World Development Movement blog

A year on from the World Bank out of climate finance campaign launch at the Cancun talks, last week members of the global coalition reunited outside COP17. Last year’s talks concluded with an agreement to design a new Green Climate Fund within the UNFCCC. While many welcomed this, others remained cautious because of the World Bank’s role as ‘trustee’. As the fund had not been designed, over the last year there has been much still to play for in terms of how the fund would be shaped, and to whose benefit.

The World Development Movement strongly supports the Occupy movement that has emerged over the last few months. This movement has evolved as a deep felt response to a highly unjust global economic system which keeps people trapped in poverty, in both rich and poor countries. It is this very injustice which WDM has been fighting for over forty years; tackling the root causes of poverty which are perpetuated by governments and corporations alike.

As campaigners focusing on climate justice, we tend to think wind energy is a good thing. And so it can be – but not when it robs indigenous people of their land. 

Last year, the World Development Movement’s climate campaigner Kirsty Wright went to the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, and met indigenous activist Bettina Cruz Velazquez. Bettina told Kirsty how wind farms run by multinational corporations are being built without the consent of the indigenous people who own the land.

Scottish climate change minister, Stewart Stevenson, will be joining the UK government delegation to the UN climate talks in Durban any day now. In preparation for this we’ve been calling on him to use his influence as part of the delegation to urge the UK government to stop forcing climate loans onto already indebted countries.  

Guest post by Jessica Radford, used to be campaigns and policy intern

Thousands have taken to the streets in protest at public sector pension changes. Demonstrations are taking place across the UK, including Cardiff, Birmingham, Leeds, Exeter, York, Gateshead, Aberdeen and London. WDM joined the march in London alongside the Jubilee Debt Campaign and we were happy to see our supporters and allies in the crowd. People of all ages were present, ranging from primary, secondary and college students to podiatrists and midwives and, of course, teachers.

Guest post by Murray Worthy, used to be policy officer.

If you have been following the news recently you could be fooled into thinking the politics of the UN negotiations have been turned on their head. It might no longer seems to be a case of developed vs. developing countries, but of new alliances forming between them and the UK committing to the future of Kyoto and a new ambitious global deal.

Jessica Radford, used to be campaigns and policy intern

In the run-up to climate talks in Durban the Pan-African Climate Caravan of Hope is on a two-week road-trip across Africa.