Critics Call World Bank Energy Scheme Misguided

A World Bank scheme to bring electricity to the world’s poor is short-sighted and won’t curb climate change or help the people it’s aimed at, environmental groups said on Sunday.

The Bank released a progress report on Sunday looking at ways to fund cleaner energy projects in some of the world’s poorest regions and drive economic growth in those areas.
The report, entitled Investment Framework on Clean Energy and Development, says an estimated 1.6 billion people do not have access to electricity.

Environmental groups said the Bank was missing a huge opportunity to promote the use of renewable energy by instead backing conventional fossil-fuel based generation.

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