Crédito para grandes projetos, só com garantias 'verdes'

O financiamento de grandes projetos industriais e de infra-estrutura hoje já esbarra no cumprimento de exigências sociais e ambientais, conforme matéria que publicamos hoje. O movimento não é novo - no início da década, um grupo de ONGs passou a monitorar o sistema financeiro e cobrar dos bancos que deixassem de dar crédito a empreendimentos muito poluidores e de grande impacto social.

Desse movimento nasceram os chamados princípios do Equador, em 2003. É um conjunto de diretrizes socioambientais que os bancos devem seguir, voluntariamente, no financiamento de projetos acima de US$ 50 milhões. Em 2006, uma revisão dos princípios baixou esse teto para US$ 10 milhões. Entram aí grandes projetos de hidrelétricas, estradas, empreendimentos de mineração, entre outros.

Entrevistei esta semana o americano Shawn Miller, que trabalhava no Banco Mundial e fez parte da equipe que construiu os princípios. Hoje ele é o executivo global que cuida da análise de risco socioambiental no Citibank, e fez elogios ao Brasil nessa questão. Segundo ele, entre os chamados emergentes, o País está bastante avançado: sete bancos aderiram voluntariamente aos princípios. No ano passado, o volume de recursos aprovados para financiar esses projetos ultrapassou R$ 20 bilhões.

No mundo todo, são 61 bancos signatários dos princípios. Dos bancos que aderiram às diretrizes no País - Banco do Brasil, Bradesco, Banco Real, Itaú, Unibanco, HSBC e Citibank - apenas um é público, o BB.
por Andrea Vialli


Equator Principles Financial Institutions Meet in Washington D.C. for the Annual Equator Principles Meeting and IFC Community of Learning Events
WASHINGTON DC, 5-8 May 2008 — The Equator Principles Financial Institutions were pleased to join IFC's Community of Learning, an event focussed on sharing lessons learned when implementing IFC's Performance Standards. The event was also attended by a number of environmental representatives of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) from across the globe. On 6 May IFC hosted a dinner, where a presentation was given to mark the fifth anniversary of the Equator Principles, led by Herman Mulder, formerly of ABN Amro. These events were followed by the Annual Meeting of the Equator Principles Financial Institutions, held at the National Press Club. At the meeting Societe Generale were voted on to the Steering Committee and an administration function for the Committee was appointed. The Group also discussed the development of the Governance of the Principles.

Societe Generale's press release following their appointment to the Equator Principles Steering Committee:
PRESS RELEASE
Oslo, 29 May 2008
DnB NOR adopts the Equator Principles
DnB NOR is proud to announce the adoption of the Equator Principles, a voluntary set of guidelines
for managing environmental and social issues in project finance.
The Equator Principles have become a financial services industry benchmark on how to assess and
manage environmental and social risks in capital investment projects globally. The Principles were
introduced by private sector banks in 2003 and are based on the environmental standards of the
World Bank and the social policies of the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Close to 60
international banks, including the majority of the world's leading project lenders, have adopted the
Principles.
In implementing the Equator Principles, DnB NOR confirms its commitment to sustainable
development, and this complements the Group's participation in initiatives such as the United
Nations Global Compact, the United Nations Environmental Programme – Financial Initiative
(UNEP–FI), the Carbon Disclosure Project and the UN Principles for Responsible Investment.
The adoption of the Equator Principles is consistent with DnB NOR's tradition of thorough risk
analysis and control and will be an important tool in further ensuring environmental and social risk
management in future project finance.
Contact:
Dag Arne Kristensen
Executive vice president, External Relations
+47 90140706; dag.arne.kristensen@dnbnor.no


Equator Principles Celebrate Five Years of Positive Environmental Impact and Improved Business Practices
Washington, DC, May 8, 2008 — Sixty of the world's leading financial institutions today mark the fifth anniversary of the Equator Principles (EPs), voluntary standards for financial institutions to manage environmental and social risk in their project finance transactions.

KfW IPEX-Bank adopts Equator Principles
Frankfurt, 3 March 2008 — KfW IPEX-Bank adopted the Equator Principles as of 1 March 2008, committing itself to the globally-recognised benchmark for the financial industry to manage social and environmental issues. "As a leading export and project finance institution and as a 100% subsidiary of KfW Bankengruppe we are aware of our particular social responsibility from which we draw consequences for sustained action", said Heinrich Heims, Speaker of the Board of Managing Directors of KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH. "Adopting the Equator Principles is one more logical step in our commitment to the principles of sustainable ecological and social development."