14 DAY TRIAL // A reports issued by the World Development Movement indicates UK climate aid is currently used to help Walmart save more than a few dollars on energy, relying on clean affordable wind power. Instead of guiding the poor towards a sustainable future, this project helps the major company protect its own numbers.
Money coming from UK aid was used by the World Bank to back an important wind park developed in Oaxaca, as a part of its Clean Technology Fund (CTF) initiatives, aiming to offer eco-friendly sources of energy, the Guardian reports.
“The wind park has done nothing to increase energy access among the seven per cent of Oaxaca's population who have no electricity," note the authors of the recent World Development Movement (WDM) report.
Despite this fact, the UK government has invested more than time and hope in this matter, as £385m (€448.09m/$602.33m) went to support CTF's cause. Intrigued by the result of their research, WDM representatives urge the government to cut off funds and state that World Bank doesn't do a good job at helping the poor overcome their drawbacks.
It appears that Walmart is one of the main companies benefiting from the activity of the 67.5MW wind park. The major enterprise is purchasing cheap energy at a discounted rate. While taking advantage of lack of strict regulations in the energy sector, Walmart can claim it is actually producing energy on its own.
The Clean Technology Fund strategies are developed to come up with effective methods of tackling several social issues, including poverty. Even if the wind park is aiming to change the way people feel about renewables while helping them save significant amounts of money, the recent report indicates progress is still far away, since changes are scarcely applied in favor of the needy.
"Developing countries urgently need finance to help them transition to a low carbon economy, but projects like the La Mata and La Ventosa wind park show the dangers of throwing public finance at multinational companies like EDF and Walmart,” reveals WDM policy officer Murray Worthy.
On the other hand, officials from Department for International Development (DFID) state they have no solid proof suggesting CTF is misguiding British aid funds, operating in the personal interest of major companies like Walmart.
"We have not seen any evidence to justify these claims,” said DFID officials.
All in all, Walmart seems to appreciate the boost given by renewables. The wind park is offering the clean power to this major company, helping it cut off 137,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, “equal to taking 21,000 cars off the road, “ according to Walmart's spokesperson.