BREAKTHROUGH: The Asian Development Bank Commits to End Asbestos Use!
We’ve received some huge news in the campaign to end asbestos use in Asia.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) in a statement to the ABC revealed that they would stop allowing asbestos products to be used in their projects from 2020. This will have a major impact on the asbestos industry in Asia.
Now, we need to continue pressuring the Australian government to raise the issue of asbestos use at the highest levels of the bank so that countries with an economic interest in asbestos don’t push back.
If you haven’t already signed the petition calling on the government to act, now is the time to sign!
In November, the Australian Senate voted unanimously to call on the Government to “lobby for a change in policy to end the use of asbestos in Asian Development Bank financed projects”. The Government responded to the motion by saying that they’ll be lobbying for a prohibition on asbestos products in ADB projects next year.
This is more great news, but we haven’t yet heard from the Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on whether he’s committed to raising this issue at the ADB Annual Meeting in Incheon, Korea in May.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is a Governor of the ADB and he can raise this issue at the highest level. Australia provides over $12 billion dollars to the Asian Development Bank and the Treasurer can use his voting power and influence to make sure that no development funds, and no Australian money, funds asbestos products.
We need to make sure that pressure from business interests don’t weaken the ADB’s commitment. We need more people to sign the petition to keep Australian money out of asbestos in Asia.
Will you help us reach 1,000 signatures?
An ADB prohibition on all asbestos products will be a major blow to the asbestos industry in Asia, as the ADB distributes $30 billion USD in loans, grants and assistance around Asia each year. Stopping this money from financing asbestos will also have a huge impact on the market for asbestos alternatives, and it will encourage more countries to ban asbestos.
Did you hear the news? 👏The Federal Senate has passed a motion supporting our campaign to keep Australian aid and…
Posted by Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA on Wednesday, 11 December 2019
Your support has helped us win these amazing steps forward, but we still need to keep up the pressure. We need a direct commitment from the Treasurer that making sure the ADB stops all asbestos products being used in their projects is a priority at the Annual Meeting in May.
Tell the Treasurer to Act!
We have over 800 signatures calling on the Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, to act to safeguard Australian aid and development money from financing asbestos. Will you help us reach our target of 1,000 signatures?