A group of environmental organizations is calling for World Bank President David Malpass to be fired following remarks he made Tuesday on whether he believed in human-driven climate change.
After repeatedly being asked at an event whether fossil fuel burning is warming the planet, Malpass deferred before saying: “I am not a scientist.” The panel, organized by The New York Times, was timed with the 77th United Nations General Assembly.
It’s not the first time climate groups have called for the replacement of Malpass, who was appointed in 2019 by former U.S. President Donald Trump. But the most recent call comes as Al Gore, climate expert and former U.S. vice president, called Malpass a “climate denier” and said he wants a new leader at the helm of the world’s largest multilateral development bank.
Meanwhile, U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry would not be drawn into the fray when asked Tuesday whether the Biden administration has confidence in Malpass.
What climate groups are saying: “The World Bank must not be led by a climate denier,” said Luisa Galvao of Friends of the Earth, and urged the United States, as the largest shareholder, to take action within the bank’s executive board.
Sonia Dunlop, who works on development banks at the climate change think tank E3G, called Malpass’ latest comment a “step too far.” In a statement issued by climate activists, Dunlop said shareholders need to consider who they want in charge.
“The World Bank is critical to the global fight against climate change,” she said. “You don’t need to be a scientist to understand climate science.” The statement was organized by members of the Big Shift Coalition, which calls on major global public banks to shift their investments from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
The backstory: Climate groups have long been upset that the World Bank still funds some fossil fuel projects. The bank has not invested in coal projects for years and has drastically reduced other fossil fuel investments, while significantly increasing funding for climate mitigation and adaptation.
Some lower-income countries and anti-poverty campaigners have argued that certain fossil fuel projects are still needed in the short term.
About the author
Shabtai Gold
Shabtai Gold is a Senior Reporter based in Washington. He covers multilateral development banks, with a focus on the World Bank, along with trends in development finance. Prior to Devex, he worked for the German Press Agency, dpa, for more than a decade, with stints in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, before relocating to Washington to cover politics and business.
