Development Banks and Safeguards

The fast growth of economies such as Brazil, India, China and South Africa made them not only highly competitive and attractive for international investment, but also allowed them to expand their investment and development initiatives abroad. Although offering great investment opportunities in a new economic and financial scenario, socio-environmental risks and the challenges to democratic governance are important concerns.

In fact, since the 1990s, socio-environmental risks have been gradually associated with investment decisions. Financial institutions, Development Finance Institutions and Private Sector Banking Institutions were recognized as key institutions that have a positive or negative impact on social environmental protection. This scenario points to the necessary investigation of the ways in which socio-environmental standards are incorporated by the emerging international financial institutions as well as by other financing mechanisms for development.

Therefore, the BRICS Policy Center in partnership with the Mott Foundation launched the project “Strengthening the Safeguards of New Development Banks” (“Fortalecendo as Salvaguardas dos Novos Bancos de Desenvolvimento”). The project aims to investigate the transformations of socio-environmental protection mechanisms promoted by the new financial institutions, in particular, and their impact on development financing mechanisms in general.

Built from this project results China’s Development Finance is a webpage where the user can find information and analysis about China’s foothold within the FfD field.

Toolboxes

Check below for updated information on national and multilateral investment banks, and interregional mechanisms.

National Banks

Multilateral Banks

Interregional Arrangements

Publications