Asian Development Bank (ADB)

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) was established in 1966 by the United States and Japan. It is a regional development bank, which aims to facilitate “a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty in the region.”

The ADB currently has 68 member countries, of which 49 are from within the Asia and Pacific region. The US is the most significant non-regional member, with 13% of votes, which is equal to Japan, the most important regional shareholder.

All other non-regional members are European countries, apart from Canada and Turkey. Japan, the US and China have their own Executive Directors on the ADB Board, with the remaining member countries are represented in nine shareholder constituencies. To date, all of the ADB’s presidents have been from Japan.

Recourse’s work on the Asian Development Bank

Recourse seeks to influence the ADB’s policy and practice, with a particular focus on issues related to energy, climate change and accountability. We have monitored the bank since 2021.

  • Working with partners, such as NGO Forum on ADB, we helped stop the ADB financing most forms of coal and pushed it to introduce restrictions on fossil gas in its 2021 Energy Policy.
  • Since 2022, we have engaged with the ADB’s Safeguard Policy Review, including to ensure fossil fuels loopholes are closed in the new climate safeguard; to push for a gender safeguard; and to strengthen the requirements for financing via intermediary lenders and technical assistance.
  • We are investigating how ADB finance may still be investing in coal, including via its relationship with Indonesia’s state energy company PLN and possible support for captive coal.
  • In 2024, the ADB began a review of its Accountability Mechanism. We are working with allies and partners to ensure it is fit for purpose to deliver the remedy needed for communities harmed by ADB’s investments. Our push is to ensure the Mechanism follows the best policies and practices as outlined in the 2024 Good Policy Guide, published by Recourse and allies.
  • We work with partners to bring our demands directly to the decision-makers, including at the ADB’s Annual Meetings.

Browse below for examples of Recourse’s work on the Asian Development Bank.