Call for World Bank to stay out of UN climate negotiations

The US Government wants the climate-trashing World Bank to take control of the Global Climate Fund - and is using bullying tactics to get its way. Call on Hillary Clinton and Jonathan Pershing to drop their disastrous plan.

Asad Rehman, Senior International Climate Campaigner at Friends of the Earth in the UK, outlines the important issues being discussed at the climate talks in Cancun, Mexico, in December.

The Global Climate Fund is the pot into which countries like the US and those in the European Union should deposit money to help developing countries tackle the impacts of climate change. But who devises the fund, manages the money and decides how it is allocated is causing big arguments at this month’s UN climate change negotiations in China.

The US wants to hand responsibility of this fund to the World Bank – which has invested more money in dirty coal this year than ever before and is heavily influenced by major corporations and polluters. Its involvement could seriously undermine efforts to halt climate change.

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The US has contributed more to the climate crisis than any other country. But it is also threatening to pull the plug on the entire fund if developing countries don't meet its unfair demands on climate action.

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The US must take responsibility for action on climate – and drop its World Bank plans. Negotiators are meeting now to discuss next steps – please send them a message demanding a change of action.

Email Hillary Clinton and Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Change Jonathan Pershing today.

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Dear Secretary Clinton and Deputy Special Envoy Pershing

I am concerned that the US Government is pushing for the World Bank to be in charge of designing a Global Climate Fund.

I am also concerned that the US Government wants this design process to take place outside of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The World Bank has more experience causing climate change than preventing and addressing it. Despite the climate crisis and its devastating impact on developing countries, the World Bank loaned more money for coal in 2010 than it ever has before, with a 40-fold increase over the last 5 years.

The World Bank also has as a very poor track record of democratic governance, sustainability, poverty alleviation, human rights and environmental integrity.

The World Bank should not play a role in the Global Climate Fund or in the climate negotiations.

I am also troubled that the US is threatening to block the establishment of a Global Climate Fund this year if its demands for more actions from developing countries are not met. This threat is unfair given that the US is the country most responsible for causing the climate crisis and among the world's least active in addressing it.

Climate finance must not be held hostage. I urge you to withdraw this threat and support the establishment in 2010 of a Global Climate Fund under the authority of the Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC.

Thank you for your consideration.

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Call for World Bank to stay out of UN climate negotiations

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