The BBC's Radio 5 (which plans to include our own Richard Baehr in its coverage of the upcoming US Congressional elections) has uncovered another example of incompetence, waste, corruption, and ineffectiveness in a UN—based environmental initiative.

Ministers announced that last year's G8 meeting would be the first ever carbon neutral summit and pledged that ｣50,000 would be given to a scheme in a township in Cape Town which provided energy saving light bulbs and fuel efficient stoves to local residents.

The money is being routed through the United Nations—run Clean Development Mechanism, which gives the stamp of approval to energy saving schemes.

However, the BBC has learned that the whole scheme has turned into a bureaucratic nightmare for the local council who face being left in debt.

Council spokeswoman Shirene Rosenberg said the British money would have to be spent on auditors hired from an international accountancy firm who would check on the efficiency of the scheme.

Other sources have said that one of the jobs of the auditors may be to count the light bulbs to check how many have been broken.

"It's been a complicated and onerous process," said Ms Rosenberg. "It would definitely make the council think twice about being involved in another project like this."

To repeat a very old joke. The three greatest lies in the world today are:

1. I'll respect you in the morning.

2. The check is in the mail.

3. I'm from the UN and I am here to help you.

Hat tip; Joe Crowley

Thomas Lifson   10 29 06