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International

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
Said Iqbal, President of the Confederation of Indonesian Labor Union, on a press conference celebrating the International Labor Day, 1 May 2023, Jakarta, Indonesia. Credit: Almarams/Shutterstock

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
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
Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and Communications Department Director Julie Kozack field questions at the Civil Society Townhall during the 2024 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC, on October 21, 2024. Credit: IMF Photo/Alyssa Schukar

Conditionality

Analysis

Who’s afraid of the grassroots? IMF policymaking in the era of social discontent

IMF proposes a grassroots communication strategy to convince the public of the need for further austerity measures as publications reveal fear that social unrest will make reforms ‘unimplementable’.

12 December 2024

Land

News

World Bank goes full steam ahead on agribusiness, but new CAFOD report highlights gendered harms of Bank's approach

Under President Banga, the World Bank is going full steam ahead on agribusiness financing with a $9 billion annual commitment by 2030, but a CAFOD report highlights harmful gendered impacts of current approach to commercialising farming.

12 December 2024
Protest against carbon markets at UN Climate Change Conference Baku on 14th November 2024. Credit: IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis.

Environment

News

MIGA’s new guarantee for voluntary carbon markets risks shielding big polluters

CSOs warn MIGA's proposal at COP29 to de-risk carbon markets for private investors could shield polluters from accountability, leaving local communities to bear the costs.

12 December 2024

IFI governance

News

New report debunks claims that inadequate MDB transparency results from private sector concerns

Amid underwhelming private capital mobilisation, new report underscores poor state of transparency and disclosure of private sector finance by multilateral development banks and development finance institutions.

12 December 2024
2024 IMF/World Bank Group Annual Meetings. Credit: Simone McCourtie / Flickr.

Finance

News

IMF’s PRGT review places the burden of financing the program on low-income countries

As the IMF increases cost of lending for LICs by introducing a tiered interest mechanism to the PRGT, CSOs and V20 Group call instead for an SDR interest rate cap to reduce the cost of lending and for sale of gold reserves to address the funding gap.

12 December 2024
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Other news

Finance

News

IDA21 cobbles together $100 billion replenishment in context of wider aid cuts

Amid concerns about the policy package and in the face of global crises, IDA's 21st replenishment showed difficulty of mobilising donor finance amid elections and geopolitical tensions.

12 December 2024

Accountability

News

CAO report adds to concerns about IFC's compliance with its own GHG emissions obligations

CAO report substantiates civil society findings about IFC’s failure to comply with its own requirements for GHG emissions measurement, alternatives analysis, mitigation and disclosure.

12 December 2024

Finance

News

UN's Fourth Financing for Development Conference takes place at key moment for international financial architecture reform

Civil society Financing for Development (FfD) Mechanism calls for FfD4 conference to deliver meaningful reform and a true path towards democratic multilateralism.

12 December 2024

Environment

News

Trump election may add pressure to reverse World Bank’s prohibition on support for nuclear power

Donald Trump’s election may result in a revision of World Bank’s long-standing prohibition of support to nuclear power.

12 December 2024

Accountability

Background

Strengthening governance of development policy finance: Improving transparency, accountability, stakeholder engagement, and Paris alignment

Notes from the Civil Society Policy Forum on 24 October 2024 titled "Strengthening governance of development policy finance: Improving transparency, accountability, stakeholder engagement, and Paris alignment".

24 October 2024 | Minutes

IFI governance

Background

Evidence based analysis of the implementation of anti IFFs policies in Africa- Lessons from the policy tracker project

Notes from Civil Society Policy Forum on 23 October titled "Evidence based analysis of the implementation of Anti IFFs policies in Africa- Lessons from the policy tracker project".

22 October 2024 | Minutes

IFI governance

Background

Taxing the super-rich, a step closer

Notes from a Civil Society Policy Forum SPF on 22 October 22 titled "Taxing the super-rich, a step closer".

22 October 2024 | Minutes

IFI governance

Background

Problematising the Bank’s reliance on financial inclusion, from the gender strategy to the corporate scorecard

Notes from a Civil Society Policy Forum panel on 22 October titled "Problematising the Bank’s Reliance on Financial Inclusion, from the Gender Strategy to the Corporate Scorecard".

22 October 2024 | Minutes
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