World Bank reaches out to EU for climate change synergies [de]
The World Bank is seeking synergies with the EU in an attempt to incorporate climate change considerations into the long-term economic planning of developing countries, Michele de Nevers, senior manager of the bank's environment department, told EurActiv.
The visit of her team to the EU institutions in Brussels, she explained, was part of the World Bank's efforts to put together an environmental strategy for a 10-year period.
"This is for us an opportunity for consultations with external partners and stakeholders on what space the World Bank should be occupying in providing environmental sustainability in developing countries," de Nevers said.
She added that the World Bank recognises the EU as the leader in addressing the climate challenge, admitting that "in some ways" climate change is a new area for her financial institution, which specialises in providing leveraged loans to poorer countries.
"Our main focus is on adaptation, because that is the main concern of the developing countries, but there are also several emerging-market developing countries that have an important role to play on the mitigation side as well," she explained.
De Nevers admitted that perception of the climate change threat is different in Europe in comparison to the USA, where the World Bank is situated.
"One thing that is very important is the high level of awareness within European civil society of the importance of climate change issues. Certainly it is much higher than in the US where we live, and the commitment to finding a solution in Copenhagen is much higher here," she said.
De Nevers explained that the World Bank will represent the interests of developing countries at the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen in December. In this context, she praised highly the contribution of European countries for the joint elaboration of a study estimating the costs of adaptation in developing countries. The study, she explained, had become a very valuable knowledge-base for the climate change negotiations.
A lot of the World Bank's analytical work to address climate change was made possible due to bilateral financing with European countries, she said, highlighting the contributions of the UK, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
Europeans challenge Europe