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Asian Development Bank (ADB)

illustration of the Bretton Woods Observer winter 2024, presenting the World Bank globe sitting on a hidden pile of gold looking at the Wall Street Bull (which represents the financial sector)

Environment

Analysis

COP29 sees MDBs climate finance take centre stage, as civil society brands new climate finance goal a ‘betrayal’

Rich countries agree to provide a paltry $300 billion in public finance by 2035 including funds channelled through MDBs, as Small Island States and Least Developed Countries stage walkout.

12 December 2024
The World Bank's interactive new Corporate Scorecard on display at the 2024 World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings in Washington DC. Credit: Paul Blake/ World Bank.

Accountability

Analysis

Missing in action: accountability is noticeably absent from the World Bank Group’s new Corporate Scorecard

The Corporate Scorecard’s accountability gap is symptomatic of a broader failure on the part of the WBG to fully internalise, integrate and learn from the work of its accountability mechanisms.

12 December 2024

Private Sector

Commentary

IFC standards review must respond to UN’s call for rights-based transition mineral value chains

Amid escalating transition minerals mining, the expected 2025 review of IFC’s Performance Standards must result in a new approach.

16 October 2024 | Guest comment

Finance

Analysis

Balancing ambitions and bridging divides at multilateral development banks

The success of the World Bank Evolution Roadmap will depend on developed countries' willingness to bridge the gap with developing countries by increasing Global South decision-making power and committing to a capital increase.

4 October 2023 | Guest analysis

Environment

News

World Bank’s update on Paris alignment fizzles at COP27 as countries demand MDBs evolve to face climate emergency

Despite continued public rhetoric about importance of civil society engagement, Bank is yet to commit to holding a public consultation period on its Paris alignment approach.

8 December 2022

Finance

News

First gathering of world’s public development banks fails to deliver concrete commitments

World Bank and other MDBs fail to sign on to general declaration as multilateral leadership on solutions to climate, debt and inequality crises remains inadequate.

10 December 2020

Infrastructure

Analysis

Local communities oppose planned dam construction supported by World Bank in Manipur

World Bank supports hydropower building spree in Manipur, threatening local communities’ livelihoods in the process.

12 December 2019 | Guest analysis
Civil society groups call for the World Bank to stop financing fossil fuels outside its 2019 Annual Meetings in October

Environment

News

EIB rules out most fossil fuel funding from 2021, setting new benchmark for MDBs

New energy policy sees European Investment Bank end support for unabated coal, oil and gas from 2021.

12 December 2019
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Other news

Infrastructure

News

New US treasury guidance introduces limits for US support for fossil fuels at World Bank

Civil society voices concern about continued support for fossil gas under the policy.

22 September 2021

Private Sector

News

CSOs call on World Bank to halt its aggressive support of PPPs

152 CSOs call demand World Bank halt its aggressive support of PPPs, publicaly recognise their significant risks.

6 December 2017

Knowledge

Background

Recommended resources on the World Bank and IMF 2018

The Bretton Woods Project's selection of the best books, reports and other resources on the World Bank and IMF from 2018.

1 February 2019 | Resource

Background

Global Infrastructure Forum: Opening plenary

Notes from the opening plenary of the inaugural Global Infrastructure Forum, during the World Bank/IMF spring meetings 2016.

18 April 2016 | Minutes

IFI governance

Background

Making PPPs work

Notes of a meeting on how to make PPPs work at the World Bank-IMF annual meetings 2014

8 October 2014

Accountability

News

IFC funded Tata Mundra coal plant to be investigated by ADB

IFC funded 4,000 MW coal plant Tata Mundra in India is to be investigated by ADB for negative social and environmental impacts.

26 February 2014

IFI governance

News

Staff restructure after new World Bank strategy approved

Several new appointments as part of the restructure for the implementation of the World Bank’s new strategy.

3 December 2013

News

World Bank shows no leadership on gender

An April report by US NGO Gender Action compared IFIs’ gender policies, ranking the World Bank, after the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Asian Development Bank.

26 June 2013
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