The new World Bank Group strategy moves into the implementation stage with changes to country planning and internal structure, but critics say that little will change.
Analysis
Finance
Analysis
The IFIs in 2013: year in review
The Bretton Woods Project review of the most important developments at the World Bank and IMF in 2013.
Private Sector
Analysis
ICSID and Latin America
Latin American states are actively exploring alternative mechanisms to the ICSID state-investor dispute mechanism which they claim has investor bias.
Finance
Analysis
The IMF’s debt restructuring dilemma
Burgeoning debt levels, and problems in Jordan and Philippines, indicate that debt crises are not behind us. While the IMF considers policy changes, an influential group of scholars has proposed a new Fund facility for handling sovereign debt restructuring.
Private Sector
Analysis
Croissants and TV guides: World Bank's new poverty reduction strategy?
IFC investments in a TV guide, hotels and online shopping highlight projects with weak development outcomes
Environment
Analysis
A mine of controversy: World Bank push for large scale extractives
New concerns have been raised on the World Bank’s involvement in the Simandou mine in Guinea, including on the use of biodiversity offsets, while civil society has repeated unaddressed concerns on the Mongolia Oyu Tolgoi mine. Further concerns have been raised on mines in Dominican Republic, Peru and South Africa.
Infrastructure
Analysis
World Bank courts controversial coal in India and Indonesia
Despite its increasingly strong rhetoric on tackling climate change the World Bank continues to fund contentious coal projects in India and Indonesia, including rejecting the findings of its accountability mechanism.
Rights
Analysis
A fragile solution: World Bank’s new approach to fragile and conflict affected states
World Bank launches a new approach to fragile states, accompanied by resources, including IFC investment but it remains unclear what role it will play in implementing the reforms.
Private Sector
Analysis
IFC-financed private equity fund implicated in Honduras dam
Amidst new complaints on the failure of the investments of the IFC’s financial sector clients to meet the IFC performance standards, including a controversial dam in Honduras, civil society organisations have rejected the IFC’s proposed action plan as unacceptable.
Environment
Analysis
NGOs call for halt of World Bank’s climate initiatives
In July 2012 NGOs called on governments to pivot away from funding the Bank-housed Climate…
Environment
Analysis
Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR)
Chapter of CIFs Monitor 8 on the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR)
Environment
Analysis
Scaling up Renewable Energy Program (SREP)
Chapter of CIFs Monitor 8 on the Scaling up Renewable Energy Program (SREP)
Featured briefings
9 June 2025
New data reveal World Bank DPF ‘climate finance’ carries strong private sector bias, undermining a just transition
New BWP briefing finds the World Bank counted 70 per cent of energy-sector reforms in Development Policy Financing as having 'climate co-benefits' between 2018-2023 - but most of these promoted a private-led energy transition.
15 April 2025
The Bretton Woods Observer: Spring 2025
2 April 2025