Bretton Woods 2.0 Project Research

This report outlines how the Bretton Woods Institutions can mitigate the effects of growing geoeconomic fragmentation on global net-zero targets.

Digital assets promise enhanced efficiency, inclusion, transparency, and choice to global payments. But to fulfill this promise, the international community must first develop interoperability standards.

This policy brief examines the impact of climate change on education, health, and other development priorities for low-income and developing countries.

To improve its global analysis, the IMF should consolidate its conjunctural analysis into a single, shorter, and more pointed report.

Given China’s current resource advantage, Western countries need to make better use of the IMF and World Bank where doing so is in their interest. If applied more broadly, this approach could provide incentives for other governments to return to multilateral institutions, instead of China, for support.

The African continent potential to revitalize the world economy and reverse the downward trend in global growth. However, for this to materialize, it needs substantial investments in its physical and social infrastructure.

Fragmentation resulting from geopolitical competition between large economies is posing a serious challenge to the fulfillment of IMF’s core missions. Here’s how it can respond.

Bretton Woods Institutions will face enormous challenges going forward. While ambitious reforms are needed, its unlikely they will be seriously considered due to high geopolitical tension and mistrust among major countries. Nevertheless, the need for reform is pressing. Therefore, it is important to look at more feasible reform, narrower in scope and technocratic in nature, to improve the these institutions.

Despite its size, China has an inadequate voice in traditional Bretton Woods Institutions. This paper examines aspects of the dissatisfaction China has with existing global governance institutions such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It also discusses the proposed changes to these institutions according to discussions with Chinese experts.

Is the emerging architecture appropriate, effective, and sufficient to manage the global transition to digital money? This report focuses on three domains: financial stability, development and financial inclusion, and global payment systems.

The paper emphasizes the need for a governance reform roadmap at the IMF and World Bank focusing on quota reallocation, diplomatic efforts, and a commitment to diversity and democratic principles.

The legitimacy of the World Trade Organization is in question. The United States and its allies, and leaders in the organization, can better wield its potential to address global issues, specifically to reduce inefficiencies from fragmentation caused by subsidies.