Bank Environmental Policy

The Bank's policy on environmental protection and management is consistent with Member States environmental policies and generally acceptable environmental management. The Bank will pay attention to inter-relationship between choice of process or technology design and the potential for residue minimization or re-use and between project site location and direct environmental impacts. In their appraisal work, the bank's staff will pay attention to the following principles:

• Will try to ensure that the projects affecting renewable natural resources do not exceed the regenerative capacities of the environment. (For example, fisheries project should seek to prevent over fishing and agricultural projects should avoid unsustainable rates of soil erosion.).
• Will not finance projects that could cause severe or irreversible deterioration.
• Will not finance projects that unduly compromise the public's health and safety.
• Will not finance projects that displace people or without implementing acceptable mitigating measures.
• Will not finance projects that could significantly alter the environment of a neighbouring country without that country's consent.
• Will not finance projects that would significantly modify areas designated by national legislation as national parks, wildlife refuges, or other protected areas.
• Endeavours to ensure that projects with unavoidably adverse environmental effects are sited to areas where the environmental damage is minimized.