WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (Reuters) – Under pressure to resign for refusing to say whether he accepts the scientific consensus on global warming, World Bank President David Malpas said on Thursday it was clear that greenhouse emissions are causing climate change and he defended his track record as a bank chief. . Malpas tried to restate his views in a memo to staff and an interview with CNN International, during which he was asked if he was a climate change denier. His views came under scrutiny after he declined to say during a public event this week whether he believes burning fossil fuels is warming the planet. “I’m not a naysayer,” Malpass told CNN International. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up “It’s clear that greenhouse gas emissions come from anthropogenic sources, including fossil fuels, methane, agricultural uses, industrial uses, so we’re working hard to change that,” Malpass said. Malpas has long faced criticism from climate advocates, who have renewed calls for President Joe Biden to replace him. His remarks at a New York Times climate event on Tuesday also reignited concerns about the bank’s lack of a deadline to end fossil fuel financing. read more Speaking on stage during a panel on climate finance, Malpass was asked several times if he believed that “man-made burning of fossil fuels is rapidly and dangerously warming the planet”. He tried to dodge the question before saying, “I don’t even know. I’m not a scientist.” The president of the United States, the World Bank’s largest shareholder, traditionally appoints the presidents of the World Bank, subject to confirmation by the bank’s board of directors. Former President Donald Trump nominated Malpas to a five-year term in 2019. Biden, in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, did not respond when reporters asked if he trusted Malpas. The White House has not commented on the controversy. Sources following the matter said the Biden administration has so far been reluctant to remove Malpas before his term ends in early 2024, but that his comments this week could change that calculus, despite his efforts to “ clarify’ his views. In a memo to World Bank staff, seen by Reuters, Malpas said “the sharp increase in the use of coal, diesel and heavy fuel oil in both advanced economies and developing countries is creating another wave of climate crisis.” He added: “Anything seen in a different light is wrong and sad.” Activists and former climate advocates worry the Bank is lagging behind on climate action. Last year, more than 70 non-governmental organizations jointly called for Malpass to be replaced, citing a lack of action. The World Bank has not made any investments in coal since 2010, a spokesman said, and its board agreed in 2013 to limit funding for coal-fired power plants. In 2019, the Bank stopped financing upstream oil and gas activities. But it has so far resisted pressure from Europe’s governing board members and climate campaigners to phase out fossil fuel funding. In January last year, the Bank’s board approved a $620 million investment in a multibillion-dollar liquefied natural gas project in Mozambique, drawing criticism from climate activists. Asked for comment on Malpas’ comments on Tuesday, a spokeswoman for Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said the World Bank plays a critical role in advancing action on climate change. “World Bank leadership must get behind this global initiative,” spokeswoman Adrienne Vopsas said. US Rep. Maxine Waters, head of the House Financial Services Committee, said Malpass’s comments cast doubt on the World Bank’s commitment to tackling climate change. That, “in turn, threatens the Bank’s relevance in every other area, including its mission to alleviate poverty and promote sustainable development,” Waters said. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Rami Ayyub. Additional reporting by Steve Holland in New York and Steve Scherer in Ottawa. Edited by Heather Timmons and Lisa Shumaker Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
