Introduction to the WBG's Environment Strategy

On July 17, 2001, the World Bank Group's Board of Directors endorsed the Environment Strategy titled Making Sustainable Commitments: An Environment Strategy for the World Bank. The document outlined how the World Bank would work with its client countries to address their environmental challenges and ensure that projects and programs integrate principles of environmental sustainability.

The Environment Strategy 2001 provided a vision, objectives, and a course of action and suggested specific actions, targets, and institutional measures with regard to the environment for about a decade. In the 2008 evaluation of the Bank’s environmental performance, the Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) noted that the WBG has made progress since 1990 as an advocate for the environment. However, it also identified external and internal constraints to the treatment of environmental issues in many WBG country programs. 

The WBG fully embraced the fact that climate change has a serious impact on development gains in client countries and is a potentially serious risk for industry, investors and financial institutions. With the preparation of its new Environment Strategy, the recent adoption of the Strategic Framework on Development and Climate Change and other developments in strategic areas such as Water, Urban Development, Energy, Education, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Trade and the Review and Update of IFC's Sustainability Framework, the World Bank Group is determined to strengthen its support so that its clients are better positioned to carve out a sustainable growth path.

The Environment Strategy 2012 website articulates an ambitious vision for a ‘Green, Clean, Resilient World for All’.  Based on extensive consultations with over 2,000 stakeholders in over 100 countries—including valuable inputs from you and your colleagues—the Strategy responds to calls for new approaches to development and aims to support countries’ efforts to pursue pathways that are green, inclusive, efficient and affordable as they seek to reduce poverty and cope with unprecedented challenges related to the environment and climate change.