Switzerland has paid for North Korean bureaucrats

The national Council discussed on Friday over a loan facility of 148 million Swiss francs for several UN environmental Fund, especially for the Global Environmental Facility (GEF). Since 1991, Switzerland has paid 765 million Swiss francs to this Fund. These institutions are, however, mere distribution of Money.

The money from Switzerland is not output by the GEF and the other funds directly for projects, but other agencies are distributed. This is especially the United Nations development programme, the world Bank and the environmental program of the UN . This then projects.

The detour via the Global environment Fund is not free of charge: Eight percent of each project, amount to be cashed, the GEF as a "fee". "Switzerland would pay the money directly to the actual active UN Bodies," says SVP national councillor Felix Müri (LU). "Then we could save eight percent, and less for the environmental would be made."

"the inclusion of native Americans"

A list of all 4773 projects of the GEF is available on the Internet. And so that is visible, which has co-financed Switzerland since the year 1991. At the beginning, especially concrete environmental projects, for example, the rescue of habitats, which were often carried out together with environmental protection organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Meanwhile, there are increasingly projects for the environmental bureaucracy. And no project comes without "Gender Mainstreaming" and "inclusion of indigenous peoples".

So Egypt got last year, 500'000 dollars, to write the fourth report to the UN climate change conference. The project was to develop a gender perspective on climate change. This was a priority for the Egyptian climate Agency, have established a "Gender unit". The rich oil state of Saudi Arabia received a total of 702'000 dollars from the funding pot to its obligations in respect of the climate conventions. Lack of resources has been achieved, however, except for a Workshop, little progress in terms of "Gender and climate change".

Serbia was awarded 1.1 million dollars, to be transparent about its emissions of carbon dioxide. A Workshop on the topic of Gender and the part of Serbian "indigenous people have to be carried out" had to also. The same in Macedonia for 1.32 million dollars and in Mexico for $ 1.8 million.

Müri: "On the list, I wait until today"

a Little easier, it was a program for the countries of Chile, Namibia, South Africa, Ukraine, and India, with which their participation in the coordination bodies to the Antarctic will be improved: A Gender Workshop was carried out after an Intervention of the GEF, but to the inclusion of indigenous peoples could be dispensed with, "because the Antarctic has no indigenous people", as the report noted. The project provided for an exchange of information between scientists and fisheries managers in the five countries.

the national Council Müri has made the request, not on the business. Four years ago he wanted to prevent the credit. The majority of the national Council was to move at the time, but by Federal councillor Doris Leuthard, a Yes, especially because you promised that Swiss companies would receive back a "two-digit million amount" of the GEF. Müri asked for a list of these orders. Doris Leuthard, promised: "Yes, we can deliver." The was 2015. "On the list, I wait until today," says Felix Müri.

Less than half is "satisfactory,"

For the next loan until 2022, the Federal office for the environment (FOEN) promises no more orders to Switzerland. It praises the effectiveness of the GEF projects. The funds have, according to an Evaluation by 2017 an "above-average success rate," said Federal councillor Simonetta Sommaruga of the GEF before the Commission of the national Council. The actual Numbers you called.

Not even half of the projects (42 percent) of the Evaluation as "satisfactory" or better. In the Commission of the representatives of the FOEN should have consulted the "moderately satisfactory" projects, and then came up with an impressive success rate of 81 percent.

What neither he nor Federal councillor Sommaruga mentioned: 63 percent of the projects, the Evaluation estimates as "not sustainable". For this, you should have emphasized that the GEF 2.7 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas saved. On the website there is talk of 8.4 billion tons. How the number is calculated, discloses neither the GEF nor the FOEN.

money for eight North Korean "consciousness-specialists"

"As money is moved to and fro, without that effect is achieved," says Felix Müri. On support for countries such as China, Brazil, India, North Korea or Mexico he just shakes his head.

North Korea 200'000 dollars, with expertise in climate change and biodiversity to build up. This is also a "national center for Propaganda about the effect of climate change". For participation in the Stockholm Convention on pollutants in may 2001, the country received more than 450'000 dollars. With the money 18 project Manager, as well as many deputies, 36 office assistant, 18 Translator, and 8 "consciousness-specialists" have been set. 40'000 of dollars to travel for "study" and 80'000 dollars for "international consultations".

He wants that Switzerland pulls out of the GEF. "This money is soaked up by the international bureaucracy." The USA and Finland have reduced their funds. In the Commission he had with this request with no success. His application was rejected with 8 votes to 17.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 21.03.2019, 22:01 Uhr