Environmentalists Demand Halt To Green Loans

Published: 15 July 2000 y., Saturday
A group of Russian and international environmental organizations have sent a letter to the World Bank’s president James Wolfensohn urging the head of the world’s most powerful international financial institution to halt all loans and cease financing environmental projects in Russia. The first installment of a $60 million loan to the Russian Federal Forest Service was made five days after the agency was dissolved. On May 17, 2000, President Putin issued a decree dissolving the State Committee for Environmental Protection and the Federal Forest Service. The activities of both agencies are now under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Natural Resources. The committee was responsible for monitoring all aspects of the environment except for nuclear safety. Environmentalists insist no loans should be granted until President Putin re-establishes the Committee for Environmental Protection and the Forest Service. The authors of the letter fear that not a single ruble of that loan will be used for forest fire protection as stipulated in the loan agreement and that the Ministry for Natural Resources will only embezzle those funds. The World Bank has so far granted in excess of $1 billion worth of loans for environmental protection projects in Russia. The latest loan of $60 million is earmarked for “implementation of the forest pilot project”, aimed at preventing and fighting forest fires. It was the renowned environmentalist Alexei Yablokov, the president of the Center for Environment Policy and a co-Chairman of International Socio-Ecological Union, who proposed addressing the World Bank. The letter was signed by 57 mainly Russian organizations.
Šaltinis: Gazeta.Ru
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.

Facebook Comments

New comment


Captcha

Associated articles

The most popular articles

Moscow metro's 75th anniversary

75 years after Moscow first opened its underground train system, Muscovites can ride a restored vintage train. more »

„Mountain tsunami“ threatens Bhutan

A glacier melt threatens to cause massive flooding and destroy a centuries old monastic fortress in the remote country of Bhutan. more »

Ending homophobia – stopping discrimination

What do countries as geographically diverse as Saudi Arabia, Uganda and Jamaica have in common? All of them criminalised homosexuality. more »

Human rights in the world – taking stock of 2009

Human rights is a key issue for the European Parliament and MEPs Monday took a first look at what the European Union did last year, when they discussed the EU annual report on human rights in the world. more »

Mercury fears in Japanese town

Researchers found high levels of mecury in a Japenese dolphin-hunting town, but say the mecury has no ill effects. more »

Pro-marijuana march in Mexico City

Crowds of Mexicans marched peacefully through the capital city on Saturday demanding the legalisation of marijuana. more »

Pets help prisoners

Prisoners are reported to have dramatic improvements in behaviour after pets are introduced in a new scheme. more »

Hat at centre of fur ban debate

Israeli Ultra-Orthodox MPs are lining up against activists proposing a total ban on furs, saying traditional fur hats are an important part of their religious tradition. more »

MEPs call for binding social protection for self-employed women and wives

EU Member States should organise social protection, including at least 14 weeks' maternity allowance, for self-employed women and self-employed men's wives or life partners, in accordance with national laws, said the Women's Rights Committee on Tuesday. more »

New media, new conversations, a new look EU?

How are the European Parliament, the European Commission and other parts of the European Union supposed to interest people and explain their work? more »