This year promises to be one of the most important in recent history in America’s fight against illicit financial flows, global corruption, and kleptocracy.
While the world – and our country – faced many intersecting challenges, we’ve had a banner year of campaigning success. Beyond policy wins, we’ve helped change the narrative to argue that corruption and tax avoidance are major threats to democratic societies. None of this would have been possible without the collaboration of our members, allies, funders, and friends.
Recent progress achieved through creating a global minimum corporate tax must be complemented by greater tax transparency and enforcement. As the saying goes, “sunlight is the best disinfectant.”
With the global climate summit COP26 just concluded and the Summit for Democracy – with its emphasis on combating corruption – right around the corner, now is the perfect time for activists to bring together the fights against corruption and climate change.
Operating in financial secrecy, bad actors are free to profit from environmental degradation, and in doing so undermine the global fight against climate change. As global leaders make new commitments this week at COP26, it’s time that politicians promise to shine a light on global financial secrecy, particularly the use of anonymous shell companies, as a crucial climate reform.
Tax and climate activists have a rare opportunity to join forces on public country-by-country reporting, a key tool to ending the global race to the bottom and unveiling unsustainable business practices.
