Innocent Gahigana
24 February 2007
Kigali — The World Bank (WB) President Paul Wolfowitz has called for utmost investment in alternative fuel produce as best way to combat deforestation. In a press statement release recently Wolfowitz urged wealthy nations to harness the initiative and invest in alternative fuels.
'We are seeing today an emerging global consensus that we need to do something about climate change', he was quoted as saying. He added that there was need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels 'and we need to do this sooner rather than later'.
'Wealthy countries should push an 'equitable' solution where they provide support to developing nations and reap benefits from economic growth in developing regions', Wolfowitz said in a speech devoted to the international conference on climate change held in US.
The WB boss pointed out that the developing countries are suffering as a result of the environmental policies of wealthier nations, and will be forced to spend more of their resources for high fuel bills.
Without naming countries, Wolfowitz said: 'We cannot penalize countries escaping from poverty for what is the result of a fossil-fuel-dependant growth pattern in rich countries'.
Wealthier countries should push policies to support new bio-fuels, such as those available in different countries like Brazil, rather than rely on oil from unstable parts of the world, he said.
The quicker the wealthy countries go ahead taking action, the less costly it will be to reverse environmental damage.
Efforts to contact State Minister for Lands and Environment, Patricia Hajabakiga for comment on the Rwanda's step in the promotion of bio-fuel production programme adopted two years ago were fruitless by press time.
But according to the Ministry of Lands and Environment website, Rwanda is committed to diversify the sources of energy and to make them accessible to the population so as to ease the pressure on biomass.
And that the shares of wood energy in the national energy balance, which at present stands at 94 per cent will be 60 per cent in the year 2010.
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