The World Bank at the Bali Climate Change meeting

Written by  //  December 12, 2007  //  Environment & Energy, Global economy  //  1 Comment

Bank Group Bali Message: Keep Developing Nations Growing
Can the world put the brakes on global warming and climate change without threatening economic growth that has lifted millions out of poverty?
 … The World Bank Group is bringing its low-carbon growth message to Bali, along with a plan to significantly step up assistance to international efforts to address climate change.
 The plan involves helping developing countries “mainstream” climate change strategies into their development plans, as well as develop renewable energy resources, support energy conservation, and increase energy efficiency.
“Climate change should not be the frosting on the cake of development—it has got to be cooked into the recipe,” says World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick.“We need to focus particularly on the interests of developing countries, so that we can meet the challenge of climate change without slowing the growth that will help overcome poverty.”
“Climate is not just an environmental issue, it’s a development issue,” adds Kathy Sierra, Vice President of the Sustainable Development Network at the World Bank. “Any agreement has to take into consideration the need for developing countries to be able to grow, to create jobs, as well as to deal with local and global pollution.” “What we’re hoping to do is position this issue as a development issue of great importance to our clients, to showcase the types of new innovations that can help find solutions.” More

One Comment on "The World Bank at the Bali Climate Change meeting"

  1. Diana Thébaud Nicholson December 12, 2007 at 9:44 am ·

    A breakthrough on deforestation is set to be the first success of the UN climate talks in Bali.The breakthrough emerged as the World Bank announced an initiative to fund pilot projects in rainforest nations that could become the building blocks for a much larger scheme when, and if, the road map leads to a successor to Kyoto. Wealthy countries yesterday made pledges to the £150m Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, with the UK contributing one-tenth of that budget.
    There is no incentive for poorer countries to halt deforestation and the developing world has pointed out that rich nations chopped down their trees during industrialisation.
    Climatologists describe tropical forests as a cooling band that helps regulate temperatures, generates rainfall and acts as a thermostat for the planet. Yet 30 million hectares of tropical forest, an area the size of Greece, is being destroyed every year. The fund aims to create financial incentives for poorer nations so forests are worth more standing than felled.

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