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Nobel Laureates Ask World Bank to Curb Extractive Industries

By Bob Burton CANBERRA, Australia, February 13, 2004 (ENS) – Five Nobel Peace Laureates, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, have urged World Bank President James Wolfensohn to endorse recommendations contained in a new review that proposes a dramatic overhaul of bank policies on lending for the oil, gas, and mining industries. War, poverty, climate change, greed, corruption, and ongoing violations of human rights – all of these scourges are all too often linked to the oil and mining industries," wrote Tutu, who was awarded the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize for helping to resolve the problem of apartheid in South Africa, and the four other laureates. Also signing the letter endorsing strict limits on lending to extractive industries are: Sir Joseph Rotblat, 1995 Peace Prize awardee for his work to diminish the threat of nuclear war; Jody Williams, 1997 Peace Prize winner for her leadership of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines; and Betty Williams and Mairead Maguire who jointly received the 1976 Peace Prize as founders of the Northern Ireland Peace Movement. "Your efforts to create a world without poverty need not exacerbate these problems," they wrote. "The Review provides you an extraordinary opportunity to direct the resources of the World […]

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Largest State Forest System in U.S. To Seek FSC Certification

Michigans 4 Million Acres to be Assessed for Responsible Forest Management The Forest Stewardship Council – US today applauded Governor Jennifer Granholms announcement that nearly four million acres of Michigan state forestland will be assessed by independent auditors to assure they are managed to the FSCs standards of responsible forest management. Governor Granholms announcement launches what will be the largest single FSC forest certification project on public or private land in the United States. Under FSC guidelines, the state will have to demonstrate that its forest management meets or exceeds the highest standards for protecting water quality, maintaining wildlife habitat, preserving natural areas, and assuring proper forest regeneration. Forest certification will not only benefit biodiversity, it will also help the bottom line of Michigan businesses that depend on state forests for timber supply said Kevin Korpi, Executive Director of the Michigan Forest Products Council, a timber industry trade association. According to Korpi, major purchasers of forest products like AOL TimeWarner, HomeDepot, Lowes and Kinkos have begun requiring that suppliers demonstrate their product comes from well-managed forests. Certification means Michigan jobs, its that simple, said Korpi. Helen Taylor, the state director of the Conservancys Michigan Chapter and a member of the […]

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Electronics Industry Reaches Agreement on National Electronics Recycling Program

Source: Electronic Industries Alliance Representatives from the U.S. electronics industry have endorsed a resolution with state governments and environmental groups to develop sustainable, fair and flexible recycling efforts nationwide, the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) announced today. As part of that resolution, manufacturers will work together to develop a framework for financing the nationwide recycling program that an EPA-initiated stakeholders group known as the National Electronics Product Stewardship Initiative (NEPSI) will then recommend to Congress. The difficult task ahead for industry is to reach consensus on the divergent views among companies. Specifically, industry will create a proposal for legislation that will finance recycling programs through a fee at point of sale or allow companies to create alternative plans to manage costs without a fee on their products. Manufacturers will also be given flexibility in fulfilling their recycling responsibilities either collectively or individually, through the development of "Alternative Stewardship Plans." The Alternative Stewardship Plans will demonstrate how manufacturers intend to meet or surpass collection and recycling goals set by EPA or another neutral party. "With this agreement, our members are working together and moving the industry forward by presenting a unified solution to help consumers and government agencies recycle more electronic equipment," […]

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