WORLD BANK

The World Bank Group (WBG) works with developing countries and development partners to manage chemicals and waste, prevent and abate pollution, and to promote circular economy approaches for healthier lives, poverty alleviation, and shared prosperity.

The World Bank has a large portfolio related to pollution management and environmental health that covers a number of activities with linkages to the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), including management of POPs, pesticides, and hazardous waste. In addition, the World Bank Group has a strong portfolio of active projects that include components that address chemicals and waste management, which is also of direct relevance.

Outdoor air pollution is the world’s leading environmental health risk. The World Bank estimates that the cost of health impacts (premature death and illness) associated with outdoor air pollution is $5.7 trillion equivalent to 4.8 percent of global GDP in 2016. This significant economic burden of pollution underscores the urgency to the WBG efforts.

To address the challenges associated with improving pollution management and fostering circular economy approaches in its client countries, the Bank provides financing, research, and technical assistance that:

  • improves air quality through the reduction of indoor/outdoor air pollution
  • promotes sound management of chemicals and waste
  • integrates management of waste, including hazardous waste and the remediation of contaminated sites
  • improves water quality, both in freshwater and in oceans
  • promotes environmental sustainability through cleaner production and pollution prevention
  • reduces short-lived climate pollutants for climate change mitigation
  • strengthens environmental institutions by helping countries to improve environmental governance, regulation, and enforcement.
  • promotes circular economy approaches through support for policy reforms and investments that integrate “clean” supply chains, minimize waste generation and promote recycling and re-use of products.

    • Between 2000 and 2019, more than 700 World Bank Group projects have addressed pollution management. In the same period, WBG financing in this area averaged $3.1 billion per year. In China, two projects, each in the amount of US$500 million, have contributed to reducing concentrations of air pollutants in the Hebei province and increasing energy efficiency and clean energy production in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

    In Zambia, the Bank is currently working on reducing environmental health risks to the local population in critically polluted mining areas, including risks associated with human exposure to lead. In Peru, a project is supporting the establishment and improvement of air and water quality monitoring systems and in Lebanon, a project is helping to clean up the pollution in Lake Qaraoun.

    In Pakistan, the World Bank invests and supports policy reforms and management of chemicals and plastic waste interventions through the Punjab Green Development program.

    In Mexico City (Mexico), Beijing (China), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Lima (Peru), Santiago (Chile), and Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), World Bank-supported policies aimed at reducing pollution have produced tangible results. The World Bank has established a Pollution Management and Environmental Health Program to promote more effective responses to deadly and costly pollution in selected countries including China, Egypt, India, Nigeria, South Africa, and Vietnam.

    Contact information

    Mr. Johannes Heister 

    Senior Environmental Specialist
    GEF/MP Coordination Unit
    Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy Global Practice (ENB)
    World Bank
    1818 H St NW
    Washington DC 20433
    USA

    Tel: +1 (202) 458 4280
    Email: jheister@worldbank.org