Planning Meeting on Scientific and Technical Input for the Revision of the World Bank Group's Pollution Prevention and Abatement Handbook
On November 12, 2004 the National Academies' Science and Technology for Sustainability Program hosted a
planning meeting titled "Scientific and Technical Input for the
Revision of the World Bank Group's Pollution Prevention and Abatement
Handbook." The goal of the one-day workshop was to scope out possible
approaches to designing an expert input and/or review process for the
new edition of the World Bank Group's Pollution Prevention and
Abatement Handbook. The small workshop involved international and US
experts on the incorporation of technology into development
investments, and included the presentation of background on
the current Handbook revision process.
The Handbook was published in 1998 by the World Bank Group. It contains guidelines and
technical information on specific pollutants and pollutant control
technologies, as well as 40 industry sector guidelines. The
International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group,
has created an additional 27 sector guidelines for sectors financed by
IFC, and is currently in the process of adding three more guidelines to
its collection.
The Handbook has not been updated since 1998. The World Bank Group has announced a new cycle
of updating the Handbook in order to enhance its value not only to its
own staff, but also to external users. As stated on the IFC's
Guidelines Update Webpage, "The Guidelines have become globally applied
reference for private sector development with their use extending well
beyond World Bank Group operations to a diverse external community,
including other international financial institutions, regulators,
industry, academics, and commercial banks, including the international
banks that have recently adopted the "Equator Principles." More
information on the Guidelines Update is available at http://www.ifc.org/ehsguidelinesupdate
More Information
Meeting Agenda (PDF,43 KB)
List of Participants(PDF,33 KB)
Participant Biographies(PDF,42 KB)
