International cooperation: environmental enhancement

Global Environment Facility

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is an independent financial organisation that provides grants to projects in developing countries that benefit the global environment. As one of the GEF executing agencies, the EBRD has access to GEF funding for projects addressing climate change, ozone depletion, international waters, biodiversity, land degradation, and persistent organic pollutants.

The first EBRD/GEF investment project was designed to encourage the public and private sector in Slovenia to invest towards reducing water pollution in the Danube river basin. €45 million was channelled through four banks for on-lending to local businesses and municipalities undertaking pollution reduction projects. The project also helps investors access expertise in pollution reduction, investment proposal preparation and other related services.

More about the Global Environment Facility.

Project Preparation Committee

The Project Preparation Committee (PPC) is a network of donors, International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and partner countries that facilitates environmental investment projects in eastern and south-eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. It was set up in 1993 under the “Environment for Europe” process, with a Secretariat based at the EBRD.

Donor funded PPC staff at the EBRD and other IFIs have helped identify and prepare a number of environmental protection projects related to water supply and sanitation, waste management, energy efficiency and renewable energy. Other activities have included setting up donor-funded facilities at the EBRD to support environmental protection, and the delivery of project financing workshops.

At the Sixth Ministerial Conference “Environment for Europe” in Belgrade in October 2007, Ministers recognised the important contribution that the PPC has made in the area of environmental financing and endorsed the decision to internalise it within the EBRD.

From 2008 the internalised PPC will form the core of a dedicated sustainability initiatives team inside the Bank’s Environment and Sustainability Department. The team will focus on identifying, developing and implementing initiatives that promote environmental and social sustainability across the EBRD’s operations. It plans to develop a range of new initiatives in areas such as health and safety, water and sanitation, biodiversity management and climate change adaptation in the EBRD’s countries of operations.

More about the Project Preparation Committee.

Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership

The Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership (NDEP) is a partnership between the Russian government, the donor community, and IFIs including the EBRD. It mobilises investment for priority environmental projects in north-west Russia, such as water supply, solid and waste-water treatment, energy efficiency and nuclear safety.

The NDEP Support Fund is managed by the EBRD. Although two-thirds of the fund is earmarked for nuclear safety, projects also include wastewater treatment and a flood protection barrier in St. Petersburg, a district heating renovation in Kaliningrad and Murmansk, a municipal environment investment in Leningrad Oblast, and improved water and waste-water services in Komi, Archangelsk, Kaliningrad and Vologda.

More about the Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership.

UNESCO World Heritage Convention and Ramsar

The 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention links together in a single document the concepts of nature conservation and the preservation of cultural properties. The Convention defines the kind of natural or cultural sites that can be considered for inclusion on the World Heritage List. Ratifying countries pledges to conserve its World Heritage sites, and to protect its natural and cultural heritage.

EBRD projects safeguard and, where possible, enhance natural biodiversity and cultural heritage. If a project is likely to affect a site protected under international agreements such as Ramsar (the Convention on Wetlands signed in Ramsar, Iran) or the World Heritage Convention, the EBRD consults with the convention secretariats.

The Bank works with project sponsors to modify the project design and/or undertake appropriate mitigation measures to ensure that the site is not adversely affected and that Convention objectives continue to be met.

More about the UNESCO World Heritage Convention.
More about Ramsar.

Agenda 21

Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the United Nations System, Governments, and Major Groups in every area in which human impacts on the environment.

Agenda 21 was adopted by more than 178 Governments at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janerio, Brazil, in 1992 and reconfirmed at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. The EBRD is committed to the implementation of actions under Agenda 21 through a common declaration with presidents of other development banks.

More about Agenda 21.

European Principles for the Environment

The European Principles for the Environment (EPE) is is a major joint initiative, launched in May 2006, between the EBRD and 4 leading European-based Multilateral Financing Institutions (MFIs) launched in response to the drive for increased harmonisation of environmental principles, practices and standards associated with the financing of projects. The initiative is founded on the commitment of MFIs to ensuring environmental protection and promoting sustainable development globally and across all sectors of their activities. The EPE promotes the EU approach to environmental sustainability, and commits the signatories to applying EU principles, practices and standards to all projects financed by the Signatory institutions.

More about the European Principles for the Environment.