http://bicusa.org/en/Index.aspx The latest news from the Bank Information Center 10 http://www.infodev.org/images/infodev.gif http://bicusa.org/en/Index.aspx World Bank research paper debuffs conventional views that renewable energy is too costly for large-scale expansion. http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11801.aspx Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:12:07 GMT http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11801.aspx The night of March 10, the full Senate confirmed Ian Hoddy Solomon by voice vote to be the Executive Director for the United States at the World Bank. He will replace Eli Whitney Debevoise II. http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11799.aspx Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:01:48 GMT http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11799.aspx The multi-stakeholder consultation addressed the World Bank's Energy Strategy Approach Paper which will guide the Bank's energy lending over the coming decade. Civil society, the private sector and international orgs provided feedback to the Bank. http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11795.aspx Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:32:40 GMT http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11795.aspx The staff of Senator Richard Lugar released a report to the Committee on Foreign Relations calling for reform of the IFIs before Congress approves upcoming capital replenishment requests for the institutions. http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11797.aspx Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:10:34 GMT http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11797.aspx The proposed capital increases for the World Bank and IFC would expand their size without expanding the scope of their reform. http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11785.aspx Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11785.aspx In 2009, BIC conducted a survey of civil society organizations in 19 countries involved in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, a coalition that works with the World Bank Group to promote transparency in extractives. The survey looked into the effectiveness of CSO participation and the role of the World Bank in the process. http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11792.aspx Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:39:17 GMT http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11792.aspx A new report from the Center for American Progress looks into the World Bank's ability to exacerbate or alleviate climate change through its project funding and its ability to set standards for other institutions. BIC's analysis of the Bank's energy lending is cited http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11791.aspx Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:35:12 GMT http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11791.aspx A broad coalition of civil society in South Africa is mobilizing opposition to the controversial loan proposed to help fund the Medupi coal plant. They threatened a boycott of World Bank bonds if the loan is approved. http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11781.aspx Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:49:26 GMT http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11781.aspx This Thursday, Mark Constantine of the IFC will speak at the Greenpeace offices in Washington, DC about the IFC's new approach to the forestry sector. The meeting is open to the public, so feel free to join us. http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11779.aspx Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:41:17 GMT http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11779.aspx A cement plant in India financed in part by the IFC and ADB has been shut down pending a Supreme Court review of the mining operation supplying the plant. The complaint alleges that land was illegally transferred from tribal groups, that mining was undertaken without approval of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, and that customs and other duties were ignored. http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11768.aspx Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:07:06 GMT http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11768.aspx On January 13th, nine executive directors representing China, India, and other countries in the Global South wrote a letter protesting the recently announced guidelines from the U.S. for what coal projects it could support. The directors objected to the United States declaring it wouldn't support coal projects while maintaining its own reliance on coal power. http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11758.aspx Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:35:26 GMT http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11758.aspx "The World Bank released a study that finally put the impacts of climate change, deforestation and fires together. The tipping point for the Amazon is 20 percent deforestation," and that is "a scary result," Tom Lovejoy, a member of the external review panel for the report, told Tierramérica in an interview. The study, "Assessment of the Risk of Amazon Dieback," released Jan. 22, drew on the expertise of several international research institutions, including Japan's Meteorological Research Institute, Britain's Exeter University, Brazil's Centre for Weather Forecasting and Climate Change (CPET/INPE), Germany's Potsdam Institute and Earth3000. http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11756.aspx Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:46:53 GMT http://bicusa.org/en/Article.11756.aspx