"World Bank: Dangerous Rollback in Environmental, Social Protections", 4 Aug 2015

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..."Clear and mandatory requirements, incentives, accountability structures, and a detailed budget are lacking in the proposed new framework,” said Korinna Horta of Urgewald in Germany. “Yet this is what we urgently need if we are serious about addressing the interconnected problems of poverty, climate change, deforestation, and biodiversity loss.”...The second draft includes some improvements on the 2014 draft – for example, new language on labor, indigenous peoples, and differential analysis of the needs of particular vulnerable groups, clarifying that assessments must examine differentiated impacts of projects on specific groups rather than on disadvantaged or vulnerable groups as a whole. Yet, the draft does not consistently ensure, throughout all standards, that unique impacts of projects on each disadvantaged or vulnerable group are differentiated to prevent harm to these groups, and leaves some key groups out...The proposed framework is not consistent with the bank’s stated goals of promoting “shared prosperity and ending extreme poverty” and “sustainable development.” The dilutions and other problems outlined here must be corrected before the final approval of the proposed new framework, which is currently scheduled for the end of 2015.

[Organizations: 11.11.11. (Belgium), Alyansa Tigil Mina (Philippines), Bank Information Center (United States), Both ENDS (Netherlands), Bretton Woods Project (United Kingdom), Center for International Environmental Law (US), Derecho Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (Peru), Forest Peoples’ Program (UK), Earthlife Africa (South Africa), NGO Forum on Asian Development Bank (ADB) (Philippines/Regional), Gender Action (US), Human Rights Watch (International), Inclusive Development International (US), International Accountability Project (US), International Trade Union Confederation, Oxfam International, Re:Common (Italy), ‘Ulu Foundation (US), and Urgewald (Germany).]