Friends of the Earth International: World Bank Still Fuelling Climate Change
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 13, 2006
9:25 AM
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CONTACT: Friends of the Earth International
David Waskow, Friends of the Earth U
Phone: 1 202 492 4660 (US cell.)
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World Bank Still Fuelling Climate Change
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WASHINGTON DC -- On the eve of the World Bank’s
annual Spring Meetings (Apr. 14-15) Friends of the Earth International
challenged the bank's 184 government shareholders to halt all funding
for projects contributing to climate change.
“Climate change is no longer just an environmental issue, it is a
development issue and a looming humanitarian catastrophe, ultimately
threatening our security and survival,“ said David Waskow of Friends of
the Earth US.
“Government representatives should have the courage to take some real
action and stop World Bank funding for all projects that contribute to
climate change,”he added. “This means no more funding for oil, coal and
gas projects.“
“We are happy to see that the US Congress seems to be taking the lead’,
he added, referring to US Congressional legislation expected to be
passed on April 17.
“It is up to the governments that rule the World Bank to get the Bank
out of the dirty energy business. There is no lack of alternative
investment options. There is a wealth of sound energy investment
opportunities out there,“ David Waskow added.
The World Bank invests 2 to 3 billion USD a year in greenhouse
gas-producing energy projects that fuel climate change and fail to help
the world’s poor people. [1]
In 2005, only 9% of the World Bank Group's energy financing went to
renewable energy and energy effiency. In 2005, the increase for lending
towards renewables and energy efficiency was only 7% (or 14 million USD)
instead of the 20% target that the Bank had set for itself. [2]
“The West-African Gas Pipeline, which passes through my country, is a
sad example of archaic energy financing“, said Mike Karipko of
Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria. “We are happy
that the World Bank’s own Inspection Panel decided last March to
thoroughly investigate the project’s ongoing problems,“ he added. [3]
On Monday, April 16, Friends of the Earth US will organize a conference
on climate change and international development from 9.00 am-5.30 pm at
the Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1800 K Street NW,
Washington, DC. For more information see _
_
http://action.foe.org/dia/organizationsORG/foe/event/index.jsp?event_KEY=25071&t=ClimateConf.dwt
[1] For more information, read the report “How the World Bank Sells the
Climate and Poor People Short” online at
http://www.foei.org/publications/pdfs/wbenergyreport.pdf
[2] For more information, read the report by Friends of the Earth US
'Power Failure' online at: http://www.foe.org/camps/intl/institutions/renewableenergyreport10242005.pdf
[3] For more information, see:
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTINSPECTIONPANEL/Resources/FinalEligibilityreport.pdf
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
IN WASHINGTON DC:
David Waskow, Friends of the Earth US, + 1 202 492 4660 (US cell.)
IN LAGOS, NIGERIA:
Mike Karipko, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria,
+234 803 552 6729 (Nigerian cell.)
IN AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS:
Janneke Bruil, Friends of the Earth International: +31 6 52 118 998
(Dutch cell.)
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Niccolo' Sarno
Media Coordinator - Friends of the Earth International
Email: niccolo@foei.org
Tel: +31-20-6221369 (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
Website: http://www.foei.org/media
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Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) is the world's largest grassroots environmental federation with 70 national member groups in 70 countries and 1.5 million individual members and supporters
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What do the media say about us? READ PRESS REVIEWS HERE:
http://www.foei.org/media/medialinks.html
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