World Bank standards are dangerous set-back

The World Bank has released new draft safeguard policies at the end of its four-year review of its environmental and social safeguards, but they roll-back essential environmental and social protections for communities around the world.

While World Bank President Jim Yong Kim has voiced a commitment to ensure that the Bank's new rules will not weaken existing mandatory protection measures, the draft proposes increased flexibility and relaxed requirements, which compromises due diligence and the lives of affected communities and peoples.

Forest Peoples Programme is one of a group of NGOs to respond to the Bank's Environmental and Social Framework calling for better standards to be set regarding transparency, accountability and sustainability.

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