Finance officials are in Washington this week to discuss the state of the global economy at the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Climate change won’t be a focus, but the issue remains important to many countries and could quietly shape the contours of the meetings — even if not by name.
The Trump administration’s opposition to climate action will hang heavy over the proceedings. But it won’t completely nullify global efforts to combat climate change and prepare for its effects, both now and in the future.
“I think what the World Bank is doing and has been doing a little bit more of is making sure that all development, and all projects being done are proofed for resilience,” said Vera Songwe, an economist who formerly held several senior positions at the World Bank
This year’s meetings come six months after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused the bank and IMF of climate mission creep and less than 30 days ahead of global climate talks in Brazil where countries will revisit plans to dramatically scale up climate finance.
