WWF Press Release For immediate release - 12 September 2005
World Leaders Must not Misspend $400 billion at Rushed UN Summit
United Nations, New York -- World leaders are in danger
of misspending US$400 billion unless discussions leading to this week’s
UN high-level summit take a turn for the better, warned conservation
organisation WWF today.
With public discussion regarding the summit diverted to security and
UN reform issues, the original goal – setting priorities on how
to spend $400 billion of official development assistance over the next
five years -- is being lost.
“Invested correctly this money could make a huge difference to
the lives of millions of people, particularly the rural poor. While
governments are talking about UN reform to make the institution’s
spending more effective, they are negotiating a development text that
is in danger of leading to more wasted expenditure." said WWF International
Policy director Gordon Shepherd.
"For all the talk about a greater role for civil society, groups
concerned with poverty, human rights and the environment are locked
out while key development text is being dangerously scrapped as the
document moves toward the lowest common denominator,” Shepherd
added.
For example, in the environment section of the document, sustainable
development is quarantined as just one part of development. “The
two issues are inseparable,” Shepherd said. “Development
without environmental protections will result in millions of poor people
watching helplessly as the natural systems on which they depend are
destroyed over time,” Shepherd said.
Indications from weekend crisis talks are that the historic summit,
with over 170 world leaders due to attend, will fail to follow through
on numerous key issues, including: building consensus for continuing
action under the Kyoto Protocol on climate change; promoting existing
international agreements on preserving biodiversity; and the necessity
for development to be sustainable if it is to create a lasting contribution
to helping the world's poor.
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Note: WWF’s delegation at the UN Summit includes experts on development,
climate change, renewable energy, poverty, Africa, sustainable development,
toxics and the overall state of the negotiations. They are available
at any time during the summit.
For Further Information:
Lee Poston, WWF International’s Press Officer, tel: +1-202-345-5643
or +1-202-299-6442, email: lee.poston@wwfus.org
This press release and associated material can be found on www.panda.org
WWF– World Wide Fund For Nature (World Wildlife Fund for US and
Canadian journalists)