The World Bank's engagement in carbon finance has expanded from its "pioneering" Prototype Carbon Fund in 1999, which provided the groundwork for the continuously popular market-based approach to emission reductions.
Climate change
Environment
News
National responses to World Bank's energy strategy review
An October report by UK NGO Christian Aid, Energy for our common future, brings together responses by civil society groups in India, Bolivia, Peru and South Africa to the World Bank's energy strategy review.
Land
News
World Bank pushes carbon markets in agriculture and climate talks
In the lead up to Cancun climate negotiations, the Bank has used a conference on agriculture and climate as a platform to expand its agricultural activities and link them to its interests in carbon markets, despite new evidence of problems with investment in the sector.
Land
Background
Notes of meeting between Minster Alan Duncan, the UK Department for International Development and Ci
Meeting notes
Accountability
Analysis
Submission to the International Development Committee of the UK parliament: inquiry into the World B
The UK should not increase its contribution to IDA in the current replenishment. Instead, it should focus on achieving substantial reforms of the World Bank and IFC in key areas, including health, gender, climate and energy, and the private sector, and in radically improving the legitimacy, transparency and accountability of the institution.
Environment
Background
Energy, Poverty, Sustainability and Climate Change
Minutes of a seminar at the 2010 annual meetings, 8 October 2010
Accountability
Background
Meeting on the World Bank between DFID and UK NGOs
Notes of a meeting between UK civil society and DFID staff.
Environment
News
World Bank and climate: new roles, old challenges?
With the World Bank and IMF under consideration as significant sources of climate finance, controversy continues around the Bank’s Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) and carbon offset projects.
Environment
Commentary
Climate sabotage: Bank undermines direct access to UN Adaptation Fund
The World Bank is actively undermining the ability of the Philippines to directly access urgently needed climate adaptation finance without involving intermediaries.
Environment
News
World Bank coal lending up amid energy furore
Energy policy at the World Bank remains controversial, with escalating lending to coal projects and a delay to the energy strategy review. Past Bank-financed energy projects in Ghana and Albania are also proving problematic.
Featured briefings
6 April 2022
The Bretton Woods Observer: Spring 2022
8 December 2021
The Bretton Woods Observer: Winter 2021
8 November 2021
IMF surveillance and climate change transition risks
New briefing by ActionAid USA and the Bretton Woods Project highlights research showing that IMF policy advice has undermined a just energy transition since the Paris Agreement was signed.