United Nations Kicks NGOs Out of COP-15 Climate Conference

/PRNewswire/ -- The United Nations announced today it is permanently banning thousands of accredited non-governmental organizations from the COP-15 climate conference in Copenhagen.

The restriction was announced today outside the Copenhagen conference center after several thousand accredited NGO conference delegates, including three from the National Center for Public Policy Research, waited outside for eight hours or longer in 32-degree F temperatures for admission.

NGOs apparently are being banned because the United Nations accredited 45,000 people for a building with a capacity of 15,000, although the stated reason was "security concerns." The "security concerns" may be related to the fact that, after waiting several hours in the cold, delegations began to chant, "Let us in! Let us in!"

"To be an 'accredited' or 'admitted' NGO to a COP conference, NGOs must apply months in advance, and typically only make travel plans to attend after receiving complete credentials from the United Nations," said Amy Ridenour, president of the National Center for Public Policy Research, an accredited COP-15 NGO organization that is as of now banned from the conference. "To give credentials to 45,000 people while choosing a building that holds 15,000 people is insane, although the United Nations, to be fair, has never been known for competence."

"What makes this an even greater travesty," said Ridenour, "is the COP-15 conference ostensibly is trying to find ways to reduce the burning of fossil fuels. If 30,000 people fly to Copenhagen for no reason, doesn't that put unnecessary greenhouse gases into the atmosphere?"

Ridenour has formally asked the U.N., which is permitting some NGOs to have many delegates inside while others are permitted none, to limit each NGO to one representative as long as space limitations remain a concern.

"Some of these NGO delegations are from rich countries like our own," said Ridenour, "but for some NGOs, raising the funds to attend a conference in Copenhagen is a real financial hardship. The least the U.N. can do is let in at least one member of these delegations, so all of their money won't be wasted."

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Pelosi: 'Today's Action by Financial Services Committee Brings Accountability to Wall Street and Big Banks'

/PRNewswire/ -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today following passage in the House Financial Services Committee of financial stability legislation that will prevent future taxpayer bailouts of large financial firms. This bill will be part of a comprehensive package of financial system reforms, the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, that will be considered on the House floor next week.

"Today's action by the House Financial Services Committee brings accountability to Wall Street and big banks. When coupled with strong reforms to protect consumers and Main Street that the House will vote on next week, it will end the reckless practices that resulted in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.

"This major step forward would not have been possible without the leadership, vision, and commitment of Chairman Barney Frank. The Chairman's efforts to shepherd a comprehensive package of financial reforms through the Committee will ensure that Americans' homes, pensions, college savings and financial futures are protected and the House will vote soon on this legislation.

"We must bring to a close an era of massive taxpayer-funded bailouts, where banks and financial institutions gambled away Americans' hard-earned paychecks and engaged in practices that harmed consumers, punished responsible investors, shook the foundation of our markets, and left our economy reeling.

"Wall Street reform is a critical part of our effort to rebuild our economy, create jobs, restore the flow of credit to Main Street and small businesses, and establish the building blocks of financial security and stability for hard-working families nationwide."

Background on the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
-- Establishes a Consumer Financial Protection Agency to help ensure that
loans, mortgages, and credit card agreements are fair, understandable,
and affordable.
-- Ends the predatory lending practices that led to the financial
meltdown.
-- Prevents costly taxpayer bailouts.
-- Imposes tougher restrictions that end the riskiest financial
practices.
-- Brings accountability to the corporate boardroom by empowering
shareholders to have a say in reining in egregious executive pay and
bonuses.

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