In the first decade of the 21st century, China’s rapid urbanization and investment-led growth model brought skyrocketing demand for raw commodities and an ensuing investment wave in Amazon basin countries. In the wake of this “China boom,” national governments in Amazon basin countries enacted a series of social and environmental protections, many of which were […]
The Vulnerable Twenty (V20) Group of Finance Ministers, a dedicated initiative of 55 climate vulnerable economies, is at the epicenter of looming debt and climate crises which are threatening their ability to build resilient and low-carbon economies. When scarce public finances are mostly spent on debt service rather than on investments to build a more resilient […]
As the fastest growing source of foreign financing, China and Hong Kong foreign direct investment (FDI) surged to a total of $3.2 trillion in 2019. Chinese capital offers a novel opportunity for host country political and state elites to strongly foster industrialization by enacting policies outside the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and […]
After several years of negotiations to “modernize” the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), members must decide by June 24, 2022, whether to amend provisions of the treaty, leave it as is or withdraw from it entirely. The ECT is the only international investment treaty with a sectoral focus on energy. It has been ratified by 50 […]
By Rachel Thrasher The latest report from the UN International Panel on Climate Change has made clear that this decade is make-or-break for climate action and mitigating the worst-case scenarios of a warming earth. Crucial to keeping warming below the 1.5C threshold by 2100, countries must focus on phasing out both demand and supply for […]
By Md. Deen Islam and Rachel Thrasher In November 2021, the United Nations approved Bangladesh to graduate from Least Developed Country (LDC) status by 2026. An LDC graduation reflects a country’s economic strength and resilience to various types of financial and climate shocks and highlights the extent of economic and social progress achieved by the […]
In 2021, the United Nations Committee on Development Policy adopted a resolution that Bangladesh would graduate from least developed country (LDC) status after a period of five years. As a result, Bangladesh will have to forego its exemption to intellectual property (IP) provisions of the World Trade Organization (WTO) by 2026. As an LDC, Bangladesh […]
By Kevin P. Gallagher The last time the world economy became defined by financial instability and recession, inequality and right-wing populism, a lack of global leadership and war, leading countries came together in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire to forge a set of principles and institutions to foster stability and prosperity for a greater peace. Eighty […]
A debt crisis is looming in the Global South. High levels of public debt service and insufficient fiscal and monetary space are threatening recoveries and impeding much-needed investments in climate resilience and the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals. A new policy brief from the Think7 (T7) Task Force on Sustainable Economic Recovery makes seven recommendations […]
While the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has long signaled an interest in contributing to combat climate change, 2021 marked a critical juncture in the IMF’s commitment to the cause. Under the leadership of Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF accelerated the mainstreaming of climate change in its operations. Most notably, Georgieva made a concerted effort […]