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Leaving No One Behind? How Development Finance Can Better Reduce Poverty

indigenous woman and child stand near a dam
Indigenous Munduruku people occupy the São Manoel hydroelectric dam in Brazil in an attempt to halt its construction. ©Juliana Pesqueira

While land and natural resource investment projects often promise to reduce poverty, their negative impacts can have the opposite effect for the communities located near investment sites. In particular, power asymmetries between communities and operating companies can undermine the potential for meaningful consultation and sustained dialogue.

To overcome this challenge, development finance institutions need to ensure at-risk communities have access to the technical support they need to navigate complex investment processes. Now is a critical moment for these institutions to create a compelling and actionable vision for how they will reduce poverty and promote food security.

Read more on the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment website.

Photo of the Earth from space with the text "Lamont at AGU25" on top.

AGU25, the premier Earth and space science conference, takes place December 15-19, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This year’s theme—Where Science Connects Us—puts in focus how science depends on connection, from the lab to the field to the ballot box. Once again, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia Climate School scientists, experts, students, and educators are playing an active role, sharing our research and helping shape the future of our planet. #AGU25 Learn More

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