HIGHLIGHTS & NEWS

Zoelli Commends Mayors on Climate Change

World Bank President, Mr. Robert Zoelli, has underscored the role the Mayor’s task force on climate change and poverty eradication. Mr. Zoelli reiterated this during the video conference meeting that brought together the Mayors of Dar es Salam, Mr. Adam Kimbisa, Jakarta- Mr. Fauzi Bowo, Mexico City- Mr. Konrad Von Titler and Toronto-Mr. David Miller who form members of the Mayor’s task force team charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the Copenhagen deliberations were fulfilled before the next meeting on climate change in Mexico City. The video conference took place at the Tanzania Global Development Learning Centre (TGDLC) connecting Washington, Toronto, Sao Paolo and Jakarta.

Mr. Zoelli urged national governments to work on the experience of the mayors across the globe to overcome climate change and poverty eradication challenges. “The mayors have done a great job and have a solid experience on issues of climate change and urban poverty eradication. I commend such efforts and challenge national governments to build on mayors’ experience and knowledge to overcome the challenges of climate change,” he said.

During the session, mayors noted that the poor were most affected group as they could not cope with climate change. The Dar es Salaam City Mayor, Mr. Adam Kimbisa, echoed the mayors’ concerns adding that time was against them and immediate measures were required to reverse the situation.

“Mr. Chair, I must say that we need to reduce meetings, conferences, global trotting and what have you because the people on the ground are dying of hunger, diseases and natural calamities,” he quipped.

Mr. Fauzi Bowo, the mayor of Jakarta couldn’t agree more with Mr. Kimbisa as he requested for World Bank to set aside funds to support capacity building to respond to climate change challenges. “We need to build capacity of our teams and encourage early exchanges of experience and knowledge between cities,” he noted.
The mayors unanimously agreed that national governments should work hard to provide free education and health services to the poor, to reduce green house emissions and control air pollutions, reducing pollution in cities by 80% to protect livelihoods. The mayors also noted an alarming increase on environmental refugees in recent years.

The video conference was a series of mayors’ follow up meetings following last December’s UN climate change meeting in Copenhagen. The mayors have added their voices urging governments to enforce the Copenhagen resolutions.

The Dar es Salaam City Mayor, Adam Kimbisa, ( picture below ) in a tete-a-tete with the TGDLC ED, Charles Senkondo before the mayor's video conference.