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World Bank chief Malpass faces calls to quit after dodging questions on climate change
New York City CNN —Climate action groups around the world are calling for World Bank President David Malpass to resign after he refused to answer a question around the cause of the climate crisis.
At a panel discussion on Tuesday, Malpass dodged a question over whether he accepted the scientific consensus that humans burning fossil fuels were “rapidly and dangerously warming the planet.”
“I don’t even know – I’m not a scientist and that is not a question,” Malpass responded when asked at the discussion, held by the New York Times at Climate Week in New York City. The moderator, David Gelles, then prodded him again, asking, “Will you answer the question?”
Malpass replied: “We have a mission of a World Bank that’s powerful,” before Gelles asked him again to answer the question, to no avail.
When asked to respond to former Vice President Al Gore’s claim that he was a “climate denier,” Malpass said he had never met Gore, calling the remark “very odd.”
Scientists have known for decades that the combustion of fossil fuels by humans are the main driver of climate change.Malpass’ comments have sparked anger and shock among climate activists and experts worldwide, with a coalition of organizations joining Gore in calling on the World Bank to either fire him or for him to quit his post.
Former US President Donald Trump had appointed Malpass as World Bank chief in 2019 for a five-year period. As the largest shareholder of the bank, the US traditionally appoints its president.
Tasneem Essop, Executive Director of the Climate Action Network, which represents more than 1,800 groups around the world, called Malpass a “self-pronounced climate denier” and said having him at the head of the bank was “inexcusable.”
“The World Bank continues to use public money to finance fossil fuel projects in Global South countries where
people are already suffering the worst impacts of climate change,” she said in a statement. “For the World Bank to maintain any shred of decency Malpass cannot remain as President.”
Sonia Dunlop, a climate expert with think tank E3G who works with banks and international financial institutions like the World Bank, called Malpass’ remarks “a step too far.”
“It is time for the White House and governments all over the world to think hard as to who they want at the helm of the World Bank,” she said in a statement. “You don’t need to be a scientist to understand climate science – the facts are clear, and there’s no alternative but to act.”
When asked for comment, the White House directed CNN to the US Treasury. “We expect the World Bank Group to be a global leader of climate ambition and the mobilization of significantly more climate finance for developing countries,” said a Treasury spokesperson.
“We have – and will continue – to make that expectation clear to World Bank leadership. The World Bank must be a full partner in delivering on this global agenda.”
The World Bank declined to comment on the calls for Malpass to resign. When asked about Gore’s criticism that the World Bank has failed to improve financing climate projects in poorer countries, a spokesperson replied: “The World Bank Group is the largest multilateral funder of climate investments in developing countries.”
“Under the leadership of David Malpass, the World Bank Group doubled its climate finance, published an ambitious Climate Change Action Plan, and initiated country level diagnostics to support countries’ climate and development goals,” said the spokesperson, echoing similar comments made by Malpass in the discussion.
The organization also pointed to their previous work combating climate change. It delivered $31.7 billion in the 2022 fiscal year to help countries address the climate crisis, it said. That money has gone to helping expand access to water and improve wastewater treatment in Romania; fund a solar photovoltaic plant with a battery energy storage system in Malawi; and boost sustainable landscape management in Nigeria, according to the bank.
Malpass has come under fire before – dozens of climate organizations sent a joint letter last October calling for him to be replaced, and urging the World Bank to take stronger climate action. That letter was signed by 77 groups, which called for the immediate end to all actions promoting coal, oil and gas. It said that the World Bank had failed to “position itself with science and justice” on climate issues.
The letter also criticized the World Bank’s Climate Change Action Plan, published earlier in 2021, which allowed for some fossil fuel investments for two to four more years.The letter said the plan was an affront to the rights of communities worst impacted by the crisis.
The World Bank has reduced its new investments into coal power over the past decade and in 2019 stopped funding upstream oil and gas operations. But it has not heeded calls from its own European board members and climate campaigners to phase out fossil fuel financing entirely.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
