Is Data the New Oil? Examining the Promise of Data for Development Published: 26 March 2020 Commentary The promise of measuring everything and everyone with the help of digital technologies has triggered the interest of the development community as well as governments across the Global South. But in countries like Kenya, the excessive collection or personal data creates risks of monetary and political exploitation, not to mention compounding existing discrimination, without improving the delivery of aid and public services. Nanjala Nyabola
An interview with Mac Darrow, Representative of the UN Human Rights Office in Washington DC Published: 18 December 2019 Darrow warns against continuing to invest in bad infrastructure projects. Among other things, he demands to inform the public about the risks involved in large projects and the obligations to comply with the Paris Climate Agreement. Sebastian Duwe
Infrastructure is Everywhere Published: 5 November 2018 Video How are private investors financing infrastructure—especially institutional investors, such as pension funds, which hold over $100 trillion? And can these investors help achieve public goods, such as no carbon economies? An introduction to global infrastructure projects Gustav Theile
Signal effect for global climate finance Published: 12 October 2017 Analysis The Green Climate Fund is important for implementing the Paris Agreement and for setting important standards for global climate finance. The financial viability of the fund, however, is by no means guaranteed. Liane Schalatek
Privatizing the German Autobahn? – Another Neoliberal Assault on Public Provision Published: 11 August 2017 Analysis Should the German Autobahn be privatized? Can PPPs alone take care of a public good? Intern Robin Schmücker explains. Robin Schmücker
Infrastructure investment and Public Private Partnerships Published: 15 December 2016 The scale of the infrastructure and PPP initiative championed by the G20’s national and multilateral banks could privatize gains and socialize losses on a massive scale. The G20 should take steps to ensure that this scenario does not unfold. Nancy Alexander
The Infrastructure We Don’t Want: OECD Infrastructure Advice to the G20 Published: 7 June 2016 A Blog by Motoko Aizawa, Institute for Human Rights and Business, and Nancy Alexander, Heinrich Boell Foundation-North America on the new Report: “In Search of Policy Coherence: Aligning OECD Infrastructure Advice with Sustainable Development” Nancy Alexander, Motoko Aizawa
The G20’s principles on institutional investment: A Trojan horse for finance-driven infrastructure? Published: 5 November 2015 Hidden among the maze of more than 400 paragraphs of guidance, there are a number of points that, when viewed collectively, paint quite a disturbing picture, one that would substantially alter the way common citizens may think about infrastructure and their rights as citizens. Aldo Caliari
The Age of Megaprojects Published: 31 August 2015 While the world is already experiencing the biggest investment boom in human history, Leaders plan to boost economic growth through an explosion of megaprojects. This article examines the risks of megaprojects, including the question of whether they could privatize gain and socialize losses. Nancy Alexander
The World Bank: In the vanguard of an infrastructure boom Published: 3 February 2015 The world is experiencing the “biggest investment boom in human history”, with some $6-9 trillion annually (8 per cent of global GDP) devoted to mega, giga and tera (million, billion, and trillion) dollar projects. The G20 sees massive infrastructure investment as one of the ‘silver bullets’ that can achieve its target and, by boosting trade and integration, add $2 trillion to the global economy and create millions of jobs. Nancy Alexander
