Reaching for a Double Dividend

Paul Wolfowitz, President of the World Bank, shared his thoughts about how the global community can face the double challenge of protecting our environment and strengthening our economies. Brazil is working to turn this double challenge into a double dividend, by meeting energy needs that are essential for growth and fighting poverty, while leaving a smaller environmental footprint. Investing in the environment is investing in the future of the poor. To improve the lives of the poor and to create job opportunities for them, the developing countries need much more energy than they use today. The second and much greater challenge lies in slowing the threat of deforestation. The World Bank Group’s mission is to support economic development and policies that helps the poor. He concluded saying that we can and will continue to work with Brazil to raise global consciousness about our shared responsibility toward our environment.