International Processes / Actors: World Bank

The World Bank

WRM Briefing: The World Bank in the Forest
Articles published in the WRM bulletin
WRM Special bulletins on World Bank
Analysis on World Bank Forest Policy Review (FPIRS)
Internal World Bank Evaluation
Other relevant information
Action Alerts
Links
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International Financial Institutions
World Trade Organization

WRM BRIEFING
The World Bank in the Forest (complete version) During the 1980's, the World Bank was identified as being responsible for widespread forest destruction in the South. The Bank's "development" policies --consistently carried out throughout the tropics-- included funding for large-scale projects which directly or indirectly resulted in deforestation and forest degradation.
ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN THE WRM BULLETIN
2007 Policies and actors behind monoculture tree plantations Laos: No Success Like Failure - Policy Versus Reality In The Forestry Sector “Avoided deforestation" policies and indigenous peoples and local communities: urgent debate needed on potential social impacts India: World Bank forestry project goes from bad to worse 2006 HCVF and the World Bank's Forests Policy The World Bank: A major broker of carbon purchases Indonesia: World Bank/WWF experts look for new ways to subsidise plantations Cambodia: World Bank Inspection Panel findings Slam Bank Forestry Project Democratic Republic of Congo: The World Bank acknowledges failure in EESRSP project Uruguay: Pulp mills and citizen participation – the World Bank in the limelight 2005 Uruguay: World Bank Ombudsman confirms pulp mill risks Madagascar: Ilmenite mining in exchange for forests and people Illegal Timber in Indonesia: Experiments with Legal Verification Cameroon: Will new support to forest sector enhance benefits for local populations? Uruguay: Campaign against IFC funding of pulp mill projects Laos: Did The World Bank Fudge Figures to Justify Nam Theun 2? The World Bank, Forests and Forest Peoples: Policies, Impacts and Implications "Open for business": How the International Finance Corporation subsidises the pulp and paper industry Special Bulletin on World Bank Brazil: World Bank loan to Aracruz is in breach of Bank forest policy Laos: Nam Theun 2, the World Bank and corruption Congo (DRC): Alliance against World Bank’s support to industrial logging 2004 Democratic Republic of Congo: After the war, the fight for the forest Does the World Bank have a position on GM trees? Congo, Democratic Republic: Pygmies stand up to World Bank logging development The carbon spin doctors: How the World Bank explains emissions trading to journalists The Plantar PCF project still in the spotlight Kenya: Pan African Paper Mills spread sickness China: Restructuring the paper sector to suit a globalised industry India: Oppose World Bank and Save Forests Fifty years was enough; Sixty is much too much Democratic Republic of Congo: World Bank behind logging interests Ghana: The World Bank in the gold scenario 2003 Uganda: World Bank attempts to keep the Bujagali dam project alive Plantar: World Bank acknowledges spreading incorrect allegations Brazil: The Alert Against the Green Desert Network demands a change in the forestry model Laos: French company pulls the plug on Nam Theun 2 Asian Development Bank joins World Bank in promoting industrial scale carbon sinks projects in the South Vietnam: Unique biodiversity threatened by World Bank-funded cement plant Tanzania: World Bank supports Canadian mining plunder World Bank Should Stop Mining Indigenous Lands World Bank Takes Low Road on Water Policy India: The World Bank's "Revised Forest Strategy" under challenge World Bank Biocarbon Fund's "two-window" approach runs counter to climate deal Congo, Democratic Republic: World Bank's explanations explain nothing Congo, Democratic Republic: Selling biodiversity under World Bank assistance Laos: Nam Theun 2 dam - Fighting corruption World Bank style Chad/Cameroon: Promises and realities of a World Bank funded oil project 2002 Uganda: Bujagali dam project comes back under a new disguise Cambodia: The farce of World Bank and government consultation on forests World Bank to log primary rainforests World Bank: The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing World Bank: At the forefront of carbon trading World Bank's proposed policy puts world's forests at risk Uganda: Bujagali dam project questioned by World Bank's Inspection Panel Ecuador: When people said NO to mining Will the Convention on Biological Diversity take on the challenge? World Bank Forest Policy: holding our breath 2001 Cameroon: Social and environmental impacts of industrial forestry exploitation Papua New Guinea: World Bank-funded Forestry and Conservation project without the people Vietnam: Shrimps, mangroves and the World Bank Vietnam: Shrimps, Mangroves and the World Bank (2) Ecuador: Action to stop the oil pipeline continues Laos: Planned Nam Theun 2 dam leads to increased logging Indonesia: Mamberamo dam threatens nomadic tribes India: Gender bias and disempowerment in World Bank-funded forestry projects Urgent action against the World Bank's proposed resettlement policy!! Old Growth Forests at Risk: World Bank Wants to Get into the Logging Business Papua New Guinea: The World Bank once again in the forest Honduras: World Bank involvement in mangrove destruction Chad-Cameroon: Oil revenues versus human rights and environment The World Bank's broken promises on its forest policy review New World Bank Resettlement Policy Is Flawed Future Forest Policy must exclude GMO trees 2000 Sign on letter on erosion of safeguard standards World Bank foresters deny that plantations alleviate pressures on forests Laos stops World Bank forestry programme Chad: The World Bank, weapons and oil "development" Concerns over the revision of the World Bank’s Indigenous Peoples policy The World Bank: a major actor Chad-Cameroon: the World Bank again shows who it serves Liberia: Concerns over World Bank's promotion of rubber plantations The plantations' issue in the agenda of the World Bank's FPIRS Boletín Especial sobre el Banco Mundial Previous years World Bank forest policy labyrinth The World Bank makes plantations possible Forest Policy: Letter to the World Bank Dialogue with the World Bank? Brazil: NGOs oppose WWF-World Bank's 10% Campaign World Bank promotes oil palm and rubber plantations in Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire Argentina: tree monoculture expansion supported by World Bank India: people versus nature or World Bank and government versus people? Chad oil pipeline: response from the World Bank Chile: World Bank acknowledges mistake and impacts in the Bio Bio Pangue dam
SPECIAL WRM BULLETINS FOCUSED ON THE WORLD BANK
Special Bulletin Nº 93 - April 2005 - (complete version) This bulletin is the result of a joint effort carried out by a number of organizations concerned about the role that the World Bank Group plays in forest destruction and the violation of forest peoples’ rights. Participating organizations include the Forest Peoples Programme, Rainforest Foundation UK, Environmental Defense, Global Witness, SinksWatch, CDM Watch, Samata, Down to Earth and World Rainforest Movement. Special Bulletin Nº 31 - February 2000 - (complete version) The World Bank is currently embarked in a process to review the implementation of its 1991 Forest Policy, while simultaneously trying to develop a new forest strategy. Within that process, the Bank has organized a series of consultations, among which eight regional and one country (Brazil) consultations, open to civil society organizations. Whatever view one might have about the positive or negative role that the World Bank can have on people and the environment -particularly forests- one cannot ignore that the Bank is a major player within the current globalized scenario. In consequence, we decided to play a role in trying to positively influence this major actor, and this bulletin is aimed at that. We sincerely hope it may serve that purpose.
ANALYSIS ON THE WORLD BANK FOREST POLICY REVIEW (FPIRS)
The World Bank’s New ‘Forests Policy’: an NGO Guide - April 2003 Letter to World Bank on Forest Policy April 2003 The World Bank: a major actor Marketing the Earth: The World Bank and Sustainable Development - By Friends of the Earth and Halifax Initiative. August 2002 "Sign on against World Bank Forest Policy" - July 16, 2002 World Bank to Resume Financing of Rainforest Destruction - July 2002 - acition alert by Forests.org, Inc. Forests and the World Bank: No need for a step back! - Critical forests, protected areas and indigenous rights at risk in the new draft of the World Bank Forest Policy. July 2002 World Bank’s Proposed Policy Puts World’s Forests at Risk - Statement by WRM, FPP, ED. June 2002 Comparison of World Bank Forest Policies - By Marcus Colchester - FPP. June 2002 Comments on the 30 July 2001 draft "A Revised Forest Strategy for the World Bank Group" A letter is being sent to the World Bank next Friday 7 September as a response to the Bank's request for comments on the above draft document. *sign-on here* NGO letter of concern to World Bank on FPIRS NGO letter of concern to IUCN on FPIRS IUCN's letter to World Bank World Bank's response to IUCN and NGOs Concerns about the Weakening of World Bank Safeguard Policies Report on a Workshop on ‘Indigenous Peoples, Forests and the World Bank: Policies and Practice’ FPP / BIC World Bank Forest Policy: the wrong policy or the wrong implementation? (Briefing paper by WRM, FPP and EDF) Spanish / Portuguese / French / Russian The World Bank and the World’s Forests: a lost decade - (Comments on OED report by Korinna Horta and Marcus Colchester) The World Bank's Old Testament of Forestry - (A useful summary of the OED findings by David Kaimowitz) Challenges and Recommendations: Contribution to the World Bank's FPIRS (By IUCN and WWF) Spanish / English / French Forest Policy and Forest Policy Implementation Review: our view (produced in occasion of the FPIRS Western Europe Consultation, 10-11 April, 2000 by Francesco Martone)
INTERNAL WORLD BANK EVALUATION
The World Bank’s Forest Policy Implementation Review and Strategy Development (To open these files you need "Adobe Acrobat". If you don´t have it, click here to download it) The OED's findings: Main Report (English, French, Spanish and Russian versions) Annexes Forests in the balance: Challenges of conservation with development: An evaluation of Brazil's forest development and World Bank assistance Forest sector development in a difficult political economy: An evaluation of Cameroon's forest development and World Bank assistance (Annexes) Forest Policy and the evolution of land use: An evaluation of Costa Rica's forest development and World Bank assistance The challenges of World Bank involvement in forests: An evaluation of Indonesia's forests and World Bank assistance From afforestation to poverty alleviation and natural forest management: An evaluation of China’s forest development and World Bank assistance Alleviating poverty through participatory forestry development: An evaluation of India’s forest development and World Bank assistance The OEG's findings: International Finance Corporation Regional consultations' reports: Africa Brazil East Asia and the Pacific Europe and Central Asia Latin America and the Caribbean Middle East and North Africa North America South Asia Western Europe
OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION
Mekong groups call for World Bank, ADB and other donors to stop promoting tree plantations Paul Wolfowitz assumed the presidency of the World Bank on June 1. Global justice organizations around the world marked the occasion with protests and calls to action. They also sent a clear message of discontent in a joint letter. PRESS RELEASE: World Bank is contributing to destruction of world’s forest World Bank Plans for Forestry Project in Jharkhand State (India) Continue to Cause Controversy Article compiled by Tom Griffiths and Sanjay Bosu Mullick Forest Alert India: Recent Information on World Bank Plans in Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh Briefing compiled by the Forest Peoples Programme , September 2004 The International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Africa: A 'Disastrous' Record - From Pambazuka News Nº 175 - http://www.pambazuka.org/ - By Demba Moussa Dembele Seriously flawed consultation process for IFC Safeguard Policy Update. Joint sign on letter sent --by 56 Southern and 65 Northern organizations (many MIC Eastern European) as well as 3 individuals-- to the World Bank and IFC. 16 september 2004 Briefing on the International Finance Corporation’s Consultation Draft document on a proposed IFC "Policy on Social and Environmental Sustainability and Performance Standards" - prepared by Forest Peoples Programme - August 2004 Civil Society Organisations Reject World Bank Country Assistance Strategy: Severely Condemn Bank’s Propriety in Influencing Government of India’s Policy - PRESS RELEASE - August 10, 2004 Letter to Mr. Wolfensohn on World Bank draft Development Policy Lending (O.P. 8.60), sent by World Rainforest Movement, Forest Peoples Programme and Environmental Defense, on behalf of 47 International NGOs. Environmental NGOs call for closure of World Bank climate change fund. April 19th, 2004. The Chad/Cameroon Oil & Pipeline Project - Reaching a Critical Milestone - by Korinna Horta / Environmental Defense - January 2003 The Forest Stewardship and the World Bank Forest Policy - Rainforest Foundation Briefing Nov 2002 Draft Forest Sector Strategy Paper and Draft Forests Operational Policy Document / June 2002 A Revised Forest Strategy for the World Bank Group - Draft - May 14, 2002 - The World Bank Group The globalizer who came in from the cold. Joe Stiglitz: Today's winner of the nobel prize in economics By Greg Palast. The Observer, London October 10, 2001 The 1991 Forest Policy Operational Policy 4.36: Forestry (Annex with definitions) Guidelines and Best Practice 4.36: Forestry World Bank Resettlement Policy Forest Peoples Programme / Center for International Environmental Law
ACTION ALERTS
2005 - Open letter to the International Finance Corporation on Pulp Mill in Uruguay 2004 - Request for Endorsements: Call to Action against IMF/World Bank (March) - The World Bank and the Extractive Industries Review (February) 2001 - Indigenous Peoples sign-on letter to the World Bank (December) - World Bank sticks to proposals for ethnocidal resettlement policy (Part II - September) - World Bank sticks to proposals for ethnocidal resettlement policy (Part I - August) - Towards a phase out of international financial institution support of fossil fuel and mining projects (August) - World Bank set to slash Indigenous rights (March) - Concerns about the Weakening of World Bank Safeguard Policies (February) - Breakdown in the World Bank's Forest Policy Consultation Process (January) - Global call for greater transparency at the World Bank (January) 2000 - Sign-on letter to the World Bank on its ‘Forest Policy Implementation Review and Strategy Development’ (November)
LINKS
The official World Bank web page: http://www.worldbank.org/ Breton Woods Project Critical Voices on the World Bank and the IMF http://www.brettonwoodsproject.org/index.shtml World Bank - Forest Policy section: http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/essd/forestpol-e.nsf/MainView?OpenView 50 Years Is Enough (World Bank/FMI) http://www.50years.org/ The World Bank's Involuntary Resettlement Policy http://www.ciel.org/Ifi/wbinvolresettle.html "The Whirled Bank Group" http://www.whirledbank.org One World - IMF and World Bank Campaign http://www.oneworld.net/campaigns/imf&wb/index.html Bank Information Center http://www.bicusa.org Corporate Watch http://www.corpwatch.org/ Probe International http://www.probeinternational.org/pi/wb/index.cfm?DSP=subcontent&AreaID=54

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