Resource information
In July 2001, the extractive industries
review (EIR) was initiated with the appointment of Dr. Emil
Salim, former Minister of the Environment for Indonesia, as
eminent person to the review. The EIR was designed to engage
all stakeholders-governments, nongovernmental organizations
(NGOs), indigenous peoples' organizations, affected
communities and community-based organizations, labor unions,
industry, academia, international organizations, and the
World Bank Group (WBG) itself-in a dialogue. The basic
question addressed was, can extractive industries projects
be compatible with the WBG's goals of sustainable
development and poverty reduction? The EIR believes that
there is still a role for the WBG in the oil, gas, and
mining sectors-but only if its interventions allow EI to
contribute to poverty alleviation through sustainable
development. And that can only happen when the right
conditions are in place. This report makes major
recommendations on how to restore the balance in the WBG -
promote pro-poor public and corporate governance in the EI,
strengthen environmental and social components of WBG
interventions in these industries, respect human rights, and
rebalance WBG institutional priorities. These
recommendations have as the ultimate goal: to lift up civil
society so it is balanced in the triangle of partnership
between governments, business, and civil society; to raise
social and environmental considerations so they are balanced
with economic considerations in efforts at poverty
alleviation through sustainable development; and to strive
for a human-rights-based development that balances the
material and the spiritual goals of life.
