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Two weeks before the world’s governments meet for COP29 in Baku, Urgewald and 51 NGO partners released the 2024 “Global Coal Exit List” (GCEL), a public database of 1,579 companies operating along the thermal coal value chain.

As Azerbaijan prepares to host the UN's 29th Climate Conference (COP29) in November, environmental and human rights organizations Urgewald and CEE Bankwatch launch a special report on the country’s state-owned oil and gas company, SOCAR. 

Today, Urgewald and 17 NGO partners released the 2024 edition of Investing in Climate Chaos, a website that reveals the fossil fuel holdings of over 7,500 institutional investors worldwide. The investment data was retrieved in May 2024 and shows that institutional investors currently hold $4.3 trillion in bonds and shares of fossil fuel companies. These investments are held by pension funds, insurance companies, asset managers, hedge funds, sovereign wealth funds, endowment funds and asset management arms of commercial banks. 

Activists placed a cutout of the Wall Street bull outside the World Bank Group office in Washington, D.C. to mark the delivery of petition signatures and a group letter asking President Ajay Banga to oust Wall Street influencers by abolishing his newly-created advisory body, the Private Sector Investment Lab.

On May 16, 2024, the World Bank announced that it is hiring an outside firm to “explore the circumstances surrounding the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman’s (CAO) investigation of IFC’s investment in Bridge International Academies.” We commend the World Bank’s Board for taking the lead on this issue.

Urgewald is thrilled to be among the 2024 finalists for the prestigious Keeling Curve Prize announced by The Global Warming Mitigation Project. The award committee recognizes the top climate innovators in their respective categories. These organizations represent the forefront of global efforts to combat climate change.