AT A GLANCE · A new Environment Strategy for the World Bank Group is close to being finalized. It lays out a plan for the Bank Group to deliver on its vision for a “green, clean, resilient world for all”. · Bank Group President Zoellick has announced the formation of the new Global Partnership for Oceans which aims to tackle threats to ocean health and productivity. · In FY11, the World Bank approved 99 environment-related projects, worth $6.1 billion. A new Environment Strategy for the World Bank Group
A new World Bank Group Environment Strategy was endorsed by the Committee of Development Effectiveness of the World Bank’s Board on January 23, 2012 and will go to the Board for final approval soon. It articulates a vision for a “Green, Clean and Resilient World for All” and prioritizes scaled-up action in the following key areas over the next 10 years: a new World Bank-led Global Partnership for Oceans; Wealth Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services (WAVES); low-emission development; pollution management; adaptation to climate change; disaster risk management; and improving resilience of small island states. New Global Partnership for Oceans announced World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick announced the formation of a new Global Partnership for Oceans on February 24 2012. This is a growing alliance of governments, international organizations, civil society groups, and private sector interests committed to addressing the threats to the health, productivity and resilience of the world’s oceans. It aims to tackle widely documented problems of overfishing, pollution, and habitat loss. The first meeting of the Partnership will take place on the sidelines of the Bank Group’s 2012 Spring Meetings. “Greening” our portfolio
Environmental and Natural Resource Management activities are increasingly being integrated into World Bank sectoral (agriculture, water sanitation, urban, etc.) projects. In FY11, the World Bank approved 99 environment and natural resource management projects, amounting to $6.1 billion in commitments. The largest lending operation with an environmental theme approved in FY11 was the Energy Efficiency Development Policy Loan in Poland, totaling $1.1 billion. The project supports the Government drive to reduce emissions by accelerating energy efficiency and increasing the use of renewable energy. WAVES partnership moves forward with valuation of ecosystem services The World Bank-led partnership called WAVES: Wealth Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services is promoting comprehensive wealth accounting focusing on the value of natural capital and the integration of “green accounting” into national accounts. The partnership includes countries like Australia, Botswana, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Japan, Madagascar, Norway, Philippines, Spain, and UK. A Policy and Technical Experts Committee is developing a methodology for ecosystem accounting and a multi-donor trust fund is being established to support countries to optimize the use and protection of their natural capital. Supporting biodiversity through partnerships
The World Bank helps to protect forests, landscapes, and seascapes around the world, often in partnership with other organizations. For example: · The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), a partnership of Japan, the Global Environment Facility, Conservation International, the French Development Agency, and the World Bank provides grants for non-governmental and private sector organizations to support key biodiversity areas inside protected areas and across production landscapes. To date, CEPF has raised over $233 million for projects in 53 countries. · The Save Our Species Program brings together the private and public sectors to protect threatened and endangered species. In February 2012, SOS announced new investments of $US3.3 million for 23 projects to reduce extinction risk around the world with funding from the World Bank, GEF, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Nokia. Consortium created to combat illegal wildlife trade Together with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the World Customs Union, Interpol and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the World Bank has created the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime to mobilize public sector resources to stem the illegal and often unregulated trade in wildlife. This trade undermines public investments in conservation and makes communities reliant on wildlife more vulnerable to global crises, including climate change and food insecurity. Helping countries manage pollution The Bank Group has been active in public and private sector pollution management for several decades. Our projects have improved the management of solid and hazardous waste and wastewater and helped control pollution related to transport, industry, energy, mining in many countries. Priority efforts focus on air pollution as well as river basin clean-up and addressing legacy pollution. We continue to work with developing countries to address environmental health challenges, including indoor and outdoor air pollution, and global trans-boundary impacts of hazardous chemicals. We are also supporting a global partnership to address legacy pollution and its health impacts on poor communities in priority countries. A comprehensive sourcebook on pollution management providing policy tools for growth and competitiveness is being completed and a South-South cooperation program for developing countries to exchange “hands on” experiences on pollution management is in development. Climate Change a key focus of Bank operations
The World Bank is active in 130 countries supporting work on climate change. All Country Assistance and Country Partnership Strategies approved in FY11 prioritized climate change compared to 88 percent in FY10. All new regional and sector strategies now emphasize mitigation and adaptation actions. Scaling-up is also demonstrated in changing lending portfolios. For example the Bank Group’s renewable energy portfolio increased from $3.1 billion between fiscal years 2008-09 to $4.9 billion in 2010-11. Across nearly all of the Bank Group’s dedicated climate finance instruments, there is a demand for support that supersedes available resources, including the Climate Investment Funds. Climate Investment Funds
The Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) are a collaborative effort among five Multilateral Development Banks, developed and developing countries, and other stakeholders to bridge the financing and learning gaps for low-emissions and climate-resilient development. With $7 billion in donor pledges, the CIFs have stimulated new low-emission or climate-resilient work in 46 countries. Carbon Finance for Development Since the first World Bank carbon fund of the late 1990s, carbon finance has entered a stage of maturity after more than a decade of operations. Today, the Bank is the Trustee of 15 carbon initiatives. Ten carbon funds and facilities were established between 1999 and 2008 and these initial instruments are currently capitalized at $2.2 billion. The World Bank continues to explore opportunities through new facilities focusing on the post-2012 period. The BioCarbon Fund Tranche 3 and the Carbon Initiative for Development were launched in December 2011 to channel funds to projects in sectors vital to the world’s poorest – for example, energy access, energy efficiency, clean cooking, reforestation, climate smart agriculture, waste management, and others. The Bank’s Carbon Finance Unit has supported around 174 active carbon projects that are expected to cut greenhouse gas emissions by around 220 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. Integrating Global Environment Facility and Montreal Protocol Multilateral Fund grant resources into client development programs
Over the GEF's 20-year history, the Bank Group has helped over 700 client programs access and integrate $4.5 billion in grant resources with over $11 billion of IBRD/IDA resources and $19 billion of other partner funds to address biodiversity conservation, climate change, international waters, land degradation, persistent organic pollutants, and ozone depleting substances. The Bank Group’s current $2.2 billion GEF grant program includes more than 350 active projects across the globe. As an agency for the Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol, the World Bank has helped client countries eliminate 305,000 tonnes of ozone-depleting substances, estimated to be equivalent to around 20 billion tons of CO2. With new funding of $88 million approved to date, the Bank is now focused on assisting clients to develop projects that address the phase-out of hydrochlorofluorcarbons (HCFCs), while also generating energy savings benefits through the uptake of modern and more energy efficient technologies. For more information, please see: www.worldbank.org/environment Contacts: Elisabeth Mealey: (202) 458-4475, emealey@worldbank.org Updated March 2012 | 
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