Innovative financing is needed for nature-based solutions, which protect biodiversity and combat climate change. Nature is in deep trouble. The losses in our planet’s biodiversity – in our forests, oceans, species – are at a crisis point. By some estimates, two fifths of the world’s most significant marine biodiversity has already been lost, nearly one […]
The use of green hydrogen could be a critical factor in addressing climate change but policymakers, industry leaders and investors need to fund essential infrastructure and encourage research and development. Many developing countries view industrialization as the benchmark for economic growth and success. This includes large infrastructure investments in heavy industries including steel and cement, […]
Governments face risks and opportunities when developing national strategies for using carbon markets to transition to a low-carbon economy. Carbon markets are increasingly being recognized as a pivotal mechanism to channel financial resources into initiatives combating climate change. As integral components of the climate policy architecture, these markets play a crucial role in reducing greenhouse […]
The traditional banking system in India is struggling to meet the needs of under-served communities, including women. Fintech solutions can bridge this gap and expand financial inclusion if pursued carefully and with the right precautions. Traditional financial institutions in India, including banks, face challenges in serving a large segment of the population, particularly in rural […]
In Pakistan, disability can often mean invisibility. In times of crisis, this invisibility can become deadly. As a term, “disability” is not a monolith, but rather an umbrella description for a broad range of individuals suffering from physical impairments or psychological impediments. The World Bank estimates that 15% of the world’s population experiences some form of […]
It is a shocking fact that around 70 percent of 10-year-olds in low- and middle-income countries can’t read and understand a simple text. With reading essential for all learning, a child who can’t read by age 10 risks being left behind for good, even if they are enrolled in school. What’s even more shocking is that, broadly […]
The World Bank is evolving to take on a set of complex global challenges and scale to deliver an ambitious new vision, ending poverty on a livable planet. We are in a race against time to step up our efforts with the end goal of a better quality of life, jobs, and a cleaner planet. Private […]
Even from far down the beach, I could make out the familiar cries of a soccer game. But as I got closer, I realized this was no ordinary game at all. Every player on the field had missing limbs. Maneuvers I had never seen before were performed at high-speed; crutches and clever jumps became combined […]
In the summer of 2016, floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall wreaked havoc in Sri Lanka. One of the most heavily impacted areas was the flood-prone Kelani River basin, where flooding affected thousands of people and caused over $500 million in losses in the Greater Colombo area. Such extreme weather events have been increasingly […]
As the international community gathers in the United Arab Emirates for COP28, the converging effects of the climate crisis, violent conflicts, and geopolitical upheaval are increasingly clear. In many countries, they are raising critical, and at times life-threatening, challenges for refugees and their host communities. How best can the international community respond to such situations? This […]
