Environment | Environment Procedures and Guidelines

International Environmental Guidelines - Annex A

Introduction

The international guidelines generally applicable to projects financed by Ex-Im Bank are as follows: 

For Private Sector Projects  [1]
The International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) Performance Standards on Social & Environmental Sustainability (as defined in its eight Performance Standards), supplemented by the IFC Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Guidelines.  

For Public Sector Projects (Sovereign Risk)
The World Bank Safeguard Policies (as defined in its ten Operational Policies), supplemented by the IFC Environmental Health and Safety Guidelines.

For Projects co-financed with Multilateral Development Banks:
For those projects in which the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the African Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank or the Inter-American Development Bank are involved, Ex-Im Bank may apply the guidelines, in whole or in part, of the respective Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) to the project in order to facilitate U.S. exporter participation in these projects.  In the case of conflict between the MDB guidelines and the applicable World Bank Group Guidelines, the more stringent guidelines will apply as determined by the E&E Division.

Fundamental Elements of Environmental Reviews:

The following ten elements summarize the intent and scope of the World Bank Safeguard Policies (Operational Policies) and the IFC Performance Standards.  The elements can serve as a guide to project participants to enable them to establish an environmental framework that will facilitate their task of addressing those specific international guidelines that are applicable to a project. 

1. Air Quality.  Protect air quality through available technologies and good practices by controlling or reducing emissions to quantitative limits set forth in the applicable international guidelines.
    
2. Water Use and Quality.  Protect fresh, marine and groundwater resources from project-related over demand and contamination through the efficient use of water and through the use of methods to control and treat project effluent discharges to quantitative limits set forth in the applicable international guidelines.
    
3. Waste Management.  Management, recycling, storage, treatment and disposal of solid, hazardous and toxic materials and wastes, in accordance with provisions of the applicable international guidelines.
    
4. Natural Hazards.  Design and locate the project  so as to reduce environmental risks from natural hazards, in accordance with good engineering practices such as designing to seismic criteria, and in accordance with the provisions of the applicable international guidelines.
    
5. Ecology.  Protect ecological resources and biodiversity, encourage conservation, and support the protection and restoration of critical natural habitats containing threatened, endangered and rare species, in accordance with the provisions of the applicable international guidelines.
    
6. Involuntary Resettlement, Indigenous Peoples, Cultural Property.  Develop the project to reduce or mitigate the effects of involuntary resettlement, adverse impacts to indigenous peoples and adverse impact to cultural property in accordance with the provisions of the applicable international guidelines. 
    
7. Noise.  Control and reduce the level of noise from projects to quantitative limits set forth in applicable international guidelines.
    
8. Working Conditions.  Establish controls to promote safe working conditions, the fair treatment of workers and to address child and forced labor situations in accordance with host country labor and employment laws and the provisions of the applicable  international guidelines.
    
9. Community Health and Safety.  Establish measures and plans to avoid or minimize adverse project-related impacts on the health, safety and security of the local community during the construction and operation of the project, in accordance with applicable international guidelines.
    
10. Global Climate.  Promote measures to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that may contribute to changes in global climate.

There are three “Tables” provided in this Annex that set forth the specific environmental requirements against which Ex-Im Bank will evaluate a project’s environmental effects.

                        Table 1: Environmental Guidelines for Private Sector Category A Projects

                        Table 2: Environmental Guidelines for Public Sector Category A Projects

                        Table 3: Environmental Guidelines for Category B Projects

These Tables cover projects associated with all industrial sectors.  Questions relating to the environmental guidelines applicable to a particular project should be addressed to Ex-Im Bank’s Engineering and Environment Division.