Environmental Agenda for IDA 13

Posted: 06-Nov-2001; Updated: 11-Nov-2002

The majority of the recommendations presented below are closely related to the Bank's own admissions of shortcomings and calls for reform. Recent reports by the Operations Evaluations Department (OED) highlight the systematic failures of the Bank, and IDA in particular, to mainstream environmental considerations throughout its operations; ensure accountability for policy compliance; prevent the weakening of safeguard policies; and move from "do no harm" to "do more good." IDA 13 negotiations present a critical opportunity for donors to advance desperately needed social and environmental reforms and prevent further backsliding by the Bank.

Policy Objective

IDA supports strategies that promote environmentally sustainable development as a core policy and operational objective and will increase its efforts to mainstream environmental objectives into its work as a priority.

Recommendations/Actions

• IDA will mainstream environmental considerations in adjustment and programmatic lending by: (i) conducting full social and environmental assessments for all non-project lending (ii) updating all Economic and Sector Work (ESW) in environmental and social areas to provide a baseline for social and environmental assessments; and (iii) not approving any adjustment or programmatic loans for which environmental and social ESW is more than three years out of date.

• Ongoing efforts to promote transparency in IDA operations should be extended to include the disclosure of: (i) all draft and final country strategies and key policy documents; (ii) information related to program implementation; (iii) all adjustment documents prior to Board approval; and (iv) summaries and transcripts of Board proceedings. In addition, IDA should establish an independent body to review annually the content and implementation of the overall transparency policy and to review, upon request, refusals by the Bank to disclose information.

• IDA will report annually on the achievement of targets outlined in the Environment Strategy's Implementation and Monitoring Matrix.

• IDA will ensure the environmental sustainability of its project lending by: (i) implementing the recommendations on the World Commission on Dams and evaluating their application to all large infrastructure projects; (ii) extending the 1991 Forest Policy ban on logging to all old growth forests; and (iii) implementing a timely phase-out of IDA's support of fossil fuel and mining projects and shifting support to renewable energy and energy efficiency.

• The World Bank's Private Sector Development Strategy should include full integration and promotion of environmental sustainability objectives for all activities directly or indirectly related to IDA.