David Malpass, the embattled president of the World Bank, said on Wednesday that he would step down by June, roughly a year before his term expires.
Mr. Malpass, who was nominated in 2019 for a five-year term by President Donald J. Trump, has overseen an organization that lends billions of dollars each year to poor countries grappling with health crises, hunger, conflict and a warming planet.
But last September he came under fire for his own views on climate change. When asked if he accepted the overwhelming scientific consensus that the burning of fossil fuels was causing global temperatures to rise, he demurred. “I’m not a scientist,” he said.
The exchange, during a live interview at a New York Times event, set off a slow-motion public relations crisis for Mr. Malpass that came to a head on Wednesday when he said he would resign from his role by June 30.
“Having made much progress, and after a good deal of thought, I’ve decided to pursue new challenge,” Mr. Malpass, 66, said in a statement that was issued shortly after he informed the board of the bank as well as senior staff about his intention to resign.
Asked about the reason for his early departure, Mr. Malpass said in a text message that he was “very proud of my over four years of hard, successful work here.”
“I’m leaving on my own schedule, having managed effectively through multiple global crises,” he said.
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