New Delhi, May 1 -- A new report from the Oakland Institute has alleged that the World Bank is using climate action as a pretext to push land reforms that prioritise corporate interests over local communities and environmental protection. The findings come just days before the Bank's 2025 Land Conference, set to begin May 5 in Washington, D.C.

The report, titled Climatewash: The World Bank's Fresh Offensive on Land Rights, examines how the Bank is leveraging commitments made during global climate talks to justify a multibillion-dollar push to formalise land tenure across the Global South.

While the institution frames these efforts as necessary for climate mitigation, the research suggests the real aim is to open lands for agribusiness,...