On May 18th 2010, a letter to the World Bank representatives has been sent on behalf of more than 80 organizations from more than 34 countries urging the World Bank to stop funding oil palm plantations.
In response to the growing criticism relating to the unsustainability of oil palm plantations, the World Bank decided to suspend its funding for the palm oil sector and to request an audit of its International Finance Corporation (IFC) from the Ombudsman.
Action alerts
LETTER SENT TO THE WORLD BANK:
Dear Sir/Madam,
With reference to the World Bank meeting to be held in San José, Costa Rica on 17th to 18th May 2010, within the framework of a consultation process for the bank’s strategy on palm oil financing, the undersigned would like to express our concern about the possible future involvement of the World Bank in financing oil palm plantations.
The letter has received more than 11,000 endorsements, from both organizations and individuals, from 33 countries.
To Whom It May Concern, I oppose allowing ArborGen to plant over a quarter of a million GE eucalyptus in 29 field trials over 330 acres for the following reasons:
For Immediate Release 11 December 2008
Poznan, Poland (UN Climate Conference)--Global Forest Coalition, The Wilderness Society, World Rainforest Movement, Global Justice Ecology Project, Via Campesina, the International Youth Delegation and the STOP GE Trees Campaign united today to challenge the UN/REDD definition of forests.
WRM Press Release on Open Letter to FSC Members -
The General Assembly of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, from 3-7 November. Coinciding with the opening of the event, an open letter is being distributed to FSC members, calling on the FSC “to urgently resolve the serious problem of FSC certification of monoculture tree plantations.”
November 3-7, 2008 - Cape Town, South Africa
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) will be holding its general assembly on November 3-7 in Cape Town, South Africa. Given that the FSC is still providing its certification label to large-scale tree monocultures in spite of the abundant evidence proving their serious social and environmental impacts, a number of organizations are urging the FSC to stop certifying tree plantations.
The undersigned wish to urge members of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) to urgently resolve the serious problem of FSC certification of monoculture tree plantations, at the FSC general assembly to be held in Cape Town, South Africa.
One of the topics for discussion at the general assembly is a Review of FSC Principles and Criteria, and there is therefore an opportunity for changing those principles in such a way as to exclude the certification of monoculture tree plantations by FSC.
See here the press release
Press release - Two open letters addressed to the delegations taking part in MOP and COP
The 9th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the 4th Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety are taking place this month in Bonn, Germany.
To the Official Delegations of the IV Meeting of the Parties of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (MOP-4) and IX Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP-9)
Dear Sir / Madam,
The ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 9) of the Convention of Biological Diversity is taking place in Bonn, Germany, from 19 to 30 May 2008. COP 9 will include a high-level ministerial segment organized by the host country in consultation with the Secretariat and the Bureau (from 28 to 30 May).
21 February 2008, Rome, Italy
This morning many civil society organizations held a peaceful demonstration outside the plenary room here in rome. Two statements were read in the plenary on behalf of many - but not all - civil society organizations present here. One focused on GE trees and agrofuels, and the other reflecting on the process at this SBSTTA. The Statement on GE trees and agrofuels is below, read in the plenary by Ana Filippini from World Rainforest Movement.