BWC Blog

The IMF’s 80 Anniversary – A Time for Cheer and Reflection on the Future and New Terrain

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the IMF’s founding, an occasion to cheer the Fund’s enormous success, examine what is working and draw lessons for the future.   

Bretton Woods—Why the dollar?

The Bretton Woods Conference will celebrate its 80th anniversary this year. The conference can be seen to have formalised the role of the U.S. dollar as the dominant currency in the international monetary system. This remains so to this day as does the considerable controversy it produced.

25 Years of the Euro

The launch of the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1999 signifies a turning point in international economics history and to this day serves as one of the most important events of the past century, bringing with it important economic, political, and social consequences for European companies and households.

Bretton Woods - A Changed America

The Bretton Woods Conference will celebrate its 80th anniversary this year. Driven by a United States keen to involve its partners in international problem-solving, the initial conference may have ultimately proved a high-water mark for multilateral economic policy coordination.

2024 - An Overall Positive Start

As of January, evolving global macro-financial indicators suggest a promising beginning to 2024. This comes amidst a context where inflationary pressures are easing, affecting short-term monetary policy prospects, and where there's notable resilience to ongoing risk factors.

Attaining Ajay Banga’s New Bank Vision – Mainstreaming Partnerships with Civil Society

President Ajay Banga has huge ambitions for the World Bank. But are they likely to impact climate change, reduce poverty, and strengthen prosperity? Or will they amount to no more than fine phrases in speeches and reports?

A Global Climate Guarantee Company Could Accelerate Private Funding of Climate Projects

The purpose of this article is to make the case for the establishment of a new financial guarantee company (referred to as Global Climate Guarantee Company or “GCGC”) that would facilitate and scale up private sector debt financing of climate and sustainable infrastructure projects globally.

RATIONALE

Decarbonizing the Economy – the Record of Chile vs. the World

The following blog post is in reference to the piece, "Energy in Transition in Unsettled Times by Miguel Schloss published in the Global Journal of Science Frontier"

Global Economy in 2023, Outlook for 2024

2023 has recently concluded — leaving behind economic behavior of households and companies that have adapted to the highest nominal financing costs since the early 2000s.  

Global platforms to tackle global environmental challenges

One of the key themes in the COP28 conference in Dubai held this year is the creation of new mechanisms and platforms for financing environmental projects to counter climate change. Thus far it has mostly been about ad hoc efforts of countries to produce additional funds and contributions to the environmental cause.