The Records of the Global Environment Facility NUMBER 087 ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: JANUARY 2016 November 2017 The World Bank Group Archives Exhibit Series contains exhibits originally published on the Archives’ external website beginning in 2002. When the Archives’ website was transferred to a new platform in 2015, it was decided that older exhibits would be converted to pdf format and made available as a series on the World Bank’s external database, Documents & Reports. These exhibits, authored by World Bank archivists, highlight key events, personalities, and publications in the history of the World Bank. They also bring attention to some of the more fascinating archival records contained in the Archives’ holdings. To view current exhibits, visit the Exhibits page on the Archives’ website. On December 12th, 2015, delegates from 196 countries signed a historic global climate change agreement in Paris, France. The Global Environment Facility, or GEF, along with the Green Climate Fund (GCF), were named the financial mechanisms of the Paris agreement. That the GEF was given this role was no surprise: the GEF has been engaged in similar activities for more than twenty years. Established in October 1991 as a pilot program within the World Bank Group, the GEF was designed to assist in the protection of the global environment Cover of GEF folder. and to promote environmental sustainable development by providing grants and concessional funding to support development projects with environmental benefits. In 1994, the GEF moved out of the World Bank and became a permanent and separate institution. However, the World Bank continued to serve as its Trustee and provide administrative services. Because of its continued affiliation with GEF, the World Bank has custody of GEF archival records. The World Bank Group Archives preserves these records and makes them available to researchers in line with approved policies. On our Archives Holdings website, you can find a description of the Records of the Global Environment Facility. This collection, or fonds, contains records relating to the activities of GEF, including project monitoring and assessment, policy and standards development, and corporate affairs and Moeen Qureshi liaison. The Global Environment Facility fonds contains only the records created or received by GEF after it began operations. Researchers interested in records that provide information on the creation of GEF and the Bank’s role in its establishment can find this information in other sources. For example, the subject files of Moeen Qureshi in the Moeen Qureshi files sub-fonds of the Individual Staff Members fonds. Qureshi served as World Bank Senior Vice President, Operations (SVPOP) in the years leading up to the creation of GEF and was active in its planning and negotiations. His records contain revealing correspondence, memoranda, and reports from 1989 to 1991 discussing these activities. A particularly interesting example from Qureshi’s records is presented below. By late 1989, the World Bank as well as France and other European countries determined that there was sufficient support for a meeting of potential donors for a new environment fund. A meeting was planned for March 15 and 16, 1990, in Paris. It was the Bank’s responsibility to encourage attendance by representatives of 18 prospective donor countries. The records sampled below provide a view of the work that went into drafting the invitation that Bank President Barber Conable ultimately disseminated. The suggestions made by Qureshi and Cofinancing Vice President Koji Kashiwaya exhibit the type of sensitivity and thoroughness necessary for this type of communication. The records of the Global Environment Facility are just one avenue towards learning about how development and the environment intersect. Visit our Archives Holdings site to search for other records related to the topic and then visit our Access to Information page to submit a request or to communicate with an archivist. Also, check out our new World Bank Group Archives website and find out about other resources available through the World Bank and the Archives. THE WORLD BANK • Name Room No, , • t Me s s r s . (_:._~.~ • ...:._~.~ i.,::,_ • .:_r,. • ._ ,'_,:_';'" ':;""--- ..•. - ••• THE WORLD BANK ,: ,1 . j, .,I Name Room No. . ".:. ,,' ',,_ .. .z Messrs. '~\#it§ • t ~. Thalwitz _ '':: '.- ,'_ _ " ,-, . . ~'. , ... : '.' Note and File (.~: Appropriate Disposition Prepare Reply . : ~' .. ' Approval Per Our Conversation Information Recommendation . Remarks -·1 :-J I _.:) This is a draft letter Mr. Conable ., '., is plannirg tp send out next week . Do you have any comments? .. .. ,_ J ! -. '; .. ,..: <~'. :" .- Marianne Haug '.' .; ~"_ . .... .. :;. ... _",j: ' ..... " From .... :"'. r > '.,"_ " ... ..... ~ '.. •• " . ... "'. ~, ' '. THE WORLD BANK - Washington, D.C. 20433 U.S.A. Dear Mr. Minister: During 1989, a number of proposa for an environmental fund to address issues of global concern were made. More specific proposals were made by certain Governments at the Development Committee and during the Bank/Fund Annual Meeting in September. Consultations with donors were undertaken on an informal basis in recent weeks in order to establish how they would wish to see these ideas pursued. It appears that there is broad agreement on the notion of providing additional concessional resources to support environmental actions with global implications, where the current funding arrangements do not provide borrowing countries with sufficient incentive to do so. During these consultations, five categories of global iss).les were identified: energy efficiency and conservation, transboundary pollution, tropical forestry, biodiversi~y, and technology transfer (as in the case of CFC substitution). There is, of course, a diversity of "views among the donors on the relative priorities of these areas. " ~Q~o In order tO~iSCUSS these issues further in a forum which brings together interested onors, as well as the representatives of UNDP and UNEP, since they are key actors in this·area, we intend to hold a preliminary meeting on March 15-16, 1990 in Paris to which your Government is invited. I have asked Mr. Ernest Stern, Bank's Senior Vice President for Finance, to chair these discussions. A list of donors and agencies invited to this meeting is attached. Further details and a discussion paper will be sent to you shortly. I urge your Government's participation in these discussions since the Bank needs broad-based guidance in shaping its own strategy. Would you please let Mr. Stern know the composition of your Government's delegation, " which we assume in some cases may include representatives of more than one ministry. I look forward"to the start of these discussions and to your continued support of the World Bank Group in this area of vital~concern. Sincerely. 1~.J..J1 Mr. Ministry of • Attachment cc: ED '. Attachment MEETING ON ENVIRONMENTAL FUNDING Paris, March 15-16, 1990 Governments Invited Australia Austria Belgium Canada Denmark Finland France Germany, Federal Republic Italy Japan Netherlands Norway Saudi Arabia Spain Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom United States Agencies Invited , , UNDP UNEP • The World Bank Washington,0.C.20433 U.S.A. EEN A. QURESHI nior Vice President, Operations January 26, 1990 Ms. Haug: Marianne: Draft Letter on Global Envirornnental Fund I suggest a couple of changes. 'Ihe insert is designed to take into cognizance the contribution of grant :funcl; by several donors who have already contributed or pledged grant funds for technical assistance : 1) Replace the fourth sentence of the first paragaph, whiCh reads: "It appears that " with "It appears that there is broad agreement on the notion of providing additional concessional resources to support envirornnental actions. with global implications. While several donors I contributions of t.eqmiqil assistance grant funds have • supported, and will continue to support, important local envirornnental initiatives in the recipient countries, this does not provide these countries with sufficient with international 2) incentive to address envirornnental issues implications." Please insert "al.so" in the 3rd line of the 2nd paragraph, i. e. " .... since they are also key actors in .... ", cc: Mr. Kashiwaya • THE WORLD BANK liFe I MIGA OFFICE MEMORANDUM DATE: January 25, 1990 TO: Mr. Moeen A. Qureshi, OPNSV FROM: Koji Kashiwaya, CFSVP EXTENSION: 70795 SUBJECT: Draft President's Letter on Global Environmental Fund 1. I think that a sentence should be inserted that refers to the contribution of grant funds by several donors in support of technical assistance for environmental projects. Otherwise, this letter may cause unnecessary negative reactions by donors who have already contributed or pledged grant funds for technical -s'S'ista'Y'rc'e, ~,.~ --_, ._ ~--2~~I suggest the following amendment to the draft. Replace . the fourth sentence of the__..:f,rst paragraph, which reads "It appears that " with "It appear's that there is broad agreement on the / notion of providing additional concessiona1 resources to support environmental actions with global implications. While several donors' contributions of technical assistance grant funds have supported, and will continue to support,' important .loca1 environmental issues of the ') lrtJttrow€rs, this does not provide &9rrgwi,ag GQ.1.1.~S- with sufficient incentive to address ...... 1 environmental issues." ~ ; ..~ ~ I~ cc: Messrs. Vergin, Bock, Taylor •