Sign-on: World Bank Out of Climate Finance

AN OPEN LETTER TO GOVERNMENTS
Meeting at the 16th COP of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Cancun

People and communities throughout the global South need hundreds of billions of dollars each year to deal with the impacts of climate change, build resiliency and adopt alternative development pathways. The cost of compensation for past, present, and future damages due to climate change will only grow if, in addition, the necessary measures, are not taken in the industrialized countries to make a just transition to equitable, non-fossil fuel based economies.

We call on the governments of the world to comply with their obligations to ensure that new and additional public resources for climate finance are made available now in a way that is founded on the principle of historical responsibility, does not add to debt burdens, and is free from policy conditionalities.

We urge you to set up a Global Climate Fund under the authority of the UNFCCC that has an equitable governance structure, prioritizes the participation of affected communities, operates with full transparency, democracy, participation and accountability, and provides direct access to funding.

The World Bank and other multilateral development banks must not be given a role in establishing or governing the new Global Climate Fund nor in managing climate finance. Their nature, structure, track record, and policies, stand in contradiction to what should be the principles of fair and effective climate finance, and the structure and operations of a new fund.

•       The World Bank is a lending institution that has long been imposing policy conditions and programs on South countries and peoples through its loans.  Giving a role to the World Bank in climate finance will result in a significant part of climate finance flowing as loans, and will very likely come with conditionalities,

•       The World Bank’s governance structures are undemocratic, with representation dominated by governments of rich, industrialized countries The Global Climate Fund should have a majority representation of South countries in its governance structure since they are the world’s majority and most affected by climate change.  The needs and rights of communities impacted by climate change, and the transition to equitable and sustainable economies based on sovereign, democratic control and governance of natural resources must be at the center of decision-making on climate finance.
•       The World Bank has a long track record of undermining human rights and ecological integrity. For example, in 2010 alone, the World Bank financed a record high $6.3 billion to fossil fuel projects, a 138% increase over the previous year. An institution that actively promotes the causes of global warming should not be given a role in global climate finance. Rather, it must be pressed to end such policies and practices, including the many false solutions that the Bank is now promoting.

•       The World Bank actively privileges the private sector and private capital markets over public interests.  Climate finance must be used to support the public good, not to promote private profit and the commodification of nature. It must come in the form of public resources, not rely on market-based programs for its generation and application. Innovative tools for raising public resources are already in our reach including redirecting fossil fuel subsidies and military spending, and taxing financial speculation.

We call on you, the governments of the world, to keep the World Bank and other multilateral development banks out of the new Global Climate Fund and out of climate finance.

Signed,

(initial list only….)
International and Regional Organizations and Networks
ActionAid
Amigos de la Tierra – América Latina y el CAribe (Friends of th Earth Latin America / Caribbean)
Campaña Mesoamericana para la Justicia Climática  – Mesoamerican Campaign for Climate Justice
European Network on Debt and Development (EURODAD)
Friends of the Earth International
Federación de Amigos de la Tierra / Friends of the Earth Federation
Focus on the Global South
Jubilee South
JS-Asia/Pacific Movement on Debt and Development
Jubileu Sul  Américas  – Jubilee South Americas
LDC Watch
Pan African Climate Justice Alliance – PACJA
South Asian Alliance for Poverty Eradication

Country Organizations
BANGLADESH
Bangladesh Jatiyo Sramik Jote
Community Development Library – Bangladesh
Bangladesh Krishok Federation
VOICE – Bangladesh
EquityBD – Bangladesh
INDIA
Indian Social Action Forum – India
INDONESIA
Institute for Essential Services Reform – Indonesia
Koalisi Anti Utang – Indonesia
KruHA (People’s Coalition on Rights to Water) – Indonesia
Solidaritas Perempuan – Indonesia
NEPAL
National  Alliance for Human Rights and Social Justice – Nepal
Rural Reconstruction Nepal
GEFONT – Nepal
PAKISTAN
Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee
Labour Party Pakistan
PHILIPPINES
Freedom from Debt Coalition – Philippines
SANLAKAS – Philippines
Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ)
Koalisyon ng Pabahay sa Pilipinas (KPP)-(Coalition for Housing Rights-Philippines)
MAKABAYAN-Pilipinas
Bukluran Student Alliance PLM – Philippines
ARGENTINA
Diálogo 2000 / Dialogue 2000 – Argentina
BRAZIL
Sindicato dos Professores de Nova Friburgo e Região / Union of Professors, Nova Friburgo and Region, Rio de Janeiro – Brazil
Amigos da Terra Brasil / Friends of the Earth – Brazil
Rede Brasil sobre Instituições Financeiras Multilaterais – Brazil Network on Multilateral Financial Institutions
Fórum Mudanças Climáticas e Justiça Social – Brasil / Brazil Forum on Climate Change and Social Justice
Instituto Políticas Alternativas para o Cone Sul – PACS  / Institute of Alternative Policies for the Southern Cone PACS – Brazil
Jubileu Sul  Brasil – Jubilee South Brazil
COSTA RICA
Red Costarricense de Agendas  Locales de Mujeres  RED CALM ACAMUDE  / Costa Rican Network of Local Women´s Agendas
EL SALVADOR
Unidad Ecológica Salvadoreña UNES – Salvadoran Ecological Unit UNES – El Salvador
HONDURAS
Bloque Popular Honduras / Popular Block Honduras
MEXICO
Otros Mundos AC/Amigos de la Tierra México / Other Worlds – Friends of the Earth Mexico
PANAMA
FRENADESO – Panamá (National Front on Economic and Social Rights) – Panama
KENYA
Daughters of Mumbi Global Resource Center – Kenya
BELGIUM
11.11.11 – Belgium
ITALY
CRBM – Italy
SPAIN
Ecologistas en Accion – Spain
UNITED KINGDOM
Jubilee Debt Campaign – UK
World Development Movement – UK
UNITED STATES of AMERICA
Institute for Policy Studies – Sustainable Energy and Economy Network – USA

6 Dec, 2010
Posted in News, Forests and Climate Change