East Asia & Pacific

Barbados finance minister Ryan Straughn chairs V20's ministerial session on 24 April, during the 2025 World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings in Washington DC. Photo: CVF/V20.

IFI governance

Analysis

V20 communiqué analysis Spring Meetings 2025: amid attacks on climate action, climate vulnerable countries once again highlight urgent need to step back from the brink

Faced with deafening silence from Bank and Fund leadership on climate issues at the Spring Meetings, climate vulnerable countries demand urgent changes to global financial architecture.

30 April 2025
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

Rights

News

Communities demand justice as IFC fails to address coal financing fallout

IFC faces backlash for failing to address social and environmental harms from its financing of coal plants in the Philippines, despite proven health and environmental violations.

15 April 2025

Private Sector

Commentary

The B-Ready index: the World Bank’s bluewashing of labour rights

World Bank’s new Business-Ready (B-Ready) index offers new measures but reductionist approach, ultimately rewarding countries driving down labour rights in favour of business.

12 December 2024 | Guest comment

IFI governance

Analysis

G20 communiqué analysis Annual Meetings 2024: progress on tax and inequality obscures Group's wider failures

At the 25th anniversary of the Group’s Finance Track, the G20 communiqué’s robust language on the taxation of billionaires, including encouraging “constructive discussions” about the UN Tax Conference was contrasted by much more cautious language on MDB reform, climate finance, debt and Special Drawing Rights.

29 October 2024

IFI governance

Analysis

V20 communiqué analysis Annual Meetings 2024: climate vulnerable countries once again demand key changes to IMF’s approach, as world risks breaching climate tipping points

V20 members offered a searing indictment of rich countries’ failure to act on BWIs governance, debt relief, climate finance and SDRs.

29 October 2024

Finance

News

Project 2025 takes on the World Bank and IMF – harbinger of an uncertain new era of geopolitics?

US conservative blueprint for second Trump term calls for US to withdraw from World Bank and IMF, amid continued geopolitical tensions and unresolved debt crisis in Global South.

16 October 2024

Private Sector

Background

What is the International Finance Corporation (IFC)?

This Inside the Institutions explores the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank Group’s private sector arm. It examines the function of the IFC as a development institution focused solely on private sector solutions to development and considers civil society critiques.

3 July 2024 | Inside the institutions

IFI governance

Analysis

V20 communiqué analysis Spring Meetings 2024: Climate vulnerable countries issue call to action, as net-negative flows result in ‘millions in, billions out’ amid growing debt burdens

V20 members are expected to pay $904.7 billion in debt service between 2022-2030, as debt, lack of financing and low projected growth hampers prospects for green economic transformation.

24 April 2024

IFI governance

Analysis

Spring Meetings 2024 Wrap Up: Despite mounting crises, persistent lack of political will to match rhetoric with action remains

Urgent BWIs reforms remain hostage to lack of political will in Global North as the G20 failed to deliver on important issues within a fragmented geopolitical situation.

24 April 2024

IFI governance

Background

When exits and accountability collide: What happens when IFC exits projects mid-accountability process?

Notes from Civil Society Policy Forum on Thursday, 18 April titled, "When exits & accountability collide: What happens when IFC exits projects mid-accountability process?"

18 April 2024 | Minutes

Infrastructure

News

Indonesia JETP's promotion of renewable energy privatisation opposed by unions and civil society

Indonesia’s Just Energy Transition Partnership bears the clear handprint of the World Bank’s private-sector led approach to power sectors in the Global South, creating opposition from unions and civil society.

9 April 2024