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NGO Forum on ADB is a network of Asian civil society groups promoting accountability, transparency, and people-centered development in ADB and AIIB projects across Asia-Pacific. ADB fueling the energy crisis, locking Asia into decades of destruction Forum Network Statement on the 21st Asia Clean Energy Forum As communities across Asia struggle with spiralling electricity prices, debt, displacement, and climate devastation, the Asian Development Bank continues to deepen the very fossil fuel dependence driving the crisis. The Bank’s Asia Clean Energy Forum 2026 marks its 21st year under the theme “Beyond Transition: Building Secure, Resilient, Inclusive, and Intelligent Systems.” Once again, the forum positions itself as a platform to shape the future of Asia’s energy systems, particularly in the Bank’s developing member countries. However, the Bank does so in the shadow of a deep, compounding global energy crisis. The ongoing war in West Asia has fractured global fuel supply chains, sent energy prices up, and exposed with brutal clarity how profoundly Asia’s economies remain entrenched in imported fossil fuels. For developing countries in the region, it is a daily economic emergency, with rising electricity costs, fuel shortages, ballooning import bills, and mounting debt burdens that fall most heavily on communities already living on the margins of survival. Read More Forum at the 59th ADB Annual Meeting At the 59th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), civil society groups and community advocates will hold two key sessions on May 3, 2026 to highlight urgent issues on safeguards, accountability, and climate justice. The first session, “Structural Challenges to Safeguards Implementation and Accountability Mechanism Operations at ADB,” will run from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM (UZT), moderated by Rayyan Hassan (NGO Forum on ADB) and featuring Titi Soentoro (Aksi! for Gender, Social, and Ecological Justice), Hussain Jarwar (Indus Consortium), Indira Shreesh (Indigenous Women Legal Awareness Group), Sukhgerel Dugersuren (Oyu Tolgoi Watch), Radhika Goyal (Accountability Counsel), Aaron Pedrosa (Philippine Movement for Climate Justice), Chinara Aitbaeva (Public Union of Nash Vek Youth Movement), Ramanie Kunanayagam (ADB Compliance Review Panel), and Bruce Dunn (Asian Development Bank). The discussion will highlight persistent gaps in safeguard implementation, including weak enforcement, limited community participation, and barriers to accountability, while engaging ADB representatives in a dialogue on needed reforms. In the afternoon, from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM (UZT), the session “ADB’s Commitment to a Just Transition and Paris Alignment” will examine whether ADB’s energy policies truly support a fair and climate-aligned future. Also moderated by Rayyan Hassan (NGO Forum on ADB), the session will feature Nazareth Del Pilar (NGO Forum on ADB), Hasan Mehedi (Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network), Merete Looft (Urgewald), Yuki Tanabe (Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society), Hemantha Withanage (Centre for Environmental Justice / NGO Forum on ADB), Jaybee Garganera (Alyansa Tigil Mina), Marjorie Pamintuan (Recourse), and Priyantha Wijayatunga (Asian Development Bank). Speakers will highlight both progress and continuing concerns, especially around fossil fuel financing and risks to vulnerable communities. Together, these sessions call for stronger accountability and a people-centered approach to development—one that ensures no community is left behind. Read More Fridays from the Field As the Asian Development Bank (ADB) gears up for its 2026 Annual Meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, the Forum network and its allies are launching a series of reports highlighting community experiences from Indonesia, Nepal, India, and Northeast India. Titled “Fridays from the Field,” the online series highlights community voices and the real effects of development projects on the ground, especially those funded by ADB. Read More AIIB Observer Vol. 3 is Out Now! AIIB Observer Volume 3 is now available! Launched during the 2024 AIIB Annual Meeting, this latest edition features critical stories from civil society and communities impacted by AIIB-financed projects. It covers the controversial waste-to-energy project in Dhaka, the tourism mega-project in Mandalika, Indonesia, and raises urgent questions about AIIB’s growing presence in Latin America. It also highlights concerns of greenwashing in Sri Lanka. As the bank expands its global footprint, these stories shed light on the risks and realities on the ground, and the ongoing call for transparency, accountability, and climate justice. Read More Read Read Read

ЗАХИРАХО 2025 December September June March 2024 December September [Special Edition] June March 2023 December September June March 2022 December Special Issue September June March 2021 December September June March 2020 декабр сентябр июн март 2019 декабр сентябр июн март Дар ҷустуҷӯи як масъалаи кӯҳнаи Bankwatch? Нусхаи онро аз secretariat[at]forum-adb.org пурсед.

The NGO Forum on ADB is an Asian-led network of civil society organizations (CSOs), based in Asia and the Pacific region. МОНИТОРИНГИ ЛОИҲА Latest News Sign the 1M Petition ADB Project Tracker Media NGO Forum on ADB Comments: Safeguard Compliance and Accountability Mechanism Framework for Investments Supported by Financial Intermediaries In Forum’s experience, there are several fundamental problems in ensuring FI Accountability to Safeguards – Project cycle bound timely release of project information in a meaningful manner for local peoples FIs need to ensure that environmental and social due diligence is implemented at the highest standards by their clients On issues of non-compliance, an independent and responsive redress mechanism has to be in place to ensure remedy for affected peoples. Keeping these three principles in mind the following comments have been made to the AMF- In the introductory section of the AMF, the lack of implementation of Equator Principles has been cited as a clear gap in FI accountability. We would recommend that the shift from guidelines for FIs to binding requirements should be emphasized in this section to strengthen the conceptual framework for this AMF. In line with comments from Accountability Counsel, we re-echo the need for learning to be upfront in this document for the AMF (Section 12, pg 4). For the AMF to work effectively it has to be able to learn from each case and make the necessary reforms to strengthen implementation. The issue of lessons learned and feedback loops built into the AMF system to help reform the structure will be critical to bringing diverse types of FI’s to compliance. On the issue of FI Sub-project categorization (pg.8) there is a need to ensure that a comprehensive ESIA is conducted to ensure the ‘Big B’ Category projects are deemed Category A. This is a potential risk especially for Infrastructure Funds, examples can be drawn from the Emerging Asia Fund of the AIIB and IFC, which has been tapped by Summit Power Group to retrofit several coal plants and build 4 new power generation facilities, which are fossil fuel based. The impacts from these projects will be long term and immediate and will require comprehensive ESIAs to ensure Safeguards are implemented. FIs and there parent funding institutions such as commercial banks and multilateral banks should have a strict monitoring role over their clients on environmental and social due diligence. The current practice of client-led safeguarding and self- reporting is no longer a viable model to ensure that AMF objectives are reached, thus we strongly recommend that monitoring and evaluation roles by FIs and their parent financial institutional investors should have an overseeing function. This is maybe done through further elaborating on a governance framework for FIs and their FI Clients, with detailed monitoring requirements in place. We are noticing for both ADB and AIIB projects that the Grievance Redress Mechanisms are often not effective at the local level. For MDBs it has been a real challenge to ensure that local GRMs have worked effectively; this will be a bigger challenge for an FI client to ensure. In this case, we recommend that project level GRMs should be – Meaningfully accessible for local communities Ensure complainants protection from backlash and retaliation Ensure remedial response The paper recognizes the shortcomings of GRMs - "However, GRMs are often poorly designed or implemented, and thus create mistrust and conflict between communities and the project executing agency. Finally, it must be noted that project-level GRM is not a substitute for an accountability mechanism at the institutional (financial intermediary) level, because the GRM cannot determine whether the financial intermediary has complied with its own environmental and social policies, standards, and procedures." Thus it has to be explicitly stated that accessing local GRMs should not be made a pre- requisite for local communities to trigger the Accountability Mechanism for an FI project. As mentioned earlier the fundamental problem with FI non-compliance to Safeguards is the lack of Time Bound Disclosure of project information to local people. At present local communities have no way of assessing whether FI subprojects are indeed FIs and what policies and mechanisms are entailed in their operations. From a community perspective, the following information has to be provided pre-project approval – Area and scale of the project Clear description of project cycle, construction, environmental and social impacts Clear assessment of project benefits sharing, compensations and allocations Clear understanding on rights, privileges and redress mechanisms for communities in cases of violations. All of language needs and ensuring that poor and vulnerable groups such as women, children and people with disabilities are made aware of all project related information. This is where the governance structure of this AMF will prove to be critical to ensure that Clients are complying with the disclosure needs at the local level. Provisions should also be made upstream in the project cycle to ensure that information disclosure needs are all met before a project is approved for implementation. The Forum re-echos Accountability Counsels recommendation on following the best practice example from the Green Climate Fund - which works with FIs, or accredited entities – The GCF has adopted a high degree of disclosure in line with international best practice, including time-bound disclosure of crucial project information – such as environmental and social impact assessments – ahead of approval. The degree and timing of disclosure are calibrated according to the risk profile of the investment: with more and better disclosure for the highest risk (Category A). The following excerpts from its 2016 Information Disclosure Policy describe the degree of disclosure: “Environmental and social reports. With respect to the project and program funding proposals that have an environmental or social impact, the Accredited Entities (AE’s) shall disclose and announce to the public and, via the Secretariat, to the Board and Active Observers: in case of Category A projects, the Environmental and Social Impacts Assessment (ESIA) and an Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) at least 120 days in advance of the AE’s or GCF’s Board decision, whichever is earlier; in the case of Category I-1 programs, the Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS)2 at least 120 days in advance of the AE’s or GCF’s Board decision, whichever is earlier; in the case of Category B projects, the ESIA3 and an Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP)4 at least 30 days in advance of the AE’s or GCF’s Board decision, whichever is earlier; and in the case of Category I-2 programs, the ESMS at least 30 days in advance of the AE’s or GCF’s Board decision, whichever is earlier.” The Forum recognizes the independence embedded in the structure proposed in this AMF and would make the following recommendations on the mechanism proposed- In the submission of a complaint, there should be a provision for complaints to be filed by international and regional representatives as authorized representatives for local and in-country representatives who are unable to step forward due to security risk and conflict scenarios. In cases where the IRM has proved that there have been issues on non-compliance, then all consultations between the client and the community MUST have the IRM present to ensure power equity in information exchange. This has to be an integral part of ensuring that a complaint process and remedial action are done objectively. In it’s entirety this AMF is an innovative and needed effort in holding FIs accountable. БОНКИ ОСИЁИ РУШДИ (БОР) Project Monitoring Energy Campaign Safeguards Public Information Policy Accountability Mechanism Strategy 2030

Tracking the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to expose harmful projects and policies, and advocate for transparency, justice, and sustainable development in Asia-Pacific. БОНКИ ОСИЁИ РУШДИ (БОР) Project Monitoring Energy Campaign Project-affected People's Mechanism (PPM) AIIB Annual Meeting МОНИТОРИНГИ ЛОИҲА SOUTH ASIA Read More SOUTHEAST ASIA Read More

The NGO Forum on ADB is an Asian-led network of civil society organizations (CSOs), based in Asia and the Pacific region. БОНКИ ОСИЁИ РУШДИ (БОР) Project Monitoring Energy Campaign Safeguards Public Information Policy Accountability Mechanism Strategy 2030 МОНИТОРИНГИ ЛОИҲА Latest News Latest Events/Activities Civil society slams ADB’s “clean energy” claims at ACEF 2025 As the Asian Development Bank marks 20 years of the Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF), civil society groups across Asia are calling it two decades of greenwashing. In a powerful joint statement, they denounce ADB’s continued backing of fossil fuels, harmful technologies, and corporate polluters, warning that false solutions like gas, mining, and incineration are worsening the climate crisis. With the bank’s energy policy review underway, they demand a real shift toward justice, equity, and people-powered renewable systems. Read Press Release

PAKISTAN BANGLADESH INDIA INDONESIA PHILIPPINES БАНГЛАДЕШ БАНГЛАДЕШ Манбаъ: Бангладеш: Барномаи вокуниши фаъоли COVID-19 ва дастгирии хароҷот LATEST NEWS UPDATES 22 December 2022 Pakistan, ADB sign agreements worth $1.5bn for various projects 19 October 2021 Pakistan in deep economic crisis, needs $51.6 billion external financing over two year period 6 August 2021 ADB approves $500m loan to help Pakistan procure Covid-19 vaccines 10 June 2021 ADB approves $500m emergency loan for Pakistan

The NGO Forum on ADB is an Asian-led network of civil society organizations (CSOs), based in Asia and the Pacific region. МОНИТОРИНГИ ЛОИҲА ADB Safeguard Spotlight The Story of ADB Safeguards Related Documents ADB Project Tracker COVID19 Loan Tracker The Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently concluded its review of the 2009 Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS), a framework designed to prevent harm to communities and the environment from development projects. While the review aimed to address emerging challenges and align with international best practices, civil society organizations (CSOs), notably NGO Forum on ADB, have expressed concerns about the process and outcomes. NGO Forum on ADB, a network monitoring ADB's projects and policies, actively engaged in the safeguard policy review process. They, along with other CSOs, raised issues regarding the draft Environmental and Social Framework (ESF), highlighting shortcomings such as - Lack of clear accountability mechanisms Insufficient stakeholder engagement Absence of a human rights-based approach Weakened environmental and social protections Dilution of gender considerations Inadequate climate change standards Opaque financial intermediary lending practices These organizations urged the ADB to overhaul the draft ESF to ensure it reflects forward-looking safeguards grounded in international human rights and environmental standards. NGO Forum on ADB emphasized the need for the ADB to prioritize the well-being of affected communities and the environment over the interests of private sectors and borrowing governments. They called for meaningful consultations, transparency, and robust human rights protections in ADB's operations. As the ADB moves forward with implementing the updated safeguard policies, it is imperative that the bank listens to the voices of affected communities and civil society organizations. Strengthening environmental and social safeguards is essential to ensure that development projects contribute to equitable and sustainable outcomes, rather than exacerbating existing inequalities or environmental degradation. Why Engage with Safeguards? Engaging with ADB's safeguard policies is crucial for ensuring that development projects do not harm communities or the environment. Active participation by civil society and affected communities can lead to more equitable and sustainable outcomes. By understanding and monitoring safeguard implementation, stakeholders can hold ADB and its clients accountable, ensuring that projects adhere to agreed-upon standards and genuinely contribute to development goals. Overview of ADB's Safeguard Policy Statement (2009) The SPS outlines ADB's commitment to - Avoid, minimize, or mitigate adverse environmental and social impacts of projects. Enhance environmental and social benefits. Support borrowers in strengthening their safeguard systems and implementation capacity. The SPS applies to all ADB-financed and/or ADB-administered projects, including private-sector operations. Key Safeguard Areas Environment - Projects must avoid, minimize, or mitigate adverse environmental impacts. Environmental assessments are required, and information must be disclosed to stakeholders. Involuntary Resettlement - The policy aims to avoid involuntary resettlement where possible. When unavoidable, it ensures that displaced persons receive assistance to improve or at least restore their livelihoods and standards of living. Indigenous Peoples - ADB seeks to ensure that Indigenous Peoples receive culturally appropriate benefits from projects and that adverse impacts are avoided or mitigated. Country Safeguard Systems (CSS) ADB may use a country's existing safeguard systems for project implementation, provided they are equivalent to ADB's SPS and adequately implemented. This approach aims to strengthen and use the borrower's systems for managing environmental and social risks. Recent Developments ADB is currently reviewing and updating its SPS to address emerging challenges and align with international best practices. The review process includes consultations with stakeholders to enhance protections related to climate change, gender-based violence, disability inclusion, and other areas. БОНКИ ОСИЁИ РУШДИ (БОР) Project Monitoring Energy Campaign Safeguards Public Information Policy Accountability Mechanism Strategy 2030

Discover the “Seven Cardinal Sins” of ADB through field publications and civil society voices, revealing gaps in safeguards, energy policy, and accountability. ADB Annual Meeting 2026 NGO Forum on ADB is participating in the 59th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, to push for stronger accountability and people-centered development. Forum network will surface real experiences from communities to expose gaps in safeguards implementation and accountability systems, while calling for concrete reforms that ensure projects do not harm people or the environment. It will also challenge ADB’s current energy direction by advocating for a truly just transition aligned with climate goals—one that moves away from harmful investments and puts communities first. Through these discussions, Forum aims to amplify civil society voices and push ADB to deliver development that is fair, inclusive, and accountable to the people it is meant to serve. Seven Reflections – A Curated Digital Series Seven recurring failures, unfolding across safeguards and energy policies, quietly challenge the Asian Development Bank’s promise to “Do No Harm.” From what remains unseen to who remains unheard, these “Seven Cardinal Sins” reveal patterns that shape how development is experienced on the ground. Step into these stories and read the short reflections of members and allies of NGO Forum on ADB—voices that bring clarity, urgency, and a human face to what is too often left unspoken. Read the Reflections Advancing ADB’s Safeguards and Accountability This session will explore key gaps in safeguard implementation, assess how the ESF and Accountability Mechanism respond, and examine governance reforms needed to strengthen accountability. - May 3 (Sunday) | 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (UZT) - ADB’s Commitment to a Just Transition and Paris Alignment This session will examine ADB’s energy reforms and climate finance trends, including the role of governance in shaping climate strategies and key gaps in advancing a just transition. - May 3 (Sunday) | 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM (UZT) - Fridays from the Field In the lead-up to ADB's 2026 Annual Meeting in Samarkand, Fridays from the Field set out to bring something often missing from official narratives into clear view: the lived realities of communities affected by ADB-funded projects. Now captured in a series of publications, these stories speak of delayed disclosures, rushed consultations, fear in raising concerns, and grievance systems that fall short when they are needed most. More than documentation, these pieces trace the deeper patterns behind these experiences—revealing how gaps in safeguards, accountability, and oversight continue to shape outcomes on the ground. Together, the publications stand as both record and reminder: that development is not measured by commitments alone, but by the lives it touches and the harms it must prevent. Download Watch the Sessions Forum Led Sessions Publications Debt, Delays, Dependencies: Why Public Banks Should Not Support Nuclear Power Urgewald & Ecodefense The world does not need new nuclear power. Yet institutions like the World Bank, the ADB, and other development banks are stubbornly marching towards an economic disaster that creates toxic waste and exacerbates the climate crisis by redirecting scarce resources away from technologies that have long proven themselves cheaper, faster, cleaner, and more effective. Download Partners in gas: How the ADB’s investment in Clifford Capital continues to support fossil gas in Asia Recourse, Trend Asia, NGO Forum on ADB, and CLEAN - Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network This publication, “Partners in Gas: How ADB’s Investments in Clifford Capital Continue to Support Fossil Gas in Asia,” examines how the ADB financial intermediary lending can indirectly support fossil fuel expansion. Using the case of Clifford Capital, it highlights how opaque subproject disclosure, securitisation structures, and indirect financing pathways may allow continued investment in fossil gas projects despite ADB’s climate commitments. Download Who Pays for Energy Transition? The briefing argues that the “clean energy” transition still harms communities because it depends on critical minerals mining, which often causes displacement, pollution, and rights violations in the Global South. Framed as ADB’s “Seven Cardinal Sins,” these issues show systemic problems. The paper calls for a just, transparent, and community-led energy transition. Download Read the Forum Statement to ADB At the 59th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, discussions take place amid rising global uncertainty. The ongoing global conflict in the Middle East, which began on February 28, 2026, has disrupted the existing world economic order, sending ripple effects to supply and value chains across the world. Asia and the Pacific have been hit severely and are facing intensified economic pressures, compounded by climate risks. In this context, civil society perspectives from across the region highlight the importance of carefully considering the embedded risks of current policy directions, project operations, and financing approaches. This moment is a critical juncture in Asia’s development trajectory. ADB must make prudent and far-sighted strategic decisions with its financing in order not to derail the region from meeting its SDG targets and Paris Alignment goals. This is not the time to embed the region into imported fossil fuel supply chains, and experiment with high-risk energy solutions such as Nuclear and Critical Minerals extractivism, both sectors that severely threaten the ADB's performance-based Safeguards standards. The Bank must prioritise basic development needs: poverty alleviation, public health, human rights, food security, water and sanitation, and climate change over large-scale commercial project interests. Global Economic and Geopolitical Context The genocide in Gaza, and the armed conflict-related deaths in Sudan, Yemen, Lebanon, Iran, and others, all illustrate the failure of the international system to protect Human Rights. To this end, ADB, as a multilateral development partner committed to sustainable development in Asia, must hold the line in upholding Human Rights in all of its operations. Consequently, transport disruptions of energy resources in the global economic system have led the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to issue warnings that emerging markets and developing nations will be hit hardest by rising energy costs and supply chain disruptions. Growth forecasts for developing economies have been revised down, inflation expectations have risen, and vulnerable nations are grappling with tighter budgets, higher debt burdens, and unprecedented food supply concerns. In this context, even a sustained 10% increase in oil prices could raise global inflation by 0.4 percentage points and reduce global output by 0.1–0.2%, further tightening the already constrained fiscal space of developing countries, according to the International Monetary Fund (2026). Further, ADB’s Asia Outlook projected that if the war persisted through the third quarter of the year, developing countries would experience a 4.7% decline in growth. Simultaneously, the International Energy Agency has reported that this conflict has caused the largest oil supply disruption on record, driving crude prices above $100 per barrel. Additionally, UN Trade and Development statistics show that rising interest payments have reduced government revenue available for other public expenditures in 99 developing countries between 2018 and 2024. Implications for Developing Member Countries Farmers across Asia are queuing for hours, carrying their irrigation pumps, in search of a drop of diesel. Their woes are compounded by a sweeping fertiliser shortage, which is likely to prove ominous for the next harvest. All this is driving rising food prices and panic among urban and rural communities. Due to oil supply shortfalls, educational institutions, offices, factories, and markets are all closing down early and reducing working hours to manage energy supply needs, leading to loss of wages and depreciating household incomes. Additionally, the reactive push for further fossil fuel supply procurement is contributing to the climate crisis, as each new fossil fuel project, justified as “energy security”, deepens import dependence, heightens the risk of stranded assets, and pushes countries further from a just transition and their Paris targets. In this ADB AGM, ongoing dialogue with civil society is vital, not optional. Independent civil society voices, such as the Forum and its allies, are mandated to speak truth to power at the ADB. Our goal is to assert to the decision makers of ADB that all bank operations must focus on protecting people’s livelihoods, food security, and access to critical social services such as health and education. Thus, ADB operations must be grounded in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and internationally ratified human rights conventions, including core ILO standards. We are urging the ADB to rethink and curtail its privatisation agenda and prioritize the public interest amid this turbulent time. The Forum in this AGM calls into question the fundamental objectives of the ADB: Who benefits from ADB's projects and who bears the losses? Who bears the heaviest burden of risk, and who accumulates wealth risk-free? Read the Statement ADB's Seven Cardinal Sins Development, at its best, promises progress without harm—a careful balance between growth and responsibility. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has long embraced this vision, grounding its work in safeguards meant to protect people, communities, and the environment. Yet across projects and policies, a different story often emerges—one shaped by silences, gaps, and missed accountabilities. This page traces two parallel narratives through what we call the “Seven Cardinal Sins.” One set reflects the fractures within ADB’s safeguards and accountability systems—where transparency falters, consultations exclude, and remedies remain out of reach. The other turns to ADB’s energy and climate agenda, where commitments to a just and sustainable transition are tested by practices that risk leaving communities behind. Together, these “sins” are not merely a list of failures, but a pattern—one that reveals how structural weaknesses in governance and oversight can erode even the strongest principles, including the promise to “Do No Harm.” They invite us to look closer, to question deeper, and to imagine what accountability could truly mean. As you explore this page, we invite you to read the short reflections of members and allies of the NGO Forum on ADB—voices grounded in lived experience, bearing witness to the impacts of development, and calling for change that is not only promised, but realized. Because when accountability fails, it is not policies that bear the cost—but people, communities, and futures that cannot be undone. 1 Reflections Betrayal Nazareth Del Pilar | NGO Forum on ADB I believe that the cardinal sins of the ADB are persistent and have been sharpened by the current war in West Asia and broader tensions involving the West. In times of crisis, neoliberal institutions fall back on protecting markets and profits over people, with a clear form of betrayal where climate commitments and the “Do No Harm” principle are sidelined. The disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has driven up fuel prices and exposed Asia’s dependence on fossil fuels, yet instead of using this as a turning point for renewables, the ADB frames it as an “energy security” issue to justify continued support for fossil fuels and costly technologies. This approach is even reinforced in policy. The 2025 Energy Policy Review failed to close loopholes and instead expanded support for nuclear energy and critical minerals mining, with no real commitment to move away from fossil fuels. This reflects both betrayal and oversight failure, as weak accountability sustains these contradictions, while the ADB’s technology-agnostic stance allows it to appear ‘Paris-aligned’ even as it deepens reliance on extractive and carbon-heavy systems. 2 Accountability Gap Marjorie Pamintuan | Recourse The ADB insisted that fossil gas is a transition fuel during the mid-term review of its Energy Policy. Despite evidence saying otherwise, the bank still kept its doors open to fossil gas through direct investments and opaque financial intermediary projects. This Annual Meeting happens in the midst of the ongoing wars in the Middle East which again presents massive evidence that fossil gas is expensive, unreliable and impedes the just transition to renewable energy. Ordinary people suffer and literally pay the price of the resulting economic shocks. It is time that the ADB reflect. Do better by shutting direct and indirect financial flows to fossil gas, and double down on its support for just renewable energy transition in developing countries to avoid future fossil fuel crises. 3 Impunity / Lack of Remedy Yuki Tanabe | Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society (JACSES) Fifteen years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, its impacts are far from over. Around 300 square kilometers remain under evacuation, and more than 20,000 people are still unable to return to their homes. What was once a place of everyday life has become a long-term exclusion zone. Unlike typical nuclear plants that are decommissioned decades after shutdown, Fukushima presents a far more complex reality. With melted nuclear fuel still inside the reactors, the decommissioning process is expected to take centuries—stretching the consequences of a single disaster across generations. This raises difficult but necessary questions for the region. Can countries in Asia truly prepare for emergencies of this scale? And is it possible to ensure meaningful consultation and protection for the vast number of people who would be affected? Daniel Willis | Recourse At the Annual Meeting, as in years gone by, affected communities and CSOs will bring many examples of how ADB-financed projects have caused devastating social and environmental harms. Many communities have brought official complaints to the ADB's Accountability Mechanism to seek justice. However, research by Accountability Counsel shows that remedial action has been taken in only 3% of closed cases. One problem is that many complaints are deemed ineligible due to the onerous requirements of the Mechanism's policy. There is an opportunity to change this, though, with the ongoing review of that policy, which is sure to be a key topic of debate in Samarkand. ADB should listen to the testimonies of harm from affected communities, and to their demands for a more accessible Accountability Mechanism that investigates complaints and delivers on remedy. 4 Gender inequality / exclusion of women and vulnerable groups Titi Soentoro | Aksi! for Gender, Social, and Ecological Justice ADB speaks of building a “prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable” Asia-Pacific, yet the reality on the ground often reflects a gap between commitment and practice. Development approaches frequently remain top-down, prioritizing corporate interests while communities bear environmental and social costs, with women and vulnerable groups disproportionately affected and often excluded from meaningful consultation. These challenges underscore the need for stronger accountability—ensuring genuine participation, especially of women, and establishing grievance mechanisms that effectively address gender-related impacts. Ultimately, a truly just and inclusive approach requires the ADB to move beyond policy commitments and take responsibility for the indirect, long-term, and cumulative harm linked to its projects. 5 Lack of meaningful participation Chinara Aitbaeva | Nash Vek Public Foundation ADB CAREC Program aims to improve connectivity and boost economic growth across Central Asia, but it also raises important questions about who truly benefits. While large projects in infrastructure, energy, and trade are meant to support development, they often follow a top-down approach that may overlook the needs of local communities. Concerns remain about transparency, meaningful participation, and whether people affected by these projects are truly heard. As CAREC moves forward, it is important to ensure that development is not only about building roads and markets, but also about protecting communities, promoting fairness, and making sure that no one is left behind. 6 Delayed justice Indira Shreesh | Indigenous Women's Legal Awareness Group (INWOLAG) The experience of the Tanahu Hydropower Project reflects what can be described as the seven cardinal sins of the ADB: first, the persistent gap between policy and practice, where strong safeguards, particularly Principle 8 and Principle 9 on Indigenous Peoples and customary land rights, remains largely unimplemented; second, the failure to recognize customary and Indigenous land rights, especially for non-titled lands; third, the weak and procedural approach to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), reducing it to consultation rather than genuine consent; fourth, inadequate and unjust compensation systems that fail to restore livelihoods; fifth, the lack of transparency and accountability in land acquisition and project implementation; sixth, delayed grievance redress and weak enforcement of accountability mechanisms, where justice is delayed and the ignoring of justice must be treated as punishable failures, and must also ensure fair and adequate compensation to affected communities; and seventh, a broader pattern of development prioritization over human rights, where infrastructure goals overshadow the dignity, identity, and rights of Indigenous Peoples. Together, these systemic failures risk turning safeguard policies into symbolic commitments rather than instruments of justice. 7 Procedural (not meaningful) consultation Hussain Jarwar | Indus Consortium Despite having clear safeguard standards, the experience on the ground often tells a different story. Consultations carried out by the Asian Development Bank have frequently remained procedural, falling short of the meaningful engagement that communities expect and deserve. Many affected groups continue to report exclusion from genuine dialogue, often justified by security or administrative constraints. This raises deeper concerns about how policies are translated into practice, as direct and transparent engagement with impacted populations remains limited. Over time, this gap not only restricts communities from fully voicing their concerns but also contributes to growing mistrust toward development institutions, highlighting the need for more inclusive and accountable approaches.

The NGO Forum on ADB is an Asian-led network of civil society organizations (CSOs), based in Asia and the Pacific region. БОНКИ ОСИЁИ РУШДИ (БОР) Project Monitoring Energy Campaign Safeguards Public Information Policy Accountability Mechanism Strategy 2030 МОНИТОРИНГИ ЛОИҲА This section features formal submissions made by NGO Forum on ADB network and allies during the ADB Safeguard Policy review process. It includes joint statements, policy critiques, and detailed recommendations advocating for robust, rights-based, and environmentally sound safeguards. These documents reflect the collective efforts of civil society to influence ADB's policies to better protect communities and ecosystems affected by development projects. The fight for stronger safeguards Forum network recommendations on the ADB website Statement of concern regarding the proposed WB/ADB FMRF and its significance in relation to the ADB ESF Collective Civil Society Statement on ESF Draft: Calling for an Overhaul and immediate redrafting NGO Forum comments on ADB ESF R-paper ADB's Response to the Forum Network's Draft ESF Comments Submission Collective Civil Society Statement on ESF Draft: Calling for an Overhaul and Immediate Redrafting PH CSO Statement re: ADB’s Draft Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) Ripple Effect: Exhibition to Highlight Damaging Impact of Asian Development Bank (ADB) Projects Joint civil society statement for a robust, rights-based and just safeguards policy at the ADB 1 Million Signature for a robust, rights-based and just ADB safeguards policy! Civil Society Input and Recommendations on the Stakeholder Engagement Plan ADB Safeguard Spotlight The Story of ADB Safeguards Related Documents ADB Project Tracker COVID19 Loan Tracker

Explore ADB Safeguard Violations in Energy Projects This interactive page provides a visual overview of safeguard violations linked to ADB–funded energy projects in South Asia. How to use this dashboard? Click on any item—such as a country, safeguard category, or type of violation—to view detailed project information and related issues. Click the same item again to return to the full regional overview. Use the filters and visual tools to explore where and how safeguard breaches have occurred in ADB’s energy portfolio across South Asia. ADB Energy Investments In South Asia Next

Special Publications Нашрияҳои махсус ЗАХИРАХО Соатҳои бонкӣ | Ҳисоботи солона | Лоиҳа мухтасар | Китобҳои роҳнамо Парешонҳои хатарнок Зарар нарасонед Дар торикй Regional Overview of Country Safeguard Systems to Mitigate Trans boundary Infrastructure Mega Project Impacts : Mongolia Regional Overview of Country Safeguard Systems to Mitigate Trans boundary Infrastructure Mega Project Impacts : Indonesia Regional Overview of Country Safeguard Systems to Mitigate Trans boundary Infrastructure Mega Project Impacts : Myanmar Regional Overview of Country Safeguard Systems to Mitigate Trans boundary Infrastructure Mega Project Impacts : South Asia and Sri Lanka Assessment of the ADB’s Energy Policy: Undermining International Climate Commitments ◄ 1 / 1 ► Please reload 2nd AIIB ESS Critique AIIB Energy Strategy Critique RISK AND RESILIENCE: Mainstreaming Climate Change Into the Environmental Impact Assessment Process The ADB in Burma: Behind the Scenes Roads to Destruction ADB’s Contradictory Roads, Biodiversity and Plantations Activities in Lao PDR or How Did You Know We Wanted Ecocide? ◄ 1 / 1 ► Please reload

Explore NGO Forum on ADB’s work in South Asia, advocating for accountability, environmental justice, and community rights in ADB-funded projects. Stay updated on campaigns, policy engagements, and grassroots initiatives across the region. БОНКИ ОСИЁИ РУШДИ (БОР) Project Monitoring South Asia Southeast Asia Mekong Central Asia and Caucasus МОНИТОРИНГИ ЛОИҲА INDIA Kolkata Environmental Improvement Investment Programme The Kolkata Environmental Improvement Investment Programme funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised the following issues: More than 300 small shopkeepers are temporarily displaced due to the pending construction to facilitate the sewerage and drainage line along the Mahatma Gandhi Road. The shopkeepers do not have an adequate source of income as of the moment and are unable to access loans as they have no standing assets. The Entitlement Matrix was not explained nor shared as a leaflet to the affected persons (APs). The consultation merely focused on the timeframe of the construction. Bengaluru Metro Rail Airport Line (Phase 2A & 2B) The Bengaluru Metro Rail Project 2A and 2B Airport lines were conceived, presented, and heavily supported in the pre-pandemic era. And hence all the traffic demand analysis, modeling, and forecasting are from a time and lifestyle that we cannot hope to return to. Moreover, it's from when Government restrictions and company policies bound work From Home (WFH) in IT capital Bangalore. In November 2020, the Government of India (GoI) removed all constraints and compliances for the tech industry to work from home (WFH). The PM himself stated - "These steps will further flexibility and productivity." Read Growthwatch's letter regarding the Bengaluru Metro Rail Airport Line (Phase 2A & 2B). INDIA Accelerating Infrastructure Investment Facility Workers in Himachal Pradesh have demanded justice on unpaid wages and other benefits, arguing that the lender – the Asian Development Bank (ADB) – has violated its labor policies, causing a negative impact on a group of 116 union members working on the project. A group of fifteen workers, who were engaged on the ADB-funded Kiratpur-Nerchowk Four Lane Road project in Himachal Pradesh, explained to the ADB’s Compliance Review Panel staff in a conference call that the collapse of the project contractor Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) has left them millions of rupees out of pocket. Read More INDIA Wind Power Generation Project The Wind Power Generation Project in Sri Lanka is a US$ 200 million ADB – funded project which accordingly aims to provide increased access to the clean and reliable power supply by 2025. The project, which falls under the energy sector, is said to address environmentally sustainable growth and inclusive economic growth. A total of 39 wind turbines will be erected in the Mannar District area, located in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. The outputs of this investment project are: Wind power generation capacity increased System reactive power management improved and Capacity of CEB in project engineering design review and supervision strengthened. Read More SRI LANKA SRI LANKA Mahaweli Water Security Investment Program The Upper Elahera canal project funded by the Asian Development Bank has committed serious environmental safeguard violations including the construction of a 1.7 km access road inside the Beligama forest which is part of the Knuckles conservation forest without adhering to the environmental safeguards as per the safeguarding policy statement 2009. The construction company Sinohydro Corporation Ltd involves in these environmental safeguards violations. Although the environmental impact has been identified for this 1.7 km section, the construction company has not followed the conditions set during the project approval to protect the environment. The company has already cleared this sensitive forest stretch and dump debris and soil to the riverside and constructed another 1 km of the road across non-approved stretch. SRI LANKA Southern Transport Development Project The Southern Transport Development Project (STDP) is an ADB co-financed project, which includes the construction of a 128-km controlled-access expressway from Colombo to the southern city of Galle, which will link up with an existing coastal road in Matara. ADB is providing a US$ 90 million loan approved in November 1999 for 55 km of this expressway, with Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) providing funds for the rest of the stretch. The construction of the road aims to help catalyze economic growth in the southern region of Sri Lanka in general and reduce traffic and accidents on the coastal road. Read More BANGLADESH Phulbari Coal Project The Phulbari Coal Project involves the extraction of coal using open-pit mining method. It involves the construction of a 500-MW power plant. According to the ADB, at full production, about eight million tons of coal will be transported by rail and barges to an offshore reloading facility located in Akram Point. Some four million tons will be exported to India via railway. The remaining three million tons will be for domestic use. However, as much as the economic benefits it intends to bring to Bangladesh, the project will not only pose a health hazard but displace around 50,000 people. Likewise, Akram Point, where the reloading facility will be located, is in Sundarbans Mangrove Forest – a UNESCO-declared world heritage site. Transportation of millions of tons of coal through Sundarbans and Akram Point will also have serious environmental impacts Read More BANGLADESH Sundurban Biodiversity Conservation Project On January 22 and 23, Review and Planning meetings of the SBCP Watch Group were held in presence of Mr. Sardar Arif Uddin, Associate Program Coordinator, Southwest Region, of AAB at the Conference Room of CDP. Resolutions were adopted to enhance the membership of the SBCP, collect and prepare various SBCP related documents, prepare a Position Paper of the SBCP Watch Group and prepare to face the Asian Development Bank at its AGM to be held in May next at Istambul in Turkey, were adopted at the meeting. Mr. Sardar Arif Uddin also presented the plan for the Second Phase of the activities of the SBCP Watch Group and Budget for the same. CDP also compiled Newspaper Clippings on the activities of the SBCP Watch and published a book, entitled: “Sundarbans Biodiversity Conservation Project: Peoples’ Opinions in Bangladesh.” Read More Melamchi Water Supply Project Six years after its conception, the Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP), the Asian Development Bank’s pet project in Sindhupalchowk District, Nepal, is still mired in controversy. Three of the project’s original funding agencies—the World Bank, Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and Norwegian Agency for Development (NORAD) —had pulled out in the last three years brought about by several pressing issues. In fact, the water project has been on the donors’ priority list in the last two decades but was never pursued due to conflict of interests among donors, mainly between the World Bank and the ADB. NEPAL Read More NEPAL West Seti Hydroelectric Project The West Seti Hydroelectric Project is a 750 MW dam project in western Nepal (located in Baitadi, Bajhang, Dadeldhura, and Doti Districts), which has been planned by an Australian company, Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation (SMEC). The estimated project cost is 1.2 billion dollars, and the project is expected to receive loans and political guarantees by Asian Development Bank (ADB), Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), Export and Import Bank of China, Bank of China, Infrastructure Leasing, and Export Corporation (India), Industrial Bank of China, China Export and Credit Insurance Corporation (SINOSURE). All the electricity produced will be transferred to India by the Power Trade Corporation (PTC). As a royalty, 10 % of the produced electricity (or equivalent cash) is expected to be provided to the Government of Nepal. This project has been set under Category A, as per the ADB Environment Policy, and the first Environmental Assessment (EIA) report was carried out in 1999. NEPAL Kali Gandaki “A” Hydroelectric Project Informed officials about a nearby landslide that damaged five houses. Rising to the call of duty, at half-past seven in the morning the District Administration and Police Officers arrived and took stock of the situation. The nearby cracked surfaces served as a reminder of the devastating Gorkha earthquake the previous month. More than 250 villagers were relocated to a safe spot. More landslides ensued the following day as tents were provided for affected residents. Whilst sleeping in the temporary camp, the residents of Basari village got another rude shock at half-past two in the morning. This time an even more colossal landslide formed a wall of mud and rock that blocked the Kali Gandaki River. There was pandemonium as people panicked fearing for their lives. Local police made announcements on loudspeakers asking people in Mustang, Myagdi, Baglung, Parbat, Gulmi, Syangja, Tanahun, and Nawalparasi districts downstream to remain on high alert. The landslide dammed the river and blocked almost the entire flow, which resulted in a 2-km long artificial backwater lake. The landslide occurred as a nearby ridge had developed cracks after the earthquake. NEPAL Tanahu Hydropower Project Indigenous communities affected by the Tanahu Hydropower Project in Nepal have filed complaints with independent watchdogs of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) -- two co-financiers of the project -- requesting an independent mediation process. The communities have alleged failure to uphold free, prior, and informed consent and inadequate compensation for loss of lands and livelihoods. At least 32 affected families or landowners organized under the Directly Inundation Affected Peoples Collective Rights Protection Committee have called for ‘land for land’ and ‘house for house’ compensation, re-survey of land left out during the Detailed Measurement Survey of the project, and free, prior and informed consent in the project process, among their ten demands, they have submitted to the ADB and the EIB. Read More PAKISTAN Chashma Right Bank Irrigation The Chasma Right Bank Irrigation Project (CBRIP) was approved by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in December 1991. It involves the construction of a 274-kilometer canal along the Indus River that will run through two districts in Punjab and Northwest Frontier provinces. According to the Bank, it will irrigate 606,000 acres of land in D.I. Khan and D.G. Khan Districts in central Pakistan. The project primarily aims to provide a dependable perennial irrigation supply, ensure efficient distribution of water and provide necessary drainage and flood relief. Aside from the main canal, 72 distribution canals, 68 cross-drainage structures, and 91 bridges will be constructed. PAKISTAN M4 Gojra– Shorkot– Khanewal Project The entire M4 highway is a 240 km road which will construct: 15 interchanges 23 flyovers/underpasses 11 bridges 19 underpasses 191 pipe culverts 55 WCC boxes and gas culverts There will be two bridges that will be constructed across 2 main surfaces of water bodies that irrigate agri-lands: River Ravi and Sadhnai Canal. There will be a displacement of 3,429 households from the use of 1,616.7 acres of land of which 86 % is privately-owned agricultural land and will require the cutting of 91,661 trees. Photo © tribune.com.pk