15 August 2012: The World Bank Group (WBG) has launched a new resource on pollution management (PoMa), titled “Getting to Green: World Bank Group Sourcebook of Pollution Management Policy Tools for Growth and Competitiveness.” It proposes a modern approach to pollution management, shifting the focus to engaging multiple stakeholders in managing pollution, rather than relying on public regulatory instruments.

According to the Sourcebook, different incentives can be used to manage pollution for different stakeholders, and these incentives must be aligned towards a common pollution management goal. The Sourcebook presents concrete tools for each stakeholder group: governments, private sector, concerned citizens, financial institutions and the judiciary. It also includes practical examples, and outlines the strengths and weaknesses of each tool. Crucial elements of the approach include transparency and information sharing.

“Getting to Green” builds upon the World Bank Group’s 1998 resource, “The Pollution Prevention and Abatement Handbook: Towards Cleaner Production (PPAH).” The guidelines contained in that handbook, now referred to as the WBG Environment, Health and Safety Guidelines (EHSG), apply to all WBG projects. The new Sourcebook reflects environmental changes and lessons learned since the PPAH’s publication.

The Sourcebook is a collaborative effort of the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). [World Bank Press Release] [Publication: Getting to Green: World Bank Group Sourcebook of Pollution Management Policy Tools for Growth and Competitiveness]