Promoting Reforms in International Financial Institutions

About this grant

The international program at Environmental Defense works to protect forest, energy and water resources – and the human rights of the communities that depend on them – in Africa, Asia and Latin America by promoting environmental and social reforms at international financial institutions (IFIs). Multiyear funding will support objectives that include promoting environmental and social standards in U.S. and other country export credit agencies (ECAs) and investment guarantee agencies; encouraging stronger environmental and social policies, transparency and public participation at the World Bank and other multilateral development banks (MDBs); and strengthening and mobilizing non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in developed and developing countries to achieve environmental and social reforms in IFIs through access to their own governments, MDBs and ECAs.Accomplishments during the past two years included educating U.S. officials on the need for greater transparency in World Bank operations; supporting national and regional NGOs and encouraging major debt relief advocates in developed and developing countries to raise the profile of ECA issues; and releasing three regional reports on ECAs in Africa, Indonesia and Latin America, which made up the first independent assessments of ECA investments around the world.