The origins of Bankwatch can be traced back to a conference organised by the German environmental organisation Euronatur in Stuttgart in April 1994, entitled ‘The World Bank: A Chance for the Environment in Europe?’ 

Later that year, in October, the World Bank convened for its annual general meeting in Madrid, where it also marked its 50th anniversary. It was there that our members met and began discussions about establishing Bankwatch. 

The next step in the planning process was a meeting held in Brno in December, organised by the Czech environmental organisation Hnutí Duha. At this meeting, a formal decision was made to start developing a regional network.