Home > Press releases > 2004 > World Economic Forum Failing Targets to Save the World
Jan 15 2004
Commenting today on launch of the World Economic Forum's Global Governance Initiative report, Friends of the Earth called on the international business body to recognise that its economic globalisation agenda was failing the world.
The report [1], launched in London today, found that the international community scored no more than four out of ten for its effort and co-operation in achieving the United Nation Millennium Goals - achieving just 3/10 in the areas of the environment, human rights and peace and security.
Friends of the Earth Director Tony Juniper said:
"The World Economic Forum's own analysis confirms that free market globalisation is not solving the world's most pressing problems. For years the Forum has aggressively pressed its agenda of open trade and convinced governments to adopt policies that suit big business. The assumption has always been that what is good for large corporations is good for society - this report demonstrates the gap that has now emerged.
"Companies are bigger and more global than ever before while the volume of trade and economic growth expands apace, but efforts to promote peace, end poverty, improve health, protect the environment and uphold human rights still flounder. Will the World Economic Forum now press for international agreements to control globalisation, or press for more of the policies that have made these challenges so grave?"[1] See www.weforum.org/globalgovernance
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