The World Bank
As part of the Nordic Baltic Constituency at the World Bank, Iceland actively participates in the extensive coordination within the constituency on all policy, financial and membership matters of the World Bank Group. Iceland is also a long-term contributor to the International Development Association (IDA) and has furthermore supported individual funds and projects within the Bank. As for support to the Bank funds and projects, Iceland particularly emphasises the areas of geothermal energy, fisheries and gender equality, and furthermore contributes to a Nordic trust fund with the goal of advancing knowledge on human rights within the Bank.
WB - Geothermal Energy
Iceland supports ESMAP, a special energy programme within the World Bank, which is e.g. concerned with the utilisation of geothermal energy. The program's mission is to provide technical assistance in the energy sector to increase the production of energy while achieving environmentally sustainable solutions for poverty reduction and economic growth. An Icelandic geothermal expert is seconded by Iceland to work for ESMAP on analysis and design of World Bank projects in developing countries. In this context it is invaluable to be able to call on the large network of local geothermal specialists, who have received training from the UNU Geothermal Training Programme in Iceland.
In January 2012, Iceland signed a Compact with the World Bank Group on Sustainable Geothermal Energy for Africa. The Compact promotes the United Nation's initiative “Sustainable Energy for All” and is directed specifically at geothermal energy as a sustainable resource. The initiative is aimed at enabling the countries along the African Rift Valley, to acquire a reliable mapping of geothermal areas and plans for resource testing through drilling. That would enable those countries to further develop, implement and strategize their realization of geothermal energy as a clean energy source, with the possibility of providing 150 million people access to clean energy. With the Compact, Iceland is now the World Bank's single largest partner in the field of geothermal development.
WB - Fisheries
Iceland is one of the states which initiated the establishment of the PROFISH-programme in 2005, with the purpose of strengthening sustainable fisheries management, promote economic growth, ensure healthy fish stocks and enhance their yield. In addition to financial support, Iceland has seconded an employee to the programme, in order to further strengthen the cooperation with the Bank.
Iceland also became a member of The Global Partnership for Oceans (GPO) during its launch at the Rio+20 Conference. GPO is a growing alliance of governments, international organisations, civil society groups, and the private sector committed to addressing the threats to the health, productivity and resilience of the world's oceans. The Bank is presently working on setting up a special trust fund to support GPO activities.