The World Resources 2005
UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development
network, an organization advocating for change and connecting
countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better
life. UNDP is on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own
solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local
capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and its wide range of partners.
World leaders have pledged to achieve the Millennium Development Goals,
including the overarching goal of cutting poverty in half by 2015 and doing
so with full commitment to environmental sustainability. UNDP’s network
links and coordinates global and national efforts to reach these Goals.
UNDP’s focus is helping countries build and share solutions to the challenges
of Democratic Governance, Poverty Reduction, Crisis Prevention and Recovery,
Energy and Environment, and HIV/AIDS.
UNDP helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively. In all its
activities, UNDP encourages the protection of human rights and the empowerment
of women.
Visit the UNDP website at http://www.undp.org
UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was established in 1972
as the environmental conscience of the United Nations. UNEP has created a
basis for comprehensive, coordinated action within the UN on problems of the
environment. UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnerships
in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling
nations and people to improve their quality of life without compromising that
of future generations.
One of the most important functions of UNEP is the promotion of environmental
science and information. UNEP has always recognized that the
environment is a system of interacting relationships that extends through all
sectors. It places, among other things, emphasis on environment for development.
UNEP nurtures partnerships with other UN bodies possessing
complementary skills and delivery capabilities and enhances the participation
of the private sector, scientific community, NGOs, youth, women, and sports
organizations in achieving sustainable development.
UNEP derives its strength and influence from the authority inherent in its
mission—environmental management. UNEP has and will continue to play a
pivotal role in caring for the environment for the future.
Visit the UNEP website at http://www.unep.org
WORLD BANK GROUP
Founded in 1944, the World Bank Group consists of five closely associated
institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
(IBRD); International Development Association (IDA); International Finance
Corporation (IFC); Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the
International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).
The World Bank is the world’s largest source of development assistance, providing
nearly $30 billion in loans annually to its client countries. The Bank uses its
financial resources, its highly trained staff, and its extensive knowledge base
to individually help each developing country onto a path of stable, sustainable,
and equitable growth. The main focus is on helping the poorest people and the
poorest countries, but for all its clients the Bank emphasizes the need for:
- Investing in people, particularly through basic health and education
- Protecting the environment
- Supporting and encouraging private business development
- Strengthening the ability of the governments to deliver quality services,
efficiently and transparently
- Promoting reforms to create a stable macroeconomic environment,
conducive to investment and long-term planning
- Focusing on social development, inclusion, governance, and institution building as key elements of poverty reduction.
Visit the World Bank website at http://www.worldbank.org
WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE
The World Resources Institute goes beyond research to create practical ways
to protect the Earth and improve people’s lives. Its mission is to move human
society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to
provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.
For more than 20 years, WRI has demonstrated its commitment to helping
find solutions to these enormous global environmental challenges. WRI’s work
is concentrated on making progress toward four goals:
- Healthy Ecosystems: Reverse rapid degradation of ecosystems and assure
their capacity to provide humans with needed goods and services.
- Stable Climate: Protect the global climate system from further harm due to
emissions of greenhouse gases and help humanity and the natural world
adapt to unavoidable climate change.
- Sustainable Enterprise: Harness markets and enterprise to expand
economic opportunity and protect the environment.
- Access to Environmental Information and Decisions: Guarantee public access
to information and decisions regarding natural resources and the environment.
WRI is online at http://www.wri.org and http://earthtrends.wri.org
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