Wolfowitz Will Create Sustainable Development Network At World Bank

[hatrack]

WASHINGTON - World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz on Tuesday said he was merging the bank's departments that deal with infrastructure and environmental projects into a single unit to promote sustainable development.

He named Kathy Sierra, a veteran World Bank employee and current bank vice president of infrastructure, to head the newly created Sustainable Development network.

"The purpose of consolidating these two networks is to mainstream environmental issues, improve synergies, better integrate core operations, and ensure that we strengthen our focus on sustainability as we increase our investment in infrastructure," Wolfowitz said in an email to World Bank staff, seen by Reuters.

To address concerns that environmental issues could be dwarfed by the bank's increased spending on infrastructure projects, Wolfowitz said he would create a new position for a world-class environmental expert to strengthen the role of the bank's environment team.
"It is crucial that we maintain the bank's leadership role in emphasizing the importance of sustainability in development," Wolfowitz said.

EDIT

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/37050/story.htm

Here, let me translate that third paragraph for you!

"The purpose of consolidating these two networks is to generate more publicity on environmental issues, cut costs by combining departments and firing staffers (particularly those who might not agree with me) and ensure that we slop on extra-thick layers of greenwash while continuing to pour as much concrete and extract as many concessions from our target countries as possible."

[eppur_se_muova]

1. Oh, Wolfie is the just the "friend" the environment needs. nt

[applegrove]

2. We know how effective they think the UN is. Actually - I think the UN

has probably stepped up a notch.. with neocons being the most inefficient type of governance in the world. When they set their mind to it.. they can be really quick.. or really slow. They like to play with time.

[IrateCitizen]

3. "World Bank" and "sustainable" are incompatible

The World Bank is a huge, centralized organization that, by its very nature, promotes huge, centralized projects. That is the opposite of sustainability -- which by its nature tends to be much more small-scale and local. I actually fully believe that the people at the WB believe they are promoting sustainability, but their reliance on an outmoded paradigm blinds them to reality.

[dcfirefighter]

4. It's a start.

I've no illusions about how green it will be, but it IS a foot in the door.

I wouldn't consider the Mississippi River Basin or the Gulf Stream & Thermohaline conveyor as small scale and local, though I tend to favor small scale and local over centralized. But sometimes, that's the only way to get things done.

That being said, i tend to think that the WB's recipe for success for developing nations is flawed.

It's goals, however, seem to be laudable. It is in the best interest of the US and other developed nations to help developing nations establish stable, representative governments, the rule of law, pollution control, and viable free market world capable economies.

Most of the 'underlings' that I've met who work at the WB/IMF have been nice, aware people. But then I've only met low level staffers.

[IrateCitizen]

5. Well, I'm more of a Schumacher guy...

Therefore, I'm somewhat distrustful of things that are large and centralized -- especially due to their tendency to squeeze out anything meaningful that is small and localized. I think the World Bank has been a major culprit in this trend, especially in so-called developing nations -- and I see little reason to believe they will undergo a complete shift anytime soon.

I'd like to be guardedly optimistic, but I'll probably just look at it as "just a thang" and continue on my own course toward localization and decentralization, regardless of what the WB does.

[dcfirefighter]

7. Schumancher?

Who's this? Is it: http://www.schumachersociety.org/index.html ?

If so I really like the last link here: http://www.schumachersociety.org/additional_resources.html#landreform though it's -.us not -.org

[IrateCitizen]

8. E.F. Schumacher -- that be him

I highly recommend his book Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered. I brought it up with the 84-year old organic farmer I'm "interning" with over the summer, and he informed me that he is a member of the Schumacher society.

[NMDemDist2]

6. Henhouse, Meet Fox

yeah I trust that asshole :banghead: