23123 The monthly newsletter of the Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Network Vol 2 no 5 May 1999 Budget reduction is opportunity to reassess panel concluded that the CGIAR is an 'extraordinary resource' The ESSD Network's fiscal 2000 budget envelope is down for providing agricultural knowledge to the poor and hungry in approximately 6.75 percent, or $1 million, from last year. Another developing countries. To position CGIAR for the 21 st century, reduction is expected in fiscal 2001 as the Bank realigns to the panel members presented 29 recommendations on science, post-Strategic Compact era. These reductions are an opportunity to partnerships, governance, and finance. At MTM99 CCIAR review network priorities and teamwork. Ian Johnson stresses that members will decide on those recommendations and an the network should position itself as an integrated team that implementation plan. See http://www.worldbank.org/html/cgiar/ addresses sustainable development by working across families, publications/mtm99/mtm99.html networks, and regions, rather than by operating in 3 'cylinders" as Social Forum to focus on consistency, results the Environment, Rural, and Social Families. This year's Social Development Forum on June 1-3 will focus on Development Committee discusses Social Principles "Confronting Our Challenge: Delivering on the Promise of Social At the Development Committee meeting on April 28 during the Development.' The forum is designed to improve the analytical, Spring Meetings, 24 finance ministers discussed the draft Social strategic, and tactical capabilities of the 150+ SDV Family staff. Principles, prepared the PREM/HD/SDV team. The ministers The ultimate goals are to ensure that family members share a emphasized the importance of the Bank's concentrating on common analytical platform to address SD issues and increase translating broad principles into practical, country-specific their ability to influence Bank policies and programs. Other staff results-based on the Bank's extensive operational role in who work on these issues are encouraged to participate. promoting broad-based poverty-reducing development. The Complementary events will be held in the MC Atrium May 26- ministers also emphasized the urgency of ensuring that when June 3, including a 6pm reception on May 26 to open the SD crises strike, the most vulnerable groups are protected while long- Exhibition, Information Fair, and Family Wall. Contacts: Michelle term development is sustained. The Bank will report to the Daniels, x36481, WBI, and Myrtle Diachok, x82755, SDV. committee at the Annual Meetings on policies and best practices GEF Council approves Bank work program that could support national and international implementation of The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council discussed and these objectives. Contact: Judith Edstrom, x33621. approved the Bank's work program and reviewed the Bank's Bank Environment Strategy subject of ENV Forum paper, "World Bank Group Environment Strategy and This year's May 20-21 Environment Forum will be a discussion Mainstreaming the Global Environment-A Status Report" during to shape the preparation and substance of the World Bank Group its May 5-7 meeting at HQ. On April 1 the GEF regional Sustainable Environmental Strategy. The regions and anchor have coordination function with its administrative budgetary resources committed to use this forum to grapple with the many from the Environment Department, was transferred to the operational and policy issues involved. Priorities and ideas that regions. As a result of GEF's policies, programs, and procedures emerge will influence the Bank's environment agenda for the having firmly established themselves over the last 5 years, next decade. All staff are encouraged to think about the issues maintaining a critical mass of GEF coordinators in ENV is no and to take an active part in the debates. The forum will be held longer necessary. Consistent with strengthening the Bank's at Rockwood Manor Park in Potomac, MD. Contact: Erin Stone, operational front lines, the move will also facilitate x36921. mainstreaming GEF and the global environment in general both CGIAR to position itself for 21s' century at MTMS organizationally and programmatically. This change should help country teams to build global issues into their dialogues with "The Third System Review: From Proposals to Practice" is the client governments and other stakeholders and to deliver a theme of this year's Consultative Group on International stronger GEF program. ENV will continue to facilitate the Agricultural Research (CGIAR) May 24-28 Mid-Term Meetings regions' work through a small GEF Coordination Anchor. (MTM99) in Beijing. Hosted by the Government of the People's Contact: Lars Vidaeus, x34188. Republic of China Ministry of Agriculture, the meetings will convene hundreds of scientists, agricultural researchers, and Bank position on biotechnology being prepared NGO representatives. In 1997-98 an independent expert panel Agricultural Biotechnology and Rural Development-Priorities headed by Maurice Strong, Chairman of the Earth Council and for the World Bank will be the subject of a June 3-4 workshop at Secretary-General of the 1992 UN Conference on Environment HQ. Objectives are to (1) obtain input on Bank principles, and Development, conducted an assessment of the CGIAR. The priorities, and actions in biotechnology, and (2) update staff on "ESSenbals" is the monthly intemal newsletter of the Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Network of the World Bank Group. Its purpose is to unify the 800 network staff, including 100 in field offices, and share important news on sustainable development with network staff and interested Bank colleagues. Please send ideas or articles to Alicia Hetzner, editor, MC4-101, ext 33379. To obtain prior issues nf "Fl;ntials." check o,uwelbj.: I=:lsd-. -~~~~~i Fl r npv the latest technical, economic, policy, and ethical issues in with the Executive Committee and the Fund Secretariat. The plan biotechnology. Additional goals are to gather information to will eliminate about 45,000 tons of ozone-depleting potential. finalize the biotechnology options paper and the initial elements China accounts for 43 percent of the world's CFC production. of a Bank policy on support to biotechnology. Three thematic Contact: Mary-Ellen Foley, x80445. groups-Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems, Nepal rural service clinic anticipates staff needs Sustainable Crop and Land Management, and Animal Resources-will host the workshop. Contacts: Derek Byerlee, Decentralization and institutional options for rural and x87287, Eugene Terry, x38544, and Cornelis de Haan, x30347. agricultural service delivery in Nepal were the subjects of a May 10 clinic at HQ. The Community-Based Rural Development Desertification RT to brainstorm Bank action program Thematic Team, WBI, and OED organized the clinic for a task A roundtable to develop an action program for the Bank's team undertaking the "Terai Rural Development Options" sector commitment to combat land degradation in country assistance study. The clinic exemplified WBI's and CBRD's goal to provide strategies and to maintain lending for development in dryland quick response to task team demands and to become involved areas will take place at HQ June 15-16 in MC13-121. To upstream in the sector work and project identification and design implement the Bank's commitments made at the meeting of the pipeline. Contact: Anthony Willett. x36932. Conference of the Parties II to the Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD) last December in Dakar, ESSD, the World Asian small-scale mining damages environment Bank Institute, and the Africa Region are inviting international The financial crisis in East Asia has triggered a minor gold rush. political, technical, and socioeconomic experts to the roundtable. Small-scale artisanal mining is booming in Indonesia and All interested staff are invited. RSVP to Patricia Shanks, x31471. continuing at a high level in the Philippines due to tremendous Contact: Hassan Hassan, x31 376. profitability, particularly compared to farming; the decline in environmental monitoring; and the cheap availability of heavy Land Policy group surveys knowledge and services equipment formerly used in the stalled construction industry. The Land Policy and Administration Thematic Group has Environmental destruction from mining has been enormous, and launched an online survey to gauge members' sense of the TG's in the Philippines health concerns are growing over mercury use effectiveness. Members are encouraged to participate at http:/l in gold processing. This information is part of the analysis of wbinOO18.worldbank.org/pe sal/pe salsd.nsf. The group's "Environmental Implications of the Economic Crisis and newsletter is at http://www.worldbank.org/landpolicy. Adjustment in East Asia," the first in a series of EASES discussion Contacts: Veena Mayani, x31095, and Jason Paiement, x87536. papers. Contacts: Gary McMahon, EMTIM, x32483, and - .* * - 4 - Kristalina Georgieva, EASES, x30397. 8 ECA countries, 3 sectors to meet on clean air Calendar As part of the regional study, Cleaner Transport Fuels for M a y Improved Air Quality in Central Asia and the Caucasus, a Cleaner 10-18 7th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties on Fuels-Clean Air workshop will take place in Tibilisi, Georgia, Wetlands (RAMSAR)-San Jose, Costa Rica June 10-11. It will be attended by representatives of the 17 High-level Commission on Social Development-UN, environment, energy, and transport sectors from Armenia, NYC. Ian Johnson presenting on social capital Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, 20-21 Environment Forum- Rockwood Manor Park, Potomac, MD Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, and by Western experts, bilateral 21-26 4th International Workshop on Participatory Develop- and multilateral organizations, and NGOs. The purpose is to ment-Ottawa. See workshop@mosaic-net-intl.ca launch the regional study and discuss fuel quality issues, vehicle 24-28 2d Learning Forum for NGO/Civil Society Special- emission reduction, and air quality management. Coordinators: ists-Preston Auditorium ECSSD, ECSEG, EMTOG, and ENV. Sponsors: World Bank, 24-28 CGIAR Mid-term Meetings-Beijing ESMAP, and CIDA. Contacts: Magda Lovei, x33986, and Martin 25 NGO meeting with JDW on Chad-Cameroon pipeline Fodor, x39131, ENV; and Masami Kojima, x31218, EMTOG. and env/energy issues 26-28 Africa Water Resources Policy Conference-Nairobi. South Asian countries discuss groundwater Contact: Rafik Hirji, x81994 Sixty government officials in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and 26-June 3 SDV Forum exhibition, Information Fair, and Family Sri Lanka plus resident mission staff videoconferenced with HQ staff Wall - MC Atrium and UNDP and FAO specialists on April 21 to discuss legal and policy I u n e issues related to groundwater. Task managers responsible for projects 1-3 2d Annual SDV Forum, " Confronting Our Challenge: in Jordan, Mexico, and Nepal also shared progress. Sponsors: RDV Delivering on the Promise of Social Development"- Water Resources Management Thematic Group and World Bank Hyatt Regency Reston, VA Distance Learning Center. Contact: Liliana Monk, x30553. 3-4 Agricultural Biotechnology and Rural Development US$150 million to end CFC production in China workshop-H Auditorium. Starts 8:30 am 10-11 Clean Air-Clean Transport workshop-Tibilisi, Georgia The Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund of the 15 Board review of energy strategy Montreal Protocol will assist China to end all CFC production 15-16 Practical Approaches and Global Strategies to Combat with a US$150 million grant awarded over 11 years. The March Land Degradation (Desertification) Roundtable-MC13- 26 agreement was a milestone in Montreal Protocol history. The 121 China Production Sector Plan is a result of collaboration by EAP, 24 3d River Basin Management Seminar-9am-5pm, ENV, and the Government of China and lengthy negotiations J1-050. Contact: Liliana Monk, x30553 Contributors: I Edstrom, ME Foley, M Fossberg, M Lovei, L Monk, K Newcombe, I Paiement, L Soeftestad, L Vidaeus, and M Williams