​Speakers Set for April 18 Panel Event to Release Emerging Lessons Series Report on Environmental Assessment

The Inspection Panel has announced the speakers for its event to release the third report in its Emerging Lessons Series. The report will cover lessons from Panel cases over the last 23 years related to environmental assessment issues. It will be released as part of the International Monetary Fund-World Bank Springs Meetings on April 18 from 2-3:30 p.m. US EDT in room MC 2-800 at World Bank headquarters. World Bank Executive Director Otaviano Canuto, chairman of the Bank’s Committee on Development Effectiveness, will moderate the discussion, which will start with an overview of the report by Inspection Panel member Zeinab Elbakri. Discussing the topic will be Julia Bucknall, director for environment and natural resources at the World Bank; Medha Patkar, an Indian social activist and founder of Narmada Bachao Andolan and the National Alliance of People’s Movements; and Richard Fuggle, an emeritus professor of environmental studies at the University of Cape Town who has served as an expert consultant on Inspection Panel investigations.

For those not attending the Spring Meetings, the event will be livestreamed on thePanel’s website. The lessons identified in the series of reports are meant to build institutional knowledge at the World Bank, enhance accountability and contribute to more effective development. The first two reports, on lessons from cases involvinginvoluntary resettlementandindigenous peoples, were released in 2016. The last report in the series – on cases related to consultation, participation and disclosure of information – will be released in the fall of 2017.