Global MDB investments in petrochemicals tracker

This tracker focusses on petrochemicals and their immediate downstream uses in fertilisers and plastics, and projects to decarbonise the sector. The tracker also includes chemical recycling as its outputs impact petrochemical supply. The EWS database includes projects that are active, on hold, closed, and cancelled.

More detailed criteria are below:

A. Upstream

1. Oil refineries
2. Gas crackers
3. Pipelines
4. Ports
5. Feedstock

B. Midstream and downstream

1. Olefins
2. Aromatics
3. Synthetic rubber

C. Fertilisers

D. Plastic manufacturing, including plastic packaging

E. Chemical recycling

F. Decarbonisation projects in the petrochemical industry

The following are deemed to be outside the database’s purview as they do not directly impact the petrochemical industry or are downstream activities:

1. Mechanical recycling
2. Circular economy
3. Plastic waste management
4. Marine plastic pollution

The EWS, hosted by IAP, is the first civil society-led database that summarises and standardises information on development projects from the largest and most influential DFIs.

For the purpose of analysis, the following categories have been added to the existing EWS:

Geographical categories

Investment purpose

Sub-sectors

Additional notes on key elements of the tracker

1. Bank rating: MDBs assess environmental and social categorisation as a measure of the planned project’s environmental and social impacts. A higher risk rating may require more due diligence to limit or avoid harm to people and the environment. For example, ‘A’ or ‘B’ are risk categories where ‘A’ represents the highest amount of risk. Results include projects that specifically recorded a rating; all other projects are marked ‘U’ for ‘Undisclosed’.
2. Project status: Projects that have reached operational conclusion and where financial closure is pending are considered ‘completed’, while those where both administrative and financial closures have been achieved are considered ‘closed’.
3. Region: Projects covering multiple countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia are categorised under ‘Asia’. Projects covering multiple countries across continents are categorised as ‘Multiple regions’. 

The EWS collects public information from development finance institutions (DFIs) and other organisations about development projects, and private information from people who live and work near development projects around the world. 

The EWS Data Policy covers both data types and is based on Responsible Data and the Handbook of the Modern Development Specialist, which are guidelines from an active collective of rights and data specialists. Read more: responsibledata.io

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