Argentina, Brazil and Costa Rica are among the countries that have recently implemented capital account regulations. This report reviews the evidence available on the impact of their measures, providing evidence of the usefulness of capital account regulations not only in achieving financial stability but also in preventing unwarranted appreciation of the exchange rate and increasing monetary policy space.
Analysis
Environment
Analysis
Climate Investment Funds Monitor 4
The Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) are financing instruments designed to pilot low-carbon and climate-resilient development through the multilateral development banks (MDBs). They are comprised of two trust funds - the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) and the Strategic Climate Fund (SCF).
Finance
Analysis
Time for a new consensus
This report explains the drawbacks, especially for development, of policies to deregulate the movement of money across borders, and makes suggestions for a new pragmatic approach to regulation of financial flows to ensure stability and development.
Infrastructure
Analysis
No fairy tale
As debates continue at the World Bank about its lending for new coal-fired power plants, residents of the Indian district of Singrauli, the country's coal capital, still live with the lasting social and environmental impacts of decades of coal-related projects and ask why the Bank has never returned to fully address what has been left in the wake of its investments in the region.
Infrastructure
Analysis
Power surge
This paper about energy and women in India highlights examples from visits to NGO projects, social entrepreneurs and social movements in five Indian states over the course of three months, as well as conversations with energy and women rights experts. The paper then highlights lessons drawn from field visits and what they mean for the development community with particular focus on the World Bank.
Rights
Analysis
Navigating complex dilemmas
The World Development Report 2011: Conflict, Security and Development is shifting the language of international policy on supporting peace and development in fragile and conflict-affected countries. Monica Stephen of International Alert examines how the World Bank's operations need to adjust to support peace and development.
Environment
Analysis
A faulty model?
This paper critically assesses the appropriateness of the Bank-housed Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) as a model for the Green Climate Fund (GCF). It takes proposals and recommendations by civil society groups and uses them as benchmarks to analyse the CIFs. It finds that in terms of institutional arrangements the CIFs have achieved some notable progress, however, in operations and performance there are serious concerns.
IFI governance
Analysis
Question time for candidates! Public debate needed for IMF leadership post
The IMF still needs fundamental reform if it is to be relevant to the global economy of the 21st century and to operate in the interests of ordinary people all over the world. We believe there are 4 key areas where these candidates must answer questions and that these questions should be answered in a public debate among the candidates.
Accountability
Analysis
The IFIs in 2010: year in review
2010 was a year of uncertainty for the global economy. While many countries, particularly emerging markets, emerged from recession, public finances deteriorated across the globe as governments struggled to recover from the recent crisis. The troubles of the Eurozone dominated the headlines, but this only reflected the continued fragility of many countries still reeling from the biggest depression since the 1930s. The ongoing impacts of the recession remained high, particularly on the poor and vu
Rights
Analysis
Debt and austerity - from the global South to Europe
In early May, more than 400 activists in Greece and campaigners and academics from across the world met in Athens to confront the current debt crisis of the European periphery and plan international solidarity and coordinated action against fiscal austerity imposed by governments.
IFI governance
Analysis
Heading for the right choice?
The IMF has committed itself to ending European dominance of selection of its managing director, and introducing an open, merit-based and transparent process. This paper sets out the three key elements to ensuring a successful process next time: a focus on selecting the best candidate available; a clear, fair, and transparent process; and the legitimacy gained from the backing of a majority of countries as well as IMF voting shares.
Conditionality
Analysis
The IMF's new conditionality
While the 2007-2010 crisis offered the International Monetary Fund an unexpected opportunity to demonstrate that it was serious about changing its emergency lending practices, Daniela Gabor argues that in Eastern Europe the Fund ended up pushing unnecessary fiscal austerity and privileging private financial interests.
Featured briefings
16 October 2024
The Bretton Woods Observer: Autumn 2024
16 October 2024
The lost call for international financial architecture reform in the G20
At the 80th anniversary of the World Bank and IMF, global civil society must maintain pressure on the Brazilian and South African G20 presidencies to ensure the forth Financing for Development Conference in 2025 results in urgently required international financial architecture reform.
16 October 2024
Sustainable development requires sustainable finance: why local currency financing is part of the solution
Multilateral development banks can reduce their dependence on hard currency lending and make local currency financing a central element of their developmental mandate.