Earth Equity News

World Economic Forum Ends With Little Consensus, But Pledges for Humanitarian Aid. By Tim Weber, BBC, January 31, 2010. "The World Economic Forum in Davos, the annual meeting of some of the world's most powerful business leaders and politicians ended with few new plans or real achievements. There was agreement though that job creation and free trade had to be key ingredients of any economic recovery. Larry Summers, economics adviser to US President Barack Obama, probably coined the most memorable phrase of this year's Davos when he said the world was experiencing a 'statistical economic recovery, but a human recession'... Arguably the most tangible result of Davos was probably a series of commitments to humanitarian causes. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda made the most spectacular announcement, pledging $10 Billion over the next 10 years to help research, develop and deliver vaccines for the world's poorest countries. Many business leaders also made detailed promises on how they or their companies would help Haiti to cope in the aftermath of the earthquake. This was not a normal year for Davos - it had few outcomes, but an intensity of discussion and debate that is unusual even for this high-powered event."