New Resources for the 2010 World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings

photo credit: flickr/arvidbr

Thousands of finance ministers and central bankers from around the world descend on D.C. this weekend for the semi-annual meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund. These meetings have become an important opportunity for civil society, NGOs, journalists, and the private sector to engage with bank staff and country delegates on an array of issues in international economic development, from poverty reduction to clean energy.

The timing of these spring meetings is especially crucial now, as the World Bank conducts an ongoing review of its Energy Strategy. This strategy will guide all World Bank Group energy-related lending for the next decade.

WRI’s International Financial Flows and the Environment (IFFE) Program works to improve the environmental and social decision-making of these and other Multilateral Development Banks. These institutions are in a unique position; they can continue to drive investments in a conventional “business as usual” manner or they can raise environmental and social standards through their lending practices.

In preparation for the Spring Meetings, WRI has the following resources:

Analysis:

• Shattering Glass Walls at the Multilateral Development Banks: The development and environment communities must stop viewing their goals as separate or even at odds with each other. Investing in ecosystem services will help MDBs improve the livelihoods of the poor.

• The World Bank, MDBs, and Low Carbon Development: By 2030, approximately 90% of future growth in energy demand will come from developing countries. The Multilateral Development Banks have an important role to play in advancing more sustainable energy.

• Investing in Sustainable Energy Futures: Multilateral Development Banks’ Investments in Energy Policy: This report analyzes energy-related loan programs at the World Bank, ADB, the IDB in addition to the newly created Clean Technology Fund (CTF). Despite the increase in sustainable energy initiatives, a limited number of loans financed by the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and Asian Development Bank consistently support sustainable energy investments in developing countries.

• A Roadmap for Integrating Human Rights into the World Bank Group: This report argues that human rights are an integral part of effective and sustainable development, and should be explicitly considered in all World Bank Group (WBG) investment decisions. We examine the WBG’s integration of human rights standards into its operations — highlighting accomplishments, shortcomings, and barriers — and suggest ways forward.

• Summary of Climate Finance Pledges Put Forward By Developed Countries: WRI’s preliminary analysis on countries’ immediate and long term climate finance pledges announced thus far.

Events:

The World Bank’s Energy Strategy: Hosted by the World Resources Institute, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Center for American Progress (CAP), and International Rivers

Finance for Climate Change: 2010 Opportunities in Developing Countries: The World Resources Institute and McKenna, Long & Aldridge, LLP host a panel discussion on the role of private sector investment in addressing climate change mitigation in a time of economic and policy uncertainty.