Media centre
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This section of our site is designed for members of the media. You can find our latest press releases, contact details and information about our spokespeople.
IIED experts are available for interviews and background briefings on a wide range of environmental and development issues, from climate change and climate finance to China and development, the economics of development, urban issues and resilient cities, and the illegal wildlife trade. See a full list of our areas of work.
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Latest press releases
13 July 2021
Reacting to the vote in the House of Commons supporting the UK government’s cut to the foreign aid budget, IIED director Andrew Norton said: “It’s deeply disappointing that in this crucial year as the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing climate, environment and poverty emergencies, the UK is choosing to step back from playing a leading international role."
12 July 2021
Reacting to the closure of the G20 finance ministers meeting in Venice, IIED director Andrew Norton said: “The failure of the G20, especially hosts Italy, as well as the US and Australia, to use this weekend’s finance ministers' meeting to announce any new climate finance is hugely disappointing. Not only are they letting down vulnerable countries who are not getting the help they need to address the critical challenges they face, they’re letting down the whole world."
8 July 2021
World Bank, International Monetary Fund, UN and G20 should create new global initiative for climate and nature
10 June 2021
A new IIED report expects a delayed recovery from the economic effects of the pandemic due to the increased debt of low- and middle-income countries after COVID-19
28 May 2021
With the G7 summit opening in Cornwall two weeks today, IIED director Andrew Norton calls on world leaders by video message to commit to better access to climate finance for vulnerable countries
20 April 2021
IIED's bi-annual journal Environment and Urbanization (E&U) seeks to advance a more socially just and environmentally sustainable urban world through the provision of knowledge. It is committed to providing a platform for authors from the global South. Its latest issue, just published, focuses on education
16 March 2021
In response to the UK government's Integrated Review of security, defence, development and foreign policy, IIED director Andrew Norton: "While we welcome the government's promise, restated in the House of Commons today, to restore overseas aid spending to 0.7% of gross national income (as soon as the fiscal situation permits), we are seeking reassurance that this signals a real commitment to poorer countries which thus cements the UK's position as a world leader in international development and a moral force for good.
Media mentions
A debt-for-climate swap plan is expected from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank ahead of COP26. IIED chief economist Paul Steele discusses the idea of debt management for climate and nature in this article, which examines the urgent issues of tackling the ballooning debt burden in poor countries.
David Kaimowitz, who heads the Forest and Farm Facility, says evidence shows that secure communal tenure rights are one of the most cost-effective ways to curb deforestation. The Forest and Farm Facility is a partnership between the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the IUCN, the AgriCord Alliance and IIED.
IIED chief economist, Paul Steele, and former Minister of Finance for Pakistan, Shamshad Akhtar, propose unlocking the potential of the IMF's Special Drawing Rights to enable a green recovery for the poorest.
IIED director Andrew Norton states "Cuts to the overseas aid budget risk not only undermining the UK's reputation for progressive development action, but also the chances of the UK presidency delivering a successful outcome to COP26. The aid cuts undermine the UK's ability to ask other countries to step up, as well as reducing the resources available for climate action in poorer countries." Andrew is quoted in an article reporting on the Climate and Development Summit hosted by the UK Government.
Ministerial meeting aims to give developing nations suffering the worst impacts of global warming an opportunity to help set the global political agenda on issues like climate finance. But IIED director of climate change research Clare Shakya said, "Britain's aid reduction would undermine its credibility in encouraging other wealthy nations to step up funding for climate action. In the middle of a pandemic, to have health or education services under threat because of one donor suddenly disappearing can throw overall progress off track. It's incredible that (the UK) could think that isn't a problem."