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
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.
25 January 2021
Climate emergency threatens to push 130 million people into extreme poverty by 2030, yet local people are often left out of decisions and funding; momentum emerges to shift status quo
12 December 2020
On the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement and ahead of the Climate Action Summit, IIED director Andrew Norton said: “This is an important moment to take stock and recognise the Paris Agreement can work.
30 November 2020
Ahead of the World Trade Organization’s final talks on fisheries subsidies, IIED director Andrew Norton said: “It is crucial the World Trade Organization ends harmful fisheries subsidies once and for all. This is key to stopping overfishing, protecting the climate and tackling poverty.
25 November 2020
In response to the government’s decision to cut the UK's annual aid budget, IIED director Andrew Norton said: “By slashing the UK’s aid budget, the government is deeply damaging its fight against the climate crisis and nature loss, while jeopardising the lives and livelihoods of millions of women, children and men living in the most vulnerable countries."
21 November 2020
In a statement on the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Saudi Arabia, IIED director Andrew Norton said: “G20 leaders need to agree an economic recovery plan that is green and provides the support that billions of people living in poverty around the world need."
5 October 2020
A complex set of international legal measures protecting the fossil fuel industry risks significantly increasing the cost of moving to green energy and tackling climate change, a new report released today reveals.
Media mentions
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."
With 2021 being known as a ‘Super Year For Nature’ due to the landmark COPs taking place, IIED senior researcher, Ebony Holland, says that if you add in; “the World Bank and International Monetary Fund annual meetings, the IUCN World Conservation Congress, the UN Food Systems Summit and an array of global North and global South conferences and workshops - 2021 is big." The post-COVID 19 recovery process could provide a unique opportunity to pave the way to a better future that places climate, nature and people at the centre.
The need to increase investments in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) is a well-accepted priority to minimise losses. IIED chief economist, Paul Steele, says that "..engaging ministries of finance and planning in a budget tracking or public expenditure review can help bring DRR and CCA efforts into “the heart of economic decision making and shift climate and disaster resilience away from being an external environmental agenda to a domestic development priority".