World Bank Annual Meetings 2024: Centering on People and Accountability in the Climate Crisis – Center for International Environmental Law

Revealed October 14, 2024

By Aubrey Manahan, Campaigner for the Folks, Land & Sources Program on the Heart for Worldwide Environmental Regulation (CIEL).

Because the World Financial institution Group (WBG) and Worldwide Financial Fund (IMF) put together to convene their 2024 Annual Conferences from October 21-26 in Washington, DC, the strain continues to make sure the World Financial institution’s position in local weather finance considers these most impacted by the worldwide disaster. This yr quite a few classes will concentrate on how monetary establishments are responding to the local weather disaster, and the way the Financial institution can help the worldwide vitality transition in a simply and clear method. 

Whereas these conferences sometimes deal with main monetary occasions and traits impacting the establishment, its borrower international locations, non-public sector purchasers, and accomplice buyers, of explicit curiosity this yr is how to make sure that the transition away from fossil fuels will not be solely swift however equitable, taking into consideration the wants of susceptible communities. 

This annual occasion is a mix of official closed-door conferences amongst World Financial institution and IMF management, public seminars on world financial growth, and high-level occasions that includes outstanding officers. The Civil Society Coverage Discussion board (CSPF) held throughout the conferences is without doubt one of the most important alternatives to affect the establishments, because it permits civil society organizations (CSOs) and communities affected by growth initiatives to have interaction straight with financial institution employees and officers.

Right here’s what we’ll be advocating for all through the week:

Transferring Towards Efficient Actions and Agreements for Communities Harmed by Improvement Tasks

A key problem in growth is guaranteeing that communities affected by bank-financed initiatives obtain cures when they’re harmed. On the World Financial institution, Administration Motion Plans (MAPs) and Dispute Decision agreements ensuing from accountability processes are among the most important strategies of addressing hurt attributable to WBG-financed initiatives. 

But, poorly crafted MAPs, failure to incorporate communities of their design and inadequate engagement by DFI administration can result in unsuccessful plans. Equally, the agreements popping out of Dispute Decision processes could also be imperfect and unviable if DFIs are usually not concerned. In the end communities could also be left with no efficient remedial actions or agreements to handle harms. 

Throughout the CSPF, CIEL and companions will convene a panel of neighborhood leaders, and Financial institution employees to debate MAPs and agreements in follow, challenges with creation and implementation and a few successes alongside the best way. 

Moderated by CIEL’s Director of the Folks Land and Sources program, Carla García Zendejas, the occasion will characteristic:

Feliciano Santos, Indigenous Chief, Motion for the Protection of the Territories and Ecosystems of Bocas del Toro, Panama
Mario Paniagua Ortega, Fundación Tierra, Bolivia
Aaron Pedrosa, Philippine Motion for Local weather Justice
Raquel Gomez Fernandez, Compliance Specialist, Compliance Advisor Ombudsman
Emmanuel Boulet, Head of Stakeholder Engagement and Grievance Response, IFC

Be a part of us for this dialog on Wednesday, October 23 from 3:15 to 4:45 p.m. ET on the World Financial institution Group “I” Constructing: I 2-220 (livestream can be made accessible https://bit.ly/CIEL-cspf-2024). 

Defending the Defenders: Guaranteeing Environmental and Human Rights Defenders can Work Freed from Reprisals

The Regional Settlement on Entry to Data, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Issues in Latin America and the Caribbean, often known as the Escazú Settlement is the primary binding regional settlement aimed toward guaranteeing environmental democracy and the safety of environmental and human rights defenders. 

Improvement banks have a accountability to respect human rights and keep away from contributing to hurt by means of their monetary investments. Globally, environmental and human rights defenders typically face threats, reprisals and violence when talking out about bank-financed initiatives. This session brings collectively frontline leaders, authorities officers, and Financial institution employees to look at how the World Financial institution’s strategy to addressing reprisals has developed and the way it can leverage the Escazu settlement to guard defenders worldwide.

Moderated by CIEL Senior Lawyer, Luisa Gómez Betancur, this panel will characteristic:

Marcela Mella, No Alto Maipo marketing campaign chief and member of Pink de Comunidades Impactadas por IFIs (Community of Communities Impacted by IFIs)
Bastián Pastén Delich, Senior Counsel, World Financial institution
Constance Nalegach, Head of Workplace of Worldwide Affairs, Workplace of Worldwide Affairs of the Ministry of the Setting of Chile and Working Group of Defenders of the Escazú Settlement
 Maninder Gill, Director of Operations Coverage and Nation Companies (OPCS), World Financial institution TBC

Be a part of us for this dialog on Friday, October 25 at 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET on the World Financial institution Group “I” Constructing: I 2-220 (livestream can be made accessible https://bit.ly/CIEL-cspf-2024). 

Avoiding Local weather Change Harms by Enhancing Sustainability Insurance policies 

IFC should take vital measures to align its monetary flows with the aim of preserving world temperature rise beneath 1.5°C. On this session, consultants share how IFC’s local weather insurance policies addressing greenhouse gasoline emissions should evolve so each IFC and its member international locations can meet their due diligence and hurt prevention obligations below worldwide legislation. Panelists will suggest modifications and enhancements to IFC’s Sustainability Framework forward of the upcoming evaluation.

Moderated by Recourse’s Programme Director, Ecological Justice, Fran Witt, this panel will characteristic:

Jason Weiner, Government Director & Authorized Director, Financial institution Local weather Advocates
Dean Bhekumuzi Bhebne, Campaigns Lead, Powershift Africa
Igor Gryshko, PhD, Human Rights Officer, Setting and Local weather Change Group, United Nations Human Rights Workplace of the Excessive Commissioner (UN OHCHR)
Irum Ashan, Head Advisory, Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO)

Be a part of us for this dialog on Tuesday, October 22 at 2:15-4:00 p.m. ET on the World Financial institution Group “I” Constructing: I 2-220 (livestream can be made accessible https://bit.ly/CIEL-cspf-2024). 

A Key Alternative to Envision Local weather Insurance policies and Options that Forestall Hurt

Because the World Financial institution and IMF 2024 Annual Conferences unfold, the worldwide highlight can be on how these establishments navigate the advanced terrain of local weather change, vitality transition, and growth financing. The occasions and discussions round accountability, safety of human rights defenders, and the position of economic establishments within the vitality transition will present essential insights into the long run path of worldwide growth.

The panels hosted by CIEL and its companions spotlight the rising demand for monetary establishments to prioritize justice and human rights. With the world watching, the outcomes of those discussions may have far-reaching impacts on world local weather coverage and growth practices.

By addressing key points just like the implementation of remedial motion, defending defenders, and aligning monetary flows with local weather objectives, the World Financial institution can play a number one position in guaranteeing a very simply, truthful, and equitable vitality transition.