Email the World Bank

Tell the World Bank to make the Big Shift

The World Bank says it supports the Paris Agreement to limit global warming and the UN Sustainable Development Goal of universal energy access for all by 2030. However, the World Bank is not doing enough to support these goals.

We are calling on the World Bank to align its lending and operations with the 1.5°C target by adopting science-based emissions targets for its lending, ending all investment in fossil fuels, and to increase its financing for distributed renewable energy projects that will provide clean energy for the poorest as soon as possible.

Take action

Email your national Executive Director at the World Bank and ask them to commit to aligning the World Bank’s investments with the Paris Agreement 1.5°C pathway and to scaling up support for clean energy access.

We have provided editable suggested text for your email below.

I am part of a growing global movement of people demanding urgent action to tackle the climate emergency in a just way. The most recent IPCC report made it clear that the phase out of fossil fuels needs to speed up to meet the 1.5C Paris Agreement target, whilst significant increased investment in distributed renewable energy access is needed to provide energy access for all by 2030 – in particular, the 1 billion people who currently lack access to modern energy. It is therefore unacceptable that the World Bank continues to fund fossil fuels whilst dedicating only a small proportion of its energy financing to renewable energy to improve energy access.

During this time of change at the World Bank, I call on you as my representative at the Bank to do more to ensure that Bank’s investment strategy champions the needs of the world’s poorest people by:

-  Adopting a roadmap to align all World Bank lending and operations, including through financial intermediaries, with a high-probability 1.5°C pathway by 2020.

-  Directing at least half of the World Bank’s annual energy sector budget to sustainable energy access projects, and significantly increasing finance for off-grid and mini-grid clean energy to benefit the poorest people.

- ensuring that there is continued commitment to shifting finance out of fossil fuels and into renewable energy for energy access by the new World Bank President, which sets a high standard for other Multilateral Development Banks to aspire to.

The World Bank has a vital role to play in ensuring that the world meets the Paris Agreement target of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, whilst providing clean renewable energy to the over one billion people currently without electricity. Don’t let us, and future generations, down.

Yours sincerely,

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