Letter

NGOs from around the world call on World Bank President Wolfensohn not to finance the Nam Theun 2 project. ...from the introduction of the letter: Dear Mr. Wolfensohn: We, 153 civil society organizations from 42 countries, are writing to urge the World Bank to refuse to provide guarantees and credits for the Nam Theun 2 Hydropower Project in Laos. This project does not meet the World Bank’s environmental and social standards and there is no evidence that the impacts of the project on local communities and the environment can be successfully managed. The negative track record of other dam

From: Jürgen TrittenFederal MinisterMember of the Bundestag Dear Mr. Maier, dear Jürgen, Thank you very much for your letter dated 26 November regarding the CDM project "La Esperanza" in Honduras. On behalf of the non–governmental organisations working in the German NGO Forum on Environment and Development you strongly lobby for compliance with the rules of the World Commission on Dams (WCD). In my view, the WCD rules are a major improvement in shaping environmental standards for hydropower projects, reasonably including sustainability into the evaluation. In the future it will be importan

To: Minister Jürgen TrittenFederal Minister for Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety Ms. Heidemarie Wieczorek–ZeulFederal Minister for Development Cooperation Dear Minister Tritten,Dear Minister Wieczorek–Zeul, We are writing to express our concern at an apparent breach of German CDM policy that requires hydro projects from which Germany sources Certified Emissions Reductions (CERs) to be compliant with the standards outlined in the 2000 Final Report of the World Commission on Dams (WCD). In February 2003 the Federal Environment Ministry (BMU) published standards for CDM and

As the World Bank conducts a "technical workshop" in Washington, DC on the proposed Nam Theun 2 project in Laos, many serious concerns call into question the project’s ability to meet the World Bank’s goal of poverty reduction.

Letter from IRN to ADB Executive Directors detailing the findings of the OED Project Performance Audit Report on Nam Leuk and recommending follow-up actions.

Civil society organizations monitoring World Bank involvement in the Nam Theun 2 Hydropower Project in Laos express concerns about the World Bank’s planned consultations in Paris, Tokyo, Bangkok and Washington, and suggest preconditions for a fair and informed consultation.

To: Editor, Foreign Policy RE: Response to Mallaby’s "NGOs Fighting Poverty Hurting the Poor" From: Jim MacNeill [NOTE: Jim MacNeill was the Chairman of the World Bank’s Inspection Panel from March 1, 1999– December 31, 2001] Given Foreign Policy’s reputation, I was surprised to see Sebastian Mallaby’s "NGOs: Fighting Poverty, Hurting the Poor" in your October 2004 edition. I am not averse to reading an obviously one–sided polemic; if well done, it can be entertaining. However, the growing role of civil society in international affairs presents us with a novel set of fascinating is

Sebastian Mallaby c/o The Washington Post 1150 15th Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20071 Dear Mr. Mallaby, I was quite surprised to see that my very brief phone conversation with you received such prominence in your recent article in Foreign Policy. My recollection of the call differs from yours. I remember that you were vague about identifying yourself and your professional affiliations, were aggressive in your line of questioning, and that I responded with caution. Given International Rivers’s history of helping journalists with stories on Bujagali1, you can rest assured that had you clearly

International Rivers Comments on CDM Methodology NM0043 Proposed for Bayano Hydroelectric Expansion and Upgrade Project, PanamaSubmitted to CDM Methodology Panel Methodology is Poorly Described The proposed methodology is described as applying to "grid–connected run–of–river power plants or grid–connected hydroelectric power plants" (PPD p.39). As a run–of–river plant is a hydroelectric plant this explanation is redundant. Methodology fails to prove additionality The arguments in the PDD which attempt to show the additionality of Bayano do not hold up to scrutiny. The PDD admits

February 20, 2004 Trevor Courtney Strategic Water Planning Manager Eskom South Africa Dear Mr. Trevor Courtney, Gustavo Manez informed me that you were interested in knowing more about our concerns about the proposed Mphanda Nkuwa dam. Livaningo has been monitoring the Mphanda Nkuwa process for the last three years and trying to raise questions so that this dam does not result in a bad deal economically, socially and environmentally for our country. Along with other civil society groups and citizens from Mozambique, we believe the project should follow WCD principles and s