Potentially harmful World Bank projects are proximate to areas of biodiversity conservation importance

For many countries in the global south World Bank is a key funder of development. A subset activities it funds have potential to cause harm biodiversity. Currently, however, little known about spatial coincidence Bank-funded projects and important areas for Using dataset funded between 1995 2014, we examine relationship potentially harmful project ranges globally threatened birds, mammals, amphibians, Key Biodiversity Areas, protected areas, biodiversity hotspots. We find that 5 by km cells containing activity are more likely contain Area, or hotspot, on average greater richness species, than those without. This was statistically significant even after considering human population country-level socio-economic effects except case Areas. also found limited evidence systematically placed within avoid species By contrast, negative most countries, which may be areas. Our findings raise questions whether Banks environmental safeguards adequately translated into avoidance highly diverse Given size Bank’s lending portfolio its role setting industry best practice our results concerning conservation efforts.