Expert opinion

	03.12.06 Victoria Panova G8 research group, University of Toronto, Director for Russia
	03.12.06 Mona Bricke German NGO Forum Environment and Development
	03.12.06 Nigel Martin Montreal International Rorum (FIM)
	02.12.06 John Kirton Head of G8 Research Group, University of Toronto
	02.12.06 Regina Gunter Head of the WWF Germany

News

WWF suggested that J. Bush should pay more attention to the climate change and sustainable forestry problems

Within the frameworks of his visit to the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg, USA President, J. Bush had a meeting with 13 Russian NGOs, including Wild World Fund.

Representatives of the regional NPO discussed a vast range of questions with the USA President: Russian NGO law, fight against terrorism, the necessity to realize the close connection between ecological and energy security, the idea of creation of the Global Center on the questions of “sustainable energy” under G8 and BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China), the usage of the Russian forest resources and The USA participation in the International Agreement on reduction of the greenhouse gas discharges after 2013 – the end of the first period of Kyoto Protocol.

At the beginning of the meeting, the president of the Russian WWF, Igor Chestin, handed J. Bush the report containing the polls among Chukotka natives, which clearly shows the sharp climate change.

Further on, they suggested creating a thinking tank on the energy sustainable development for the next 40-50 years.

WWF supports Russian President in his opinion that the future is with the renewable energy, however, they believe that the actions should be taken right now.

Another topic discussed with the American president is forestry sustainable usage. After prohibition on felling in China, the felling expanded in the Far East. There is an increase in raw wood import to China, where it is processed and 50% goes to the USA.

The Ecologists suggest tracing all the chains of this process, whether it follows the ecological norm and rules of sustainable forestry usage. They see it possible if done together with the Forestry Service of the USA.

WWF are ready to get down to this difficult but necessary and interesting work, besides the Fund has enough experience for that.

“The meeting turned out to be beneficial for both sides”, Chestin points out. Closing the meeting, on the request of his American colleague – president of the WWF, USA, he asked J. Bush to find a possibility to meet with USA Public Organizations after his return from the Summit, as the meetings like that had never taken place before.

Expert opinion

	02.12.06 Halter Marek Le College de France
	02.12.06 Olivier Giscard d’Estaing COPAM, France
	02.12.06 Mika Ohbayashi Institute for Sustainable Energy Poliсy
	02.12.06 Bill Pace World Federalist Movement - Institute for Global Policy
	01.12.06 Peter I. Hajnal Toronto University, G8 Research Group