World Bank

World Bank - Dangerous Rollback in Environmental, Social Protections

whit — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 02:59:14 +0100

New Framework Undermines President Kim’s Commitment to ‘No Dilution’

(Washington, DC) – The World Bank has released new draft safeguard policies that will vastly weaken protections for affected communities and the environment at the same time as the bank intends to finance more high-risk projects, 19 organizations said today.

Panama: Banks failed to comply with standards in financing the Barro Blanco dam

whit — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 10:24:52 +0100

Independent report finds Dutch and German development banks failed to comply with environmental and human rights standards in financing the Barro Blanco dam in Panama

Indigenous communities and civil society shocked by the banks’ inadequate response to the findings

Kiad, Panama/Amsterdam/Bogota – Last Friday, a long-awaited report by an independent panel found that FMO and DEG, the Dutch and German development banks, violated their own policies by failing to adequately assess the risks to indigenous rights and the environment before approving a US$50 million loan to GENISA, the dev

India - Communities Sue World Bank Group in US for Destructive Coal-Fired Power Plant

whit — Sat, 25 Apr 2015 10:41:53 +0100

Washington D.C.- Today fishing communities and farmers from India represented by EarthRights International (ERI) filed suit against the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private-lending arm of the World Bank Group, in federal court in Washington, D.C. The plaintiffs allege that the IFC caused the loss of their livelihoods, destroyed their lands and water, and created threats to their health by funding the Tata Mundra coal-fired power plant in Gujarat, India.

The 4,150 MW coal-fired power plant, owned by Tata Power, began operating at full capacity in 2013.

India: Tata Mundra project under fire from ADB Accountability Panel

whit — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 11:04:49 +0100

People Demand Immediate Action on the Findings

Mundra, Gujarat: In a major breakthrough, the Compliance Review Panel of Asian Development Bank has come down heavily upon the ADB for committing major violations in financing the 4000 MW Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd (Tata Mundra), in Gujarat.

Letter of concern to the government of India with regard to their position on the World Bank’s Safeguard Policies

whit — Sat, 11 Apr 2015 21:49:16 +0100

... and Proposed Environmental and Social Framework

Shri Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Government of India

Dear Prime Minister Modi,

This is with reference to India’s written response on World Bank’s consultation on the “Update and Review of the World Bank’s Safeguard Policies and Proposed Environmental and Social Framework”. We are alarmed in particular at the Government of India’s position on ESS 7¹:

Free Prior and Informed Consent: ESS7 deals with standards relating to indigenous people.

India: Government against consent of tribals for displacement

whit — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 10:20:00 +0100

The NDA govt is on the verge of passing executive orders that would do away with the veto powers of tribals that protect their forestlands in most cases

New Delhi – India has told the World Bank that it is not ‘comfortable’ with mandatory need for free, informed and prior consent of tribals who are displaced for projects funded by the Bank.

African human rights body warns the World Bank on proposals

whit — Fri, 13 Mar 2015 10:15:43 +0000

African human rights body warns the World Bank on proposals to reverse decades of advancement in protection of indigenous peoples’ rights

LONDON – In February 2015, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights met in Banjul, The Gambia, for its 17th Extra-Ordinary Session, to deal with critical matters pending since the cancellation and delay of previous sessions due to the spread of Ebola during 2014.

One critical matter in front of the Commission was the new environmental and social safeguards being proposed by the World Bank and the Commission was very clear in its conce

Mongolia: 'When I was herding I had a plentiful life

whit — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 09:43:23 +0000

... ‘Now I am working for another and have lost my independence’

A new report reveals the often devastating impact of big development projects on local communities. Sukhgerel Dugersuren interviewed the nomads in Mongolia being displaced by mines

In 2014 the International Accountability Project asked their global advocacy team to look at eight projects funded by the World Bank and other development banks around the world.

World Bank whitewashes Ethiopia human rights scandal

whit — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 12:07:10 +0000

Bank absolves itself of responsibility and denies redress to victims

The World Bank has whitewashed damning evidence of widespread human rights abuses in connection with its flagship program in Ethiopia, Inclusive Development International said today. The evidence, obtained during the course of an internal investigation, appears to have been shelved in order to exonerate the bank and one of it biggest clients of responsibility for mass forcible population transfers that occurred between 2010-2013.

India - World Bank Panel Exposes Continued Violations at Tata Mundra UMPP

whit — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 15:03:06 +0000

MASS Demands President to Act; ‘Withdraw IFC from the Project’

In a scathing report, the compliance mechanism of World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) has said that IFC has failed to address the findings of CAO in the case of Tata Mundra (Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd).

CAO released its monitoring yesterday (January 21) after one year of their audit report. The report says, “While acknowledging the actions reported by IFC, CAO does not find them sufficient to address the findings of the audit at this stage.