November 21, 2011
New Report Reveals World Bank Forestry Scheme Ignored Deforestation Emissions Data
Donor Aid Money Being Misused
Washington DC – A new report by World Growth released today in the lead up to the Durban climate talks reveals how the World Bank ignored a report it commissioned that indicated
forestry from tropical developing countries could account for as low as 6 percent of all global emissions; yet, the Bank
continues using donor aid money amounting to US$4 billion from countries like the United States, Australia and others to
pursue a forest and climate policy strategy based on the overstated figure that forestry accounts for 17 percent of
global emissions. We call upon World Bank President Robert Zoellick to undertake an urgent blue-ribbon panel review of
the Bank’s forestry and climate strategy, and halt all activities while the review is underway.
World Growth Chairman Ambassador Alan Oxley released the following statement:
“The Bank’s strategy to reduce emissions by limiting forestry in developing countries is not working. This strategy is
based on overstated data that corroborates with the Bank’s fashionable new agenda to reduce global emissions rather than
its original stated mission to reduce poverty.
“The World Bank strategy to spend US$4 billion on claims that forestry in tropical developing countries generates 17
percent of global emissions is based on unproven information. The Bank has therefore wasted taxpayers’ money on a
blatantly manipulated environmentalist agenda – this represents a disgraceful outcome for a formerly effective
development agency that has now undermined its goal to alleviate poverty.
“This strategy – to co-opt select data in order to push an anti-forestry agenda – is part of a larger campaign by the
World Bank. This week in Guatemala at the International Tropical Timber Organization’s (ITTO), the World Bank pushed for
its preferred scheme to reduce emissions and restrict forest development – the Reducing Emissions through Deforestation
and Forest Degradation (REDD) scheme – a program that only serves to provide aid money to poor countries to restrict
their own development.
“At the time of great uncertainty about the direction of the global economy, the World Bank should not be advocating
climate change strategies that would retard, not support, expansion of economic growth in developing countries.
Negotiators at the upcoming Durban Climate Summit should be cautioned against advancing skewed forestry emissions data
to push for a global climate change agenda that’s increasingly not welcome in the developing world.”
Click here to read the report, Trees Before Poverty; The World Bank’s Approach to Forestry and Climate Change.
To speak with World Growth's experts or find out more about its work, please email media@worldgrowth.org or call +1-866-467-7200.
World Growth is an international non-governmental organization established to expand the research, information,
advocacy, and other resources to improve the economic conditions and living standards in developing and transitional
countries. At World Growth, we embrace the age of globalization and the power of free trade to eradicate poverty and
create jobs and opportunities. World Growth supports the production of palm oil and the use of forestry as a means to
promote economic growth, reduce poverty and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. World Growth believes a robust
cultivation of palm oil and forestry provides an effective means of environmental stewardship that can serve as the
catalyst for increasing social and economic development. For more information on World Growth, visit www.worldgrowth.org.
ENDS