Author: Maureen Heydt

Global Development Policy Center – Strategic Plan, 2018-2023

The Global Development Policy Center’s (GDP Center) mission is to advance policy-oriented research for financial stability, human wellbeing and environmental sustainability. The GDP Center is a university-wide research center in partnership with the Frederick S. Pardee School for Global Studies and the Office of Research at Boston University. The ambition of the GDP Center is […]

Understanding the Consequences of IMF Surcharges: The Need for Reform

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) provides a global public good when it lends emergency balance of payments support to countries that otherwise could not access such financing at comparable terms. No country borrows from the IMF lightly, and only does so as a last resort in the face of an economic crisis. In exchange for […]

Webinar Summary: Will the Revamped US Trade Policy Be Ready for Global Challenges?

By Katie Gallogly-Swan On Monday, September 27, the Boston University Global Development Policy (GDP) Center and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) hosted a webinar discussion to explore the future of US trade policy under the Biden administration. The discussion was moderated by the GDP Center Researcher Rachel Thrasher and featured Richard […]

Experts React: China Will Stop Building Coal Plants Overseas

In his remarks at the 76th United Nations General Assembly, Chinese leader Xi Jinping announced China “will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad,” a major step in reducing carbon emissions during a critical decade.  What does this mean in terms of global climate and development goals? How will China’s announcement affect its energy finance to […]

Geolocated Dataset of Chinese Overseas Development Finance

China is now the world’s largest source of bilateral development finance and will likely continue to play a prominent role in sovereign lending through its multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). A new journal article published in Nature’s Scientific Data by a team of Boston University Global Development Policy Center researchers introduces major methodological enhancements […]

Risks to Global Biodiversity and Indigenous Lands from China’s Overseas Development Finance

China has become one of the world’s largest lenders in overseas development finance. Development projects, such as roads, railways and power plants, can often result in biodiversity loss and infringement on Indigenous lands, yet the risks implicit in China’s overseas development finance have until now been poorly understood. In a new journal article published in […]

How Green and Inclusive is China’s Overseas Development Finance? A New Global Outlook

By Hongbo Yang and Rebecca Ray China is now the world’s largest source of bilateral development finance and will likely continue to play a prominent role in providing sovereign loans to developing countries through its multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative. This substantial increase in global development finance could potentially bring major benefits to the world […]

Aligning the BRI with the Sustainable Development Goals: Research and Recommendations

By Rebecca Ray After eight years of existence, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has brought significant economic gains to countries around the world by facilitating new investment, linking infrastructure networks and facilitating international trade. In parallel to this growth, China has been developing an environmental management framework to govern outbound investment and finance. To […]