Foreclosing the Future [recurso electrónico] The World Bank and the Politics of Environmental Destruction

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim has vowed that his institution will fight poverty and climate change, a claim that World Bank presidents have made for two decades. But if worldwide protests and reams of damning internal reports are any indication, too often it does just the opposite. By funding development projects and programs that warm the planet and destroy critical natural resources on which the poor depend, the Bank has been hurting the very people it claims to serve. What explains this blatant contradiction? If anyone has the answer, it is arguably Bruce Rich—a lawyer and expert in public international finance who has for the last three decades studied the Bank's institutional contortions, the real-world consequences of its lending, and the politics of the global environmental crisis. What emerges from the bureaucratic dust is a disturbing and gripping story of corruption, larger-than-life personalities, perverse incentives, and institutional amnesia. The World Bank is the Vatican of development finance, and its dysfunction plays out as a reflection of the political hypocrisies and failures of governance of its 188 member countries. Foreclosing the Future shows how the Bank's failure to address the challenges of the 21st Century has implications for everyone in an increasingly interdependent world. Rich depicts how the World Bank is a microcosm of global political and economic trends—powerful forces that threaten both environmental and social ruin. Rich shows how the Bank has reinforced these forces, undercutting the most idealistic attempts at alleviating poverty and sustaining the environment, and damaging the lives of millions. Readers will see global politics on an increasingly crowded planet as they never have before—and come to understand the changes necessary if the World Bank is ever to achieve its mission. To review the references and notes with links to articles, please click on the'Resources'tab at https://islandpress.org/foreclosing-the-future. World Bank President Jim Yong Kim Has Vowed That His Institution Will Fight Poverty And Climate Change, A Claim That World Bank Presidents Have Made For Two Decades. But If Worldwide Protests And Reams Of Damning Internal Reports Are Any Indication, It Is Doing Just The Opposite. By Funding Development Projects And Programs That Warm The Planet And Destroy Critical Natural Resources On Which The Poor Depend, The Bank Has Been Hurting The Very People It Claims To Serve. What Explains This Blatant Contradiction?if Anyone Has The Answer, It Is Arguably Bruce Rich--a Lawyer And Expert In Public International Finance Who Has For The Last Three Decades Studied The Bank's Institutional Contortions, The Real-world Consequences Of Its Lending, And The Politics Of The Global Environmental Crisis. What Emerges From The Bureaucratic Dust Is A Disturbing And Gripping Story Of Corruption, Larger-than-life Personalities, Perverse Incentives, And Institutional Amnesia. The World Bank Is The Vatican Of Development Finance, And Its Dysfunction Plays Out As A Reflection Of The Political Hypocrisies And Failures Of Governance Of Its 188 Member Countries.foreclosing The Future Shows How The Bank's Failure To Address The Challenges Of The 21st Century Has Implications For Everyone In An Increasingly Interdependent World. Rich Depicts How The World Bank Is A Microcosm Of Global Political And Economic Trends--powerful Forces That Threaten Both Environmental And Social Ruin. Rich Shows How The Bank Has Reinforced These Forces, Undercutting The Most Idealistic Attempts At Alleviating Poverty And Sustaining The Environment, And Damaging The Lives Of Millions. Readers Will See Global Politics On An Increasingly Crowded Planet As They Never Have Before--and Come To Understand The Changes Necessary If The World Bank Is Ever To Achieve Its Mission-- Foreclosing The Future Shows How The World Bank's Failure To Address The Challenges Of The 21st Century Has Implications For Everyone In An Increasingly Interdependent World. Rich Depicts How The World Bank Is A Microcosm Of Global Political And Economic Trends--powerful Forces That Threaten Both Environmental And Social Ruin. Rich Shows How The Bank Has Reinforced These Forces, Undercutting The Most Idealistic Attempts At Alleviating Poverty And Sustaining The Environment, And Damaging The Lives Of Millions-- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Acronyms -- 1. Tiger Talk -- 2. Present At The Creation -- 3. “i Can Change The Approval Culture To An Effectiveness Culture” -- 4. High Risk, High Reward -- 5. The Logic Was Textbook Perfect -- 6. Backwards Into The Future -- 7. The Brief, Broken Presidency Of Paul Wolfowitz -- 8. The Carbon Caravan -- 9. A Market Like No Other -- 10. Financializing Development -- 11. Dying For Growth -- 12. What Does It Take? -- Notes -- Index. Bruce Rich. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. World Bank President Jim Yong Kim has vowed that his institution will fight poverty and climate change, a claim that World Bank presidents have made for two decades. But if worldwide protests and reams of damning internal reports are any indication, too often it does just the opposite. By funding development projects and programs that warm the planet and destroy critical natural resources on which the poor depend, the Bank has been hurting the very people it claims to serve. What explains this blatant contradiction? If anyone has the answer, it is arguably Bruce Richa lawyer and expert in public international finance who has for the last three decades studied the Banks institutional contortions, the real-world consequences of its lending, and the politics of the global environmental crisis. What emerges from the bureaucratic dust is a disturbing and gripping story of corruption, larger-than-life personalities, perverse incentives, and institutional amnesia. The World Bank is the Vatican of development finance, and its dysfunction plays out as a reflection of the political hypocrisies and failures of governance of its 188 member countries. Foreclosing the Future shows how the Banks failure to address the challenges of the 21st Century has implications for everyone in an increasingly interdependent world. Rich depicts how the World Bank is a microcosm of global political and economic trendspowerful forces that threaten both environmental and social ruin. Rich shows how the Bank has reinforced these forces, undercutting the most idealistic attempts at alleviating poverty and sustaining the environment, and damaging the lives of millions. Readers will see global politics on an increasingly crowded planet as they never have beforeand come to understand the changes necessary if the World Bank is ever to achieve its mission. To review the references and notes with links to articles, please click on the "Resources" tab at "World Bank President Jim Yong Kim has vowed that his institution will fight poverty and climate change, a claim that World Bank presidents have made for two decades. But if worldwide protests and reams of damning internal reports are any indication, it is doing just the opposite. By funding development projects and programs that warm the planet and destroy critical natural resources on which the poor depend, the Bank has been hurting the very people it claims to serve. What explains this blatant contradiction?If anyone has the answer, it is arguably Bruce Rich--a lawyer and expert in public international finance who has for the last three decades studied the Bank's institutional contortions, the real-world consequences of its lending, and the politics of the global environmental crisis. What emerges from the bureaucratic dust is a disturbing and gripping story of corruption, larger-than-life personalities, perverse incentives, and institutional amnesia. The World Bank is the Vatican of development finance, and its dysfunction plays out as a reflection of the political hypocrisies and failures of governance of its 188 member countries. Foreclosing the Future shows how the Bank's failure to address the challenges of the 21st Century has implications for everyone in an increasingly interdependent world. Rich depicts how the World Bank is a microcosm of global political and economic trends--powerful forces that threaten both environmental and social ruin. Rich shows how the Bank has reinforced these forces, undercutting the most idealistic attempts at alleviating poverty and sustaining the environment, and damaging the lives of millions. Readers will see global politics on an increasingly crowded planet as they never have before--and come to understand the changes necessary if the World Bank is ever to achieve its mission"-- Provided by publisher Front Matter....Pages i-xvi Tiger Talk....Pages 1-16 Present at the Creation....Pages 17-33 “I Can Change the Approval Culture to an Effectiveness Culture”....Pages 34-56 High Risk, High Reward....Pages 57-78 The Logic Was Textbook Perfect....Pages 79-94 Backwards into the Future....Pages 95-113 The Brief, Broken Presidency of Paul Wolfowitz....Pages 114-137 The Carbon Caravan....Pages 138-158 A Market Like No Other....Pages 159-176 Financializing Development....Pages 177-201 Dying for Growth....Pages 202-219 What Does It Take?....Pages 220-240 Back Matter....Pages 241-303