February 16, 2023
WASHINGTON, DC — The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) welcomes the announcement that the Trump-appointed president of the World Bank, David Malpass, is resigning from his position.
In response, Carla García Zendejas, the Director of People, Land, and Resources at CIEL issued the following statement:
“The World Bank’s credibility has been hanging by a thread for years, and was not bolstered during Malpass’s tenure. The World Bank’s stated mission is to find sustainable solutions to eliminate poverty and build shared prosperity. Instead, we are seeing an institution that sets aside its safeguards and fails to scrutinize its borrowers while also dragging its feet on ending fossil finance and investing in effective and needed responses to the climate crisis — the greatest human rights challenge we are facing today.
For far too long, many of the World Bank’s decisions have had the opposite of their intended effect, causing harm to the communities they purport to help. Malpass’ resignation provides an opportunity for the World Bank to change course and signal to the rest of the world whether or not the institution is willing to fulfill its mission. Its next President must be aware of how development finance can do harm, not just good. Critically, they must be willing to take responsibility for when harm does occur and take meaningful action on climate. The World Bank’s legitimacy depends on it.”