \| 3 August 2009 World Bank: A Carbon Bigfoot The International Herald Tribune/New York Times Global Edition printed a BIC Letter to the Editor on the role of the World Bank in climate change. Read more Update \| 30 July 2009 Put the Brakes on the Bank: Carbon Finance in Indonesia Read a BIC op-ed in The Huffington Post about Indonesia's problematic Readiness Preparation Proposal to the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility. Read more Press Clipping \| 28 July 2009 Continued resilience: Regional Report Latin America One way to stem this rising tide, said ministers, would be for Latin American countries to "increase public infrastructure integration to reduce transport and energy costs in order to make their economies more competitive." Read more Update \| 27 July 2009 Letter to the Editor: Hard data on climate change Read a BIC Letter to the Editor of The Washington Post in response to the July 23 George Will op-ed on climate change. Read more Update \| 24 July 2009 US Treasury position on the World Bank Energy Strategy Concept Note The US Department of Treasury released a statement on July 16, 2009 describing their position on the recent World Bank Energy Strategy Concept Note. The Concept Note outlines the World Bank's forthcoming Energy Strategy Approach Paper, which should be released in August, 2009. Read more Press Clipping \| 22 July 2009 Fobomade study warns of Madeira dam effect on dengue and malaria "Under the current" (“Bajo el caudal…”) is a report by Fobomade that details the possible impacts of the construction of two hydroelectric dams over the Madeira river on the Bolivian northern border with Brazil. Read more Update \| 17 July 2009 Climate Follies: Bankrolling dirty power in developing countries A recent article by Mindy S. Lubber reveals that while the industrialized world is struggling to cut its emissions, it is simultaneously bankrolling the construction of thousands upon thousands of megawatts of new coal-fired power in developing countries through international financial institutions such as the World Bank. Read more Update \| 16 July 2009 Reflections on environmental and social program and the indirect impacts on Interoceanico Sur In order to help mitigate the effects of the economic crisis, Peru has created an "Anticrisis Plan" which in part will serve to finance big infrastructure proyects. These projects, given their scale and the government's poor management of such projects are bound to create problems. Read more Press Clipping \| 16 July 2009 IFIs restate freeze on funding to Honduras The represenatives of the Interamerican Development Bank (BID) and World Bank (WB) in Washington for Honduras rejected the suggestion that IFI funds assigned to Honduras had been "unfrozen." The pause in IFI funding announced on June 28 will be sustained. Read more Update \| 13 July 2009 Clarification of FCPF Meeting Outcomes In response to concerns raised from World Bank and US Government staff about the characterization of the outcomes of the Third Participants Committee (PC) meeting of the FCPF in Switzerland in June, the Bank Information Center would like to clarify that R-Plans are now called R-PPs. The R-PPs of Panama and Guyana were not approved by the PC, but advanced to the next stage in the process. Read more Update \| 7 July 2009 Rights and Development: What progress at the world's largest aid agency? A new article by Dr. Korinna Horta of the Environmental Defense Fund outlines the World Bank's commitment to human rights to date and advocates that the institution integrate a human rights approach into its own policies and programs. Read more Press Clipping \| 6 July 2009 New crisis in the Nile: geologist warns that Egypt may lose 8mn cubic mtrs of water for next 20 yrs Will the new crisis in the Nile affect the implementation of the West Delta project? Read more Update \| 4 July 2009 Honduras coup stalls $450 million of World Bank and IDB finance Honduras' finance minister in exile maintains that the recent army-backed coup could cost the poverty-stricken Central American country $450 million in financing from international organizations this year. Without funding from multinational organizations and foreign countries, many of Honduras' social programs and public investments could be in jeopardy. Read more Update \| 2 July 2009 We want your feedback, as long as you speak English William Easterly, NYU Professor of Economics and independent voice in international development brings attention to the World Bank's problematic policies on translation. Read more Update \| 1 July 2009 Civil society demands suspension of Madeira Dams Numerous irregularities cited in environmental licensing process for the San Antonio & Jirau dams Read more Update \| 30 June 2009 The Bank of Babel Read a BIC opinion piece from the FP blog, The Argument, explaining why the World Bank must reconsider its current policies on translation and information disclosure in order to promote substantive civil society engagement. Read more Update \| 30 June 2009 Activist Q&A: Meet Yahya Saleh Mohsen BIC highlights the work of Yahya Saleh Mohsen of the Yemen Observatory for Human Rights. Yahya played an instrumental role in bringing a case to the World Bank Inspection Panel involving the Bank's translation policies in Yemen and beyond. Read more Update \| 30 June 2009 Is the Clean Technology Fund benefiting the poor or simply satisfying the energy needs of the rich? The World Bank approves loans for renewable energy in southern countries while making sure Europe meets its energy goals. Read more Update \| 29 June 2009 FCPF approves R-Plans for Guyana and Panama With the approval of the readiness plans for Guyana and Panama, the World Bank moves its Forest Carbon Partnership Facility forward despite civil society protests. Read more Press Clipping \| 29 June 2009 World Bank to aid Dead Sea Canal project Joint Israeli-Jordanian-Palestinian venture to see 112-mile pipeline built between Read Sea, Dead Sea. Project meant to explore desalination possibilities, raising Dead Sea declining water levels. Minister Shalom: Project staple of financial peace Read more Update \| 24 June 2009 Obama's schooling the Bank on transparency The Huffington Post publishes a BIC Op-Ed contrasting the innovative transparency efforts of the Obama Administration with those of the World Bank. Read more Update \| 23 June 2009 Comment period for World Bank Strategic Framework implementation Submit comments to the World Bank online regarding the implementation of the Strategic Framework for Development and Climate Change until July 31st. Read more Update \| 23 June 2009 Egyptian Ministry of finance partners with multinational companies in West Delta project The Egyptian government's engagement in the West Delta project raises many questions regarding the repayment of the World Bank's loan. Read more Update \| 16 June 2009 World Bank's Inspection Panel meets with civil society organizations to discuss transparency issues The meeting took place during the Inspection Panel's trip to Sana'a to determine the eligibility of a complaint about Yemeni civil society's inability to access a translation of a key Bank document. Read more Update \| 12 June 2009 Yemeni civil society finally get their translation 1.5 years after the Yemen Observatory for Human Rights first requested a translation of the World Bank's 2008 Development Policy Loan for Yemen, the Bank has finally made this translation available. Read more Update \| 5 June 2009 Bank provides only two-day notice for disclosure consultation in India Read more Update \| 1 June 2009 New report on gender and climate finance A new short report by the Heinrich Boell Foundation North America, Gender and Climate Finance: Double Mainstreaming for Sustainable Development, looks at some of the gender implications of the new global climate finance architecture as well as specific climate funds and financing mechanisms and gives some recommendations. Read more Press Clipping \| 29 May 2009 Israelis get four-fifths of scarce West Bank water, says World Bank Palestinians losing out in access to vital shared aquifer in the occupied territories Read more Update \| 27 May 2009 GTI submits model disclosure policy to the World Bank Global Transparency Initiative (GTI) develops a model of transparency for the World Bank to use as a reference during its information disclosure policy review Read more Update \| 27 May 2009 Summaries of World Bank meetings illuminate proceedings A freedominfo.org examination of World Bank board minutes versus summaries further strengthens the case for improved access to information at the Bank. Read more Update \| 27 May 2009 World Bank Transparency comment period extended The deadline to submit comments online for the World Bank's disclosure policy "Approach Paper" has been extended until June 5th. Read more Update \| 26 May 2009 GTI comments on the World Bank’s Approach Paper Global Transparency Initiative (GTI) comments on the World Bank‟s Transparency Approach Paper Read more Press Clipping \| 25 May 2009 Peru seeks US$300mn World Bank loan for transport sector The loan would support an overall US$1.08bn transport infrastructure development program, of which another US$630mn is to be covered by the state and US$150mn by IDB. Read more Update \| 22 May 2009 Bangladeshi NGOs respond to the World Bank's disclosure policy review A consortium of civil society representatives met to discuss access to information at the World Bank in Bangladesh on May 20th. Read more Update \| 21 May 2009 Climate Investment Funds: CSO observer self-selection process Civil society will have the opportunity to apply for observer seats on two World Bank Climate Investment Fund (CIF) committees and one sub-committee. Read more Update \| 20 May 2009 Yemen's Inspection Panel Case: the up-side of bad news traveling fast Yemeni group files complaint with the World Bank's Inspection Panel and now change might already be in the air? Read more Update \| 20 May 2009 Web-based comment period for World Bank disclosure policy "Approach Paper" closes this week While the deadline to submit comments online for the World Bank's disclosure policy "Approach Paper" is this Friday, remaining in-person consultations will take place as planned and all comments provided at the consultations will be noted. Read more Press Clipping \| 19 May 2009 Huge Bolivian glacier disappears The World Bank warned earlier this year that many of the Andes' tropical glaciers will disappear within 20 years. Read more Press Clipping \| 14 May 2009 Bolivia: To combat the crisis, the World Bank propsoses investing in infrastructure Experts at the World Bank see an opportunity in the face of crisis to invest in infrastructure projects in Latin America. According to the Bank, the deficit in infrastructure is quite noticeable in Bolivia, even below the average for the Latin America region. Read more Update \| 12 May 2009 Memorandum on World Bank Board transparency Read BIC's memo on World Bank Board transparency that has been sent to the U.S. Treasury, World Bank staff, and the office of the United States Executive Director at the World Bank. Read more Update \| 5 May 2009 Civil Society to the World Bank: Adopt Transparency 2.0 BIC and partner NGOs sound off on the Bank's disclosure policy at this year's Spring Meetings Read more Update \| 4 May 2009 Transparency violations common theme for World Bank Inspection Panel The World Bank's Inspection Panel Annual Report highlights the problem of access to information within several World Bank-financed projects. Read more Update \| 4 May 2009 Indigenous rights and climate change Read "The Anchorage Declaration" from the 2009 Indigenous Peoples' Global Summit on Climate Change. Read more Press Clipping \| 1 May 2009 Development banks come to the Caribbean's aid Leading international institutions are working together to increase their collective impact and protect the economic and social gains achieved in the Caribbean over the last five years. Read more Press Release \| 30 April 2009 Frank praises changes to World Bank "Doing Business" report Congressman welcomes Bank decision to reexamine and revise indicators that rewarded countries for having the least amount of labor regulations and discouraged the provision of social protection programs. Read more Update \| 22 April 2009 Yemeni group says lack of translation inhibited transparency Yemeni civil society group take their complaint regarding the World Bank's refusal to translate a key program document, to the Inspection Panel Read more Update \| 20 April 2009 Bretton Woods Update No.65 Read this special Spring Meetings edition of the Bretton Woods Update, a co-production of the Bretton Woods Project, with Afrodad, the Bank Information Center, Choike and Eurodad Read more Update \| 20 April 2009 Voices struggling to be heard: Access to information and the World Bank The Huffington Post publishes a BIC Op-Ed that urges the World Bank to adopt a modern information disclosure policy. Read more Press Clipping \| 18 April 2009 New rules for environmental licensing will benefit PAC's highways Criticized by the Ministry of Environment, a streamlined licensing process should reach 40% of the roads listed in the federal program Read more Press Clipping \| 18 April 2009 World Bank fails to combat fraud The World Bank's procedures for detecting fraud in its main program of assistance to poor countries were classified as a "structural weakness" in an internal report, increasing the bank's problems in dealing with issues of corruption. Read more Press Clipping \| 18 April 2009 We must go beyond an agreement between Banks and the Ministry of Environment The Ministry of Environment announced an agreement with the Brazilian Federation of Banks (Febraban) incorporating environmental criteria and guidelines for the release of credits to companies and ventures. While representing an improvement regarding to the enviromental impacts made by some investments, the coordinator of the Eco-Project Finance and the organization Friends of the Earth - Brazilian Amazon, Roland Widmer, warns that for the agreement to be effective, more it needs to be done. Read more Update \| 16 April 2009 World Bank to lend US$14bn to Latin America in FY09 The World Bank plans to increase lending to Latin America to suplement decreasing levels of foreign direct investment in the region. Read more Press Clipping \| 16 April 2009 Amazon could shrink by 85% due to climate change, scientists say Scientists say 4°C rise would kill 85% of the Amazon rainforest. Even modest temperature rise would see 20-40% loss within 100 years Read more Press Clipping \| 16 April 2009 The paradox of the Amazon On the one hand, Brazil made some improvements reducing the rate of deforestation. On the other hand, IIRSA prevents the country from achieving its national environmental goals while deforestation puts the survival of the entire planet at risk. Deforestation is the cause of 20% of the world's global warming - more than the effects of all automobiles. Read more Update \| 10 April 2009 GTI Updates 1 and 2 now available in Bahasa-Indonesian Read more Update \| 9 April 2009 World Bank responds to BIC letter regarding disclosure policy review Read correspondence between the Bank Information Center and the World Bank regarding the Bank's review of its Policy on Disclosure of Information. Read more Update \| 9 April 2009 GTI WB Update 3: brief comments on World Bank "Approach Paper" This update provides an analysis of the World Bank's Approach Paper entitled "Toward Greater Transparency: Rethinking the World Bank's Disclosure Policy", which was recently released. Read more Update \| 8 April 2009 BIC’s MENA program organizes regional workshop in Beirut The workshop discussed the World Bank’s Disclosure Policy Review, and introduced the World Bank’s Inspection Panel to our regional partners. Read more Update \| 6 April 2009 World Bank Forest Carbon Partnership Facility meeting in Panama Read highlights from the 2nd Participants Committee Meeting of the FCPF, at which BIC served as an NGO observer. Read more Update \| 3 April 2009 Workshop on World Bank transparency in Mexico BIC and FUNDAR (Mexico) are jointly organizing a workshop for the civil society of Mesoamerica in order to deepen their knowledge and plan for effecting change at the World Bank. The workshop will take place April 20th in Mexico City, the day before the World Bank's official consultation about their disclosure policy. Please read the document (in Spanish) linked below for information about participating in the workshop. Read more Update \| 25 March 2009 Konstantin Huber Represents: Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Turkey. Read more Update \| 25 March 2009 Mukesh N. Prasad Represents: Bangladesh, India, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. Read more Update \| 22 March 2009 IDB financial losses and glaring lack of accountability invalidate replenishment request The Inter-American Development Bank should not receive public funding unless it becomes fully accountable to member governments and the public. Read more Update \| 20 March 2009 Accountability and Participation at the World Bank & IDB New study by BIC shows that IFIs have fallen far short of matching project design with discourse when it comes to promoting a culture of accountability through their own project loans. Read more Press Clipping \| 19 March 2009 The Red Sea might save the Dead Sea The World Bank continues to commission feasibility studies for the proposed Red/Dead Sea Canal, but environmental and political issues remain major issues. Read more Press Release \| 17 March 2009 World Bank to tackle review of information disclosure policy The World Bank launched the review of its information disclosure policy on Friday, March 13th with the public release of an Approach Paper. BIC and partners argue the case for greater transparency in Bank procedures. Read more Update \| 16 March 2009 2009 World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings Read the latest information on World Bank and civil society events organized around the upcoming World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings and how to get involved. Read more Update \| 13 March 2009 GTI Update 2: World Bank Launches Transparency Review World Bank publicly launches review of its Disclosure Policy Read more Update \| 13 March 2009 GTI Update: World Bank to review transparency standards As the World Bank launches a review of its policy on access to information, the Global Transparency Initiative will track the review process and provide analytical support to civil society groups concerned with transparency standards at the Bank. Read more Update \| 10 March 2009 The economic crisis frustrates Latin America's efforts to establish the Bank of the South Only a year ago many governments in Latin America expressed their desire to separate themselves from the World Bank and IMF loans. But, because of pressing financial needs, many Latin American governments have been forced to consider accepting funds from multilateral banks. In many ways this change has hindered the creation of the Bank of the South. Read more Update \| 9 March 2009 Yemeni civil society to consult on World Bank's Country Assistance Strategy On March 11 and March 14 2009, the World Bank will be consulting with civil society in Yemen to discuss their new Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) 2010-2013. Read more Update \| 6 March 2009 BIC Country Study: The World Bank Group in the West Bank and Gaza Now available in both English and Arabic! Read more Update \| 5 March 2009 Brazilian NGOs urge World Bank not to approve $1.3 billion loan for environment Several organizations and social networks have asked the World Bank to postpone a decision on a $1.3 billion project in Brazil. The groups argue that prior loans have not adequately addressed environmental concerns and that the pending project-loan has the potential to continue this trend. Moreover, the groups see attractive alternatives. Read more Update \| 27 February 2009 Update on Forest Carbon Partnership Facility BIC to serve as NGO observer at the next meeting of the Committee of Participants for the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) that will take place on March 11-13 in Panama, Central America. Read more Update \| 27 February 2009 Weekly roundup: IFIs in the news Read all the headlines concerning the international financial institutions from the past week. Read more Update \| 24 February 2009 Albania criticizes Inspection Panel report The Government of Albania has requested a revision or retraction of an Inspection Panel Report implicating the country's government in corruption. Read more Update \| 23 February 2009 BNDES approves largest loan ever $3 bn for 3.3 GW Jirau dam Brazil's national development bank BNDES has approved 7.2bn reais (US$3.1bn) in financing to build the 3.3GW Jirau hydro plant, the bank said in a statement. Jirau is one of two mega hydro projects on the Madeira river in Rondônia state that will be connected to the national grid. The loan will go to the ESBR consortium and includes support for the transmission system that will link the plant to the city of Porto Velho, according to the statement. The financing, which will cover 68.5% of the required investment, is one of the largest loans ever granted by the bank for a single project. In December 2008, BNDES authorized 6.1bn reais in funding for the 3.15GW Santo Antônio hydro project. Read more Update \| 20 February 2009 Weekly roundup: IFIs in the news Read all the headlines concerning the international financial institutions from the past week. Read more Update \| 18 February 2009 World Bank violated policies and misinformed Board in Albania project Panel finds policy violations, provision of false information, and direct support for controversial demolition of homes in an Albanian village Read more Update \| 18 February 2009 World Bank Board acts on Inspection Panel Albania report Zoellick: "Bank's record with this project is appalling." Executive Directors acknowledge mistakes in Jale home demolitions and approve action plan. Read more Update \| 13 February 2009 Weekly roundup: IFIs in the news Read all the headlines concerning the international financial institutions from the past week. Read more Press Clipping \| 12 February 2009 AFP: Philippines summons World Bank official The World Bank Country Director for the Philippines has been ordered to appear before a Philippine Senate inquiry into a corruption scandal involving a multi-million dollar road project. Read more Update \| 10 February 2009 BIC produces new materials on the World Bank's involvement in West Bank & Gaza The new country study provides background on the Bank's involvement in Palestine since the Oslo Accords, including recent trends and analyses of its aid coordination role. Read more Press Release \| 10 February 2009 World Bank loans exacerbate climate change BIC assessment finds that even with important gains in renewable energy and energy efficiency in recent years, the World Bank Group’s overall lending approach to the energy sector does not support developing countries’ transition towards a low-carbon development path. Read more Update \| 6 February 2009 Weekly roundup: IFIs in the news Read all the headlines concerning the international financial institutions from the past week. Read more Update \| 5 February 2009 World Bank operations in Syria are kept secret Bank engages Syria on reforms to its transportation sector, while its technical assistance activities - and its overall strategy for the country - remain unavailable. Read more Update \| 4 February 2009 BNDES plans $43 billion in investments for Brazil Read more Update \| 3 February 2009 World Social Forum 2009 For the 2009 World Social Forum (WSF), a group composed of various organizations is organizing a two day workshop for updates and strategy building to inform, discuss, plan and act in defense of the rights of affected populations and the environment. The organizations are working to prevent and/or mitigate any type of social and environmental negative impacts caused by the Initiative for the Integration of Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA) and other harmful development strategies. Read more Update \| 30 January 2009 Weekly roundup: IFIs in the news Read all the headlines concerning the international financial institutions from the past week. Read more Update \| 30 January 2009 Nabucco's future decided in Hungary A meeting on the status of the planned natural gas pipeline convenes in Budapest. Read more Update \| 21 January 2009 Weekly roundup: IFIs in the news Read all the headlines concerning the international financial institutions from the past week. Read more Update \| 16 January 2009 Weekly roundup: IFIs in the news Read all the headlines concerning the international financial institutions from the past week Read more Update \| 9 January 2009 Global crisis is good news for IFIs in Latin America While the international financial institutions report sharp lending increases due to the global financial crisis, concerns over lack of transparency and accountability remain. Read more Press Clipping \| 29 December 2008 World Bank to train Brazilian state governments to capture FDI A new agreement between Brazil, the World Bank and the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies is intended to train Brazilian state governments on reforms to local regulatory and licensing frameworks to facilitate great foreign direct investment in infrastructure projects. Read more Update \| 29 December 2008 New book by INESC - Financing for Megaprojects A new book of articles edited by Ricardo Verdum of the Brazilian Instituto de Estudio Socioeconomicos (Inesc) explores the trends in financing for megaprojects in South America. The book highlights the shifting balance between IFIs such as the World Bank, the IDB and CAF toward new institutions such as BNDES, as well as the competition between IIRSA and UNASUR. The book emphasizes the urgency for greater transparency and accountability in information and decision making about large, high risk infrastructure in the region. Read more Update \| 19 December 2008 $5 billion in World Bank loans in the works for South Africa’s power utility African Development Bank also contributing record loans to address power shortage. Read more Update \| 19 December 2008 Weekly roundup: IFIs in the news Read all the headlines concerning the international financial institutions from the past week Read more Update \| 18 December 2008 West African Gas Pipeline comes online at last Meanwhile, people displaced by the project finally receive monetary compensation, nearly four years after being impoverished through a resettlement process that denied them the option of the land compensation they were entitled to. Read more Update \| 16 December 2008 Stakeholders convened in Cairo to debate contentious issues surrounding the West Delta project Concerned parties threaten to file a court case against the Egyptian government if they do not receive satisfactory answers. Read more Update \| 12 December 2008 Weekly roundup: IFIs in the news Read all the headlines concerning the international financial institutions from the past week Read more Update \| 11 December 2008 Over 160 CSOs issue joint statement calling for UN climate fund Civil society groups argue that the fund is essential to any new global climate agreement involving the large-scale transfer of financial resources to help poorer nations reduce emissions that cause global climate change. Read more Update \| 10 December 2008 World Bank: culprit in increased hunger? Free market policies as part of the Structural Adjustment Programs that the World Bank attached to their aid throughout the 1980s are partially to blame for increased world hunger. Read more Update \| 8 December 2008 As Yemen suffers from water crisis, Bank support for water sector hinges on private sector solutions A recent meeting between the World Bank and the Yemeni Planning Minister focused on preliminary negotiations on a proposed water sector project. However, the central question remains whether the Bank is ensuring water access for the poor. Read more Update \| 5 December 2008 Weekly roundup: IFIs in the news Read all the headlines concerning the international financial institutions from the past week Read more Press Release \| 3 December 2008 Uganda dam slammed by World Bank appeals body Bujagali deal full of risk for one of world’s poorest countries. Read more Press Clipping \| 2 December 2008 World Bank FCPF: NGOs say it’s “failing forests and peoples”. Indigenous leader calls for suspension of REDD activities. Read more Update \| 21 November 2008 Weekly roundup: IFIs in the news Read all the headlines concerning the international financial institutions from the past week Read more Update \| 20 November 2008 Hekinus Manao Represents: Brunei Darussalam, Thailand, Fiji, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Malaysia, Tonga, Vietnam Read more Update \| 20 November 2008 Abdulrahman M. Almofadhi Read more Update \| 19 November 2008 John Whitehead Represents: Australia, Cambodia, Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu Read more Update \| 19 November 2008 Rudolf Jan Treffers Represents: Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Israel, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, The Netherlands, Romania, Ukraine Read more Update \| 19 November 2008 Rogerio Studart Represents: Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Panama, Philippines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago Read more Update \| 19 November 2008 Ambroise Fayolle Read more Update \| 18 November 2008 Susanna Moorehead Read more Update \| 18 November 2008 Ian Solomon Read more Press Release \| 18 November 2008 IMF and World Bank need to bolster transparency measures in the extractive industries A newly released joint report between Bank Information Center (BIC) and Global Witness critically assesses the World Bank Group's and the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) success in increasing transparency in extractive industries in resource-rich countries. Read more Update \| 14 November 2008 Weekly roundup: IFIs in the news Read all the headlines concerning the international financial institutions from the past week. Read more Update \| 7 November 2008 Weekly roundup: IFIs in the news Read all the headlines concerning the international financial institutions from the past week. Read more Update \| 3 November 2008 As WB Group committments in MENA region surpassed $3bn in 2008, questions about effectiveness remain The World Bank Group is adhering to its pledge for greater engagement in the Middle East and North Africa. However, data on the development impacts on the poor are lacking, while other data suggest that many Bank projects in the region are at risk. Read more Update \| 31 October 2008 Weekly roundup: IFIs in the news Read all the headlines concerning the international financial institutions from the past week. Read more Update \| 30 October 2008 Corruption and lack of transparency in Tajik extractives industry Talco, a major aluminum mining company controlled by Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, is being investigated by the IMF to address issues of extreme mismanagement of funds and lack of openness. Read more Press Release \| 29 October 2008 New and antidemocratic: "Washington Consensus" will not resolve the global crisis A coalition of 630 organizations representing 104 countries have published a declaration demanding an answer that is truly responsive to the world crisis and they spell out various avenues to achieve this. Read more Press Release \| 29 October 2008 New undemocratic “Washington Consensus” won’t fix global crisis, state over 630 groups from 104 countries A coalition of 630 organizations from 104 countries have issued a statement demanding a truly global response to the global crisis and laying out a set of principles for doing so. Read more Update \| 24 October 2008 Urgent Action: Global sign-on statment on the proposed "Global Summit" to reform the international financial system Sign-on to the civil society letter, BY OCTOBER 28, supporting the fundamental and far-reaching transformation of the international financial and economic system. The letter supports the major international conference convened by the UN to review the international financial and monetary architecture, its institutions and its governance. Read more Update \| 23 October 2008 Weekly roundup: IFIs in the news Read all the headlines concerning the international financial institutions from the past week. Read more Update \| 17 October 2008 Weekly roundup: IFIs in the News Read all the headlines concerning the international financial institutions from the past week. Read more Update \| 16 October 2008 Hackers breach World Bank servers Intrusion exposes vulnerability of the World Bank Group's computer network by compromising confidential information. Read more Update \| 14 October 2008 International Rivers releases new report on dam building in Laos International Rivers has just released a new report "Power Surge," which chronicles the social and environmental debt created by a boom in hydropower development in Laos. Read more Update \| 14 October 2008 U.S. to lose stranglehold on World Bank presidency In a deal brokered by the United Kingdom's development secretary, the selection of the next World Bank president will be open to candidates from any country. Read more