WRI Comments on the World Bank Energy Strategy

Read WRI’s formal comments to the World Bank Group on its Energy Strategy Review.

Download WRI’s Comments >>> (PDF, 162 Kb)

A New Energy Strategy for the World Bank Group

This year, the World Bank Group (WBG) is reviewing its decade-old Energy Strategy, and is expected to develop and finalize a new Energy Strategy in early 2011. As the basis for this discussion, the World Bank Group has authored an “Energy Strategy Approach Paper” outlining the Bank’s planned approach for energy sector lending.

The paper proposes a renewed focus on improving access and reliability of energy supply and facilitating a shift to more environmentally friendly and sustainable energy sector development. At the same time, the Bank hopes to improve their operational and financial performance and strengthen governments in borrowing countries so that they can achieve the twin objectives of greater access to energy and a sustainable energy supply.

The Energy Strategy Review Process

As part of the Energy Strategy preparation, the World Bank Group is conducting a comprehensive multi-stakeholder consultation process. The first round of face-to-face and electronic consultations is taking place from January to June 2010. During this consultation phase, civil society has the opportunity to raise concerns over the current policy and the Approach paper, and suggest recommendations for the future strategy.

Based off this first consultation phase, the World Bank staff and the Committee of Development Effectiveness (CODE) will develop a draft energy strategy to be released in September 2010. A second round of web-based multi-stakeholder consultations will then take place from November to December 2010, giving stakeholders an opportunity to provide their reactions and input on the draft strategy. These comments will be addressed and the draft strategy will be presented to and discussed by the Board of Governors in early 2011. A final Energy Strategy is scheduled to be released in April 2011.

WRI’s Comments on the Energy Strategy

The World Resources Institute is actively involved in the consultation process. We participated in the March 5, 2010 Washington, DC face-to face-consultation and submitted comments on the “Energy Strategy Approach Paper” through the World Bank’s electronic system. The World Resources Institute’s comments on the World Bank Energy Strategy review are below:

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