Sustainable development — particularly environmental sustainability — is a central tenet of the World Bank Group’s strategy.  IEG’s new report Results and Performance of the World Bank Group (RAP) provides a timely review of the Bank Group portfolio performance and examines how the Bank Group has mainstreamed and measured projects with potential environmental benefits. Between FY08-10 and FY15-17, the overall share of projects or components with potential environmental benefits has increased 4 percentage points for the World Bank and IFC. However, projects with "Clean" and "Resilient" components, such as climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation, have risen, while support for "Green" project components has decreased, including in some traditional areas of environmental sustainability. View the presentation from the live discussion.

1. Special Topic: Environmental Sustainability
Stephen Hutton
Senior Evaluation Officer
October 4, 2018
2017 Results and Performance Report

2. Independent Evaluation Group2
Today
Changes in the level of World Bank Group project
support for environmental sustainability
Changes in the composition of World bank Group
project support for environmental sustainability
Changes in the location of World bank Group project
support for environmental sustainability

3. WBG’s corporate strategies emphasize environmental sustainability
Twin goals Forward look
Environment
strategy
Climate change
action plan
Forest action plan

4. The World Bank Group has increased support for environmental
sustainability in projects
33
31
8
37
35 36
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
World Bank IFC MIGA
2008-10 2015-17
Percent

5. The World Bank is supporting more clean and resilient, less green
19
13
5
22
10 10
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Clean Green Resilient
Benefit type
2008-10 2015-17
Percent

6. IFC support is mostly clean
30
8
0
33
9
1
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Clean Green Resilient
Benefit type
2008-10 2015-17
Percent

7. World Bank environmental support is concentrated in higher income
countries – and the gap has widened
25
31
42
26
34
50
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Low income Lower middle income Upper middle income
2008-10 2015-17Percent

8. Independent Evaluation Group 8
Conclusion 1
• The World Bank, IFC, and MIGA have all increased their
support for activities with potential environmental benefits.
• For the World Bank and IFC, this has been by 4 percentage
points over a decade.
What would it take to do more?

9. Independent Evaluation Group 9
Conclusion 2
• The World Bank Group has increased its support for climate
change mitigation and adaptation.
• But many other types of environmental support have been flat
and some have declined.
What about the rest, beyond climate change?

10. Independent Evaluation Group 10
Conclusion 3
• Environmental support is increasing in higher income
countries.
• Support is concentrated in our largest client countries.
Should the WBG be doing more in low income countries and
small-medium clients? How?

11. Thank you!
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