The Asian
Development Bank (ADB) has sharply increased support for projects promoting
sustainable, inclusive, and environmentally sound growth in Asia and the
Pacific, according to a new report.
"Strategy
2020, our long-term strategic framework, recognises the essential role that
environmental sustainability plays in poverty reduction and inclusive growth,
and the ADB sustainability report for 2011 and 2012 shows we are making headway
on many fronts,” said ADB’s director for Environment and Safeguards Nessim
Ahmad.
Asian
Development bank Sustainability Report: Investing in Asia and the Pacific
revealed that in 2011–2012, ADB approved projects totaling $43 billion – up by 10
per cent from the previous two years – that helped create and expand economic
opportunities in the region while taking into account economic, social, and
environmental impacts.
The projects
promoted growth while at the same time enhancing access to basic services like water
supply, education, and health, and helping beneficiaries mitigate and adapt to
climate change impacts, among others.
During the period,
ADB approved 112 projects with an environmental sustainability focus totaling
more than $13 billion, a 50 per cent increase over the previous two years. It
invested $4.4 billion in clean energy-related initiatives to provide an
additional 2,125 megawatts of renewable energy generation capacity across the
region over 2011 and 2012.
In response
to the growing climate change threat, in 2012 alone, ADB approved
climate-related finance of $3.4 billion while transport investments, including
low-carbon projects, in 2012 totaled nearly $4 billion. Meanwhile substantial
support was given to help urban centers become greener and more sustainable,
including a $600 million package of projects for secondary sized cities in the
People’s Republic of China.
At the
corporate level, ADB promoted sustainability by further reducing the per person
use of water, electricity, and paper, and the waste generated at its
headquarters, where 77 per cent of its staff work.
Staff
contributed individually to community development projects that benefit
thousands of disadvantaged people in Metro Manila.
ADB is
consistently run with the lowest overhead among multinational development
banks, according to Standard and Poor’s. In 2012, ADB became the first
multilateral development bank to attain ISO 50001 certification for energy
management, with measures taken to 'green' its headquarters building, including
installing solar panels and collecting rainwater. To improve access to
information, an updated Public Communications Policy was launched in 2012.
ADB has issued a
sustainability report every two years since 2007, containing highlights of its
operations. It provides an essential tool for stakeholders to assess ADB’s
performance in promoting sustainable development and meeting the goals of
Strategy 2020.
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