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WORLD BANK:

Andrew Steer, Deputy Director of the Environment Department, said that the World Bank's environmental activities -- which involve policy dialogue, lending, technical assistance, research, and aid coordination -- have four objectives: assisting member countries in setting priorities, building institutions and implementing programmes for sound environmental stewardship; ensuring that potential adverse environmental impacts from Bank-financed projects are addressed; assisting member countries in building on the synergies among poverty reduction, economic efficiency, and environmental protection; and addressing global environmental challenges through participation in the GEF. There are now more than 100 Bank-financed environmental or forestry projects under implementation in 50 countries, representing Bank commitments of some US$5 billion and total investments of almost US$13 billion. Internally, the Bank now has about 200 full-time environmental specialists -- an increase of about 25 since a year ago and a sharp contrast to the five environmental specialists at the Bank in the mid-1980s.