Promoting Environmental Sustainability In Development: An Evaluation Of The World Bank's Performance (world Bank Operations Evaluation Study) (english, French And Spanish Edition)

'Preparation of the report was supervised by Andráes Liebenthal. The main author was John D. Shilling... assisted by Simone Lawaetz, Muthukumara Mani, and Jane Pratt'--P. v. Substantial improvement has been done by the Bank in its environmental performance since 1987. The Bank focused on the environment as a new area of activity, and it has sought to mitigate the negative environmental effects of its development interventions. The Bank's participation in the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, and the 1992 World Development Report on the environment, demonstrated the Bank's engagement, which helped launch many environmental activities. These efforts have produced commendable results, and promoted awareness in developing country governments, of the linkages between the environment, and development. This evaluation report finds that the Bank has made progress on environmental issues, but notes that its commitments have not been accompanied by precise goals, and performance monitoring. It advances explanations of why things have turned out this way, and offers recommendations that focus on how to restore the environment to its proper role, in the Bank's holistic, long-term development agenda. OED's evaluation has been timed to inform the preparation of the new Environment Strategy Paper. The evaluation is based on the synthesis of self-evaluation assessments, case studies of selected countries, background reviews of selected areas, surveys and interviews of Bank staff, and consultations with stakeholders in four regions. An Advisory Panel reviewed drafts and served as a sounding board for the recommendations. A concluding Workshop on the Bank's Environment Strategy and OED's Environment Review provided an opportunity for participants to comment on the Review findings and on the draft Environment Strategy, and to discuss next steps in implementation. In addition to OED's Review, we are pleased to share with you the report of OED's Advisory Panel, and the Facilitator's Summary of the concluding workshop The World Bank has made substantial improvement in its environmental performance since 1987. It has focused on the environment as a new area of activity, and has sought to mitigate the negative environmental effects of its development interventions. Bank efforts have produced commendable results and have promoted awareness in developing country governments of the connection between the environment and development. This is the first Operations Evaluation Department evaluation of the World Bank's overall environmental strategy since the Environment Department was created in 1987. It provides an