Session Description
In line with the conference theme, ‘Ka mua, ka muri: Looking back for the future of IA’, this session considers the way in which impact assessment requirements have evolved in development finance over the last 40 years, and the challenges that face development banks such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, and UN agencies such as UNDP, FAO, IFAD, UNICEF etc.
Development agencies first grappled with environmental and social risk issues in the early 1980s. Initial attempts to factor these risks into financing decisions took place on an “ad hoc”, agency-by-agency basis. Over the last 10 years, what the development agencies term “environmental and social safeguard frameworks” have coalesced to a significant extent. It is now the case that financial support from these organisations is dependent on showing that environmental and social risk can be effectively dealt with. This places specific impact assessment procedural requirements on both agency staff, and civil servants in developing countries.
In this session we will want to examine what has driven the development of environmental and social safeguards, and review how current procedures work. We will also want to address the challenges that development agencies face as they confront both new and old risks.
Session Summary
Discusses the evolution of social and environmental risk assessment/impact assessment within the financing decisions of development banks (World Bank etc) and UN agencies. Also focuses on the challenges facing such agencies, as they confront both new and old risks.
Session Chair
David Annandale
DDA International Consulting Ltd
United Kingdom
Session Co-chair
Darko Annandale
DDA International Consulting Ltd
United Kingdom