Developing Countries
- Many have large amounts of foreign debt
- Debt in hard currencies ($¥€£)
- Higher inflation rates
- Repayments increase in real terms
- 73 countries now at risk of default
- Reliant on hard currency for oil and gas
- Many have experienced exploitative contracts
- Benefits captured by foreign contractors
- Limited help to local economy
Banks
- Three types of debt holder:
- Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs)
- Other Countries
- Private Banks
- Prefer to give loans in hard currencies ($¥€£)
- Benefits the lender
- Experts at assessing currency risk
- Large amounts of existing debt bad or doubtful
- “Doubtful” – debt is worth less than it was
- “Bad” – debt is worthless
- Banks must account for asset values
Wealthy Nations
- Largely responsible for Climate & Biodiversity Crises
- Keen to protect their own economies
- Willing to spend to address Climate Change
- Want their companies to become sustainable
Large Companies
- Able to operate at scale, globally
- Must maximise shareholder value
- Seek new markets
- Contracts must be profitable
- Customers must be able to pay
- Minimise currency and default risk
World Bank
- Largest provider of development funding
- Mission: to reduce poverty and inequality
- Variety of funding sources
- Decades of complex projects