No. 338/04
Berlin, 01.12.2004

Effective environmental protection is a prerequisite for combating global poverty

Scientific advisory council hands over environmental report to German government

Effective environmental policy is a fundamental prerequisite for successfully combating global poverty. With this key message from its latest report "World in Transition - Fighting Poverty through Environmental Policy", the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) approves the course being steered by the German government. The WGBU clearly illustrates in its report how climate change, water shortages and soil degradation are threatening natural life-support systems in particular for poor people in many parts of the world. These environmental changes are to a large extent anthropogenic and in a complex way are linked to the economic and social development of a country. The WGBU also calls for closer international cooperation between environmental policy and measures to eradicate global poverty.

Federal Research Minister Edelgard Bulmahn emphasised at the handover of the report on Wednesday in Berlin that "securing the natural life-support systems and development opportunities for everyone must be the top priority globally."

The report shows that scientific analyses and latest research solutions play a crucial role in environmental policy. "Accurate early warning systems are the best prerequisite for recognising environmental changes in good time," said Minister Bulmahn. On this basis, measures could be developed to counteract these changes or at least to adapt to them. "German researchers are making a major contribution to this at international level."

Federal Environment Minister Jürgen Trittin highlighted that protecting natural resources is a crucial precondition for development. "The international targets for increasing the use of renewable energies that we set ourselves at the conference in Bonn will mobilise millions of euros worth of investment. Not only does this benefit the climate and the environment, it also creates economic impetus in poorer countries." Federal Environment Minister Trittin welcomed the call by the WBGU to enhance the status of environmental policy in the UN system.

"The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) requires institutional authority for the important tasks it has been allocated. This is why we need a strong and effective UN Environment Organisation that stands on equal footing with the World Trade Organisation and the World Food Organisation," emphasised Minister Trittin. With the recommendation on levying user charges on aviation and the use of the seas, the experts have shown how urgently needed additional funding can be raised for international environmental protection and poverty eradication measures.

Federal Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul stressed that the WBGU report had come at the right moment: "The world's poorest populations in particular are suffering most from the consequences of environmental destruction and climate change. They are suffering the consequences of devastating hurricanes and floods. They are suffering the consequences of polluted water. 6000 children die every day because they do not have access to clean drinking water. We cannot accept this." Minister Wieczorek-Zeul welcomed the recommendation from the council on further increasing government development assistance. "By 2006 we aim to increase the share of government development assistance to 0.33 percent of the gross national income. This is an investment in our future too, since developing countries can with our support use their limited natural resources in a more sustainable way."

Further information on the report "World in Transition - Fighting Poverty through Environmental Policy" can be found on the Internet at www.wbgu.de.