We, the undersigned representatives of development, environment, faith-based, human rights, science, community, women’s and indigenous rights groups, are calling on international financial institutions to stop using public resources to subsidize the fossil fuel industry. These subsidies fuel overconsumption in wealthy countries, benefit an already highly profitable and well-established industry, and exacerbate many of the most urgent problems facing humanity today, not the least of which is climate change.

Therefore, in the spirit of the G20 and APEC pledges to phase out subsidies for fossil fuels, we call on governments to not support a general capital increase for any part of the World Bank Group unless the Bank Group ends support for all fossil fuel projects (other than assistance with transition such as mine closure) that do not have as their sole purpose energy access for the poor. Fossil fuel projects that expand energy access for the poor should only be supported after a full examination of all costs--including damages to public health, welfare and the environment--of the project and any new renewable and efficiency alternatives demonstrates that they are best alternative for delivering energy services to the poor.

Until such policies are approved, countries should direct funds requested by the Bank and other institutions for general capital increases to other financing mechanisms for supporting sustainable development, poverty reduction and clean energy.  The members of the G-20 are currently in the process of identifying fossil fuel subsidies to be phased out. At the same time, the World Bank is engaged in consultations over a new energy policy and is requesting additional funding commitments for a general capital increase.

Our organizations, along with innovative policymakers and thought leaders around the world, know that there are numerous time-tested, effective approaches to capturing synergies among the challenges of expanding energy access for the poor, promoting sustainable development, and averting climate catastrophe. The World Bank Group, however, continues to promote interventions such as providing subsides for fossil fuels that trade these objectives off against each other. Until the World Bank Group can show that it can more effectively align these goals in its work, we believe that it does not merit a general capital increase.

To this end, the undersigned groups support directing additional international public financing through mechanisms that will not subsidize fossil fuels, and will oppose the Bank and other institutions’ requested capital increases until they adopt the positions described above.

Sign on list as of 4/25/10:

350

International

Alliance for Global Justice

International

Asociación Interamericana para la Defensa del Ambiente (AIDA)

International

CEE Bankwatch Network

International

European Network on Debt and Development (Eurodad)

International

Greenpeace

International

Jubilee South – Asia/Pacific Movement on Debt & Development (JSAPMDD)

International

New Rules for Global Finance Coalition

International

Society for Threatened Peoples

International

Third World Network

International

World Wildlife Fund

International

Friends of the Earth Argentina

Argentina

GLOBAL 2000/Friends of the Earth Austria

Austria

VOICE

Bangladesh

Coalition of the Flemish North-South Movement

Belgium

Ecologia e Ação (ECOA)

Brazil

Action pour un Développement Equitable, Intégré et Durable (ADEID) Cameroon

Cameroon

Friends of the Earth Cyprus

Cyprus

NOAH/Friends of the Earth Denmark

Denmark

Community and Institutional Development

Egypt

CESTA/Friends of the Earth El Salvador

El Salvador

Friends of the Earth Europe

Europe

Amis de la Terre

France

Avocats Verts

France

Climate Action Network France

France

Helio International

France

The Greens Movement of Georgia/Friends of the Earth Georgia

Georgia

GegenStrömung - CounterCurrent

Germany

Urgewald

Germany

Bharat jan Vigyan Jatha

India

South Asian Dialogues on Ecological Democracy

India

Anti Debt Coalition Indonesia (KAU)

Indonesia

Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR)

Indonesia

Campagna per la riforma della Banca mondiale (CRBM)

Italy

Sustainable Development Institute/ Friends of the Earth Liberia

Liberia

Consumers Association of Penang

Malaysia

Friends of the Earth Malaysia

Malaysia

Friends of the Earth Mauritius

Mauritius

ECOMUNIDADES, Red Ecologista de la Cuenca de Mexico

Mexico

JA! Justica Ambiental/ Friends of the Earth Mozambique

Mozambique

JEMED Niger

Niger

Friends of the Earth Norway

Norway

Derecho, Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (DAR)

Peru

Philippine Network on Climate Change

Philippines

Euronatura

Portugal

Centre for Civil Society Environmental Justice Project

South Africa

Earthlife Africa

South Africa

Groundwork

South Africa

South Durban Community Environmental Alliance

South Africa

Amigos de la Tierra España

Spain

Centre for Environmental Justice/Friends of the Earth Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Berne Declaration

Switzerland

Les Amis de la Terre Togo

Togo

National Association of Professional Environmentalists

Uganda

Christian Aid

UK

Friends of the Earth, England, Wales and Northern Ireland

UK

Global Witness

UK

Jubilee Debt Campaign

UK

Platform

UK

Practical Action

UK

The Corner House

UK

Africa Action

USA

Amazon Watch

USA

Bank Information Center

USA

California Communities Against Toxics

USA

Center for Biological Diversity

USA

Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach

USA

Crude Accountability

USA

Environmental Defense Fund

USA

Friends of the Earth US

USA

Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters - JPIC

USA

Institute for Policy Studies, Sustainable Energy & Economy Network

USA

International Rivers

USA

Maryknoll Center

USA

Missionary Oblates

USA

National Wildlife Federation

USA

Natural Resources Defense Council

USA

Oil Change International

USA

Public Citizen

USA

Rainforest Action Network

USA

Sierra Club

USA

The Connect U.S. Fund

USA

Tibet Justice Center

USA

Tibet Third Pole

USA

Union of Concerned Scientists

USA

Women's Environment and Development Organization

USA