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Records of the Council on Environmental Quality (Clinton Administration)
Kathleen McGinty's Files
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FOIA Number: 2012-0769-F
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This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the William J. Clinton
Presidential Library Staff.
Collection/Record Group:
Clinton Presidential Records
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Council on Environmental Quality
Series/Staff Member:
Kathleen (Katie) McGinty
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2891
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61
5
11
1
*12 WATER: DUBLIN CONFERENCE WARNS OF IMPENDING CRISIS
More than 500 experts from 113 countries attended the
International Conference on Water and the Environment in Dublin,
Ireland last week, calling for "new measures to help solve the
emerging crisis in global freshwater resources" (GREENWIRE 1/31
#7). In response to a request from the Preparatory Committee for
June's UNCED conference in Rio, the participants issued the
"Dublin Statement," which called for "concerted action
to
reverse the present trends of overconsumption, pollution and
rising threats from drought and floods" (ICWE release, 1/31).
National Audubon Society's Steve Parcells: "The experts have
confirmed that long-term water security and human welfare depends
on protecting aquatic ecosystems" (Audubon release, 2/3).
FOR THOSE WHO COULDN'T MAKE DUBLIN: Some 200 scientists
from 50 countries met in Fortaleza, Brazil, for the First
International Conference on the Impact of Climactic Variations
THE NEW YORK TIMES INTERNATIONAL MONDAY, JUNE 8, 1992
A5
To Protect Bush, U.N. Will Limit Access to Talks
During treaty talks in April and May,
He declined to give details of the letter.
rich nations are discussing how to ex-
the United States succeeded in remov-
In addition, William K. Reilly, ad-
ert even more control over the less
ing from the treaty any targets or
ministrator of the Environmental Pro-
favored nations," read a statement
timetables for the reduction of gases.
tection Agency, said here over the
adopted by the assembly. "In doing so,
By JAMES BROOKE
ganizers, said, "We are here to show
"I don't think people give the U.S.
The United States has said that it op-
weekend that the United States will
they continue to ignore our unique
Brazilians that we are ashamed that
proper credit on environmental protec-
Specialto The New York Times
poses timetables, arguing that they
move to block the German initiative.
knowledge and technical skill which
our country is acting like a ball and
tion," he said.
could be costly and could hurt econom-
have been perfected over millennia in
RIO DE JANEIRO, June 7 - Fear-
chain at the Earth Summit."
Hoping to ease American "isolation"
ic activity.
A Different U.S. View
our special relationship with the eco-
ing demonstrations against President
The anti-Bush mood in Rio was
at the Earth Summit, Laurens Jan
Last week, three European countries
Senator Albert Gore, a Tennessee
systems which we inhabit."
Bush, the United Nations has drawn up
summed up Friday by a front-page
Brinkhorst, a spokesman for the Euro-
- Austria, Switzerland and the Nether-
Democrat who is leading a Congres-
But the relationship of one Brazilian
plans to close the Earth Summit con-
headline in an English language news-
pean Community, cautioned Saturday
lands - started an initiative to commit
sional delegation here, said today, "I
Indian to his environment caused envi-
ference center to representatives of
paper here: "U.S. Singled Out as Eco
at a press conference: "We don't want
signers to stabilize emissions immedi-
find it incomprehensible that we would
ronmentalists to wince today.
private environmental groups and to
Bad Guy."
a slugging match of everybody against
ately. In a separate move, Germany
object to other countries declaring that
Mário Juruna, a 49-year-old member
sharply reduce credentials for official
Some of the Americans here say the
the United States."
and other European nations are work-
they want to meet targets and timeta-
of the Xavante ethnic group, displayed
delegations, United Nations officials
Bush-bashing is not justified.
There were new reports today that
ing to gain support for the rapid adop-
bles."
for sale at the Global Forum, an envi-
said today.
the United States would continue its a
Starting Thursday, the day before
Leftist Ties Seen
tion of a treaty protocol to impose
More dissatisfaction with the Earth
ronmental fair here, the skin of a spot-
tough approach to a second treaty to be
targets and timetables.
Summit came today from a group
ted jaguar, an endangered species.
President Bush and as many as 110
Senator Larry Pressler, Republican
signed here, one to reduce emissions of
Fighting back, the United States sent
called Earth Parliament, a congress
"When Indians are free, we are go-
heads of state and government are to
of South Dakota, complained today that
carbon dioxide, methane and other gas-
a "threatening" letter to the Austrian
representing 220 groups from around
ing to sell snakes, caymans, and jag-
meet here, a new credential system
the Earth Summit reminded him of "a
es believed capable of warming the
Government in Vienna last week, ac-
the globe.
uars," Mr. Juruna, said to the dismay
will-bar virtually all private sector
meeting of the international left."
earth's temperature.
environmentalists from the center and
cording to one Austrian delegate here.
"At this moment governments of the
of assembled naturalists.
will limit official missions to four dele-
gates from each country, a United Na-
tions official who attended an emergen-
cy security meeting on Friday said.
The official said he expected that
press credentials would also be re-
strieted. United Nations credentials
have. been issued to about 1,500 envi-
ronmentalists and to about 5,000 jour-
nalists.
150 Protest U.S. Policy
Today, about 150 Americans
marched down Copacabana Beach in
the first public protest here against the
Bush Administration's environmental
policies.
"George Bush, you are embarrass-
ing us," read one banner raised by
American environmentalists protest-
ing the President's announced refusal
to sign a treaty to protect plants and
animals.
Chip Barber, one of the protest or-
THE BOSTON GLOBE
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1992
3
Nation
Fear expressed of runaway greenhouse effect
pressed fear among a growing number of cli-
controversy over the exact impact of many
"It would be arrogant nonsense to say
By David Chandler
GLOBE STAFF
mate scientists," said Jeremy Leggett, direc-
factors involved in the greenhouse effect,
that we could predict the transient effects,
tor of the science, atmosphere and energy
'If these climate models
"almost all the bouncing around from all the
or compensate for them," he said.
CHICAGO - Almost half of the climate
program of Greenpeace International, "that
prove - like all the
scientific uncertainties that has taken place
scientists from around the world surveyed in
global warming could lead not just to severe
has led to conclusions
Most scientists agree that drastic reduc-
in the last 20 years
a new poll say the greenhouse effect, caused
problems but complete ecological collapse."
forecasts of ozone
that have largely remained" within the same
tion of greenhouse gas emissions - primarily
by the burning of fossil fuels, could reach a
Leggett said most climate models al-
depletion - to be
range: that a global warming of about 3 to 9
by reducing the burning of fossil fuels and
point of no return, after which global warm-
ready predict global warming at a level that
degrees is likely sometime during the next
destruction of forests - could significantly
ing would continue to increase no matter
could produce significant damage to agricul-
significant
century - a range he characterized as being
reduce and delay the warming effect. But
what measures were later taken to combat
ture and ecosystems. "If these climate mod-
"from mild to catastrophic."
the scientists polled by Greenpeace warned
underestimates, we are
that without such reductions the world could
it.
els prove - like all the forecasts of ozone de-
But Schneider strongly disagreed with a
A leading climatologist said, meanwhile,
pletion - to be significant underestimates,
in potentially terminal
reach a point at which the warming might
suggestion by the National Research Coun-
that efforts to adapt to warmer global tem-
we are in potentially terminal trouble," he
trouble.'
cil's Adaptation Panel that agriculture might
become unstoppable.
peratures could be thwarted by the unpre-
said.
be able to adapt to such a change and that
The reason for that concern is that there
JEREMY LEGGETT
dictable and chaotic nature of the changes,
The survey asked for predictions based
productivity could be maintained. That con-
may be a variety of natural "feedback" ef-
making it almost impossible to predict how a
Grcenpeace International
on the assumption that no significant at-
clusion, he said, was based on the assump-
fects that are not yet understood and which,
given area might be affected.
tempts would be made to cut back on emis-
tion that the temperature change would
for the most part, have not been included in
Thirteen percent of the climate scientists
sions of carbon dioxide and other green-
come as a smooth, predictable increase.
computer models. For example, the deple-
polled by the environmentalist group Green-
house gases. International negotiations
search in Boulder, Colo., warned of the un-
In fact, he said, it is more likely that "the
tion of the ozone layer - a separate and un-
peace said that an unstoppable "runaway"
about proposed policies to attempt to reduce
predictability of the exact consequences of
more rapidly we force climate to change
related problem - could increase the green-
greenhouse effect is likely, and another 32
such emissions will resume in New York on
greenhouse warming in a lecture here at the
the more it is 'transient,' and the more un-
house effect by damaging plankton in the
percent said it is possible. Forty-seven
Feb 18.
annual meeting of the American Association
predictable it would be." And in turn, he
world's oceans and thus reducing their abili-
percent said it is unlikely.
Stephen Schneider, a climatologist with
for the Advancement of Science.
said, "the harder it is to predict, the harder
ty to remove carbon dioxide, the principal
"This result reveals an as-yet poorly ex-
the National Center for Atmospheric Re-
Schneider said that despite continuing
it is to adapt."
greenhouse gas, from the air.
PHOTOCOPY
PRESERVATION
BUSH WOULD OUST
RIO MEMO'S LEAKER
Calls Disclosure of Advice on
Ecology Treaty 'Insidious'
NGT
By ANDREW ROSENTHAL
Special to The New York Times
6-8-92
WASHINGTON, June 7 - President
Bush said today that he would like to
dismiss the official who made public a
confidential memo suggesting revi-
sions that might reverse the American
position on an international treaty to
protect plants and animals.
"Help me find him," the President
saidwat a news conference at Camp
David, Md.: He'd be gainfully unem-
ployed."
Mr. Bush and his aides were furious
at the disclosure by an unidentified
official last week of a confidential
memorandum from William K. Reilly,
the Administrator of the Environmen-
tal Protection Agency, who said the
United States should agree to what he
called "minor modifications" of the
treaty being considered at the Earth
Summit in Rio de Janeiro to alleviate
international criticism of Washington's
refusal to sign the document.
Hours after Mr. Reilly proposed the
changes, the White House chief of staff,
Samuel K. Skinner, and the President's
domestic policy coordinator, Clayton
Yeutter, rejected the idea.
Mr. Bush spoke at a news conference
at Camp David, the Presidential re-
treat In the Catoctin Mountains, where
he spent the weekend with Prime Min-
ister John Major of Britain. Although
Britain and Japan indicated on Friday
that they would sign the agreement,
known as the bio-diversity treaty, Mr.
Major today avoided criticizing Mr.
Bush for refusing to go along.
Britain's Problems 'Different'
"We all have different problems with
the bio-diversity convention, on the lev-
els of technology transfer, on the pro-
tection of intellectual property," Mr.
Major said, adding that Britain's prob-
lems were "different than those of the
United States."
Mr. Bush said Mr. Reilly had been
doing his job when he proposed the
changes in a confidential memo. But
referring to an article published Fri-
day in The New York Times, Mr. Bush
said, "For someone, who may or not
have been opposed to the document, to
the treaty, or any changes, to leak it,
it's insidious."
Although Mr. Bush acknowledged
that there was no issue of national
security at stake, he added: "I'd like to
find the leaker, and I'd like to see the
leaker filed - fired. Filed would be all
right: No, but the reason is, it's very
difficult to conduct government If
somebody, in his or her infinite wis-
dom, can shape the wisdom by leaking
documents."
Mr.Bush also said the political, mili-
tary and ethnic upheavals sweeping
Eastern Europe after the collapse of
Communism were "growing pains."
"The new world order is not facing
one common objective: an aggressive
international Communism," Mr. Bush
said.
'Nobody said that the emergence of
freedom would be easy," he said, add-
ing that of the countries now in the grip
of political and ethnic unrest, "I don't
know that any one of them wants to
now turn its back on democracy."
STATEMENT OF
LIZ BARRATT-BROWN
ATTORNEY, NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL
MEMBER OF CAPE ' 92
The high hopes for the climate negotiations were dashed last week
by the U.S. refusal to agree to an international commitment to
stem carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. On last day of
negotiations, the U.S. let one shoe fall -- commiting to a
package of modest actions at home but failing to join literally
all other industrialized nations in their commitment to stabilize
CO2 by the year 2000.
Like the ozone layer debate, the skeptics in the Administration
have argued too little is known to act and action is too costly.
Many of you will remember then Secretary of Energy Donald Hodel's
"hats and sunglasses" policy. The skeptics may have won. We will
have an ozone hole over the U.S. this summer while cheaper CFC
substitutes flood the marketplace. Let's not make the same
mistake with climate where energy efficiency measures are
expected to make the U.S. more not less competitive with Europe
and Japan. Let's not loose our forests for short-term profits.
Let's not create a waste trade rather than reduce pollution at
its source.
We have a major opportunity during Prepcom IV to reverse
destructive policies. Yet the Bush Administration has played
defense, engaging in "damage control" in order to preserve
business as usual. The U.S. position entering Prepcom can be
summarized as follows: NO TARGETS, NOT TIMETABLES, NO NEW MONEY,
NO NEW INSTITUTIONS (E.G. NO CHANGE).
The U.S. has failed to protect old growth forests while calling
on developing countries to protect their forests. The U.S. has
undermined the Endangered Species Act while talking piously about
protection of biodiversity. The U.S. has refused to ban a trade
in hazardous waste and to join in fashioning a "Code of Conduct"
for potentially hazardous biotechnology.
The American people are calling for a change. A recent Roper
poll showed overwhelming support for increased taxes -- on the
order of $200 per year -- to pay for additional environmental
protection. 50,000 people gathered to watch a live
teleconference from New York on the Prepcom and write letters to
the Administration. Congress is building support for resolutions
aimed at more sustainable practices at home and U.S. leadership
at the Earth Summit.
The message is: Sustainable development is not a term for
developing countries alone. Every year the U.S. subsidizes
billions in unsustainable practices. On public lands alone, the
U.S. has subsidized:
**
$5 billion for mining in last 10 years
** $600 million per year for deforestation of our national
forests, mostly for road building
** $2.2 billion for western water use, mostly for agriculture
and cattle ranching
** Grazing fees that pay only 1/3 of the costs of administering
the program, 1/4 the costs of the commercial price for grazing.
CAPE '92 and the citizens of the U.S. are asking the U.S.
negotiators to craft a different future and not to hold Prepcom
hostage to business as usual. We don't have much time. March is
critical. The time is now for change.
KY
7
JOINT STATEMENT OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA
AT THE FOURTH UNCED PREPCOM, 2 MARCH 1992, NEW YORK
(Ambassador Jamsheed K.A. Marker,
Chairman of the Group of 77)
Mr. Chairman:
Permit me to express on behalf of the Group of 77 and China our
serious desire to negotiate constructively towards a successful
conclusion for the objectives of this process in time for the Rio
Conference.
Our collective task would be considerably facilitated, Mr.
Chairman, if we continue our work on the best available basis, that our
mandate is contained within the agreed parameters of UNGA resolution
44/228. An agreement to continue our work on this basis constitutes
the only modality for overcoming the time constraint before us in this
last and vital session. We should now concentrate on elaborating
measures and strategies flowing from the elements of resolution 44/228.
There is agreement that development and the eradication of poverty
constitute prerequisites for collective action on the environment and
cannot be considered in isolation from it. There is no distinction
Asl
between the local and global environment.
Mr. Chairman, it has been agreed in resolution 44/228 that the
consumption patterns and the wastes consequently generated by the
developed countries are primarily responsible for the situation in
which we find ourselves, and that the developed countries have the main
responsibility of combating such pollution. The developed countries
should therefore elaborate strategies and measures to reverse this
situation.
This global compact on the environment and development towards
which we are working in these negotiations requires an examination of
the international economic environment, with a view to ensuring a more
integrated approach to environment and development problems in relevant
international forums without introducing new forms of conditionality
X
The developed countries must also make meaningful commitments on the
finances, technology and the endogenous capacity-building required by
the developing countries to join in redressing this situation for which
they are not responsible.
Mr. Chairman, the Group of 77 will match statement with statement,
process with process, and commitment with commitment within the context
of our respective responsibilities. We, however, cannot be expected to
match commitment with either statement or process.
Mr. Chairman, the Group of 77 and China will not be found wanting
in these negotiations. We would like to reiterate the commitment of
all our countries to provide a better environment for our citizens, a
commitment which we are all putting into action within the constraints
of our limited resources.
NYT 3/2/92
Balancing Industry With the Ecology
By PAUL LEWIS
stabilize the climate by reducing emis-
as an "earth increment" to the planned
Special to The New York Times
sions of gases implicated in global
replenishment next year of the Inter-
UNITED NATIONS, March 1 - A
warming and to protect threatened
national Development Agency at the
proposal for giving poor countries bil-
plant and animal species.
World Bank, which provides money
lions of dollars to help development
In addition, the Rio conference is
virtually interest-free to the poorest
without damage to the environment
expected to adopt a general statement
countries.
will be made on Monday at the opening
of ecological principles called the
This money would be earmarked for
of a major conference here.
Earth Charter.
environmental projects. Major aid-giv-
Industrialized countries would pro-
As their price for accepting these
ing countries are discussing replenish-
vide such "earth increments" through
goals, developing countries are de-
ing the development agency with some
existing aid-giving institutions.
manding additional financing from the
$17.5 billion over three years, starting
The conference was called to pre-
industrialized world as well as free
in July 1993, when its current fund will
pare for the world environmental sum-
access to advanced technology that
be exhausted.
mit meeting in Rio de Janeiro in June:
would help them industrialize without
In addition, Mr. Strong said, he will
the United Nations Conference on En-
ecological damage.
call for rich countries to give more
vironment and Development.
Unrealistic, Official Says
money to a new branch of the World
The aid proposal, to be made by
Maurice F. Strong, the Canadian who is
Mr. Strong said that asking for an-
Bank, the Global Environmental Facil-
Secretary General of the Rio meeting,
other $70 billion a year in aid was
ity, increasing the size of that fund to $5
unrealistic in today's economy.
billion or $6 billion, from $1.5 billion.
highlights the major problem confront-
But he said his consultations with
The World Bank uses this fund to
ing the preparatory meeting: how to
pay the huge cost of the environmental
governments suggested that develop-
help pay for projects it thinks will
benefit all countries. Its first loan went
cleanup that the Rio session is expect-
ing countries would be satisfied if the
ed to endorse.
industrialized nations offered "an ini-
to Poland earlier this year to preserve
tial commitment" to provide "$5 bil-
an unspoiled forest.
The Price: $125 Billion a Year
lion to $10 billion a year in extra aid.
First No, Then Yes From U.S.
In an interview, Mr. Strong said the
He said this money should be made
Industrialized countries argue that
developing countries would need about
available through several sources rath-
the Global Environmental Facility con-
$125 billion a year in aid to pay for the
er than from the single new Green
stitutes the "new and additional re-
new environmental programs, or $70
Fund under third-world control that
sources" the developing world is ask-
billion more than all the financial as-
China and several developing countries
ing for because the money they have
sistance they now receive.
favor.
put into it does not come from their
These new programs, intended to
In his address Monday, Mr. Strong
regular aid budgets.
make economic development environ-
will suggest that industrialized coun-
After first refusing to contribute, the
mentally sustainable, include steps to
tries agree to add $1 billion or $2 billion
Bush Administration changed position
last week and said it would provide $50
million to the global fund and $25 mil-
lion to individual developing countries
to help pay for environmental projects.
In mid-April, immediately after the
preparatory conference, former Prime
Minister Noburu Takeshita of Japan
will be the host of a high-level meeting
in Tokyo to consider additional ways of
financing the Rio conference's goals,
including possible global taxes on ener-
gy and pollution.
Mr. Strong said he had asked Japan
to set an example by committing itself
to provide developing countries with
substantial additional aid for environ-
mental measures. Japanese newspa-
pers have reported that the Govern-
ment is considering a commitment
similar to the $12 billion it gave toward
the cost of the Persian Gulf war.
The Rio Earth Summit, as it has
been termed, comes exactly 20 years
after the first United Nations Environ-
ment Conference, held in Stockholm in
1972, at which Mr. Strong also presided.
That meeting established environ-
mental protection as an aim of govern-
ment policy and led to the creation of
environmental ministries in most de-
veloped countries.
USA Today 2-18-92
U.S. stance may derail global warming treaty
By Linda Kanamine
The administration is at
"This enables nations to fo-
left the international negotia-
USA TODAY
odds with, most countries on
cus on those gases which they
tions mired," she says. "Urgent
stabilizing carbon dioxide
can control more efficiently,"
action is needed if we're to
The Bush administration's
emissions at 1990 levels.
says Michael Deland of the
avoid sinking into another glob-
desire to go its own way is like-
Instead, President Bush fa-
president's Council on Environ-
al environmental crisis."
ly to ruin chances for a world-
vors giving countries another
mental Quality.
The USA produces 20% of
wide global-warming treaty be-
year to devise independent
Fiona Weir of Friends of the
all greenhouse gases.
fore a June summit in Brazil.
strategies on heat-trapping gas-
Earth International in London
Treaty talks resume today at
es such as carbon dioxide,
doesn't agree.
Environmental impact, 7A
the United Nations.
methane and nitrous oxide.
"The American position has
Effect on the USA, 8B
USA TODAY TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1992 7A
OPINION USA
BRAMBLE: That could sink
INTERVIEW
the agreement among all the
nations.
What is Earth
"Shortsighted approach'
Q: Is the USA alone on the
Summit '92?
The USA is committed to
stantial importance in the
emissions issue?
a comprehensive approach
equation," he says. "We
Global warming
BRAMBLE: We stand virtu-
Purpose: A United Nations-sponsored meeting to develop
to the global warming prob-
think that is a very short-
ally alone on the climate issue.
a global plan for economic development and
lem that includes all green-
sighted approach."
But more important is that we
environmental protection of the Earth.
house gases and their
Deland explains that the
need to be leading and shaping
When: June 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
sources, not just carbon di-
USA's proposal is to have in-
a key to summit
these agreements. Because if
Key goals:
oxide emissions, says Mi-
dividual nations come up
we don't, they're not likely to
Set targets, timetable to cut emissions of greenhouse
chael Deland, chairman of
with comprehensive action
come out to our advantage.
gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane and CFCs,
the president's Council on
plans that would address
blamed for global warming.
Environmental Quality.
the issue of global warming
Q: What do you think the
Revitalize economies of developing communities.
The environmental ex-
from each nation's perspec-
USA should do?
Environmentalists say the president's refusal
Ensure availability of food, water and energy supplies,
pert says the carbon dioxide
tive. Such a "holistic" ap-
LASHOF: We've shown that
particularly to developing countries.
problem is peculiar to the
proach would set up a
to join other countries in setting carbon
an effective program of effi-
Eradicate poverty.
industrialized nations and
Prevent destruction of renewable resources.
worldwide trading mecha-
dioxide emission limits could sink agreement.
ciency and renewable-energy
does not take into account
Protect and preserve diverse selection of plant,
nism in gases.
investment could cut carbon
animal species.
the developing world.
"You could have one na-
dioxide emissions 25% by the
"We have been unwilling
tion make reductions in
Q: Why are the negotiations
to reverse its current position
year 2005 and 70% over 40
to subscribe to the political-
methane gas and another
resuming today on global
on global warming and sign a
years at a net profit to the econ-
What are the climate
ly popular program of time-
nation make reductions in
warming S0 important?
treaty that effectively deals
omy, creating jobs and helping
tables and targets" for in-
C02 and do SO in a cost-ef-
LASHOF: We see the negoti-
with the problem.
move us to technologies need-
negotiations?
dustrialized countries to
fective manner that makes
Q: But President Bush has
ed for the 21st century.
limit emissions of green-
both environmental and
ations as the keystone to the en-
Purpose: Fifth and final pre-summit gathering for
house gases "that focus only
economic sense," he says.
tire Earth Summit. A deadlock
refused to agree 10 specific
Q: The administration posi-
international negotiations to limit threat of global warming.
on C02 when there are sev-
on the climate negotiations has
controls on greenhouse emis-
tion is that focusing on CO2
sions responsible for global
alone isn't the way to go.
When: Feb. 18-28 in New York City.
eral others that are of sub-
- Sharon Shahid
the potential to undermine pro-
gress on the other issues. So it's
warming. If the USA doesn't
USA TODAY
LASHOF: We need to deal
essential for the United States
go along, what will happen?
with all the different green-
sponsibility for limiting their
Q: What will it cost the indi-
prices. Citizens are beginning
gard to these negotiations.
house gases. But in the past, the
development strategies to help
vidual if you do get your way?
to recognize not only are op-
administration has used that as
on the emissions problem.
LASHOF: For example, you
tions available, but we can no
Q: Excluding the U.N. nego-
a shell game to hide the fact it's
may pay $500 more to buy a
longer run from those options.
tiations, what's the one thing
not doing anything to deal with
Q: What is the cost if you
you'd like to see the govern-
don't get your way?
new car, but it will get 45 miles
Q: How much of a differ-
ment do for the environment?
the most important gas, carbon
per gallon instead of 25 mpg.
dioxide.
LASHOF: Undermining the
ence can average people
So you save about $200 a year
LASHOF: Increase automo-
make?
sustainability of natural ecosys-
Q: Where do developing na-
in gasoline.
bile fuel-efficiency standards.
tems. Putting our food security
BRAMBLE: Lots. There is a
tions fit in the debate?
at risk over the longer run.
Q: What are the signs that
U.S. Citizens Network (415-956-
BRAMBLE: Improve effi-
By H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY
EDWARDS: The major issue
Devastating coastal areas from
progress is being made on the
6162). It now has over 480 orga-
ciency in how we spend our en-
Edwards
Bramble
Lashof
they're raising is that they are
sea level rise from global
environment overall?
nizations around the country.
ergy because that would be a
unfairly taking the heat on
warming. Producing biological
EDWARDS: Citizens are be-
There are now hundreds of or-
real national security boost.
Don Edwards of the Panos Institute, Barbara Bramble of the
global warming. While they
diversity both from global
ginning to ask questions about
ganizations associated with this
EDWARDS: Take Detroit off
National Wildlife Federation, and Dan Lashof of the Natural Re-
produce a quarter of the
warming and forest destruc-
the impact of policies. Funda-
drive to try to put the United
welfare.
sources Defense Council were interviewed by members of USA
world's CO2 emissions, they
tion. Undermining long-term
mentally, the subsidy we give
States somewhere in the mid-
TODAY's editorial board and News and Life staffs.
are expected to take undue re-
economic competitiveness.
the auto industry in lower gas
dle of civilized society with re-
Global warming, 8B
8B TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1992 USA TODAY
THE ENVIRONMENT
Negotiations resume today on a global warming treaty - a plan that some say could cost industry billions of
dollars. Because of those potential costs, the Bush administration opposes the treaty, citing scientific uncertainty.
Effects of global warming
Bush, industry cool to calls for
Here are some of the problems
that scientists say may occur
because of global
Animals: Polar
warming, caused by
tough global warming controls
bears, walruses
chemical emissions
and seals could
trapping heat near
Forests: Minnesota
the Earth:
By Linda Kanamine
lose breeding and
sloppy and apparently unwilling to clean
est step to slowing global warming is to sta-
USA TODAY
migrating
up its act," says Fran Stivy-Weber of the
bilize carbon dioxide at current levels.
hemlock forests and
grounds as ice
U.S. Citizens Network for the United Na-
"We can do that with practically no
melts.
Michigan jack pines,
Squabbling over whether, when and
tions Conference.
change at all," Stivy-Weber says.
along with the species
how to reduce heat-trapping gases in the
The greenhouse effect is an aberration
that depend on them,
The Union of Concerned Scientists says
environment picks up this week amid
of the process in which water vapor and
may be lost.
energy-efficient technologies - such as
gloomy predictions of ecosystem disasters.
carbon dioxide trap the sun's radiation and
better insulation, lights, equipment, appli-
Representatives of more than 100 na-
warm the Earth, making it liveable. Burn-
ances and solar heating - could cut ener-
tions today resume negotiations at the
ing of coal, oil and gas has greatly boosted
Arctic
Migratory
gy demand by half within 40 years.
United Nations. Goal: Combat global
levels of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous
The group's study says a $2.7 trillion in-
circle
Drought: USA's
birds:
warming with an emissions-reduction trea-
oxide and other gases, trapping too much
vestment in efficient equipment now will
breadbasket,
Shorebirds that
ty that could be signed at June's Earth
heat near the ground.
save the USA $5 trillion in overall electric-
could suffer
fly from South
Summit in Brazil. But environmentalists
Some projections say average tempera-
ity costs over 40 years.
from more
and Central
fear the talks will produce only hot air.
tures will rise 4 to 8 degrees Fahrenheit
"If we don't take the lead, we will be im-
frequent
America to the
The Bush administration, fearing the
within 100 years, melting polar ice caps.
porting (energy-efficient) technologies for
droughts.
arctic could find
costs of forcing industry controls, refuses
Rising seas will flood coastlines and weath-
solving these problems," says Dan Lashof
their pit stop at
to accede to Europe, Japan and most other
er patterns will be extreme.
of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Coral reefs: Higher
Delaware Bay
countries favoring a cap of carbon dioxide
A new World Wildlife Fund study says
lacking food as
"This will undermine America's long-run
temperatures could
emissions at 1990 levels by 2000.
the yearly feast
the unusually quick pace of warming, and
economic competitiveness."
cause reefs in the
Instead, the administration favors a
eastem Pacific and
of horseshoe
not the actual temperature rise, will have
Some already are taking action to re-
Caribbean to lose
crab eggs will
loose agreement in which countries devise
grave effects on ecosystems:
duce carbon dioxide:
vast amounts of
have already
their own strategies to reduce all "green-
Already threatened species - the
New England Electric announced it
house" gases.
Florida panther, marine turtles, polar
would reduce carbon dioxide emissions
algae, begin
hatched because
of early warming.
"Carbon dioxide is the politically popu-
bears, migratory birds - won't be able to
bleaching, and die.
from its power plants 20% by 2000.
lar gas of the moment," says Michael De-
adapt to rapid habitat damage.
The American Forestry Association is
land of the president's Council on Environ-
Mangrove swamps, such as Bermu-
planting an added 100 million trees, which
mental Quality. "Other countries
da's, will diminish as rising sea levels
filter carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
committed to carbon dioxide reductions in
erode peat around tree roots, making
And the EPA - along with 143 compa-
Erosion: West, East and Gulf
a cavalier fashion, without any real idea of
them vulnerable to storms.
nies, six states and one city - launched
how those numbers will be achieved."
coasts may see increasing
Some things, however, would thrive and
the Green Lights project to install energy-
beach erosion and flooding
Critics say the administration has adopt-
spread as temperatures rise in colder
efficient lights.
ed an industry-coddling stall tactic.
climes: pest species and diseases.
Source: World Wildlife Fund, USA TODAY research
By Bob Laird, USA TODAY
"The United States is SO much more
Environmentalists say the first and easi-
Environmentalists' view, 7A
Clinton Presidential Records
Digital Records Marker
This is not a presidential record. This is used as an administrative
marker by the William J. Clinton Presidential Library Staff.
This marker identifies the place of a publication.
Publications have not been scanned in their entirety for the purpose
of digitization. To see the full publication please search online or
visit the Clinton Presidential Library's Research Room.
Earth Summit Update
No. 7. March 1992
Environmental and Energy Study Institute
122 C Street, N.W., Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20001
(202) 628-1400
Approval of UNCED Resolution Delayed by Industry Lobbying
The passage of a resolution on
is expected to decide whether or not
environmental agreements, pro-
U.S. policy toward UNCED by the
the climate change language will be
grams for a global energy transition,
House Foreign Affairs Committee
weakened.
new programs and institutions for
was temporarily derailed February
Approval of the resolution by
increased energy efficiency in de-
27 by a last-minute lobbying cam-
committee would clear the way for
veloping countries, agreements to
paign by energy industry and
early floor action in the House of
eliminate land-based sources of
electric utility interests.
Representatives.
Committee
marine pollution and consultations
After assurances from Republi-
sources told Earth Summit Up-
on debt reduction and natural re-
cans on the committee that they
date on February 26 that Fascell
source conservation (see page 4 for
would offer no opposition, the com-
intended to bring the resolution to
partial text).
mittee had been expected to approve
the floor "on the earliest possible
However, neither the State De-
the Fascell-Torricelli-Yatron reso-
date." The resolution, co-spon-
partment nor any industry group
lution (H. Con. Res. 283) at a markup
sored by Fascell and Subcommittee
had previously objected to language
February 27. But one hour before
Chairmen Robert Torricelli (D-N.J.)
calling for reform of national ac-
the scheduled hearing and markup
and Gus Yatron (D-Pa.), was sched-
counting systems in industrialized
on the resolution, the Global Cli-
uled for approval just six days after
countries, which has been official
mate Coalition, an industry group
separate resolutions introduced by
U.S. policy since mid-1991.
that opposes any U.S. commitment
Torricelli and Yatron were combined
For more information, contact
to control greenhouse gas emissions,
under Fascell's aegis. Other provi-
House Foreign Affairs Committee,
called committee staff to object to
sions of the resolution urge that the
2170 Rayburn, Washington, D.C.
language in the resolution urging
United States support a new mecha-
(202-225- 5021).
the President to negotiate an agree-
nism for monitoring international
ment that would "reduce the threat
of climate change
U.S. May Veto Key Parts of Agenda 21
Within minutes, the Edison
Electric Institute, a trade associa-
The U.S. delegation to PrepCom
sion to disassociate the United
tion of investor-owned utilities,
4, facing a series of confrontations
States from any of the negotiating
which is also a leading member of
with most other delegations on a
documents would not be taken
the Global Climate Coalition, de-
number of issues, is weighing the
lightly. "It would be regarded as an
manded that the provision calling
possibility of disassociating the
unfriendly act," commented one U.S.
for reform of national accounting
United States from some key parts
official involved in delegation dis-
systems be eliminated from the reso-
of Agenda 21, according to U.S. offi-
cussions. But U.S. officials are also
lution. Similar calls from individual
cials. Agenda 21 includes a long list
afraid that there may not be enough
utilities followed.
of national and international ac-
time at the PrepCom to go through
Finally, a leading private util-
tions on environment and
all of the issues in each program
ity in Committee Chairman Dante
development in 21 program areas,
area of Agenda 21.
Fascell's (D-Fla.) district made the
along with methods of implementa-
No decision has been made on
same demand. The committee's
tion.
how to handle the negotiating docu-
chief of staff then called off the vote
Officials told Earth Summit
ments that call for significant
on the resolution until industry rep-
Update February 21 that the U.S.
policies and programs that the
resentatives had a chance to make
delegation will strive to achieve com-
United States opposes, according to
their case. A meeting between those
promises wherever possible on
the officials, but the delegation is
representatives and committee staff
Agenda 21 issues and that the deci-
See Agenda 21, page 3
-ae
9 REU 03-20-92 08:35 EST 44 Lines. Copyright 1992. All rights reserved.
BC-ENVIRONMENT-GERMANY
BONN BACKS EARTH SUMMIT DESPITE BUDGET STRAIN
By Marcus Kabel
BONN, March 20, Reuter - Bonn is willing to pay more for
world environment and development plans negotiated at the United
Nations despite a budget stretched by German unity, Environment
Minister Klaus Toepfer said on Friday.
Toepfer said Bonn will press for funds at a U.N. Earth
Summit this June despite tough domestic spending limits imposed
until 1995 to deflate a multi-billion mark (dollar) deficit.
'It is true that we have to run a very restrictive budget.
But we have always made clear that we will not withdraw from our
international responsibilities because of that, Toepfer told
Reuters.
"The German government remains of the opinion that there
will be new and additional financial measures, he said,
referring to the U.N. Conference on the Environment and
Development (UNCED) to be held in Brazil.
National delegations in New York this month are negotiating
proposals to protect the Earth and aid developing countries that
could cost industrial nations up to 600 billion dollars if
PRESS RETURN TO CONTINUE OR ENTER A REQUEST.
agreed in Brazil.
''The point is to get as many states as possible at UNCED to
say 'ves, we too accept additional and new funding', Toepfer
said.
Toepfer spoke ahead of a Monday meeting of European
Community environment ministers in Brussels who will discuss a
joint position sought by the 12 EC states for the U.N. summit.
Economic powerhouse Germany is the EC's biggest nett
contributor, but its finances have been strained by rebuilding
former East Germany and pouring aid into Eastern Europe.
Toepfer said Bonn would not stop lobbying for more
environment and development funding by its own five-year budget
plan to slash a federal deficit that skyrocketed after German
unity in 1990.
Finance Minister Theo Waigel last week repeated his
commitment to strict budget discipline, pledging to narrow the
deficit to 25 billion marks (15 billion dollars) in 1995 from
52.1 billion (31.2 billion dollars) in 1991.
Toepfer said it was more likely UNCED would top up existing
funds than create whole new ones to pay for programmes like
technology transfers from rich to poorer countries to battle
pollution or preserve rain forests.
PLEASE ENTER A REQUEST.
talking points
Will the President Blame it on Rio?
April 2, 1992
President Bush
Threatens to Boycott
Rio Conference
President is Lone Holdout
on Global Environmental Conference
World Leaders Gather: The United Nations Conference on Environment
and Development (UNCED) to be held in Rio de Janeiro in June is likely
to be the largest gathering of world leaders to discuss international envi-
ronmental issues in two decades. Despite this, President Bush has not
announced his intention to attend the conference.
A Lone Boycott: For a President who has repeatedly called for a strong
American role in international affairs, his absence from this conference
contradicts his own policy. Every major world leader has announced their
intention to attend the Rio conference except for President Bush.
If ever there was a foreign trip the President should take, this
democratic policy committee
one is it.
Democratic Policy Committee
George J. Mitchell, Chairman
United States Senate
Thomas A. Daschle, Co-Chairman
Washington, D.C. 20510-7050
Monica Healy, Staff Director
dpc
Bush Administration - Dragging Its
Feet on Global Environmental Issues
The Bush Administration continues to resist any action that may yield
meaningful results in improving the global environment. The expansive
implementation strategy, known as "Agenda 21," which will be signed at
the Rio conference, may be so watered down due to pressure from the
Bush Administration that it will significantly lessen its impact and thereby
slow progress on meaningful international cooperation on the environ-
ment.
Bush Won't Comment: The Bush Administration supports only broad
policy statements for a separate convention on climate change but op-
poses making commitments on timetables or targets for controls on
greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, the Bush Administration agrees
on the need to reduce greenhouse gases, but will not commit to any
specific limit on emissions of greenhouse gases.
U.S. Blocks Ozone Language: In the debate over atmospheric pollution,
specifically ozone depletion, the U.S. has opposed language urging the
replacement of all ozone depleting chemicals with non-ozone depleting
chemicals.
U.S. Blocks Cutting Consumption: The U.S. has also opposed all
attempts to address the issue of reducing natural resource consumption
by industrialized countries. With just 5 percent of the world's population,
the U.S. consumes 20 percent of the world's resources. If these figures
are extended to include all industrialized countries, the ratio is even more
compelling, 20 percent of the population consumes 80 percent of the
resources.
Watered-down Rehash: Due to the intransigence of the U.S. position, it
is feared that the final declaration of the Rio conference will be trans-
formed from a strong, forward looking document to a meaningless
statement that repeats past issues and concerns.
DPC Talking Points
p.2
Bush Remains Hostage
to Narrow Special Interests
Hostage to Interests: Unfortunately, President Bush continues to be
held hostage to a group of special interests that have an interest in main-
taining the status quo on the environment thus placing the planet and our
children's future at risk. The Administration, paralyzed by fear of action,
refuses to recognize the potential benefits of effective, job creating tech-
nologies that can reduce pollution and improve the global environment.
Whats at Stakes -The World's
DPC Talking Points
p.3
*21 EARTH SUMMIT: IS U.S. WEARING A BLACK, WHITE OR GRAY HAT?
by Philip Shabecoff
NEW YORK -- The Bush Administration is taking a lot of heat
from critics who complain that the U.S. government is the major
obstacle to a successful Earth Summit.
Last week, for example, the N.Y. TIMES carried a front page
article quoting "rich and poor countries" saying that the United
States is "endangering prospects" for the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development, to be held in Rio de
Janeiro in June.
The criticism focuses in large measure on the United States'
refusal to commit to specific sums of new financial aid to help
the poorer countries develop in environmentally sustainable ways.
It also is aimed at Washington's refusal, so far, to agree to a
global warming treaty that includes goals and timetables for
reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
But many of the diplomats and international civil servants
working on preparations for the conference contend that the
positions of the U.S. are so varied and complex that it would be
an unjust oversimplification to cast Washington in the role of
the spoiler.
Last week, E. Curtis Bohlen, the head of the United States
delegation to the preparatory committee that is negotiating the
agreements to be signed by chiefs of state in Rio, stated for the
first time the Bush Administration's readiness to mobilize "new
and additional" resources to help the developing countries.
While it contained several ambiguities and made no specific
pledges of money, the statement had a immediate and almost
electrifying effect in instilling a new sense of optimism among
the delegates.
Meanwhile, negotiations on the global warming treaty are
continuing and, with the United States showing increasing signs
of flexibility in its position, an agreement is possible by June.
That being said, it is true that the U.S. delegation is
throwing a wet blanket over many of the aspirations of this
conference.
One of the far-reaching goals of UNCED, for example, is to
have the rich industrialized countries reduce waste and pollution
and share the planet's wealth more equitably by reducing their
consumption of resources, particularly energy. Such voluntary
sacrifice by the rich countries is seen as part of a global
bargain in which the poorer nations would take steps to stabilize
populations and channel their development in ways that did not
threaten the global commons.
But the United States is adamantly opposing any agreements
to set global standards for consumption. The U.S. delegation,
reflecting President Bush's declaration that the American
standard of living is not negotiable, says that consumption
patterns are matters of national, not global concern.
Similarly, the United States has been almost alone in
opposing a global attack on poverty, contending that is a matter
to be addressed at the local and national levels. Ambassador
Robert J. Ryan Jr. said that "people sitting in New York City"
cannot deal with poverty in faraway lands. (Of course people
sitting in the same building in New York City do manage to deal
with such matters as internal political conflict in places like
Cambodia.)
Another major goal of the conference is to promote the
transfer of environmentally benign technologies from the rich to
the poor countries at preferential and concessional terms. The
United States is digging in its heels against such a formula and
is calling instead for "technical cooperation" which does not
obligate the rich countries to give any financial breaks to the
poor.
The United States is opposing the inclusion of threats to
the environment from military weapons in conference documents.
It wants to reserve the option of using the oceans as a final
resting place for its decommissioned nuclear submarines.
Generally, the U.S. has been against any language in the
conference texts which place obligations on governments to act to
assure sustainable development or to help the poor countries.
Instead, U.S. negotiators have sought to ensure that any goals
set by the conference will entail only voluntary compliance by
member governments if they think such compliance is appropriate.
But the U.S., of course, is not the only nation here taking
hard-line positions that stand in the way of consensus
agreements. The bloc of developing nations has been heavy-handed
in making its agreement on any environmental program conditional
on commitments of substantial sums of additional aid. They have
also vigorously fought any proposals that smack of an
infringement on national sovereignty.
Other industrialized countries take the same negative
posture on finances, technology and other issues as the United
States -- they just do it quietly and let the United States take
the criticism.
Nevertheless, many of the environmentalists and others here
complain that, at best, the United States is conducting damage-
control operations in the preparations for the Earth Summit,
seeking only to limit its obligations in the post-Rio period.
Members of the American delegation, however, insist they are
playing a very active, positive role in many of the huge range of
issues that faces the delegates -- and some of the U.N. officials
agree.
One official said that the American delegates, in contrast
to some of the Europeans, were especially active in trying to set
an institutional mechanism to assure there is a permanent follow-
up to the Earth Summit.
Ambassador Ryan said at a news conference on Friday that the
United States has been especially effective in negotiating an
agreement to protect the oceans. The technology cooperation
issue, he said, was settled on the basis of a text submitted by
the U.S. delegation. The U.S. delegates have also been very
active on chemical and waste issues and introduced proposals for
a community right-to-know about the hazards of chemicals in their
vicinity. "I don't think any country has taken a stronger
position in recognizing the role of the nongovernmental
organizations in this process," Ryan said.
If the United States has gotten a bad rap as the villain of
the preparations for Rio, it has also failed to exercise decisive
leadership in the Earth Summit process. No nation has done so
yet. Former Japanese environmental minister Kazuo Aichi said at
a news conference that his country would step forward as leader
of the effort to save the global environment. But the Japanese
government has given little evidence it is willing to do so.
Neither has the European Community been particularly forceful
here.
Maurice Strong, secretary-general of the conference, and
Tommy Koh, the Singapore diplomat who is chairman of the
preparatory committee, have given forceful leadership on the road
to Rio.
But the United Nations is an organization of nation-states.
Unless a major nation or group of nations steps forward to demand
decisive action to assure an environmentally sustainable global
economy, whatever measures that are taken in Rio are likely to be
inadequate to the enormous task that faces the international
community in the coming years.
MEDIA MONITOR
*22 TV MONITOR
CNN's "Crossfire" hosted Fred Smith of the Competitive
Enterprise Institute and Rafe Pomerance of the World Resources
Institute for debates on global warming and whether President
Bush should attend the Earth Summit in Rio. Smith said increased
carbon dioxide levels might not be so bad: "We know that carbon
dioxide is a plant fertilizer which is a positive benefit to the
peoples of the world
Most of the indications are [that
increased carbon dioxide levels] look pretty good. Warmer
winters, warmer nights, no effect during the day because of
clouding
We're basically moving towards a world that sounds
a lot more like heaven than hell." Show co-host John Sununu:
"The fundamental issue is, do you make a trillion dollar
commitment to stop growth and economic development?" Pomerance:
"The first steps you take are the cheapest ones
The point is
UNCED - Buchanan vs Bush
AP 04/01 03:53 EST V0933
FYI
Copyright 1992. The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Minnesota Republican leaders want Patrick Buchanan -- if
he won't take their advice to get out of the race -- to spend his time here
focusing on Congress and leaving President Bush alone.
Nothing doing, says the defiant GOP challenger.
"They asked me not to get in in the first place. We didn't take their advice
then; we're not taking it now," Buchanan said as he began a three-day visit to
Minnesota
The conservative commentator met briefly on Tuesday with state party Chairman
Bob Weinholzer, who issued a statement asking Buchanan to withdraw and support
Bush.
"We are hoping Mr. Buchanan is here 10 do battle with the Democrats," said
Weinholzer, state co-chairman of the Bush campaign. "If he insists on staying
in, (we ask) that he focus on Congress and go after them."
Buchanan did one thing the GOP leaders wanted: He aimed at least some of his
fire at Congress.
Buchanan was sharply critical of Congress at a news conference but also said
administration policies are outdated and Bush is a "man of yesterday."
"He is locked into the patterns and ideas of yesterday, and tomorrow is
coming right down the road at us," he said. "There's a whole new world order."
Buchanan said voters are "Ied up with broken promises, with unbulanced
budgets, with $500 billion dollar S&L scandals, with secret pay raises in the
middle of the night, with check-kiting schemes."
"They want a vehicle to say, 'We're fed up with both political establishments
and we want change in America' and I can be a vehicle of that protest," Buchanan
said.
Buchanan attacked foreign aid and called for cutting $15 billion, especially
funds for Israel and Egypt.
He also criticized plans to bail out the former Soviet Union and offered debt
relief as an alternative. The president was unveiling his long-awaited aid
package to the former Soviet republics today.
Buchanan also urged Bush to avoid the "Earth Summit" June 1-12 in Rio de
Janeiro, saying carbon dioxide limits being urged would strike a "crippling blow
to the American economy."
"We think if I can keep this campaign going, we can get a lot more out of Mr.
Bush," he said. "I think we can get him to use the line-item veto, we can get
him to index capital gains, we can get him to stay home from that Rio summit."
Bush has said he would refuse to go along with a blanket cut in carbon
dioxide emissions, which some researchers say causes global warming.
ST.
SRNL.
WALL
3-31-92
Road to Tokyo, Rio, Bitburg
President Bush, we hear, is think-
ing diversity of its plant and animal
ing about topping off his Tokyo trip
life, and another would set limits on
with a jaunt to Rio de Janeiro for the
emissions of carbon dioxide and other
international "Earth Summit" in
gases said to contribute to global
early June. The notion seems to be
warming. If taken seriously, these
that he could reap hosannas by
measures imply anything from na-
charming the environmentalists and
tional zoning laws to population limits
sating the cash appetite of the Third
on cities.
World. In short, his travel managers
All in all, Rio is about the last
have a sure nose for debacle.
place a U.S. President ought to show
The "Earth Summit" will attract
up, especially during an election cam-
30,000 government officials and envi-
paign. All of us certainly do want to
ronmental activists who will spend $30
work for a decent environment, and
million to discuss how to reduce the
all of us want the Third World to de-
world's consumption of resources. The
velop economically. But at any given
summit's theme is "sustainable devel-
moment the demands of each is an in-
opment," which amounts to a call for
satiable maw; no matter what he
reduced development. This theory
does, the President can expect contin-
holds that developed nations such as
ued criticism from these quarters. His
the U.S. have spoiled the environment
attendance at Rio will only escalate
by engaging in economic activity and
expectations, demands and criticism.
must cut back on everything from en-
Meanwhile, he'll have to explain to
ergy consumption to water use.
voters back home why the govern-
ment can't afford to spend more
But since in fact wealthy nations
keep themselves cleaner, poor nations
money on domestic concerns. Going to
Rio is putting the President in a no-
struggling to get wealthy will also
have to reduce their economic growth.
win situation, like toting auto exec-
utives along to Japan.
To convince them to do so, the Rio
We wonder what Mr. Bush's travel
summit will try to get wealthier na-
tions to pony up an additional $70 bil-
agents have in mind for his next trip.
A little climb on Mount Pinatubo per-
lion in foreign aid. This is a kind of
haps? Maybe he could visit South Af-
bribe the advanced nations will pay to
rica and start a dialogue with Xhosa
keep the developing nations from de-
and Zulu factions. Maybe he could
veloping and thereby creating pollu-
personally save the West Bank and
tion. Even if the money actually
reached poor people rather than local
Gaza Strip. For the European leg, Mr.
kleptocrats, we doubt that the Ameri-
Bush could look in at Sarajevo, the
capital of the almost-nation of Bosnia,
can people will be attracted by the no-
where World War I was touched off.
bility of this cause.
And finally, we have no doubt some
Then there is the matter of two le-
German politicians could be found
gally binding treaties the U.S. is being
who would be happy to give him a
pressured to sign in Rio. One would
guided tour of that military cemetery
require the U.S. to preserve the exist-
in Bitburg.
BUSH
1
UNCED
plall
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PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
Copyright Philadelphia Newspapers Inc. 1992
DATE: SUNDAY March 22, *1992*
PAGE: E06
EDITION: FINAL
SECTION: EDITORIAL
LENGTH: LONG
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
AD PRAISING ADOPTION BRINGS STRONG REACTIONS
The Arthur S. DeMoss Foundation pro-life ads are wonderful, positive, life
affirming. They do not attack Roe V. Wade or criticize the abortion industry.
They simply point to the best choice - life.
The vehemence of criticism from the usual pro-abortion fanatics in the
National Organization for Women, National Abortion Rights Action League and
Planned Parenthood only points up what we in the pro-life movement have been
saying all along. These organizations and their supporters are pro-abortion,
anti-child and anti-life. Their support of abortion is really based on hatred
- for men, for bearing children and sadly, for their own womanhood.
Their criticism of these beautiful, positive ads speaks volumes about their
bitterness, their selfishness and their callous disregard for any human life
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other than their own.
Thomas A. De Simone
Marlton, Burlington County
LIMITED VIEWPOINT
''If you have ever been a mother, the (Arthur S. DeMoss Foundation) ad
evokes a tremendous surge of love, said Peggy Kenny of the Louisiana Right
to Life Federation (as quoted in Fawn Vrazo's March 15 article, 'A new tack
in abortion debate, and new discord'').
Well, I am a mother, and when I see these ads, I get a surge all right - of
anger and disgust at the limited viewpoint being portrayed. I want to know
where the birth mother is - why isn't her anguish and sacrifice portrayed? And
I want to know why all the children shown are physically and mentally healthy.
Why aren't the thousands of physically and mentally handicapped children - who
will never be adopted shown as being available for adoption right now?
The money would have been better spent on placing these ''unadoptable''
children into loving homes. Until we take care of the children we already
have, we cannot justify creating more who will be abandoned.
Lorraine Petrie
Cherry Hill
IF IT'S A CHOICE, SHUT UP
In the March 15 article about the pro-life television commercials, Debbie
Levy McKenney is quoted as saying, 'Adoption is a legitimate choice.
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Actions of course speak louder than words. The actions of Ms. McKenney and
other pro-abortion advocates give a much more accurate picture of their
feelings on adoption. Planned Parenthood supporters are trying to find a way
to block these advertisements. Yet at the same time Planned Parenthood
affiliates have spent megabucks on full-page ads in many newspapers and
magazines. I suppose they would like freedom of speech to be reserved for only
April 2, 1992 2:16pm Page 2
those who agree with their point of view.
Ms. McKenney describes her reaction to the ads as 'screaming and pacing''
and 'very, very angry. This is hardly what we would expect from someone who
feels adoption is a ''legitimate choice.
One must wonder why the mere mention of adoption would bring about such a
response. Why would anyone prefer having a child torn limb from limb to
placing the child in a loving home?
The answer unfortunately is simple: Money. Abortion is big business.
Clinics do not make a profit by referring a client to an organization such as
Birthright, which will help her carry her baby to term. After all, as in any
business, it's the bottom line that counts.
Barbara Burke
Voorhees
BIRTH MOTHER IS VICTIMIZED
I've seen anti-abortion commercials on several television stations that I
feel should be taken off of the air.
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One of the ways that our family puts commercials into the proper
perspective is to ask the question 'What are they selling us now?'' When this
anti-abortion commercial came on, we had to think for a minute, but decided
that the message was that 'mothers don't count.
The commercials present a rosy picture of supply and demand, implying that
there is a lucrative market for white babies. Well, we already know that, but
our society has always shied away from advertising babies and paying for them
because it could encourage women to have children for monetary gain - to get
paid for their labor. This is seen as a threat because it trivializes human
life.
Yet people are not outraged by this commercial even though it encourages
the production of children to satisfy the demand for healthy, white babies.
It's accepted because it does not appear to trivialize human life.
The makers of the commercial were careful not to include the birth mother,
because it is her life that is being trivialized and it is she who is being
victimized by this message.
People take this commercial seriously because no one cares if the woman
survives economically, emotionally or even physically. She has committed a
transgression against society and must do penance - she must pay for her sin.
''A'' for adoption has become society's new scarlet letter.
Kathleen Gentilcore Ruben
Marlton, Burlington County
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THIS IS CAUSE FOR SCREAMING?
Above the din of the abortion battlefield, the DeMoss Foundation gently
struck a chord with its ''Life. What a beautiful choice'' ad.
Planned Parenthood supporters called for a ban on the ad and pro-abortion
leader Debbie Levy McKenney was caused to 'scream and pace.
If the truth and beauty of the DeMoss Foundation ad disturbs the pro-
abortion leaders, perhaps they should ask themselves why.
Mary B. Hickey
Unionville, Chester county
WHAT ABOUT IMPERFECT BABIES?
Those ''Life. What a beautiful choice'' ads on prime time TV have been
sticking in my craw for some time now.
To me these ads are saying: All babies are born happy and healthy and grow
up to lead productive lives; don't deny them the right to life because they
April 2, 1992 2:16pm Page 3
weren't planned.
Well, that's just great, except that all babies are not born happy and
healthy, whether they're planned or unplanned. And to imply that they are is
wrong.
Those ads would sit a lot better with me if they showed some of the
failures as well as the successes. Showing a drooling kid in a wheelchair or a
20-year-old banging his head against a wall might bring a different reaction
from the viewer than showing happy kids getting hugged.
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And this is all beside the point of the so-called crack babies and those
who are kept alive by extraordinary means only to face barren, futile lives,
many of them in institutions.
I object to those ads because I do not think the end justifies the means.
Anne B. McClellan
Newtown Square, Delaware County
A POSITIVE MESSAGE
''Life. What a beautiful choice!''
That is the message of a series by the anti-abortion people. At last, some
people in this group have finally begun using their brains rather than their
emotions. Congratulations! This is a positive message with which most pro-
choice people can agree.
I pray this group will now communicate with the abortion clinic terrorists
and help them understand how their tactics are actually counterproductive to
the communication process. Perhaps then both sides in the abortion issue will
begin to have a dialogue instead of confrontations.
Tom Long
Media
IMPROVING ENTERPRISE ZONES
The excellent March 8 Commentary Page article by Donald Kimelman on the
lonely vigil of Seitchik & Sons illustrates how an enterprise zone business
toughs it out. Zone residents and businesses are crying out for adequate anti-
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crime measures. Businesses want tax incentives to come into zones, low
loans to stay in them and ''adequate'' city services to prosper in them.
Enterprise zone businesses and the city administration need to form a
''public-private partnership'' if we're to incubate businesses in
Philadelphia. Zone members and the city need to communicate in order to get
mutual solutions to mutual problems. So how can we develop a comprehensive
long-range strategic planning process to survive and prosper?
As president of the Hunting Park West Enterprise Zone Business Association,
I propose the creation of a blue-ribbon committee of leading enterprise zone
businessmen and women, community neighborhood leaders, and city administration
spokespeople, to discuss enterprise zone issues and needs. Their concerns
should not be limited solely to city services and anti-crime measures, but
should include looking for ways to make our enterprise zones (and inner-city
areas) safer, better functioning and more prosperous.
Bernard E. Featherman
Philadelphia
RIO EVENT IS OF HIGHEST IMPORTANCE
In response to the March 8 editorial on President*Bush' s*avoidance of the
United Nation's Conference on Environment and Development* (UNCED) *in Rio de
Janeiro in June, I am pleased to finally see the issue beginning to be
discussed in the public forum. The lack of public awareness about the
conference is both sad and alarming. However I fear the timing of the
April 2, 1992
2:17pm
Page 4
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editorial may be a day late and a dollar short.
Although the stance taken was that Mr. *Bush*should go, the suggestions
could have been made that citizens could help encourage U.S. participation by
supporting the congressional resolutions that call for the United States to
play a substantial leading role at*UNCED. *Also, the importance of the final
preparatory meetings currently being held at the United Nations headquarters
in New York cannot be exaggerated. A call for citizen pressure could help
influence the*Bush*administration to play a more substantial role.
A sense of political vision beyond the elections in November would see
UNCED as a landmark for the future course of humankind, a benchmark signaling
which of the two possible paths we will take:
Will we follow the path the Bush administration has thus far exemplified
- business as usual, procrastinating our way into the future until we have
degraded our planet into a global ghetto and are inevitably forced to make
changes out of desperate necessity? Or will we begin the change in Rio and
meet the monumental challenge ahead of us with the kind of national vision
John F. Kennedy called for to put the United States on the moon?
The global conference in Rio is not high on the President's priorities
because he suffers from political nearsightedness, a disease that will be
cured only by public outcry. But the window of opportunity is also quickly
ending.
There is no issue of greater importance than the opportunity presented
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before us to create a more viable future. We the people must encourage our
government to take the role of leadership at Rio in June. Nothing less is
acceptable.
John Hasse
Mullica Hill, Gloucester County
*
Your editorial about President Bush and the upcoming ''Earth Summit''
conference made some good points about the need for the United States to be
more supportive of international environment-protecting measures. But it
failed to note the excellent economic reasons for taking such a stance.
Because this country began to legislate seriously about the environment
earlier than other nations, we now have the best developed, and in many ways
the most technically advanced environmental cleanup industry. This industry
generated domestic sales of $130 billion in 1991, continued to grow at a
double-digit pace, currently employs two million people and exported more than
$6 billion worth of pollution control equipment and environmental services
last year.
The endemic ecological woes now sweeping the planet are providing enormous
economic opportunities to export our own hard-won expertise in this field - a
process that would not only benefit the natural environment, but prove a boom
to our national economy. Instead of fudging on environmental protection to
protect domestic polluters, in other words, Mr. Bush should go to Rio and
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ballyhoo our unique abilities to solve ecological problems.
The old choice paradigm that pits ''the environment against economic
development'' is totally passe. You either have a clean, efficient, low-
polluting and prosperous society, or you become a foul, waste-spewing
economic backwater. It would be nice if ''our man in Rio'' were to reflect an
understanding of this new environmental economics at the Earth Summit.
APR 07 '92 09:
P.1
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION NETWORKS
TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1992
GLOBAL WARMING NETWORK ONLINE TODAY
A Daily Executive Summary Covering World News on Climate Change
INTERNATIONAL REPORT
pointed out that U.S. negotiators were attempting to remove
SUCCESS OF UNCED HANGS IN THE BALANCE AS
requirement that all nations submit an annual environmental
NATIONS ASK "WHO WILL PAY?"
progress report.
P
Last Friday, the final round of UNCED Preparatory Committee
The U.S. has consistently rejected international propesals for
deliberations ended on a note of disillusionment for many
curbing the emissions of CO2, the principal contributor to
involved. The major covenants including the World Forest
anthropogenic, global warming.
Agreement, the legally binding Climate Change and
(BOSTON GLOBE: 4/3)
Biodiversity Conventions, and the Earth Charter, a proposed
"Magna Carte for the Planet", remain unresolved. The primary
cause of the stalemate is the issue of funding.
EDITORIALS. REVIEWS AND ASIDES
UN officials have estimated the costs of environmental cleanup
DECLARATION OF EARTH SUMMIT PRINCIPLES
and the funding of appropriate technology for developing
nations at around $125-150 billion. The financial
The following are excerpts from the working draft of a
responsibilities would be split among the wealthier
declaration of sustainable development principles to be signed
industrialized nations. Disagreements as to who should pay
this June at UNCED:
what, and how much, have virtually paralyzed the Earth Summit
negotiations.
THE CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENT AND
DEVELOPMENT
Assistant Secretary of State, Curtis Bohlen said that "we've lost
a great opportunity. It's a great disappointment to many of us
"Principle 1: Human beings are at the center of concern for
that we could not agree on finances." World Forest Agreement
sustainable development. They are entitled to a healthy and
talks took a turn for the worst when Malaysia blocked any
productive life in harmony with nature.
hopes for a compromise. Malaysia is currently denuding its
"Principle 2: States have, in accordance with the Charter of the
forests at the most rapid rate in the world.
United Nations and the principles of international law, the
The Climate Convention and World Forest Agreement are
sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to their
strongly tied together as proposals that attempt to halt global
own environmental and developmental policies, and the
warming. Scientists have identified the world's forests as a
responsibility to insure that activities within their jurisdiction or
major carbon sink that plays an integral role in the earth's
control do not cause damage to the environment of other states
climatic regulation.
or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction.
The 160 participating nations did come to a relative agreement
"Principle 3: The right to development must be fulfilled so as to
on the basic commitment of all nations to sustainable
equitably meet developmental and environmental needs of
development (See "Earth Summit Principles below).
present and future generations.
The text of the declaration indicates a recognition by the
"Principle 5: All states and all people shall cooperate in the
industrialized nations of their role in environmentally
essential task of eradicating poverty as an indispensable
sustainable economic growth. The document states that those
requirement for sustainable development, in order to decrease
who pollute should take the responsibility for the cleanup costs.
the disparities in standards of living and better meet the needs
of the majority of the people of the world.
The draft of the declaration is not a legally binding document.
Efforts are underway to provide mechanisms for enforcement
"Principle 8: To achieve sustainable development and a higher
through a UN monitoring system.
quality of life for all people, states should reduce and eliminate
unsustainable patterns of production and consumption and
(WASHINGTON POST: 4/4)
promote appropriate demographic policies.
"Principle 13: States shall develop national law regarding
ENVIRONMENTALISTS GIVE U.S. AN "F" AT UNCED
liability and compensation for the victims of pollution and other
PREPCOM NEGOTIATIONS
environmental damage. States shall also cooperate in an
expeditious and more determined manner to develop further
Representatives of the environmental non-governmental
international law regarding liability and compensation for
organizations (NGOs) citing a lack of political leadership and
adverse affects of environmental damage caused by activities
commitment to the values of the Earth Summit, vowed to take
within their jurisdiction or control to areas beyond their
matters into their own hands come this June in Rio de Janeiro.
jurisdiction.
Preparatory sessions have been bogged down in hours of
"Principle 15: In order to protect the environment, the
disagreement over singular words and phrases contained in
precautionary approach shall be widely applied to states
documents that are hundreds of pages in length.
according to their capabilities. Where there are threats of
The NGOs reserved their harshest criticism for the United
serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty
shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective
States. Barbara Bramble of the National Wildlife Federation
measures to prevent environmental degradation."
speaking on behalf of the environmental NGOs, accused the
United States of "seeking to remove every reference to
For a copy of this document call UN Info, Phone:(202)
implementation (of any environmental program)." She also
289-8670.
========
Copyright 1992 by Environmental Information Networks, Inc.; 119 South Fairfax Street; Alexandria, Virginia 22314.
Phone: (703) 683-0774 Fax (703) 683-3893.
ENVIRONMENT AID
FOR POOR NATIONS
AGREED AT THE U.N.
SOME ISSUES UNRESOLVED
Industrialized Countries Vow
to Help Others to Develop
NEW YORK TIMES
Without Hurting Nature
4-5-92
pg.1
By PAUL LEWIS
Special to The New York Times
UNITED NATIONS, April 4 - Rep-
resentatives from more than 160 na-
tions agreed early today on a document
that commits the industrial nations of,
the Northern Hemisphere to help poor-
er Southern countries develop in a way
that will not damage the environment.
The document, in draft form, was the
only full accord to come out of five
weeks of negotiations here in prepara-
tion for an international environmental
conference in Rio de Janeiro in June.
But three other major issues taken
up in the preparatory negotiations re-
main unresolved.
What Was Not Settled
Although the conference adopted
portions of Agenda 21, a plan for clean-
ing up the world's environment In the
21st century, disputes continue on how
to pay for the cleanup, whether devel-
oping countries should have free ac-
cess to new, environmentally sound
technologies, and how to safeguard the
world's forests. Discussion of these Is-
sucs resume In Rio.
Also unresolved are two legally bind-
ing conventions - one on stabilizing
climate and the other on protecting the
diversity of plant and animal life.
The draft Rio Declaration on Envi-
ronment and Development commits
the world's nations to a number of
principles that have not been univer-
sally accepted before. Al its heart is an
agreement that eradicating poverty Is
an "Indispensable requirement for sus-
tainable development." [Text of the
declaration, page 10.]
Costs and Precautions
The other main points are that those
who pollute should bear the cost of
cleaning up, that nations should guard
against environmental damage even if
there are not established scientific rea:
sons for precautions, that women have
"a vital role in environmental manage- -
ment and development" and that while
nations have a right to exploit their
own resources, they have no right to
"cause damage to the environment of
other states or of areas beyond the
limits of national jurisdiction."
The richer northern countries ac-
knowledge, in convoluted language,
that the damage their own industrial-
Ization has done, as well as the greater
wealth they have acquired, give them a
special responsibility to help poorer
lands ralse living standards In environ-
mentally safe ways.
And developing countries, which
have environmental problems like
overgrazing of land and the destruction
of forests, pledge to curb soaring birth-
rates that contribute to poverty and to
environmental degradation.
The declaration, which was adopted
early this morning, emerged out of a
Continued on Page 10, Column 3
Continued From Page I
long and bitter North-South political
struggle that dominated the meeting.
NEW YORK TIMES
At first, the negotiators hoped to
4-5-92
draft an Earth Charter, which the in-
dustrial nations saw as a relatively
Pg2
short statement, committing countries
in soaring, visionary language to safe-
guard the world's natural inheritance.
But developing nations insisted on a
more detailed, pragmatic document
that would force the North to take
responsibility for the world's environ-
mental difficulties and promise to help
them continue their development safe-
ly. In addition to financial help, the
developing countries are asking the-
cricher ones to share new manufactur-
ing techniques that will enable them to
industrialize without polluting.
At the last moment, Israel threat-
ened to prevent unanimous approval of
the declaration, arguing that a refer-
ence to safeguarding the natural re-
sources of "people under oppression,
domination and occupation" constitut-
ed "political pollution" of the text by
the Palestine Liberation Organization
and its Arab allies.
But this dispute was put aside, and
the conference approved the compro-
mise draft by acclamation.
Third World Nations Happy
"The declaration captures the mid-
die ground between the North's con-
cern with cleaning up the environment
and the South's concern with continu-
ing its economic development," a
Western diplomat said afterward.
Developing countries appeared par-
ticularly pleased with the final text,
seeing it as a victory for their view that
any general statement of environmen-
tal principles must also address their
development needs.
"Developing countries feared recolo-
nization through environmental condi-
tionalities because they are. weaker
than the North," said Tariq Osman
Hyder of Pakistan, chief negotiator for
the Group of 77, as the developing
Steve Berman
countries call themselves at the United
Maurice Strong, Secretary General of the United Nations Conference
Nations. "But this document achieves
a middle point between northern and
on Environment and Development, during a news conference before
southern goals."
the end of five weeks of negotiations in preparation for an international
Annual Cost Estimate
environmental meeting in Rio de Janeiro in June.
The United States gave some ground
during the talks. Before, it did not
trial nation has committed any specific
Such an increase in aid is generally
acknowledge the need for new re-
amount of money.
dismissed as unrealistic in the present
sources in developing countries to help
It is estimated that the poorer na-
economic climate. But some European
pay for cleaning up the environment.
tions will need $125 billion a year in
diplomats say they expect the wealthy
But after criticism, Washington agreed
foreign assistance to fully carry out
nations to pledge $3 billion to $6 billion
to join others from the industrial world
Agenda 21 - about $70 billion more
in additional assistance at the Rio
in the view that developing countries
than the $55 billion they receive in aid
meeting. In addition they argue that
will need further resources. No indus-
from the North today.
current aid will increasingly be given
Trying to avoid
the damage that
can go with
NEW YORK TIMES
development.
4-5-92
pg.3
for environmentally sound projects re-
lated to Agenda 21.
North and South are also divided
over how to give the poorer countries
better access to environmentally sound
technologies developed in the industri-
al world and how to protect the world's
remaining forests.
Malaysia, India and other developing
countries with substantial forests are
reluctant to acknowledge that that they
have an obligation to preserve them in
order to prevent changes in climate
that affect other countries, as the
North wants.
Providing Enforcement
While neither today's draft declara-
tion nor the full Agenda 21 is legally
binding, a means for monitoring com-
pliance is expected to be devised in Rio
de Janeiro. This would put pressure on
violators through public criticism;
much like with the enforcement of hu-
man. rights standards.
Some nations favor creating a new
Sustainable Development Commission
to follow up on the commitments made
by nations in Rio de Janeiro, while
others say thisshould fall to the United
Nations Economic and Social Council.!
The United States remains at logger
heads with the rest of the world in
negotiations on a binding international
convention on combating global warm-
ing.
The Bush Administration continues
to refuse to set specific detailed targets
for curbing emissions that contribute
to rises in temperature. Increasingly
sharp criticism of the United States
has come from the European Commu-
nity, which insists on a treaty with
specific emission limits.
And Mr. Bush has not said whether
he will be among the more than 60
heads of state and government who
have pledged to attend the Rio confer-
ence.
Jean Rippert, the French chairman
of the negotiating body for this conven-
tion has scheduled a small meeting of,
key countries in Paris later this month
to try to find a compromise before the
next formal round of negotiations in
New York in May. Separate negotia-
tions on the convention protecting the
biological diversity of plants and ani-
mals are making better progress.
I called Kerry's
LD & told we
expect 45-60 min.
He said fine, if it losks
like less for any ceason he
will call me & we will go
fight our own time battle
Don't let Steve reach as
time agreement we don't like.
Special 10 The New York Times
through exchanges of scientific and technological
NEW YORK TIMES
UNITED NATIONS, April 4 - Following is the
knowledge, and by enhancing the development,
draft text of a declaration of principles for encour-
adaptation, diffusion and transfer of technologies,
4-5-92
aging environmentally responsible development
including new and innovative technologies.
that is to be considered in June by leaders attend-
Principle 10. Environmental issues are best han-
Pg.1
ing an environmental summit meeting in Rio de
died with the participation of all concerned citi-
zens, at the relevant level. At the national level,
Janeiro:
each individual shall have appropriate access to
information concerning the environment that is
THE CONFERENCE ON
held by public authorities, including information
on hazardous materials and activities in their
ENVIRONMENT
communities, and the opportunity to participate in
AND DEVELOPMENT,
decision-making processes. States shall facilitate
and encourage public awareness and participation
HAVING MET at Rio de Janeiro from June 3 to 14
by making Information widely available. Effective
1992,
access to judicial and administrative proceedings,
REAFFIRMING the Declaration of the United
including redress and remedy, shall be provided.
Nations Conference on the Human Environment,
Principle 11. States shall enact effective environ-
adopted at Stockholm on June 16, 1972, and seeking
mental legislation. Environmental standards,
to build upon it,
management objectives and priorities should re-
WITH THE GOAL OF establishing a new and equi-
flect the environmental and developmental con-
table global partnership through the creation of
text to which they apply. Standards applied by
new levels of cooperation among states, key sec-
some countries may be inappropriate and of un-
tors of societies and people,
warranted economic and social cost to other coun-
Draft of Environmental Rules: 'Global Partnership'
WORKING TOWARD international agreements
tries, in particular developing countries.
which respect the Interests of all and protect the
Principle 12. States should cooperate to promote
integrity of the global environmental and develop-
a supportive and open international economic
mental system,
system that would lead to economic growth and
RECOGNIZING the integral and Interdependent
sustainable development in all countries, to better
nature of the earth, our home,
address the problems of environmental degrada-
tion. Trade policy measures for environmental
PROCLAIMS that:
purposes should not constitute a means of arbi-
Principle 1. Human beings are at the center of
trary or unjustifiable discrimination or a dis-
concerns for sustainable development. They are
guised restriction on International trade. Unilater-
entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmo-
al actions to deal with environmental challenges
ny with nature.
outside the jurisdiction of the importing country
Principle 2. States have, in accordance with the
should be avoided. Environmental measures ad-
Charter of the United Nations and the principles of
dressing trans-boundary or global environmental
international law, the sovereign right to exploit
problems should, as far as possible, be based on an
their own resources pursuant to their own environ-
international consensus.
mental and developmental policies, and the re-
Principle 13. States shall develop national law:
sponsiblility to insure that activities within their
regarding liability and compensation for the vic-
jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the
tims of pollution and other environmental dam-
environment of other states or of areas beyond the
age. States shall also cooperate in an expeditious
limits of national jurisdiction.
and more determined manner to develop further
Principle 3. The right to development must be
international law regarding liability and compen-
fulfilled so as to equitably meet developmental
sation for adverse effects of environmental dam-
and environmental needs of present and future
generations.
Principle 4. In order to achieve sustainable devel-
opment, environmental protection shall constitute
an integral part of the development process and
ON WOMEN'S ROLE
cannot be considered in isolation from it.
Principle 5. All states and all people shall cooper-
"Women have a vital role in en-
ate in the essential task of eradicating poverty as
an indispensable requirement for sustainable de-
vironmental management and
velopment, in order to decrease the disparities in
development. Their full partici-
standards of living and better meet the needs of
the majority of the people of the world.
pation is therefore essential to
Principle 6. The special situation and needs of
achieve sustainable develop-
developing countries, particularly the least devel-
ment."
oped and those most environmentally vulnerable,
shall be given special priority. International ac-
tions In the field of environment and development
should also address the Interests and needs of all
coutries.
age caused by activities within their jurisdiction
Principle 7. States shall cooperate in a spirit of
or control to areas beyond their jurisdiction.
global partnership to conserve, protect and re-
Principle 14. States should effectively cooperate
store the health and integrity of the earth's ecosys-
to discourage or prevent the relocation and trans-
tem. In view of the different contributions to global
fer to other states of any activities and substances
environmental degradation, states have common
that cause severe environmental degradation or
but differentiated responsibilities. The developed
are found to be harmful to human health.
countries acknowledge the responsibility that they
Principle 15. In order to protect the environment,
bear in the international pursuit of sustainable
the precautionary approach shall be widely ap-
development in view of the pressures their societ-
plied to states according to their capabilities.
ies place on the global environment and of the
Where there are threats of serious or irreversible
technologies and financial resources they com-
damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not
mand.
be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective
Principle 8. To achieve sustainable development
measures to prevent environmental degradation.
and a higher quality of life for all people, states
Principle 16. National authorities should endeav-
should reduce and eliminate unsustainable pat-
or to promote the internalization of environmental
terns of production and consumption and promote
costs and the use of economic instruments, taking
appropriate demographic policies.
into account the approach that the polluter should,
Principle 9. States should cooperate to strengthen
in principle, bear the cost of pollution, with due
endogenous capacity building for sustainable de-
regard to the public interest and without distorting
velopment by improving scientific understanding
international trade and investment.
Principle 17. Environmental impact assessment,
as a national instrument, shall be undertaken for
NEW YORK TIMES
proposed activities that are likely to have a signifi-
cant adverse impact on the environment and are
4-5-92
subject to a decision of a competent national
pg.2
authority.
Principle 18. States shall immediately notify oth-
er states of any natural disasters or other emer-
gencies that are likely to produce sudden harmful
effects on the environment of those states. Every
effort shall be made by the international commu-
nity to help states so afflicted.
Principle 19. States shall provide prior and timely
notification and relevant information to potential-
ly. ffected states on activities that may have a
significant adverse trans-boundary environmen-
tal effect and shall consult with those states at an
early stage and in good faith.
Principle 20. Women have a vital role in environ-
mental management and development. Their full
ON SPREADING THREATS
"States should effectively coop-
erate to discourage or prevent
the relocation and transfer to
other states of any activities and
substances that cause severe en-
vironmental degradation or are
found to be harmful to human
health."
participation is therefore essential to achieve sus-
tainable development.
Principle 21. The creativity, ideals and courage of
the youth of the world should be mobilized to forge
a global partnership in order to achieve sustain-
able development and insure a better future for
all.
Principle 22. Indigenous people and their commu-
nities, and other local communities, have a vital
role in environmental management and develop-
ment because of their knowledge and traditional
practices. States should recognize and duly sup-
port their identity, culture and interests and en-
able their effective participation in the achieve-
ment of sustainable development.
Principle 23. The environment and natural re-
sources of people under oppression, domination
and occupation shall be protected.
Principle 24. Warfare is inherently destructive of
sustainable development. States shall thèrefore
respect international law providing protection for
the environment in times of armed conflict and
cooperate in its further development, as neces-
sary.
Principle 25. Peace, development and environ-
mental protection are interdependent and indivis-
ible.
Principle 26. States shall resolve all their environ-
mental disputes peacefully and by appropriate
means in accordance with the Charter of the
United Nations.
Principle 27. States and people shall cooperate in
good faith and in a spirit of partnership in the
fulfillment of the principles embodied in this Dec-
laration and in the further development of interna-
tional law in the field of sustainable development.
nzT
3-24-92
U.S. Is Drawing Fire for Policies
U.S. Under Fire
On World Environment Meeting
In Talks at U.N.
On Environment
Continued From Page Al
Government and Industry officials
introduced the nation's first "ozone
exercise leadership to insure their suc-
friendly" supermarket in Glens
cess, saying that at a minimum agree-
Falls, N.Y. Business Day, page D1.
Poor Nations Ask Help
ment must be reached on "new and
additional" aid to the third world and
to Cut Gas Emissions
on the stabilization of emissions.
many of these questions are the subject
"The United States must use its mor-
of continuing negotiations in other in-
ternational forums makes the discus-
al authority, its political and economic
sions here even more complex.
strength and its leadership skills to
"With 60 percent of our time gone,
By PAUL LEWIS
resolve the impasses that are frustrat-
we've only negotiated 5 to 10 percent of
Special to The New York Times
ing progress," Senator Gore said.
the output," Canada's chief delegate,
UNITED NATIONS, March 23 -
America's reluctance to commit it-
John Bell, who is chairman of the group
Rich and poor countries attending a
self to freezing its emissions of "green-
dealing with financial questions, said
five-week conference here say the
house" gases at 1990 levels by the year
last week. "Increased funding for the
United States is endangering prospects
2000 imperils agreement on the
developing world is absolutely central.
planned new international convention
for the international environmental
It's frustrating we haven't even started¹
on stabilizing the global climate, which
negotiations.'
meeting planned for Rio de Janeiro
is supposed to be the centerpiece of the
Asked about America's reluctance to
next June.
Rio agreement.
provide aid, Pakistan's United Nations
These countries say that by refusing
Last week the Environmental Pro-
representative, Jamsheed K. A. Mark-
to promise more environmental aid to
tection Agency administrator, William
er, current president of the Group of 77,
the third world or to set limits for
K. Reilly, told the conference that the
as the developing countries call them-
emissions of gases that contribute to
Administration planned no fundamen-
selves, said that he did not wish to
global warming, the United States
tal changes in its position on climate
single out the policies of any individual
threatens to sabotage the two most
change, saying it would continue to
countries for public criticism. But in an
resist "top down directives or commit-
interview he made clear that the devel-
important agréements to be taken up
ments and targets, the costs and conse-
oping world remained unhappy with
at the Rio meeting.
quences of which we have not yet fully
Washington's stance, saying: "Without
The purpose of the Rio talks, which
assessed."
financial commitments it is difficult to
are expected to draw thousands of par-
While Washington opposes specific,
know how this will all end. That's the
ticipants from more than 170 countries,
binding commitments on cutting emis-
biggest stumbling block for the devel-
is to plan for a world economy that can
oping world."
continue to grow without irreversible
Chile's delegate, Vincent Sánchez,
ecological damage.
said: "This conference could fail.
Rich and poor
We've agreed absolutely nothing of:
Cleanup Plan Threated
real significance so far.
The American stand threatens Agen-
nations are
Already, an important attempt to
da 21, an ambitious, international envi-
draft a convention to save'the world's
ronmental cleanup plan for the next
pressing the U.S.
rain forests has collapsed because
century, because of third world re-
mainly northern, industrial countries
quests for additional aid and new envi-
and southern, undeveloped countries
cannot agree on who is to blame for
ronmental technologies from industri-
sions of carbon dioxide and other gas-
their destruction.
alized northern countries.
es, Mr. Reilly said that the United
The 12 European Community coun-
States was still committed to reducing
Progress Is Expected
tries as well as Canada and Scandina-
these emissions through practical ac-
While few delegates deny that the
via are ready to give additional aid, but
tion.
Rio preparatory conference has
have not committed themselves to spe-
'A Futile Exercise'
reached a critical phase, some say
cific amounts.
progress will pick up in the two re-
In an effort to save the separate
There has been no visible result so
maining weeks as countries realize
negotiations on the climate treaty, the
far from a meeting last week of the
time is running out. "These big confer-
United States and about 20 other coun-
conference's Secretary General, Mau-
ences usually reach a low point about
tries have been invited to a meeting in
rice F. Strong of Canada, with Treas-
now," said Britain's delegate, Fiona
Paris on April 15, Portugal, the current
McConnell. "It's often darkest just be-
ury Secretary Nicholas F. Brady, the
president of the European Community,
fore the dawn."
national security adviser, Brent Scow-
announced today. The participants will
But increasingly participants here
croft, and the the White House chief of
try to resolve the standoff before the
say that the Rio meetings must be
staff, Samuel P. Skinner, in an effort to
final round of negotiations opens in
judged less on concrete agreements
change the American position.
New York on April 30.
than on broad global initiatives to
Today Senator Al Gore, a Democrat
"It would be a pity If the convention
make economic development environ-
had to be postponed until after Rio,"
from Tennessee who will lead the Sen-
mentally sustainable.
Portugal's representative to the United
ate contingent to the Rio meetings, told
"Rio must be seen as the start of a
Nations, João Pereira Bastos, said at a
delegates that the United States must
process, not the end," Mr. Strong, the
news conference, adding that Europe
would find an American-style conven-
conference's Secretary General, said
today.
Continued on Page A6, Column I
tion that did not require detailed com-
The last world environmental con-
mitments unacceptably weak. In a
ference, held in Stockholm 20 years
clear reference to the United States,
Mr. Bastos said it would be "a futile
ago, resulted in most governments'
creating environmental ministries.
exercise" for Europe to press ahead
Agenda 21, the 800-page global envi-
with its own climate stabilization plan
ronmental action plan, lays down new
unless "other regions" joined in.
Partly because of these disagree-
goals and standards in virtually every
field.
ments, the conference of more than 170
countries meeting here to prepare the
To carry out their part of this agen-
agenda for the Rio meeting has entered
da, developing countries say they will
require $70 billion in additional aid
its fourth week with little progress to
each year over the $55 billion they now
report.
receive from northern industrialized
But progress is also being slowed,
countries.
delegates say, by the breadth and com-
plexity of the agenda because it identi-
Relations Embittered
fies poverty and its effects as a funda-
mental environmental threat and says
Most industrialized nations are
that only when it has been abolished
ready to make firm pledges of new
will the global environment be safe. As
resources and access to technology
a result, the conference is bogged down
that will allow developing countries to
in quarrels over economic and social
make a safe transition to industrializa-
issues that at first sight seem far re-
tion. But the Bush Administration con-
moved from the environment, includ-
tinues to resist even a general commit-
ing debt relief, slum clearance, the
ment, even though it recently made an
Uruguay Round of trade talks and sub-
additional $75 million available in envi-
sidies for northern farmers that block
ronmental aid for developing coun-
the agricultural exports of poor coun-
tries.
tries.
The result, many delegates say, has
Old Quarrels Reopened
been a general embittering of North-
South relations at the conference, with
These issues complicate the negoti-
the Group of 77 pushing a number of
ating process by taking up time and
demands the northern countries con-
reopening old quarrels between the
sider extreme, politicized and unac-
North and the South. The fact that
ceptable.
WALL ST. JPNL.
4-7-92
Earth Summit Has Put Bush on the Spot
Issue Is Whether to Attend Meeting in Brazil
By ROSE GUTFELD
tremists pushing hysterical notions of plan-
that such an accord, which would include
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
etary peril. In a letter to President Bush,
procedures to assess progress every few
WASHINGTON-T the National Audu-
Rep. Tom DeLay (R., Texas) said, "The
years, could be mild enough to be accept-
bon Society, this June's Earth Summit in
rush to impose global regulations will have
able to business groups but strong enough
Rio de Janeiro will be "the most important
a negative impact on the world economy,
to satisfy European nations that have
meeting in the history of mankind."
jobs, standards of living and health, with
pushed for a binding treaty.
Radio ads and billboards urge President
the most severe consequences falling on
-How much money, if any, will the de-
Bush to attend. Movie theaters and cable-
the developing nations and the poor."
veloped world provide to help the Third
television stations show announcements
Environmental groups reject the notion
World develop in an environmentally
filled with images of raging fires, billowing
that cleaning up the environment will slow
friendly way? Some organizers of the sum-
smoke and frightened animals, with actor
economic growth. They note, for example,
mit have said that "sustainable develop-
James Earl Jones telling viewers that "at
that increasing energy efficiency can lead
ment" eventually will require $70 billion of
stake is the entire human race." For $6.95,
both to cost savings and a reduction in
new aid on top of the $50 billion currently
people can dial a telephone number and
emissions of carbon dioxide, the prime sus-
provided each year. More realistically, del-
send one of five pre-written Earth Tele-
pect in the buildup of greenhouse gases
egates have discussed a range of $3 billion
grams to the White House. A painting by
that many scientists contend may lead to
to $6 billion, but even those amounts don't
Robert Rauschenberg is dedicated to the
a disastrous warming of the Earth.
appear to be forthcoming.
official Earth Summit Pledge. And there's
Despite a series of preparatory meet-
a newspaper and a documentary in the
ings over the past two years, significant
At any rate, the hoopla is building. Big
works.
questions, which may well determine the
Blue Foundation, the environmental media
There even are plans for an Earth Sum-
success or failure of the summit, remain
group that organized the telegram drive,
mit concert.
unresolved. These include:
says its billboard campaign, begun yester-
The Rio conference, officially called the
-Will President Bush attend? Environ-
day in Los Angeles, is soon to go nation-
United Nations Conference on Environ-
mental Protection Agency chief William
wide. The Rauschenberg painting dedi-
ment and Development, is designed to be
Reilly and other advisers are urging Mr.
cated to the pledge-which states, in part,
an ecological Bretton Woods, where world
Bush to go, and there have been increasing
"I pledge to act to the best of my ability to
indications lately that he will do SO. Last
help make the Earth a secure and hospita-
leaders shaped the post-World War II in-
ternational financial system at a 1944 con-
week, for example, there were several
ble home for present and future genera-
ference in New Hampshire. The heads of
high-level White House meetings on the
tions," is also available on posters.
as many as 160 nations hope the Rio meet-
Rio conference and on a possible climate-
Theodore Kheel, the New York labor
ing will put the world on a path of sustain-
change treaty. But the president, mindful
lawyer and chairman of the Earth Summit
able development, in other words, a path
of conservative opposition, isn't disclosing
Committee to Promote the Pledge, said
that will allow for continued development
his plans.
film maker Peter Bogdanovich is produc-
without overexploitation of resources and
-Will the U.S. sign a treaty aimed at
ing a short documentary showing people
environmental degradation. Among other
curbing global warming? The next negoti-
reciting the pledge in six languages. Mr.
goals, negotiators hope to produce binding
ating session comes at the end of this
Kheel publishes the "Earth Summit
treaties aimed at limiting global warming
month in New York. Administration offi-
Times," which will come out during the
and halting the loss of key species of plants
cials are crafting language under which
summit and which has already appeared
and animals. They also will seek agree-
nations would promise to try by 2000 to sta-
during preparatory meetings.
ments on forests, oceans and assistance for
bilize per-capita emissions of carbon diox-
"It's a little different from settling la-
developing countries.
ide at 1990 levels, but wouldn't pledge to
bor disputes," said Mr. Kheel. "And I feel
The summit will be held on the 20th an-
achieve that goal. U.S. officials contend
we're doing something."
niversary of the Stockholm conference, the
first international gathering on the envi-
ronment.
To Patrick Buchanan and other conser-
vative critics of President Bush, the con-
ference is the product of a dangerous mix
of Third World bureaucrats seeking to
shame the developing nations into giving
more foreign aid and environmental ex-
V
54 REU 04-15-92 22:24 EST 29 Lines. Copyright 1992. All rights reserved.
BC-EARTH-BUSH
NBC NEWS SAYS BUSH WILL ATTEND EARTH SUMMIT
WASHINGTON, April 15, Reuter - President George Bush will
attend the multinational ''Earth Summit' in Brazil this June,
according to diplomatic sources quoted by NBC News on Wednesday,
but White House officials said no decision has been made.
The administration has said Bush will not attend the United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development unless it is
''productive.'
A National Security Council official and a White House
spokeswoman both said Bush had not yet reached a decision on
attending and did not know when Bush would decide.
Bush's apparent reluctance about going to the summit has
sparked criticism that the avowed ''environment president'' is
not interested in solving major issues facing the planet.
The NBC report gave no details or reasons for the apparent
change, simply quoting the sources as saying Bush would go.
But one administration official, who did not want to be
identified, said of the NBC report, 'It was wrong, I don't know
where they got it from. Nothing has changed.
The Rio conference, set for June 3 to 14, attempts to pool
PRESS RETURN TO CONTINUE OR ENTER A REQUEST.
the complex issues of poverty and pollution into a collection of
statements, treaties and guidelines never attempted before.
Bush has been criticised both for failing to take leadership
in the summit and for not adopting a global warming agreement,
the centrepiece of the meeting.
Bush has said he would not sign if the treaty includes
limits on carbon dioxide emissions in 2000 to 1990 levels.
55 AP 04-16-92 01:31 EST 70 Lines. Copyright 1992. All rights reserved.
PM-ME--Rio Roosevelt, Bjt,600<
AP Photo<
Explorers Return From Brazil Jungle<
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) Members of an expedition that followed
Theodore Roosevelt's trail along a remote river deep in Brazil's
bloodsucking insects.
They were constantly wet from the daily rain and 99 percent
humidity in the jungle, where temperatures stayed in the 90s.
The river was SO narrow and shallow in some places that team
members had to pack their rafts and equipment and slash their way
through the jungle with machetes.
Asked what was the most difficult part of the journey, Tweed
PRESS RETURN TO CONTINUE OR ENTER A REQUEST.
WASH. POST
5-5-92
Environmental Concern Mounts in Developing Nations
Associated Press
sumption that rich and poor coun-
countries will be added in three or
In 20 of the 22 countries, major-
tries are deeply split over who is to
four months, said Washington State
ities chose statements favoring en-
Environmental damage, once dis-
missed as a concern of the rich, is
blame for environmental problems,
University sociologist Riley E. Dun-
vironmental protection even at the
an issue thought to be hampering ne-
lap, the project director.
risk of slowing economic growth,
now widely recognized as a threat
gotiations for the U.N. "Earth Sum-
Majorities in all 22 countries be-
Majorities in 16 of the 22 coun-
to human health, according to a 22-
mit" next month in Rio de Janeiro.
lieve that the environment will af-
tries, including India, Chile and
nation poll released yesterday by
"Residents of poor, rapidly grow-
fect the health of their children or
Mexico in the low-income category,
the Gallup organization.
ing nations acknowledge the threat
grandchildren, the survey said. The
said they were willing to pay higher
Protecting the environment has
of overpopulation and also accept
question of whether the environ-
prices to meet environmental pro-
joined problems of economic live-
partial responsibility for creating
ment affects health today was an-
tection costs.
lihood, crime and violence as "major
global problems," the Gallup report
swered "yes" by majorities in 10
Because the number of people
concerns around the world," the
said, while people from richer coun-
more countries: South Korea (76
questioned personally by Gallup af-
George H. Gallup International In-
tries "recognize the disproportion-
percent), India (74), Mexico (68),
filiates in each country varied, the
stitute said in its "Health of the
ate impact" on the environment
United States (67), Turkey (63),
margin of error ranged from plus or
Planet Survey."
from their industries and lifestyles.
Chile (56), Hungary (55), Britain
minus 2 percent to plus or minus 4
The survey questioned the as-
Polling from as many as 12 more
(53), Brazil (51) and Canada (51).
percent.
"F.5.7.92
BOOK REVIEW
Green grow the profits
he business world faces a
T
the amount of electricity it had
dilemma over the environ-
CHANGING COURSE
sold.
ment. In only a month,
Another case relates how Dow
political leaders from more
By Stephan Schmidheiny
Chemical adopted a policy of elimi-
than 100 countries will gather in
and the Business Council for
nating harmful waste at source
Rio de Janeiro for the grandly
Sustainable Development
rather than by treating it at the end
named Earth Summit. The confer-
The MIT Press. £20.50 hardback,
of the waste pipe, meaning that
ence halls will be packed with thou-
£9.95 paperback. 355 pages
only a minimal amount now ends
sands of environmental pressure
up in a landfill.
groups agitating for action. And the
In a quote that typifies much of
whole world - or such is the organ-
organisers to become their adviser.
this book, Dow's president, Frank
isers' hope - will be watching. Who
Rather than do the job alone, he
Popoff, says: "Surveys show that
knows what will result?
formed a business council with the
the public is sceptical of industry's
At the very least, the politicians
top executives of companies such as
efforts at environmental protection.
will want to avoid a wasted journey
Shell, ABB Asea Brown Boveri,
If we fail to take the initiative, the
by signing a commitment to get the
Volkswagen, 3M, Nissan Motor and
result will be a regulatory crunch
world economy on to a more sus-
Dupont, and all have contributed
that costs us - and the public -
tainable path. But they might also
from their experience.
dearly without achieving significant
agree to more concrete measures,
There are several strands to their
benefits."
like taxation or regulation, to tackle
message. The central ones are that
Other cases show how Shell pro-
the specific ills of global warming,
business favours sustainable devel-
moted local nationals in Nigeria,
deforestation and pollution.
opment, that it accepts the need for
Henkel developed the phosphate-
The chances of that are rather
environmental policies, and that it
free detergent which eventually
small. The run-up to the summit
recognises its responsibility to help
swept Europe, and Volkswagen
has exposed a world deeply divided
the developing world out of its diffi-
designed the recyclable car.
on green issues; it cannot even
culties. In other words, greenery
This book is undoubtedly well-in-
agree an agenda, let alone a plan of
and profit-making can coexist.
tentioned, but the question is how
action. But it is easy to see why
But these arguments are also
much impact it will make. The case
some business people view Rio as
highly qualified. Sustainable devel-
studies are rather predictable: the
an ominous prospect. They may
opment must be achieved by means
company always triumphs over
welcome the fact that environmen-
of free and open markets, environ-
adversity. This was a deliberate
tal issues have finally got on to the
mental measures should be imposed
decision "designed to provide posi-
global agenda. But Rio will not sim-
through economic instruments (like
tive examples to motivate others to
plify their life; it could make it
taxes) rather than controls (which
take action", the authors say.
more difficult.
distort) or self-regulation (which
But what a pity they did not
Much of the trouble lies in busi-
encourages business cartels). And if
develop a tantalising reference to
ness's poor image, and the wide-
business is to enrich the Third
3M being forced to discard a water-
spread view that protection of the
World with its technology, it must
based process for making audio tape
environment and the pursuit of
be on the basis of "co-operation" (ie
because it was not good enough.
profit are fundamentally at odds
on commercial terms) rather than
This is not because, as the authors
with each other.
"transfers" (terms mandated by
say "too often the media focuses on
A group of 50 top businessmen
government).
errors and accidents". It is because
has got together to try to deal with
None of this sounds specially sur-
the world knows that business is
these issues, and this book is the
prising. But the book fleshes out
having a tough time adjusting to
result of their labours. It comes
these positions with 38 studies of
environmental pressures, and it
very late in the day, and a lot of it
businesses resolving conflicts with
needs to be convinced that busi-
will cut little ice with Mr Greenper-
the environment.
nessmen are acting out of genuine
son, but it is unquestionably one of
There is the case of New England
motives.
the more important contributions to
Electric, the US utility which
As NEE chief executive John
Rio.
devised a system with its regulators
Rowe says in the book's most mem-
The prime mover is Stephan
that enabled it to profit if its cus-
orable quote: "The rat has to smell
Schmidheiny, a little-known but
tomers reduced demand through
the cheese."
highly successful Swiss business-
conservation. Previously NEE's
man who was invited by the Rio
earnings had been based solely on
David Lascelles
P.02
MAY 21 '92 22:37
Los Angeles Times
THURSDAY. MAY 14, 1992
A3
Negotiators Clash
Over Wildlife Treaty
Environment: U.S. criticism of an accord on
biological diversity sparks trouble at Kenya talks.
By MAURA DOLAN
Washington-based environmen-
TIMES ENVIRONMENTAL WRITER
talist think tank, said the treaty
would be a "fundamental step for-
R
epresentatives of more than 80
ward" because it would require
nations, meeting in Nalrobi,
nations for the first time to be
Kenya, to negotiate a treaty to
responsible for the conservation of
protect the world's wildlife and its
their species and landscapes.
habitat, are clashing over language
But in the Nairobi negotiations.
intended to spur conservation but
the United States has been "sys-
denounced by the United States as
tematically trying to weaken and
an infringement of states' rights.
remove obligations" from the text
The talks, which began Monday
on instructions from Washington,
and will continue through next
Miller said in a telephone interview
Wednesday, are aimed at produc-
from Nairobi.
ing a biological-diversity treaty
that could be signed by world
leaders at the Earth Summit in Rio
S
en. Albert Gore Jr. (D-Tenn.)
de Janeiro next month.
gathered signatures Wednes-
Some environmental activists,
day for a letter to President Bush
citing an internal memorandum by
asking for a treaty that stresses
Vice President Dan Quayle's staff
conservation of biological diversi-
criticizing many of the proposed
ty. "I think that the Administration
treaty's provisions, have charged
is Intent on gutting the bio-diversi-
that the Bush Administration is
ly treaty. and I think the argu-
trying to gut the document.
ments which are being highlighted
Among the potential stumbling
in their public statements are not
blocks is language that would re-
their real concerns,' Gore said in a
quire signatory countries to regu-
telephone interview from Wash-
late or manage biological resourc-
ington.
es, including plants and animals,
"I think that they are worried
for their conservation and sustain-
about offending some parts of the
able use.
biotech industry by leaving open in
Washington has objected to the
the convention a possibility for
wording. contending that it would
future regulation.
inadvertently switch jurisdiction
John Fitzgerald, who is monitor-
for wildlife management from the
ing the Nairobi talks for Defenders
states to the federal government.
of Wildlife, an environmental
"What we are trying to do is
group, agreed.
work out language that makes
"The U.S. continued their parade
clear that this is shared responsi-
of destruction, marching through
bility in this country," said Curtis
this treaty and gutting any article
Bohlen. assistant secretary of state
that means anything." Fitzgerald
for oceans. the environment and
complained from Nairobi.
science and a former senior vice
He said U.S. negotiators have
president of the World Wildlife
consistently added such language
Fund.
as "as far as possible" or "as
"But in the process of trying to
appropriate" to reduce the obliga-
introduce language to do that,
tions of signatories. He complained
people have perceived it as an
that the United States also opposes
effort to weaken the convention."
language that would require coun-
Bohlen added. "I assure you that is
tries to perform anienvironmental
not our intention."
impact assessment of projects on
the high seas or overseas.
So far. countries such as Aus-
A
nother potential sticking point
tralia, New Zealand and, on occa-
has been an effort by. some
sion, Germany have blocked many
countries to write a treaty that
proposed U.S. changes, Fitzgerald
calls for strong environmental and
said, while India, a developing
health safeguards in the release of
country on the brink of industriali-
genetically engineered organisms.
zation. has embraced them.
U.S. negotiators have said the
Bohlen of the State Department
United States will not sign any
said some of Washington's pro-
treaty that includes measures that
posed revisions are intended to
would further regulate the bio-
protect the freedom of the U.S.
technology industry, which uses
Navy. For instance. he said, the
genetic engineering in the making
Navy fears that applying the trea-
of items ranging from new drugs to
ty to marine areas would reduce
agricultural products.
freedom of navigation.
'But I-think the chances are that
Bohlen noted that the U.S.
(disagreements) can be worked out
Agency for International Develop-
on that." Bohlen said.
ment a foreign aid program. al.
Kenton Miller, senior associate
ready does environmental impact
of the World Resources Institute, a
assessments of projects overseas.
SUNDAY, MAY 3, 1992
The Washington Post
OUTLOOK
Commentary and Opinion
Not Flying Down to Rio
How Bush Is Ducking the Global Warming Treaty
By Al Gore
OR THE BUSH administration, de-
F
ciding whether the United States can
afford to reduce emissions of carbon
dioxide has all the seriousness of a rigged
television game show: They know the an-
swer before they ask the question. And the
answer is "no."
That's the wrong answer. In fact, it's a
dangerous answer, with severe conse-
quences not just for the United States and
for our economy, but also-because carbon
dioxide is the principal cause of global
warming-for the global economy, the
global environment and for humanity.
There is an urgent need for a reality
check. Urgent, because a draft agreement
on climate change-a compromise released
late Friday-leaves many goals unmet.
This draft compromise comes as nations
from around the world meet for the sixth
time in an effort to craft a new international
agreement to control emissions of carbon
TREATY
dioxide and confront global warming in time
for the agreement to be signed at the Earth
CHRIS MULLEN FOR THE WASHINGTON POST
Summit in June.
Each time these nations have negotiated,
stead of moving forward-has pulied ev-
intransigence from President Bush and his
ery other nation back to craft an agree-
representatives has blocked progress. Now,
ment far short of what could have been
there is a weak compromise, clouded by
accomplished. A treaty without specific
confusing and dense language and without
targets and timetables is a hollow promise.
any specific targets and timetables for ac-
There is no assurance it will be kept and
tion, but a compromise. Unfortunately, it
no promise of future benefit. This is the
appears as though the United States-in-
final negotiating session. and every indi-
Al Gore is the junior Democratic senator
cation is that the United States will con-
from Tennessee.
See GLOBAL C4. Col. 1
Not Flying Down to Rio
ysis behind the National Energy Strategy-
The Energy Department, apparently afraid
search Associates concluded that new conser-
concluded. The committee's interim report
that the price tag on energy efficiency will be
vation investments in Louisiana would provide
offers a number of criticisms and points up
too high, offers little conservation guidance to
more than twice as many jobs as an expansion
fundamental flaws in the analysis DOE used to
business, school districts and homeowners-as
of conventional power generation-about
GLOBAL, From C1
conclusions were reached as much by politics
craft the energy strategy. How then can the
though none is needed or wanted. In fact, cor-
12,600 new jobs over 20 years. A similar stu-
as by facts. But, by the administration's own
Energy Department continue to use this en-
porate America has a far different view of this
dy for Virginia reached similar findings.
tinue to do all it can to weaken the lan-
reckoning, the United States can nearly
ergy plan, with its flawed analysis, to justify
situation.
guage of any treaty.
achieve stabilization of carbon dioxide emis-
claims that aggressive conservation policies
That's why a reality check is needed. The
sions at 1990 levels by the year 2000, and-
hurt the economy?
enormously successful with programs that en-
T
hese efforts are moving forward with
Progressive electric utilities are becoming
little help from the administration. The
administration is selectively sorting through
The National Energy Strategy analysis as-
moment is at hand for the president to
again by the administration's own reckoning-
courage customers to invest in energy efficien-
the data to get the answers it wants, ignoring
sumes that the U.S. gross national product will
start truly leading on the environment-at the
easily meet targets and timetables in language
cy as an alternative to more expensive invest-
even the findings of its own agencies whenever
grow at an average annual rate of 3.2 percent
upcoming Earth Summit as well as here at
now being negotiated by other nations. The
they don't support the administration's ad-
Bush administration has stubbornly blocked a
between 1990 and 2000, while more realistic
ments in new generating capacity. For exam-
home. If we insist on a weak treaty with no
ple, energy conservation and efficiency will
vance conclusions.
current estimates are between 2 and 2.5 per-
binding commitments at Rio, we destroy our
binding commitment to these goals on the
save Pacific Gas and Electric customers $2.4
For many months, the administration took
grounds that the United States, of all the
cent. Even DOE's Annual Energy Outlook,
capacity to lead. We cannot keep searching for
the position that the United States cannot af-
compiled by the Energy Information Admin-
billion over the next 10 years, money that will
excuses instead of working for solutions.
world's developed nations, is uniquely unable
ford to stabilize emissions of carbon dioxide at
to reach meet them.
istration, uses a 2.3 percent growth rate.
be available to strengthen the economy and
Without agreements such as the climate-
1990 levels by the year 2000-and sign the
These seemingly small differences have a tre-
create jobs. In the process, PG&E will reduce
change treaty, with its specific deadlines and
climate convention at the international Earth
mendous impact on projections of carbon di-
its carbon dioxide emissions by some 20 mil-
Summit-because the economic impact would
I
ndeed, the administration has consistently
targets, there can be no assurances that what
endorsed the idea that business profits can
oxide emissions.
lion tons.
must happen, will happen: that carbon dioxide
be debilitating. However, the administration's
only be hurt by the effort to curb global
For example, a 3.2 percent annual average
DOE has recently ignored much of the en-
emissions will be reduced and global warming
most recent analysis, "U.S. Views on Global
warming embodied in specific targets and
growth rate will forecast an economy that is 9
ergy analysis done by its own national labora-
will be confronted. The situation is far more
Climate Change," shows not only that we can
timetables. For example, previous Department
percent larger over the course of a decade.
tories. For example, researchers at Oak Ridge
serious than is commonly understood.
afford to stabilize emissions but that voluntary
of Energy (DOE) analyses, such as the Nation-
The effect of this is to substantially inflate-
National Laboratory and other laboratories
The administration is stuck between its eco-
energy conservation and other measures have
al Energy Strategy and the DOE Report to
perhaps as much as double-projections of the
concluded that the nation could effectively and
nomic analysis and its political instincts. Maybe
brought the United States close to meeting the
Congress, "Limiting Net Greenhouse Gas
increases of carbon dioxide emissions, making
profitably stabilize energy use by the year
they don't trust the economic analysis. Or
proposed targets and timetables-while ac-
Emissions in the United States," concluded
the job of stabilizing or reducing emissions
2000 and limit subsequent energy growth to
maybe they don't want to commit to a stabi-
tually enhancing business profits. What was
that many of the options now considered prof-
seem tougher than it will be in reality.
less than 1 percent per year until 2010. But
lization treaty because they don't believe that
once called too expensive is now called a bar-
itable would, in fact, hurt the economy. The
DOE's projections of future carbon dioxide
DOE's National Energy Strategy ignores the
other developed nations are bargaining in good
gain too good to pass up.
administration justifies its stubborn opposition
emissions by the nation's electric utilities are
projection.
faith-and will renege if they encounter un-
But instead of seizing this as a plausible jus-
to a strict climate change agreement-indeed,
based on an outdated 1986 industry forecast of
The fact is that we can create jobs,
welcome economic consequences of a stabi-
tification for a change in position-and one
to any serious U.S. effort to reduce emissions
the impact of utility-sponsored energy pro-
strengthen our economy and improve our per-
lization commitment.
that would be politically palatable to the pres-
of carbon dioxide-by arguing we can't afford
grams. But the industry updated its own anal-
formance in the global economy with energy
In fact, other nations could also enhance
ident's conservative critics-the administra-
it.
ysis in 1990, forecasting that demand for elec-
efficiency and conservation technologies. The
their economic growth from committing to
tion now argues that this good news means the
But a closer look at the administration's own
tricity will grow by only 1.8 percent annually
private sector is eager to respond to the sta-
carbon dioxide stabilization. If we want to be
United States doesn't need to sign an inter-
analyses of the costs and benefits discloses
in the 1990s, significantly lower growth-and
bilization challenge. Profitable energy conser-
competitive in tough global markets, it is in
national agreement-or' at least not one that
numerous examples of faulty analysis:
therefore, lower emissions-than DOE
vation opportunities still exist in our diverse
our self-interest to work to raise energy effi-
actually requires us to do anything.
DOE emphasizes energy production over
projected. DOE ignored the new information
economy.
ciency, increase energy conservation and re-
The economic analysis that supported the
conservation in its modeling. That's what a
and built an analysis that makes the job of sta-
Indeed, we can create more jobs by expand-
duce carbon dioxide emissions. If we don't,
report's findings was debated intensely within
National Research Council committee-put to
bilizing emissions seem harder by setting the
the administration; it is unclear whether the
ing conservation than by expanding energy
then other nations alone will benefit from cre-
work by the department to evaluate the anal-
goal farther from us.
production. A recent study by Economic Re-
ating a more productive economy.
BILLION SOUGHT
FOR POOR NATIONS
nzT
6-5-92
World Bank Plans New Loans
to Maintain Environment
- U.S. Is Receptive
By PAUL LEWIS
Special to The New York Times
RIO DE JANEIRO, June 4 - The
World Bank has proposed that the Unit-
ed States and other aid-giving coun-
tries contribute $5 billion to a fund that
would provide virtually free grants to
help the world's poorest countries pro-
tect their ecological systems, officials
disclosed here today.
The plan is. being pressed by the
World Bank president, Lewis T. Pres-
ton, who wrote to the donor countries
last week explaining his plan to add a
$5 billion "earth increment" to a World
Bank subsidiary known as the Interna-
tional Development Agency when its
funds are replenished next year.
Mr. Preston made his plan public
today when he addressed delegates at-
tending the Earth Summit.
Officials say the United States,
which contributes 22 percent of the
development agency's funds, has said
it will consider the plan, and other
donors appear to be supportive.
Reserved for the Poorest
The World Bank proposal is one of
several schemes under debate for rais-
ing the estimated $70 billion in new aid
that developing countries say they will
cannot even afford the World Bank's
wealthy and developing coutries repre-
need annually to pay for an ambitious
normal lending terms. Money bor-
sented would have veto power, but spe-
global environmental cleanup plan
rowed from the development agency is
All agree to
cific loan proposals would still require
known as Agenda 21, which is expected
repayable over 35 to 40 years and car-
World Bank approval.
to be approved at the Earth Summit.
ries a nominal interest rate that is
support ecology,
The third world countries have
Without a substantial increase in aid,
usually suspended for the first 10
agreed that the Global Environment
the third world says it cannot afford to
years.
continue its development in ways that
but who will pay
Facility should primarily finance
projects designed to prevent global
will safeguard the environment.
Rich and poor countries are locked in
Officials say the World Bank fund
the costs?
warming, protect endangered species,
a diplomatic struggle here over other
clean up international waterways and
would be earmarked for projects de-
ways of raising the additional aid the
fight depletion of the ozone layer.
signed to protect the environment in
third world demands as its price for
To find the bulk of the extra $70
countries with annual per capita in-
cooperating with Agenda 21 and the
with reforms designed to give recipi-
billion, the developing countries are
comes of up to $740.
new conventions being considered at
ents a greater say in how it operates.
pressing donors to make good by the
If donor countries agree to finance
the summit meeting on stabilizing the
Wariness of World Bank
end of the century on their longstand-
the proposal, Mr. Preston told the
climate and protecting the world's bio-
ing commitment to contribute up to 0.7
Earth Summit today, the World Bank
logical diversity.
"There is a consensus emerging
per cent of their total economic output
will contribute a "substantial" portion
among donors in favor of doubling or
in development aid.
of its annual profit of about $1.5 billion,
Originally the developing countries
even tripling the G.E.F. from its
Currently, rich northern countries
wanted all the additional environmen-
instead of using this money to subsidize
present level of $1.3 billion when it
loans to developing countries that are
tal aid channeled through a Green
are giving about 0.45 percent of their
comes up for renewal next year," Mo-
wealth in aid, which amounts to some
Fund under their control which would
more financially stable.
hammed al-Ashry, the agency's Egyp-
make loans with no strings attached.
$55 billion a year. Raising this contri-
Diplomatic Tug of War
tian chairman, said in an interview.
bution to 0.7 percent would bring the
But donor countries were united in
But developing countries are wary of
total close to what the developing world
Currently, about 70 countries are
opposing this. Instead, they are offer-
the World Bank, which is effectively
needs to pay for the Agenda 21 plan.
poor enough to qualify for development
ing an expansion of the World Bank's
controlled by the donor countries. The
But the United States, which current-
agency loans, which are intended to
Global Environment Facility, set up
compromise being offered is to create
ly gives about 0.21 percent of its wealth
help countries who are excluded from
two years ago to back environmental
a new assembly that would set broad
in foreign aid, has always refused to
the commercial loan market and who
projects in the third world, together
policy guidelines by consensus. Both
accept the 0.7 percent target.
that ended yesterday is an example of George Bush's new world
order, the president may want to rethink the whole idea." They
reort he was given two drafts of the speech to delegates and
chose to give the more conciliatory one (6/15).
3 FUNDING: JAPAN-PLEDGES $7B; GERMANY ALSO TAKES LEAD ROLE
As the summit wound to a close, "delegates finally hammered
out an agreement Saturday on a compromise formula for funding
Agenda 21" (Jane Kay, S.F. EXAMINER). The compromise deleted the
target date and has most industrialized nations committing 0.7
percent of GNP to foreign aid "as soon as possible." The U.S.
refused to make such a commitment. French President Francois
Mitterrand said his country would meet the target by the year
2000. Also Saturday, Japan unveiled a five-year plan that will
commit between $7 billion and $7.7 billion to developing
countries for biodiversity protection or pollution reduction.
The annual figure, about $1.4 billion, is nearly twice what the
U.S. proposes spending next year -- $700 million, up from $500
-
million in environmental aid this year. A Japanese spokesperson
said the figure represented a 50 percent increase in aid.
"Japan's pledges
left the United States alone among
industrialized nations in making no substantial new offers at the
summit" (6/14). Japanese PM Kiichi Miyazawa, in a speech
circulated in Rio, said that Japan will "play a leading role" in
world pollution control (N.Y. TIMES). In a "rare note of harmony
between the North and South," the leaders of Pakistan and Norway
"criticized what they call low levels of financial commitments
made here by the seven industrialized nations" (6/14). Japanese
government spokesperson Saadkai Numata, when asked whether the
pledge made Japan the world's most important environmental donor
nation: "I'll let you be the judge" (PHILA. INQUIRER, 6/14).
German Chancellor Helmut Kohl on Friday said his country
would triple its contribution to the Global Environmental
Facility to $487 million, and called on other developed countries
]
to follow suit and raise the GEF's budget threefold to nearly $4
billion (Maura Dolan, L.A. TIMES). Kohl: "We are ready to
assume our share, and we ask other industrial countries to do the
same." The U.S. has committed $50 million to the fund. A
Malaysian delegate said a fund of $3 billion to $4 billion for
the developing world was "rather dismal" compared to what
industrialized nations are likely to give to Eastern Europe and
the former Soviet Union (6/13). The Third World "almost for the
first time enjoys genuine leverage," arguing they cannot curb
pollution and conserve resources without significant help from
the North (Paul Lewis, N.Y. TIMES, 6/14). EPA Administrator
William Reilly: "What you are seeing are other countries with
enormous financial capabilities beginning to acknowledge
commensurate environmental responsibilities. That is something
growth, profitability and electrotechnologies, will be held in
Denver, CO. Contact: 800/446-4879.
18 - 21 -- COAL: The National Coal Assn holds its annual
meeting in Colorado Springs, CO. Contact: 202/463-2625.
19 - 21 -- SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: The Carrying Capacity
Network sponsors a conference in Washington, DC. Issues include
growth management, population, energy, sustainable agriculture
and resource conservation. Contact: 202/879-3044.
EARTH SUMMIT BULLETIN
*29 HIGHLIGHTS: MAIN COMMITTEE
Published by the Island Press and the International
Institute for Sustainable Development (Vol. 2, No. 10, 6/12).
Prepared by: Johannah Bernstein, Pamela Chasek and Langston
James Goree VI "Kimo."
JUNE 10 - 11 -- "PrepCom V" ended at 6:00 am yesterday
morning when Main Committee Chair Tommy Koh brought down the
final gavel, deferring remaining negotiations to the hands of the
politicians. Two and a half years of work by the diplomats had
come to an end. After a marathon negotiating session that began
at 8:00 pm and ended at dawn, the governments sent to the Plenary
three documents: Agenda 21, the Statement on Forest Principles
and the Rio Declaration. While most of the text is "clean",
brackets remain around several critical points that have been
sent to the ministerial level to be negotiated over the next two
days.
The Main Committee resumed at 8:00 pm Wednesday night, to
continue to work sequentially through Agenda 21, beginning where
it had left off two hours earlier. As Chapter 19, toxic
chemicals, was a clean text, with the exception of the paragraphs
on finance, discussion quickly turned to Chapter 20 on hazardous
wastes. The one difficult paragraph was 20.23(h) on the military
establishment and hazardous wastes. Sweden had undertaken
consultations at the request of the Chair and announced the
resulting text to the Committee. The compromise was that
governments should ascertain that their military establishment
conform to nationally applicable environmental norms in the
treatment and disposal of hazardous waste.
Chapter 21 on solid wastes was a clean text (except for the
finance section) so Koh turned to Chapter 22 on radioactive
wastes. The problematic paragraph in this chapter, 22.5(c),
dealt with the storage or disposal of radioactive wastes near the
marine environment. After a brief discussion, the text was
adopted. The compromise text emphasizes that states, in
cooperation with relevant international organizations, will
determine the risk of the disposal or storage of radioactive
wastes near the marine environment.
Chapters 23-32 of Agenda 21 address the role of major
groups. During earlier discussions in the Main Committee, it had
been decided that Amb. Mazairac of the Netherlands would hold
additional consultations on the remaining bracketed text in these
chapters. Chapters 23 (preamble), 24 (women), 25 (children and
youth), 28 (local authorities) and 29 (workers and trade unions)
were clean texts and not discussed. Compromise text was agreed
to in the remaining bracketed paragraphs in Chapters 26
(indigenous people), 27 (NGOs), 30 (business and industry), and
32 (farmers) and was quickly adopted by the Committee. It was
Chapter 31 on the scientific and technological community,
however, where problems arose. The Holy See questioned why the
phrase "appropriate ethical principles" had been removed from the
text of paragraph 31.12 on capacity building. Mazairac responded
that the delegates who had consulted on this matter thought that
the text should be more general as there are important principles
other than ethical ones to be considered. The Holy See requested
that the text be restored, while calling for the opinions of
other delegates. Koh responded that the time was now 9:08 pm and
it was unreasonable for one colleague to ask others to speak, as
there was still much work to be done. After comments by
Argentina, Koh prevailed upon the Committee to adopt the text,
with due note of the Holy See concerns
Chapter 33, the financial resources chapter of Agenda 21,
was transmitted to the Main Committee with bracketed text in
three areas: on language that sets a specific date for countries
to re-affirm their commitment to increasing levels of ODA to 0.7%
of GNP; the exact level for the next replenishment of IDA with or
without an "Earth Increment", and; conditionality within GEF.
There was no resolution to these problems and brackets here, and
in two other areas, remain in the text sent to the ministerial
level for further negotiation.
Two new sets of brackets surround the word "including" in
paragraph 10 that had been omitted from yesterday morning's
earliest draft of the text. The insertion of the word
"including" in a key phrase that stipulates the types of
resources necessary for the implementation of Agenda 21, modified
the phrase so that it reads, "will require the provision to
developing countries of substantial new and additional financial
resources, including on grant or concessional terms and according
to sound and equitable criteria and indicators." In the Main
Committee, debate ensued over the significance of the term.
Countries, including India and Tanzania, argued that the word
"including" changes the meaning of the phrase to mean that new
and additional financial resources will not be totally grant and
concessional money. The US argued that much new and additional
funding will be neither grant nor concessional funds but could
take the form of private investment or official debt alleviation.
The phrase was sent to the Plenary in two sets of brackets.
The Main Committee then turned to the 100-plus "financial"
paragraphs scattered throughout Agenda 21 in the "Means of
Implementation" section of each chapter. These paragraphs have
been uniformly modified to reflect the fact that costs associated
with the chapter activities are order of magnitude estimates only
and the actual value depends on the strategies and programmes
implemented. These paragraphs were adopted with minor
amendments.
Chapter 34 on technology transfer and a list of paragraphs
from the other chapters of Agenda 21 that address technology were
easily adopted by the Committee. The only bracketed text
remaining is in the phrase "environmentally [safe and] sound
technology". This phrase was supposed to be resolved in the
contact group on atmosphere, as the bracketed text was first
introduced in the atmosphere chapter of Agenda 21.
Chapters 35 (science for sustainable development), 36
(education) and 37 (capacity building) were clean texts, so Koh
opened discussion on Chapter 38 on international institutional
arrangements. A spokesperson for Amb. Ismall Razali of Malaysia
who coordinated the contact group, reported on the outcome of the
group's work and, after a brief discussion, the chapter was
easily adopted. The US was pleased with the agreement reached on
this chapter and stressed that funds should be reallocated to
support UNCED follow-up. Canada welcomed the establishment of
the Sustainable Development Commission that will be needed to
oversee Agenda 21 implementation.
Chapter 39 on international legal instruments and measures
was also dealt with quickly. After the coordinator, Nabil
el-Arabi, reported on the consensus achieved and stressed the
delicate balance achieved, the text was quickly adopted. Chapter
40, information for decision making, is the last chapter of
Agenda 21 and, as it was a clean text, no discussion was
necessary.
At this point Koh returned to the Agenda 21 chapters that
were still outstanding. The first of these was Chapter 9 on
atmosphere. Amb. Bo Kjelle'n of Sweden introduced the text and
explained that although the document was almost bracket-free,
several delegations still had trouble with certain paragraphs
and, thus, the whole document should remain in brackets. The
list of remaining contentious paragraphs address such issues as
new and renewable energy resources; improving energy efficiency;
environmentally safe and sound energy sources; and the need for
regional conferences on transport and the environment. Saudi
Arabia then took the floor and delivered a lengthy speech setting
out its concerns regarding this chapter. Despite the Saudis'
insistence that its opposition was based on its concern with
repetition in the text, many delegations called into question the
Saudis' true motives. Only a few countries, such as Kuwait and
Nigeria, delivered statements largely supportive of Saudi
Arabia's position. However, the vast majority of speakers on the
interminable list supported retaining the text for several
reasons: it represented a fair and balanced compromise;
repetition of key concepts such new and renewable sources of
energy and safe and environmentally sound energy sources was not
problematic, but rather desirable, in light of the supreme
importance of these concepts; the text was supported by a large
majority of states; consensus should not be interpreted as
requiring unanimity; and the fact that the deletion of the entire
chapter would seriously undermine not only the fate of Agenda 21,
but the entire Conference. The Main Committee did manage to
adopt the text, subject to the reservations maintained by the
Saudis.
The Main Committee finally began discussion of both Chapter
11 on deforestation and the Statement of Forest Principles at
3:00 am. Numerous paragraphs related to the following areas were
all referred to the Plenary in brackets: preamble paragraphs
(a), (d) and (g) about the "right to develop", a possible future
legal instrument and the role of forests; paragraphs 8(d) and
(h), regarding sustainable forest management and environmental
impact assessments; paragraph 11 on financial resources for
sustainable forest management; paragraphs 15(b) and 17 that deal
with international trade in forest products and the role of
forests in the carbon cycle. Organizational problems in the
reporting of the contact group slowed progress. The Russian
Federation insisted, on the behalf of the Eastern European group,
that language referring to countries that are undergoing
transition to market economies be retained, since this document
is not part of Agenda 21 and, therefore, not covered by the
generic paragraph in the Preamble to Agenda 21. The Agenda 21
chapter on deforestation was dealt with next. The Main Committee
was unable to resolve the remaining three bracketed paragraphs.
Both of these documents were transmitted to the Plenary to be
resolved at the ministerial level.
At 5:25 am, Koh began discussion of Chapter 16 on
biotechnology. After Amb. Vincente Sanchez of Chile reviewed the
contact group's resolution of the formerly bracketed paragraphs
in this chapter, Koh brought the discussion to a close and
quickly assured the Committee's approval with his now-standard
quick gavel.
The last substantive item on the agenda was the Rio
Declaration
This was the only unbracketed text transmitted from
the
PrepCom.
Koh announced that as the result of successful
consultations with interested delegations, he was able to propose
a package deal that would alleviate one of the problems
associated with both the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21:
reference to "people under occupation". This package consisted
of three parts: adoption of the text of the Rio Declaration as
is; reformulating the third sentence of paragraph 1.5 of the
Preamble of Agenda 21 to read, "It will be carried out by the
various actors according to the different situations, capacities
and priorities of countries and regions in full respect of all
the principles contained in the Rio Declaration on Environment
and Development"; and deleting the words "people under
occupation" and "various bodies and organizations under
occupation" from the text of Agenda 21. The package deal and,
thus, the Rio Declaration, were quickly adopted.
The US then took the floor and expressed that it still had
problems with the Declaration but, in the spirit of compromise,
it was willing to lay aside its concerns. The US also reserved
the right to come back to Principle 3, which addresses the right
to develop, as this issue was still unresolved in the statement
on forest principles. The Palestinian representative then spoke
of his continued concern with the importance of including people
under occupation in Agenda 21. He added that Agenda 21 is
intended for the 21st century and expressed hope that by 2000
there will no longer be any occupied territories and everyone
will live in peace. A number of other countries made short
statements on this issue. Koh then addressed the last item of
business: entrusting the Rapporteur to complete the report of
the Main Committee. As the clock struck 6:00 am, Tommy Koh
gavelled the Main Committee to a close amidst a prolonged
standing ovation.
IN THE CORRIDORS: Celso Lafer as Vice President of the
Conference has given the responsibility for coordinating
ministerial level consultations on the forest issue to Klaus
Topfer, Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation
and Nuclear Safety of Germany. Consultations were held all day
at the German delegation's office and in the conference rooms at
RioCentro. An open-ended ministerial-level contact group was
scheduled to begin at 10:00 pm last night. Progress on several
paragraphs was reported by those close to the consultations.
Discussions at the highest ministerial level on financial
resources, coordinated by Amb. Rubens Ricu pero of Brazil and
assisted by Celso Lafer and Brazilian Finance Minister Marci' lio
Marques Moreira, were held Thursday.
As well, a ministerial contact group met to resolve the
phrase "environmentally [safe and] sound", which is repeated
throughout the Agenda 21 chapters on atmosphere and technology
transfer and was the subject of heated debate in the Main
Committee early Thursday morning. In fact, this issue is the
only issue that the Main Committee was unable to resolve in both
of these chapters. As of 6:00 pm on Thursday, the ministerial
contact group had not yet reached agreement. On Wednesday, Amb.
Bo Kjelln, the Chair of the contact group, attempted to resolve
this issue in the atmosphere chapter by drafting language to be
inserted in the Preamble of Agenda 21, which would refer to the
fact that new and renewable energy sources should always be safe
and environmentally sound, as well as cost-effective. It was
hoped that this general statement would obviate the need to refer
to "environmentally safe and sound" energy sources throughout the
text. It is possible that the Ministers' work will build upon
Kjelln's proposal.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR TODAY: INSIDE THE SUMMIT: The first
meeting of the Earth Summit officially starts today with 28 Heads
of State or Government scheduled to deliver formal statements in
the Plenary in the morning and 29 Heads of State or Government
scheduled for the second meeting, to be convened in the
afternoon. The third and fourth meetings of the Summit will be
convened on Saturday morning and afternoon, respectively. There
is much speculation as to what parallel process will be put in
place to provide a forum for the continued ministerial-level
negotiations surrounding those issues which the Main Committee
was unable to resolve. Some suggest that forest, finance and
atmosphere ministerial contact groups may in fact be convened in
parallel to the actual Summit proceedings. The results of these
ministerial contact groups will be tabled directly to the final
session of the Plenary, which will be held on Sunday morning to
formally adopt all of the Conference documents. It is likely
that this final Plenary will provide little or no time for
substantive discussion. All consultations are expected to be
completed by Friday evening to allow sufficient time for
translation and photocopying before Sunday's Plenary.
OUTSIDE THE SUMMIT: Look for increasingly limited access for
NGOs and press at RioCentro today and throughout the remainder of
the Earth Summit. Members of the UNCED Secretariat have
indicated that yesterday's youth demonstration may lead to
stricter security measures. This demonstration, which followed
the youth statement in Plenary, resulted in the removal by UN
Security of eight people, the revocation of many passes and a
broken glass door. The demonstration had been called to draw
attention to the resignation of a youth representative on the US
Delegation. It was fueled by the fact that the transmission of
the youth statement to monitors in RioCentro had been cut. The
press, in their zeal to cover the unfolding story, only
exacerbated matters according to several UN Security officers.
The Earth Summit Bulletin is published by Island Press and
the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)
and distributed free of charge to the participants at the United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development. Funding for
preparation and distribution of the Earth Summit Bulletin has
been provided by AT&T Easy Link Services, the Ford Foundation,
The Compton Foundation, the W. Alton Jones Foundation, the C.S.
Mott Foundation, Swedish UNCED Secretariat - Ministry of
Environment, Norwegian Ministry of the Environment, The World
Bank, GREENWIRE, Jenifer Altman Foundation, United Nations
Development Programme, The Canadian Purple Martin Fund and World
Wide Fund for Nature. This issue of Earth Summit Bulletin is
prepared by Johannah Bernstein ([email protected]), Pamela Chasek
([email protected]) and Langston James Goree VI "Kimo"
([email protected]). Earth Summit Bulletin can be contacted at:
RioCentro Exhibition Hall #53, phone (021) 443-1149, E-mail
[email protected]. The opinions expressed in the Earth Summit
Bulletin are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect
the views of Island Press, IISD or our sponsors. The contents of
the Earth Summit Bulletin may be freely used in other
publications with appropriate citation. The Earth Summit
Bulletin is uploaded daily on the APC networks into the
conference en.unced.news and the Earth Summit Information System
(under "news bulletins".)
-30-
-Press Any Key
them. David Gergen: "The president has good arguments
but he allowed himself for reasons I cannot understand
to be maneuvered internationally into a posture where [the U.S.]
is the odd man out [the U.S.] is the caboose at the end of the
train" (6/12). "Inside Washington"'s Krauthammer: "Panama was
bad luck but Rio was a fiasco, because the President temporized.
He should never have gone to meet them in Rio half way. He
should have done what Reagan did on the law of the seas and
walked out and told them to go to hell." Tom Oliphant: "As old
what's-his-name said a few years ago, this is not about ideology
its about competence, and the last two Bush foreign trips have
featured vomit, tear gas, muddled messages and incompetent
diplomacy." Mona Charen: "Here was a chance for George Bush to
take his case to the American people, show real leadership,
explain why he wasn't going or why he was walking out. It could
have been a brilliant moment for him but it wasn't." Juan
Williams said the U.S "has abdicated leadership on environmental
issues
We should have been able to negotiate some kind of
agreement." Charen: "You cannot negotiate with thieves."
Oliphant: "We insulted everybody and accomplished nothing"
(6/13). Robert Novak said the impact of Bush as environmental
president "was just a bunch of poll takers
I don't think it
helped him much in 1988" ("Inside Politics," CNN, 6/12).
*12 LAST NIGHT: EARTH SUMMIT ON TV
CNN "World Today" co-anchor Andrea Arceneaux led by saying
delegates "to the U.N.-sponsored conference say they are focusing
on the future and the task that is before them." Conference
chief Maurice Strong: "The conference has clearly been a great
success, but whether or not it succeeds in its purposes --
setting the planet on a new track -- remains yet to be seen."
EPA head William Reilly: "My sense is that we will see something
Dealy
from
come out of this conference very like the human rights
declaration in Helsinki, it will be up to the concerned
environmentalists, the publics, the [NGOs] to police this process
up
and to remind governments that this is the standard you set for
yourself and against which you are going to be judged.' CNN noted
that in London's Trafalgar Square park, Greenpeace environmental
activists protested to show their disappointment with the "lack
of action" shown by world leaders at Rio. Arceneaux: "They
pointed their finger at British Prime Minister John Major,
calling his performance at the summit 'gutless'' (6/14).
ABC's Forest Sawyer led with the Summit's close: "Organizers
in Rio called the Earth Summit a qualified success and hoped it
would mark a new cooperation to save the planet from pollution,
but underneath the optimistic talk was controversy, and sharp
disagreement and uncertainty over just how much the conference
really accomplished." Union of Concerned Scientists' Alden
SUMMIT TO
SAVE THE
HAT KIND OF PLANET WILL
W
our children inherit?
they have room to
to breathe and food to eat? Will
they ever see an eagle flying free or
enjoy the solitude of a pristine
mountain lake?
Those are among the larger
questions on the agenda of an
extraordinary meeting of more than
100 world leaders and 30,000 other
participants in Rio de Janeiro
beginning June 3. The central premise
of this unprecedented Earth Summit is
that environmental problems can no
longer be solved at the national level.
Will the countries represented in Rio-
notably the U.S.-show the courage
and vision and leadership necessary to
protect our planet for future
generations? The answer is not
certain, but there is some hope.
V
EARTH
SUMMIT TO
EARTH RICH VS
SAVETHE
]
By PHILIP ELMER-DEWITT
thus setting back the cause of environmentalism.
The world has changed dramatically since the
HE LINEUP OF WORLD LEADERS WILL
The U.S. has
first Earth Summit, held 20 years ago in Stockholm
5%
T
include Prime Minister John Major,
(and also chaired by the indefatigable Strong). That
Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Prime Minister
event, which launched thousands of grass-roots
Kiichi Miyazawa and, now that he has
conservation groups around the world and spawned
of the
finally made up his mind to go, Presi-
environmental agencies and ministries in more
world's population.
dent George Bush. The Dalai Lama will
than 115 nations, was held in the shadow of the cold
It uses
join a delegation of clerics, artists and green-mind-
war, when the planet was divided into rival East and
25%
ed parliamentarians. Hundreds of native leaders,
West blocs and preoccupied with the perils of the
from American Indians to Malaysian tribesmen,
nuclear arms race. With the collapse of the East bloc
of the
will represent the interests of the world's indige-
and the thawing of the cold war, a fundamental shift
world's energy,
nous peoples. Tens of thousands of diplomats, sci-
in the global axis of power has occurred. Today the
emits
entists, ecologists, theorists, feminists, journalists,
more meaningful division-especially on environ-
tourists and assorted hangers-on are expected to
mental issues-is not between East and West but be-
22%
gather in dozens of auditoriums and outdoor sites
tween "North" (Europe, North America and Japan)
for nearly 400 official and unofficial events, among
and "South" (most of Asia, Africa and Latin Ameri-
of all
them an environmental technology fair, a scientific
ca). And though the immediate threat of nuclear de-
CO₂ produced
symposium and a meeting of mayors. Peter Max's
struction has lifted, the planet is no less at risk.
and accounts for
art will appear on special postage stamps. A Robert
While there has been some environmental prog-
25%
Rauschenberg poster will be slapped up on walls.
ress in individual countries, the state of the world
Placido Domingo will headline a star-studded musi-
has mostly gone downhill. Air pollution, a major is-
of the
cal tribute to the planet. And a full-size replica of a
sue in Stockholm, has grown significantly worse in
world's GNP.
9th century Viking ship will sail in from Norway
most cities. Even more alarming, it is now over-
carrying messages of goodwill from children all
shadowed by broad atmospheric changes, such as
over the world.
ozone depletion and the buildup of greenhouse
If size and ambition were the measures of suc-
gases. According to the Washington-based World-
cess, the United Nations Conference on Environ-
watch Institute, one of the hundreds of environmen-
ment and Development in Rio de Janeiro would take
tal pressure groups advising the Earth Summit ne-
all the prizes. The so-called Earth Summit, more
gotiators, the world has lost 200 million hectares
than two years in the making, will be the largest and
(500 million acres) of trees since 1972, an area
most complex conference ever held-bigger than
roughly one-third the size of the continental U.S.
the momentous meetings at Versailles, Yalta and
The world's farmers, meanwhile, have lost nearly
Potsdam.
500 million tons of topsoil, an amount equal to the
Those summits carved up empires, drew new
tillable soil coverage of India and France combined.
borders and settled world wars. The agenda for the
Lakes, rivers, even whole seas have been turned
Earth Summit is more far reaching: it sets out to
into sewers and industrial sumps. And tens of thou-
confront not only the world's most pressing envi-
sands of plant and animal species that shared the
ronmental problems-from global warming to de-
planet with us in 1972 have since disappeared.
forestation-but poverty and underdevelopment as
The idea behind the Earth Summit was that the
well. A five-week preparatory meeting in New York
relaxation of cold war tensions, combined with the
City that ended last month produced 24 million
heightened awareness of these growing ecological
EARTH ALERT
pages of documents. "It's a Herculean task," admits
crises, offered a rare opportunity to persuade coun-
Maurice Strong, the former Canadian oil executive
tries to look beyond their national interests and
In the past decade,
who organized and serves as secretary-general for
agree to some basic changes in the way they treat
levels of stratospheric
the giant get-together.
the environment. The broad issues are clear: the de-
ozone, which shields
But with one week to go before the opening cer-
veloped countries of the North have grown accus-
living things from
emonies, the outlook for the Rio conference is far
tomed to life-styles that are consuming a dispropor-
from certain. It is still possible that the Earth Sum-
harmful ultraviolet
tionate share of natural resources and generating
mit will be one of those landmark events that
the bulk of global pollution. Many of the developing
radiation, have
change the course of history, recasting the rela-
countries of the South, for their part, are consuming
declined 4% to 8% in
tionship of the nations of the world not only to one
irreplaceable global resources-eating the world's
the northern and
another but also to their environment. Or it could
seed corn, as it were-to provide for their exploding
southern
end up to be a diplomatic disaster of global propor-
populations. And both groups have as an object les-
tions, driving the wedge deeper between the in-
hemispheres.
son the now bankrupt countries of the East bloc,
dustrial countries and developing countries and
whose singularly inefficient path to industrializa-
42
TIME, JUNE 1, 1992
North and South will meet in
POOR
Rio to confront the planet's
most pressing ills. The event
could change the world-or be a
disaster of global proportions.
tion has produced some of the worst environmental
pared with the $125 billion that Strong has said the
disasters the world has ever seen.
developed nations will need to contribute annually
The solution-at least in broad outline-is also
to protect natural resources and clean up pollution.
fairly clear. The nations of the world must abandon
(The developing countries, he says, would have to
INDIA has
those practices that are self-destructive in favor of
put up an additional $500 billion a year.) To put that
what environmentalists like to call "sustainable de-
in context, the annual U.S. defense budget is $290
16%
velopment." A sustainable society is one that man-
billion. "The bottom line is money," says Kamal
of the
ages its economic growth in such a way as to do no
Nath, India's Minister of Environment and Forests.
irreparable damage to its environment. By balanc-
world's population.
"If the West does not give funds, the Earth Summit
It uses
ing economic requirements with ecological con-
will die a natural death."
cerns, it satisfies the needs of its people without
The tensions between North and South, and the
jeopardizing the prospects of future generations.
3%
financial conflicts that underlie them, run through
A major obstacle to sustainable development in
every issue before the Rio negotiators-even to the
of the
many countries is a social structure that gives most
question of whether those are the proper issues to
world's energy,
of the nation's wealth to a tiny minority of its people.
be discussing. Among the major disagreements:
emits
"A person who is worrying about his next meal is
not going to listen to lectures on protecting the envi-
WHO TURNED UP THE HEAT?
3%
ronment," says R.K. Pachauri, director of New Del-
The fact that this past winter in the northern hemi-
of all
hi's Tata Energy Research Institute. What to North-
sphere was one of the warmest in history may be a
CO₂ produced
ern eyes seems like some of the worst
coincidence. But most scientists agree that all the
and accounts for
environmental outrages-felling rain forests to
smoke and fumes and exhaust that humans gener-
make charcoal for sale as cooking fuel, for exam-
ate will eventually alter the earth's climate. Those
1%
ple-are often committed by people who have no
changes could be modest. Or they could trigger
other form of income. Yet if the barriers that keep
of the
coastal flooding, interior droughts, mass exoduses
those people poor have withstood wars of liberation
world's GNP.
Source: World Resources Inst.; CIA
and pockets of starvation. What irks some develop-
and social revolutions, what are the chances that
ing nations-and in particular Brazil-is that many
they will fall in the name of environmentalism?
people who worry about global warming point their
The disparities that mark individual countries
fingers at the release of carbon dioxide from the
are mirrored in the planet as a whole. Most of its
burning of rain forests. The bigger threats are the
wealth is concentrated in the North. "The reality is
CO2 and other greenhouse gases produced in the in-
that there are many worlds on this planet," says
dustrial countries by the burning of fossil fuels. In
Chee Yokling, a Malaysian representative of
per capita terms, individuals in the North generate
Friends of the Earth, "rich worlds and poor
nearly 10 times as much CO2 from energy use as
worlds." From the South's point of view, it is the
their counterparts in the South.
rich worlds' profligate consumption patterns-their
The problem for the long term is that people in
big cars, refrigerators and climate-controlled shop-
developing countries now want those consumer
ping malls-that are the problem. "You can't have
items that make life in the industrial world SO com-
an environmentally healthy planet in a world that is
fortable as well as environmentally costly-those
socially unjust," says Brazilian President Fernando
private cars, refrigerators and air conditioners. If
Collor de Mello. Counters a U.S. representative to a
per capita emissions of greenhouse gases in China
presummit negotiating session: "They are trying to
and India were to rise to the level of those in France,
lay a collective guilt trip on us because we try to give
for example, emissions worldwide would jump
our people a higher standard of living."
nearly 70%-making a deteriorating situation even
It comes down to a matter of cash. The North has
worse.
it. The South needs it. And the changes that must be
A treaty to prevent climate change was to be
made to achieve sustainable development will not
the centerpiece of the Rio summit. However, poor
EARTH ALERT
occur unless some of that wealth finds its way from
countries didn't see why their plans for develop-
North to South. So far, the industrial nations have
ment should suffer in order to rectify a problem
Because of drought,
held pretty tightly to their purse strings. In March
they did not create. Some rich nations did not
desertification,
the U.S. did pledge $75 million to help poor coun-
want to sign on to anything that would threaten
erosion and
tries find ways to reduce the production of gases
their life-styles or increase the cost of doing busi-
population growth,
that may cause global warming; and at the presum-
ness. Trying to spur agreement, the European
mit negotiations, there were hints from developed
Community proposed cutting CO2 emissions to
per capita grain
nations that as much as $6 billion in debt relief and
1990 levels by the year 2000-a relatively modest
production in Africa
other financial guarantees might be forthcoming at
reduction. But the U.S. steadfastly refused to con-
has dropped 28%
the Rio conference itself. But that is a pittance com-
sider any such rigid deadlines. Skeptical about
since 1967.
TIME. JUNE 1, 1992
43
PAIR MAGNUM
The glitter of Chicago
NORTH Having reaped the comforts-and the ecological costs-of indus-
trialization, developed nations want the South to avoid their mistakes
the evidence that global warming will occur. the
WHO'S POISONING THE OCEANS?
SUMMIT TO
Bush Administration was concerned that an arbi-
Anyone who has been near the seashore lately-
trary reduction in the output of CO2 would mean
or listened to Jacques-Yves Cousteau on TV-
SAVE THE
a decline in industrial production and a loss of
knows that the oceans are a mess, littered with
jobs-a particularly unappealing prospect in an
plastic and tar balls and rapidly losing fish. But
election year.
the garbage dumps, the oil spills, the sewage dis-
EARTH
The climate-change talks had just about reached
charges, the drift nets and factory ships are only
an impasse when committee chairman Jean Ripert
the most visible problems. The real threats to the
of France took it upon himself to draw up a compro-
oceans. accounting for 70% to S0% of all mari-
mise text liberally sprinkled with what he calls
time pollution, are the sediment and contami-
"constructive ambiguities." It requires nations to
nants that flow into the seas from land-based
roll back greenhouse-gas emissions to "earlier lev-
sources-topsoil, fertilizers. pesticides and all
els" by the end of the decade and report periodically
manner of industrial wastes. Coral is particularly
on their progress. but the target of reaching 1990
sensitive to sediment, and the reefs that fringe
levels becomes merely a voluntary goal. That
Asia, Australia and the Caribbean-and provide a
seemed to do the trick. Despite loud protests by en-
home to many of the world's fish species-are al-
vironmentalists that the agreement was too weak. it
ready starting to die.
was adopted two weeks ago and sent on for signa-
Every country contributes to the situation
ture at Rio.
roughly in proportion to its size. although countries
44
TIME. JUNE 1. 1992
BELIEPRESS PRESS - PECTUREGROUP GROUP
The gloom of Ethiopia
SOUTH Anxious to raise their populations out of poverty, developing
nations feel they should not have to pay for environmental sins they did not
that are leveling their forests are making the runoff
trove of biodiversity and greenhouse-gas "sinks"
problem especially bad. Some ocean advocates
that absorb CO2 and thus help keep global warming
called for a new global treaty that would deal specif-
in check. To developing nations the forests are re-
ically with land-based pollution. The U.S., on the
sources ripe for exploitation: potential farmland, a
other hand, favored strengthening existing interna-
free source of fuel and a storehouse of exotic kinds
tional agreements to control this pollution, particu-
of wood that command high prices overseas.
larly at the national and regional levels. In the end,
The Bush Administration had hoped to make
negotiators adopted the U.S. approach, agreeing
deforestation a showcase issue going into Rio. The
that countries should commit themselves to clean-
presummit discussions opened with a U.S.-inspired
EARTHALERT
ing up the seas but that it was premature to consid-
proposal for an outright ban on logging in tropical
er drafting a formal global treaty.
forests. But the developing countries retaliated by
The smog that hangs
demanding that the language cover temperate and
over Athens is known
WHOSE WOODS ARE THESE?
boreal (northern) forests as well. The move was
to local residents as
Except for finances, no issue has divided North and
clearly aimed at the U.S., which has strenuously re-
nephos, "the cloud."
South more sharply than the question of what to do
sisted any scrutiny of the logging practices in pub-
about the world's remaining virgin forests. At the
At peak times, it
licly owned ancient forests in the Pacific Northwest.
heart of the debate are the tropical rain forests-and
At a separate conference in Kuala Lumpur earli-
contributes to an
a fundamental difference in how each side sees
er this month, Malaysia's feisty Prime Minister
average of a dozen
them. To industrial countries they are a treasure
Mahathir Mohamad reiterated the developing world's
deaths a day.
TIME. JUNE 1. 1992
45
SUMMIT TO
hard line on the issue. If the industrial nations think
an international agreement to conserve imperiled
the rain forests are so important for biodiversity and
species and ecosystems has finally been reached.
CO2 storage, says Mahathir, why don't the rich, CO2-
Much of the debate in presummit meetings cen-
SAVE THE
creating countries pay for the service of preserving
tered on the issue of who owns and controls the ge-
those forests, instead of hectoring the poor countries
netic information stored in those species. Tradition-
not to utilize one of their few natural resources? Ma-
ally, the benefits that come from genetic materials-
EARTH
hathir, of course, is not exactly a disinterested party;
seeds, specimens or drugs derived from plants and
his country has been charged with rampant overlog-
animals-go to whoever finds a way to exploit them.
ging in peninsular Malaysia and Borneo.
Vanilla, for example, was a biological resource
The lines have been so sharply drawn on all the
found only in Central America. It later became an
forest-protection of issues that what was originally
important cash crop in Madagascar. Now a U.S. bio-
intended to be a legally binding forestry convention
tech company has developed a process to clone the
was watered down months ago to a nonbinding
vanilla flavor in a cell culture. If the firm sells the
"statement of principles" that will probably be
bioengineered version for less than natural vanilla
adopted at Rio. Whether a full-fledged treaty will be
and takes some of the market share, who will com-
negotiated later is still uncertain.
pensate the Madagascar farmers? Or the Central
WHO NEEDS THESE SPECIES?
American Indians from whose lands the genetic
material originated?
Not since the dinosaurs were killed off, say biolo-
Earlier this year it was hoped that the Earth
gists, has the world experienced an extinction
Summit treaty would include a provision making
genetic materials of all kinds the sovereign re-
Increasing yearly
source of the originating country. Nations would
emissions have raised
the atmospheric con-
have control over who had access to their genetic re-
centration of CO2
sources, and if someone else found a way to make
from 327 to
money from them, the originating country would
FRED
354 parts per
collect royalties on each sale.
million.
21.9 billion metric tons
The effect of such a treaty could be striking.
Rather than viewing concern about endangered
16.2 billion metric tons
species as a barrier that the industrial world is plac-
ing in the way of progress, the developing nations
might see biodiversity as a resource that, if properly
inventoried and managed, could generate real in-
come. The idea, says Thomas Lovejoy, a tropical
ecologist at the Smithsonian Institution, is "to start
thinking about the problem as a joint venture in
Source: World Resources Inst
which both sides have property rights."
But disagreements arose in the late rounds of
1972
1989
negotiation that weakened the final text of the trea-
CO₂ EMISSIONS
ty. The agreement now states that the North must
Estonian cement plant
give the South money and technology to preserve
biodiversity and that communities and indigenous
"spasm" like the man-made one that will wipe out
peoples should have a financial stake in conserving
10% to 20% of the earth's estimated 10 million spe-
their native plants and animals. However, the treaty
cies of plants and animals by the year 2020. Since at
sets out no formula or mechanism for payments for
least 50% of those species live in tropical rain for-
the use of genetic materials.
ests, past efforts to save them have run into the usu-
al lines of resistance from governments in the
There are scores of other issues-large and
South, which resent any kind of meddling from the
small-buried in the drafts of two primary Earth
North. What makes the losses so unacceptable is
Summit texts: a five-page "declaration" and a 600-
that they are irreversible; once a species becomes
plus-page "blueprint for action" called Agenda 21.
extinct, it is gone forever. After years of negotiation,
The shorter statement, originally called the Earth
Peruvian shoreline
PICTURES
Growing population
in coastal areas leads to
more marine pollution
1980
URBAN
I
617 million
and destruction of coastal
COASTAL
habitats. Some 6.5 million
POPULATION
tons of litter finds its way
2000
997 million
into the sea each year.
Source: UN Environment Programme: World Resources Inst.
46
TIME, JUNE 1, 1992
Charter, was supposed to be a soaring preamble,
along the lines of the U.S. Declaration of Indepen-
In the past decade,
dence. The longer agenda was supposed to specify
tropical-forest area has
shrunk from
the problems that the world will face well into
4.7 to 4.2
the 21st century and how to pay for their solution.
DANIEL DANCER
billion acres
Both documents will be adopted at Rio, but nei-
(1.9 to 1.7
ther bears much resemblance to the original con-
billion
ception. After weeks of debate, the Earth Charter
hectares).
42 million acres
(17 million hectares)
was abandoned and replaced by a woodenly written
declaration filled with the kind of pious promises
("eradicating poverty," "eliminat[ing] unsustain-
able patterns of production and consumption") that
world leaders often make but never keep. In what is
perhaps the worst example of bureaucratic obfusca-
tion, the text at one point endorses the promotion of
27 million acres
(11 million hectares)
"appropriate demographic policies"-the nearest
negotiators could come to confronting the explosive
issue of population control.
Agenda 21 became the main forum for North-
South wrangling on every topic imaginable, includ-
ing the spread of deserts, disposal of toxic wastes
and protection of women's rights. In the end, the
conferees were able to agree that some of these
problems do need to be solved. What they still have
not agreed on is the means to solve them. To bring
about meaningful change in most of these areas
1970s
1980s
would require overhauling the way the world does
YEARLY TROPICAL
business-from the laws that control international
Source: World Resources Inst.
DEFORESTATION
trade to the financial institutions that direct the ebb
and flow of capital. That is a task that the negotia-
Fund" that they could help manage and control.
Clear-cutting in
tors have barely even begun.
The donor nations, suspicious of corruption in the
Washington State
Much of the debate has centered on technology,
governments of the South, have SO far refused to
which both sides seem to agree is crucial. The Japa-
budge. And since the North controls the money, its
nese have already made it a national goal to develop
the next generation of environmentally friendly ma-
position is likely to prevail. "That's what gets my
goat," says Anil Agarwal, director of the Center for
chines and industrial processes-seeing this as a
Science and Environment in New Delhi. "They are
way that developed countries can strengthen their
the environmental crooks, and they have all the le-
position in the world economy. The developing na-
vers of power."
tions, still saddled with old, inefficient production
Agarwal's comments reflect a new feistiness
techniques, insist that they will never be able to
among developing countries on environmental mat-
curb pollution without preferential access to new
ters. A coalition of them, called the Group of 77, has
processes and equipment. Some experts fear that
put up a remarkably united front in the Earth Sum-
both sides have unrealistic expectations of technol-
mit talks. Led by Indians and Pakistanis, whose lan-
ogy, as if it were a magic carpet that would allow
primitive societies to skip the Industrial Revolution
guage skills and flair for bureaucratic nitpicking
serve them well in parliamentary maneuverings,
and go straight to the environmentally friendly 21st
the G-77 nations have effectively resisted what they
century. But after weeks of debate, negotiators were
see as an effort to make them pay for the industrial
not able to agree on whether what they wanted was
world's environmental sins. "We may not have been
technology "transfer" or technology "cooperation,"
able to get what we want," says India's Pachauri.
never mind how to achieve them.
An endangered lemur
"But we can draw satisfaction from the fact that we
Nor were they able to settle how Agenda 21
from Madagascar
would be paid for. Any aid would logically be ad-
In the past 20 years, as
ministered by the Global Environmental Facility, a
many as 1 million
$1.3 billion fund that is run jointly by the World
species have vanished
Bank, the U.N. Environment Program and the U.N.
from the
Development Program. Environmentalists are sus-
world's
picious of the GEF because the World Bank, the lend-
tropical
ing institution through which most international aid
forests.
50,000 species
has been funneled in the past, has a history of invest-
ing primarily in large, ecologically damaging capital
projects such as jungle highways and hydroelectric
dams. Developing countries resent the GEF because it
is effectively controlled by the World Bank, which in
30,000 species
turn is dominated by the industrialized countries.
They also complain that it targets problems that the
developed world cares about, such as global warm-
ing and ozone depletion, rather than issues impor-
tant to the developing world, including fresh-water
1970s
1980s
supplies and the spread of deserts.
YEARLY EXTINCTION
Source: E. 0. Wilson
MICKEY ANIMALS
The developing nations want a separate "Green
RATES
TIME. JUNE 1, 1992
51
have prevented the West from ramming inequitable
largely sidelined. Not only are they torn by civil
SUMMIT TO
and unfair conventions down our throats."
strife, but they are also confronted with hundreds of
The industrial nations have shown no such soli-
desperate environmental crises, ranging from an
SAVE THE
darity. European nations, pressured by powerful
outbreak of malignant tumors in the heavily con-
green movements of their own, sound quite pro-
taminated Silesia region of southwest Poland to a
gressive on environmental issues, but they are still
rash of lung, skin and eye disorders among Bulgari-
EARTH
not very good at enforcing their antipollution laws.
an children who live near chemical plants on the
Japan, stung by its image as an ecological outlaw for
Danube River. Eastern Europe's governments, bare-
its whaling practices and its insatiable appetite for
ly able to keep their economies moving, have little
raw wood, seems determined to present itself in
money to clean up pollution. In presummit negotia-
these talks as an environmental world leader.
tions the main role of what used to be called the sec-
The countries of the former East bloc have been
ond world was to insist that any funds for the devel-
Population: The Uninvited Guest
By EUGENE LINDEN
curbs the numbers. Almost all these people would live in de-
veloping countries, and it is difficult to imagine how any
MAGINE AN EARTH SUMMIT AT WHICH THE DELEGATES
I
agreement coming out of Rio could offset the negative impact
were magically insulated from nationalist, religious and
of this tide of humanity.
cultural pressures and then told to pick one issue that had
"We already have a full-occupancy planet," says Noel
the most impact on the quality of the environment and the
Brown, North American director of the U.N. Environment
cause of sustainable development. There is little doubt what
Program. Today S0% of deforestation results from population
this dream conference would focus on: population. By itself,
growth. If the numbers keep rising until 2050, the U.N. esti-
controlled population growth will not solve the world's prob-
mates, an additional 5.9 million sq km (2.3 million sq. mi.) of
lems, but if human numbers and consumption continue to rise
land will have to be turned over to farming, roads and urban
unabated, there is little hope for the other creatures with whom
uses. This is almost equivalent to the total size of protected
we share the earth and a high probability of catastrophe for hu-
natural areas on earth today. Most good agricultural land is
manity itself. After years of preparation, however, the negotia-
already under plow, and each year desertification, improper
tors preparing the main documents for Rio have relegated the
irrigation and overuse take millions of acres out of produc-
issue to a few delicately worded phrases. In the draft of the Rio
tion. Farms may increase in productivity, but it will be
Declaration, the sole mention of population is a deliberately am-
much harder to match the gains of the past, and whether ag-
biguous reference to "appropriate demographic policies."
ricultural output can keep pace with population is an open
The problem is that the negotiators cannot operate in a
question.
world divorced from dogmas. In the case of discussions about
Seafood will not be limitless either. Some scientists esti-
birth control, the pressures came from the Vatican and funda-
mate that rising demand will exceed what the oceans can pro-
mentalist Muslims. Ironically, according to summit officials,
duce by 20% in as little as 20 years. One sign of how badly the
feminists led by former U.S. Congresswoman Bella Abzug may
seas have been overfished is that populations of bluefin tuna
have unintentionally aided the forces aligned against family
have declined 94% since 1970.
planning by pushing aggressively for a more liberal women's
The world has already overshot the saturation point in its
reproductive-rights agenda than the conservative cultures in
ability to process many wastes. For instance, a doubling of
the developing world could accept.
human population would be like-
Unfortunately, the summit's ca-
WORLD POPULATION
ly to boost the concentrations of
pitulation on the population ques-
2150 11.6
in billions,
nitrates in rivers 55%. Nitrates,
tion will probably nullify whatever
with projections
2050 10
which get into the water from air
progress the conference makes on
pollution and fertilizer runoff,
other issues. The United Nations
2020 8.5
are among the most difficult con-
Population Fund has just released
taminants to remove. The chemi-
new forecasts for population
cals cause human diseases and
growth, which have been raised
promote water conditions that
sharply. In 1980 the agency project-
kill fish and other aquatic life.
ed that the world's population, now
2000 6.3
Earth Summit enthusiasts ar-
at 5.4 billion, would stabilize at 10
gue that efforts to raise incomes
billion people roughly 100 years
1990 5.3
and educational levels for the
from now, but the new estimates
poor will have the side effect of
show it surpassing 11.6 billion by
lowering population growth. In
the year 2150.
the fastest-growing countries,
And that prediction may be op-
however, population increases
timistic, based on the assumption
1950
prevent development by sopping
that developing nations can re-
2.5
up investment capital that might
duce their birthrate from 3.8 chil-
otherwise improve lives. If the
dren per mother to 3.3 by the year
summit is to be more than a bu-
2000. If that reduced birthrate is
tion will hit 12.5 billion by the mid-
Source. Population Fund
reaucratic sideshow unrelated to
not reached until 2010, the popula-
the forces threatening the globe,
it will have to do more than offer
dle of the next century-unless
camouflaged references to the
mass starvation, disease or war
population explosion.
54
TIME. JUNE 1. 1992
oping nations be matched with set-asides for the
tal conflict in the way man and nature measure pro-
"economies in transition."
EARTH ALERT
gress-a conflict between economics and ecology. To
The U.S.-the world's richest nation and its sin-
an economist, weighing things like savings, invest-
In communities near
gle biggest polluter-has stood in the way of prog-
ments and growth, ecological concerns are secondary
Russia's Aral Sea
ress on many of the most closely watched summit
considerations to be factored into the larger econo-
widespread use of
issues. While senior officials held briefings painting
metric model. Ecologists studying the complex rela-
the Bush Administration as pro-environment, U.S.
tionships of living things to their environment know
agricultural pesticides
delegates backed the status quo on one topic after
from experience that treating nature like a limitless
has been linked to
another, insisting over and over that "the American
resource leads, eventually, to irreversible collapse.
esophageal-cancer
life-style is not up for negotiation."
In the negotiations leading up to the Earth Sum-
rates seven times as
Hopes for a compromise lifted briefly in late March
mit, individual nations have acted like ecologists on
when the head of the American delegation, Assistant
great as the national
external matters and economists on their own inter-
Secretary of State Curtis Bohlen, announced that the
nal affairs. This is, perhaps, to be expected. Making
average.
U.S. had reversed itself and accepted the idea that
sacrifices for the good of the planet requires negoti-
"new and additional finan-cial resources" would be
ating away some measure of national sovereignty,
needed to pay for environmental action in poor coun-
something no country does with grace.
tries. But Bohlen would not say how much the U.S.
That is not likely to change when those 100 or SO
might be willing to pledge.
heads of state meet in Rio next week. If the world's en-
In the end, negotiators despaired of settling
vironmental problems did not get solved in two years
the funding questions in advance and agreed to re-
of preparatory negotiations, they can hardly be settled
open the issue in Rio. Some observers think the Group
in 10 days dominated by banquets, receptions and
of 77 may have made a tactical blunder by pushing so
photo opportunities. But it is not too late to salvage
hard for financial and technical aid. Sir Crispin Tick-
something of great value from the Earth Summit. If
ell, Britain's former ambassador to the U.N., has
the leaders who go there-and the people watching
called it a "diplomatic mistake of the highest magni-
them from around the world-can be convinced that
tude." Others criticize the Earth Summit organizers,
the crisis facing the planet is serious enough to
who by putting SO many environmental problems on
demand a new alliance between North and South,
the negotiating table may have inadvertently ensured
then there is hope that what did not get accomplished
that none of them get solved.
on the road to Rio may at least get started on the
By linking environmentalism and development,
way home. -Reported by Andrea Dorfman/New York, lan
the conferees have brought to the surface a fundamen-
McCluskey/Rio de Janeiro and Anita Pratap/New Delhi
THE NEGOTIATIONS SCOREBOARD
WHAT THEY'VE DONE
CAME up with a 600-plus-page "agenda" to
save the planet, with a price tag of more than
AGREED, in principle, that polluters ought to bear
$600 billion a year but not yet agreed on plans
the cost of their pollution, that poverty ought to be
for raising the bulk of the money.
eradicated and that "appropriate demographic
AGREED to try to roll back emissions of carbon
policies" (i.e., family planning) ought to be
dioxide and other greenhouse gases by the end of
promoted.
the decade, with the understanding that 1990
ACKNOWLEDGED that developed countries, having
levels would be a desirable-but not mandatory-
put more "pressure" on the world environment,
target.
bear some responsibility for putting it right.
EXTRACTED a $75 million commitment from the
AGREED to give "special priority" to the needs of
U.S. to help developing countries with the effort
the developing countries-without specifying
to combat global warming.
what those priorities might be.
WHAT THEY COULD STILL DO
GIVE developing nations preferential access to
new, environmentally friendly technology.
FORGIVE some part of the developing nations'
EXTRACT a commitment of S3 billion to $6 billion
$1.2 trillion debt if they set up additional nature
in new funding from developed countries to help
preserves in ecologically critical areas, like the
pay for the environmental agenda.
tropical rain forests.
WHAT THEY SHOULD DO
PUT an international tax on emissions of carbon
BUT WON'T
dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
PUT strict limits on the trade of timber from the
CONFER tangible value to species in biologically
earth's remaining virgin forests.
diverse regions by requiring payment of royalties
SET up a recycling plan in every major city in the
for the use of their genetic materials.
world.
FIND a way to put the brakes on the world's
GIVE the United Nations broad powers to create an
spiraling population. which will otherwise double
environmental police force for the planet.
by the year 2050.
Official summit stamps
58
TIME, JUNE 1. 1992
SUMMIT TO
SIDESHOWS GALORE
SAVE THE
Summiteers who find the official speeches a snooze can skip out for some
EARTH
rousing rhetoric, tribal wisdom and a festival of the arts. Here's a sampler.
ECO-POSTERS AT RIO'S
By ANDREA DORFMAN
MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
"AMAZON ART," Museum of Modern Art, Rio, June 5-28
This eclectic array consists of works by 26 artists
THE '92 GLOBAL FORUM, Flamengo Park and other city
from 14 countries who were deposited in far-flung
sites, Rio, June 1-14 The largest sideshow will be an
corners of the Amazon and told to use local materi-
ecological Woodstock for an estimated 12,000 peo-
als to depict the region's natural beauty and envi-
ple from "nongovernmental organizations," includ-
ronmental ills.
ing environmental groups. human-rights move-
ments, religious communities, women's caucuses,
A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM IN THE AMAZON FOREST,
youth associations, trade unions and alli-
João Caetano Theater, Rio, May 15 to Dec. 15 In
ances of indigenous peoples.
this elaborate production directed by Ger-
Some highlights of the agenda: an
man filmmaker Werner Herzog, Puck is
Open Speakers Forum, whose guest list
transported to the contemporary Brazil-
includes U.S. presidential candidate
ian rain forest. The play opens with a
Jerry Brown and former Brazilian Envi-
JAMES FOR TIME
Julian Naranjo, CHILE
Herzog film documentary on the eco-
ronment Minister José Lutzenberger,
logical devastation of Kuwait.
and a debate on the possible creation of
c
an International Green Cross.
FOREST OF THE AMAZON, Municipal Theater,
Rio, June 1-21 Set to music by Brazilian com-
"TRANSFORMING AND RE-CREATING RESIDUES:
poser Heitor Villa-Lobos, Forest of the
GARBAGE MADE CLEAN," Paço Imperial,
Amazon is the story of a white god-
Rio, May 7 to July 5 Fifteen Brazil-
dess who falls in love with a rubber
ian photographers display their
tapper, angering both the Ama-
views of garbage: what it is, how
zon tribe that adores her and the
it has evolved, how it is dis-
forest itself. The ballet, de-
posed of, how it can be recycled.
scribed by choreographer Dalal
The show also features "waste
Achcar as "a poetic fantasy," is an
decorations" by artist Antonio
João Machado, PORTUGAL
expanded version of one she origi-
Manuel.
nally created for Margot Fonteyn.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' CONFERENCE ON
The Swatch and sweat to wear
CONCERT FOR THE LIFE OF PLANET
TERRITORY, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVEL-
EARTH, Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon,
OPMENT, Kari-Oca Indian Village, Rio, May 25-30 Some
Rio, June 7 Actor Jeremy Irons is the host of this
400 Indian leaders from Brazil's 180 indigenous na-
charity event, which features performances by Pla-
tions, as well as 200 representatives from the U.S.,
cido Domingo, Wynton Marsalis and other artists,
08 1st EARTH
Canada, Australia, Latin America, Scandinavia, Asia
as well as a fireworks display. The nonpaying public
THE
and Russia, are gathering at a specially constructed
can watch the festivities on large screens flanking
village near the Pedra Branca Forest. Besides envi-
the lagoon. -Reported by lan McCluskey/Rio de Janeiro
ronmental issues, the agenda includes such topics as
land rights and self-government. On May 30 the trib-
al leaders will celebrate the "Day of the White Man"
with dance and rituals.
Pierre Bernard, FRANCE
ECOBRAZIL '92, Anhembi Park Convention Center, São
Paulo, June 6-11 An environmental-technology
TERYL INC.
trade fair, EcoBrazil '92 will showcase the latest in
pollution-control and other green equipment from
85 Brazilian companies and dozens of foreign firms,
including Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi and Sun
Electric.
MUSEUM OF MODERN ART-RIO
"30 POSTERS ON ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT," Mu-
seum of Modern Art, Rio, May 29 to June 29 Leading
graphic designers from 25 countries have contrib-
In a TV special called One Child-One Voice, the TBS cable
uted posters that portray optimistic visions of sus-
network urged children to create "leaf postcards" to show
tainable development. Organized by Design Rio, the
their support for the Earth Summit. Millions of leaves
show will open simultaneously in dozens of galler-
collected by TBS and many other organizations worldwide will
Jukka Veistola, FINLAND
ies around the world.
be hung on the giant Tree of Life in Rio.
TIME. JUNE 1, 1992
59
SUMMIT TO
THE BIG GREEN PAYOFF
SAVE THE
Who says what's good for the environment is bad for the
EARTH
economy? From electric cars to solar cells, products that
protect the planet will earn hefty profits in the future.
By MICHAEL D. LEMONICK
Who wins the races to perfect and sell green
technologies will depend to a great extent on who
T THE FRANKFURT AUTO SHOW LAST
has the edge in engineering and marketing skills.
A
fall, BMW unveiled its vision of the fu-
But equally important may be the encouragement
ture of driving. Called the E1, it is a
companies get from their countries' political lead-
four-seat car with a top speed of 120
ers. Governments can exert enormous influence
km/h (75 m.p.h.) and a range of up to
over how aggressively businesses take the environ-
250 km (155 miles). Not so swift, you
ment into account. using sticks and carrots-sticks
say? But this car is a clean machine: it gives off no
in the form of tough standards for products and
pollution that could foul the air in any way. The E1
manufacturing processes, carrots consisting of tax
runs on an electric motor powered by high-energy
breaks and other incentives that reward innovation.
sodium-sulfur batteries. Although it takes electric-
The U.S. government has, for the most part,
ity to charge the batteries, the power plants can be
done a poor job of spurring business to come up
far from smoggy cities.
with breakthroughs. In the past, federal agencies is-
BMW is not alone. Just about all the world's ma-
sued environmental compliance goals, like stan-
jor automakers, from Citroën to Chrysler, are rev-
dards for the amount of pollutants coming out of
ving up to produce electric cars. They realize that in
smokestacks, and then mandated the acceptable
the 21st century, consumers will increasingly fa-
methods for achieving the targets. There was no in-
vor-and governments will mandate-technology
centive to do better than the standards or to develop
that preserves and protects the environment. The
innovative tools for meeting the goals-tools that
fortunes of companies and nations will rise and fall
U.S. companies might market around the world.
on how well they heed the call to save the planet.
The Clean Air Act of 1990 tries to change the old
The global market for environmentally friendly
way of doing things; it allows companies to meet
products is worth an estimated $200 billion a year,
pollution goals by whatever means they can. With
and has just begun to take off. Every potential inno-
regard to emissions of noxious sulfur dioxide, the
vation, whether a new kind of windmill or biodegrad-
new law sets up a clever system in which companies
able plastic made from plants, is attracting attention
and utilities will be issued permits to produce cer-
from companies in a host of industrial nations. The
tain amounts of the gas. If a company finds ways to
U.S.'s Du Pont is in a race with Germany's Hoechst
produce less SO₂ than it is allowed to, it can make
and Britain's ICI, among others, to develop replace-
money by selling unused pollution permits to other
ment chemicals for ozone-destroying chlorofluoro-
firms. "This is the frontier of environmental poli-
carbons (CFCS). Germany's Siemens is vying with
cy," says Robert Stavins, an economist at Harvard's
such firms as Amoco in the U.S. and Sanyo in Japan
Kennedy School of Government. "It allows a firm to
to produce cheap, efficient solar electric cells.
go out and choose the best technology it can. And it
EARTH SAVER
If the U.S. increased
average auto-fuel
economy from
28 m.p.g. to 40
m.p.g., the country
could ultimately save
2.4 million bbl. of oil a
day (about the amount
now imported) and
could prevent 440
million tons of carbon
dioxide (7% of current
CO2 emissions) from
entering the
atmosphere each year
BMW's E1 is a clean electric machine that could make it easier to breathe in the world's cities
62
TIME. JUNE 1. 1992
also provides an incentive to cut pollution below
government requirements."
Meanwhile, the U.S. is stepping up support for
research into energy conservation and renewable
power sources. Funding in these areas has risen
from $324 million in 19S9 to $540 million this year.
But the President and Congress have not shown
much interest in politically tough measures such as
sharply higher gasoline taxes or more stringent
SOUTHERN SOU CALIFORNIA EDISON COMPANY
auto-fuel-economy standards, both of which would
force Detroit to design more efficient cars.
In Japan furious competition among companies
is the main force behind innovation, but govern-
ment policies, in the form of strict antipollution
laws and encouragement of technological research,
are a big help. One of the government's latest initia-
tives is the New Earth 21 project, which is aimed at
meeting the threat of global warming. As envi-
sioned by the Ministry of International Trade and
Industry, it will promote two activities: the develop-
ment of technologies designed to reduce production
earlier than most other countries-and called for a
Built by McDonnell
of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, and
25% to 30% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by
Douglas, this "dish"
the sharing of those methods with developing coun-
2010. The government is investing heavily, having
converts light energy
tries. MITI is financing an ambitious effort to gener-
spent $90 million since 1974 on development of recy-
into electricity
ate clean-burning hydrogen, which would not con-
clable, high-efficiency batteries for electric cars and
tribute to global warming, by using genetically
planning annual outlays of $182 million on solar-,
engineered bacteria. There are also tax breaks and
wind- and wave-energy research. Last year a gov-
low-interest loans available for environmentally
ernment-supported, high-speed train called ICE start-
sound industrial projects, and local governments
ed whizzing between Hamburg and Munich.
can get tax relief when they purchase electric- rath-
There is action as well at the level of the Europe-
er than gasoline-powered vehicles.
an Community as a whole. Last January, E.C. envi-
European nations are also moving to coax, and if
ronment commissioner Carlo Ripa di Meana got ini-
necessary force, their industries to see the potential
tial approval for a tax to be levied on fuels that give
profits in environmental responsibility. In France the
off carbon dioxide. He figures this will eventually
best example of a marketable, earth-saving technol-
push the price of natural gas up about 30% and coal
ogy is the TGV, a 300-km/h (186-m.p.h.) train that has
60%, increases that will spur businesses and con-
won passengers away from polluting planes on the
sumers to conserve energy. The E.C. has been help-
Paris-Lyons run and other routes. The train, whose
ing finance development of clean technologies, such
operations are subsidized by the government, is now
as 100%-recyclable cars and low-polluting power
being considered for several routes in the U.S.-a
generators, since 1987.
profitable triumph for French industry. In addition,
Many companies recognized long ago, without
the government is laying plans for a waste tax that
any nudge from governments, that respect for the
will finance advanced waste-treatment plants, which
environment can boost profits. In the U.S., 3M has
could lead to an entire export industry.
drastically reduced pollution and waste at its manu-
In Britain, where the total market for environ-
facturing plants and, despite the conventional wis-
mental products has been estimated at $50 billion a
dom that says environmentalism is a luxury, has
year by 1995, the government has set up a $20 mil-
steadily increased its profits. Once industrialists
lion fund to support innovations in recycling, envi-
think about it at all seriously, they almost inevitably
ronmental monitoring and reduction of waste and
see the financial advantages of investments in envi-
pollution from manufacturing processes. It is giving
ronmental technology, says Hugh Faulkner, execu-
farmers grants of up to 50% of the cost of building
tive director of the Business Council for Sustainable
new slurry and silage storage facilities to cope with
Development. The council was set up to advise the
fertilizer-heavy farm waste.
Earth Summit about industry's views on environ-
Britain's National Rivers Authority has been es-
mental issues. After a year's work, executives from
R T H SAVER
pecially active. Its interest persuaded the electron-
such firms as Chevron, Mitsubishi, Royal Dutch/
ics industry to come up with a briefcase-size moni-
Shell and Volkswagen agreed on a set of business
By switching from
tor that can be used on a riverbank to measure the
principles, including the need for sustainable man-
incandescent to
amount of dissolved oxygen and ammonia in the
agement of resources, the charging of environmen-
compact fluorescent
water, along with its acidity and turbidity. The au-
tal costs against corporate profits, and the rule that
lighting, the U.S.
thority also spurred the development of a remote-
polluters, not the public, must pay for cleanup.
sensing water monitor, as well as an experimental
could conceivably
Yet even with greater industrial environmental
technique that injects iron into stream beds to neu-
conserve 147 billion
consciousness, says Faulkner, "there could clearly
tralize polluting phosphates. All three inventions
be no prospect for sustainable development in ei-
kWh of energy
are considered good export prospects.
ther the developed or the developing world without
annually (equal to the
Perhaps the greenest of nations is Germany,
government incentives." The nations that wield
output of 37 giant
where commercial banks will grant low-interest
those carrots and sticks most skillfully will be the
loans for pro-environment projects and hotels urge
power plants) and
leaders of the new green revolution, and their in-
guests to forgo daily towel changes to save water and
thus save about $11
dustries will eventually be the ones to profit from it:
energy. Environment Minister Klaus Töpfer has or-
-Reporte by Helen Gibson/London, Rhea Schoenthal/Bonn
billion a year on utility
dered the phaseout of CFCS by next year-two years
and Dick Thompson/Washington
bills
TIME, JUNE 1, 1992
63
SUMMIT TO
THE WORLD'S NEXT
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Forty years ago,
hectares) of trees.
Vancouver Island's
By 1990, how-
pristine temperate
ever, loggers had
SAVE THE
TROUBLE SPOTS
rain forest, one of
clear-cut more
the few left any-
than half the
where in the world,
prime timberland
EARTH
and report cards for major countries on
held 4.2 million
The rest could be
acres (1.7 million
gone in 25 years.
1m
Population
Safe Drinking
Protected
FLORIDA
POLAND
Carbon
Emissions
Growth
Water
Lands
The barrier reef that
The Dunajec valley
forms the Florida
is famous for its
Keys-which is a
scenery and medieval
U.S. marine sanc-
castles. In 1976 the
tuary-is dying at a
government began
REPORT CARD FOR NORTH AMERICA
THE ALPS
rate of 4% to 10%
building a dam at
They are scarred
a year. The biggest
Czorsztyn to provide
by roads, railways,
U.S.
F
B
A
A
threats are agricul-
cheap electricity and
40,000 ski runs
tural runoff, sewage,
control flooding
and 12,000 lifts
Construction will
Canada
F
B
A
B
coastal erosion,
and cable-car
end in 1995. Sci
pollution-related
lines. Native
diseases and warmer
entists say the dam's
plants are dying,
water temperatures.
projected benefits
acid rain blights
are unrealistic. Two
the forests, the
nature reserves and
BELIZE
air is laden with
part of a national
The 140-mile (220-
Marine biologists
carbon monoxide,
lobster, conch and
park have already
km) coral reef off
fear that snorkelers
other prized species.
COSTA RICA
and mudflows
been destroyed.
and avalanches
Belize is healthy now,
and scuba divers
Sewage runoff from
The government
but the country's
are damaging the
resorts and pesticide
wants to dam the
are commonplace.
booming tourist
coral. Overzealous
Pacuare River for a
Preparations for
and fertilizer
industry could cause
fishermen may be
residues have
hydroelectric plant
the Winter Olym-
irreparable harm.
pics in Albert-
depleting the spiny
also taken a toll.
in order to satisfy
ville made the
Costa Rica's energy
problems even
needs, which are
worse.
ECUADOR
rising about 10% a
Oil exploration and
of its most threat-
30,000 acres
year. But the project,
drilling in the 1.6
ened. Cuyabeno's
(12.100 hectares)
which would begin
million-acre (656,000-
diverse wildlife
has been cleared
operating in 2005,
BULGARIA
hectare) Cuyabeno
includes pink
for access roads and
would flood 3,000
The nuclear power
leaks. Reno-
National Park have
dolphins, harpy
subsistence farming,
acres (1,200 hec-
plant at Kozlodoy,
vations could cost
turned Ecuador's
eagles, jaguars
and several oil
tares) of forest, dis-
called "the most
$1 billion, but the
largest protected
and 10 species of
spills have been
place numerous
dangerous in the
government can-
ecosystem into one
primates. About
reported.
Indians and destroy
world," has been
not abandon the
a world-class white-
plagued by fires,
plant: it supplies
water run.
technical failures
40% of Bulgaria's
and radioactive
energy needs.
KEY TO REPORT CARDS
Per capita CO₂ emissions, 1989
BLACK SEA
A Less than 1 metric ton
B I-5
Increasing pollution
through some of
fallout from Cher-
CHILE
in the more than 60
the world's grimiest
c 5-10
nobyl. The sea's oxy-
ARGENTINA
Pangue, a $470
rivers and streams
areas, picking up
gen layer is thinning,
D 10-15
The Atlantic coast
F More than 15
million hydro-
that feed into the
oil, lead and other
seals and dolphins
electric plant to
of Patagonia is
Black Sea is having
toxic materials, as
are disappearing,
be built on the
increasingly vul-
devastating effects.
well as fertilizer
and algae blooms
Population growth, 1985-95,
Bío-Bío River,
nerable. Squid
The rivers flow
residues and nuclear
are more frequent.
annual averages
seems relatively
fishing is depleting
A Less than 0.5%
food stocks vital to
innocuous. A mere
B 0.5%-1%
marine life. Oil
1,000 acres (405
c 1%-2%
leaked from tankers
hectares) of scrub-
D 2%-3%
and fishing boats,
BOTSWANA
and pastureland
F More than 3%
as well as plastic
The vast Okavango
will be flooded,
and the wildlife is
netting, is wreaking
REPORT CARD FOR
River delta shelters
% of population with access to
havoc on penguin
some of Africa's last
not in danger. But
colonies. Last year
LATIN AMERICA
safe drinking water
free-roaming herds
Pangue is just one
A 100%
of five new power
just one spill killed
of elephant, Cape
Argentina
B 90%-100%
stations planned
at least 16,000
buffalo and zebra.
for the Bío-Bío,
penguins. On land,
C 80%-90%
B
C
F
D
But the fragile eco-
and authorities
weak hunting laws
system could be
D 70%-80%
also hope to erect
have endangered
hurt by a plan to
F Less than 70%
Brazil
the guanaco, a
dredge more than
a massive dam
cousin of the An-
% of total area of country
that will swamp
B
dean llama; the
C
B
23 miles (37 km)
F
of river at the
that is protected, 1990*
nearly 11.860
acres (4,800 hec-
Patagonian rhea,
delta's southern end.
A
10% or more
a relative of the
Mexico
Officials claim that
ml
B 7.5%-10%
tares) of land. En-
ostrich; and the
C 5%-7.5%
B
the water is needed
vironmentalists
Magellanic fox.
D
D
D
for the town of
D 2.5%-5%
say the river could
Maun. But critics say
become uninhabit-
F Less than 2.5%
Venezuela
the project is really
able, and altered
*Grades adjusted upward for countries
B
aimed at expand-
with more than 30% wilderness.
water flows may
D
C
A
ing Botswana's
cause erosion.
diamond mines.
SIBERIA
CHINA
NEPAL
Nearly twice the
panies. Environ-
The Three Gorges
Foreign trekkers have
REPORT CARD FOR EUROPE
size of the Amazon
mentalists, on the
Dam on the Yangtze
long discarded trash
jungle, Siberia's
other hand, fear
River was approved
along Himalayan
Britain
C
A
A
A
coniferous forests
that clear-cutting
last month. It will
trails. The route from
contain about 25%
will inhibit the
take up to 18 years
Lukla to the Mount
France
C
A
A
B
of the world's wood.
forest's ability to
to build and could
Everest base camp is
Government plan-
regenerate itself
provide China with
$0 littered with multi-
Germany
D
A
A
A
hers hope to expand
and increase soil
17,680 megawatts
colored toilet paper
logging through
erosion, sending
of power. But the
that it seems ablaze
Netherlands
C
B
A
B
joint ventures with
cascades of silt into
dam could cost
with flowers. The base
foreign timber com-
fish-filled rivers
$20 billion, and
camp is strewn with
Poland
D
B
C
C
its reservoir will
plastic containers,
probably uproot
cans and batteries.
Romania
C
A
B
F
PERSIAN
more than 1 million
The government can-
GULF
people. Critics say
not afford to do much
Russia
D
B
A
D
About 8 million bbl.
the dam will also
to control the litter.
of oil was dumped
trap silt, flood a
Several international
Spain
C
A
A
C
into the gulf during
scenic valley and
groups recently
last year's war. Long
possibly cause
launched a $1 million
Sweden
C
A
A
c
stretches of Kuwait's
upriver flooding.
cleanup of Mount
coastline are still
Everest.
suffering from the
assault. In some
areas, the number
JOHNSTON ATOLL
of sand-dwelling
A tiny coral island
stockpile of chem-
animals has plum-
700 miles (1,125 km)
ical weapons. The
meted from hun-
west of Hawaii, John-
facility has been
dreds of thousands
ston Atoll is a U.S.
closed more than
to less than a hun-
national wildlife ref-
45 times in the
dred. Self-sealing
uge. It is also the site
past two years
oil lakes still blan-
of the $240 million
because of faulty
ket the desert,
Johnston Atoll Chem-
operations. The
smothering veg-
ical Agent Disposal
burning will con-
etation, birds and
System, designed to
tinue at least
insects and re-
burn America's aging
until August 1994.
leasing clouds of
toxic fumes.
INDONESIA
MALAYSIA
Although Indonesia
REPORT CARD FOR
INDIA
Sarawak provided
still has 10% of the
The $10 billion
a third of the
world's tropical
ASIA AND OCEANIA
Narmada Valley
world's tropical
forests, more than
AUSTRALIA
Development Plan
timber in 1989.
Tasmania's Tarkine
Australia
2.2 million acres
is an irrigation
At current logging
(890,000 hectares)
Wilderness is
F
and hydroelectricity
are cut every year
Australia's largest
C
NA
rates, its virgin
B
scheme along the
forests could van-
for wood pulp and
remaining tract of
Narmada River. If
ish by the year
temperate rain
China
plywood. In Kali-
completed, it will
2000. About
mantan, a prov-
forest. But miners
8 million indig-
B
include more than
and loggers have
C
D
F
ince on Borneo,
3,000 dams, displace
enous people
logging fires and
infiltrated the area,
as many as 100,000
have had their
coal mining have
and vacationers in
India
people, submerge
lives disrupted by
devastated SO
four-wheel-drive
floods and mud-
vehicles have
A
forests and farms,
D
D
much forest that
D
and increase the
slides triggered
local environment-
carved up the sand
river's salinity and
by the logging.
alists call it a lost
dunes. The Aus-
Indonesia
sediment load.
The erosion has
cause. Now at risk:
tralian Conservation
also dumped silt
the extensive for-
Foundation hopes
A
C
F
B
and pollutants
ests in Irian Jaya,
to make the area a
into two-thirds of
the western half
national park.
Iran
Sarawak's rivers.
of New Guinea.
Years of over-
MADAGASCAR
grazing by cattle
B
D
C
D
A virtual laboratory of
and sheep, as well
ETHIOPIA
evolution, Madagascar
as growing numbers
Israel
Since 1900, Ethio-
is populated by at
REPORT CARD
of rabbits and feral
pia's burgeoning
least 150,000 species
FOR AFRICA
horses, is causing
c
c
B
A
population has
found nowhere else
central Australia's
stripped more than
in the world. The
Angola
arid zone to ex-
Japan
90% of the country's
island is home to
forests for firewood
25% of Africa's
A
D
F
F
pand toward the
coast. At least half
C
A
NA.
C
and farmland, allow-
plant species. Shy
the region's
ing 1 billion tons
primates called
Egypt
mammals, includ-
Malaysia
of topsoil to wash
lemurs live deep in
away every year.
the forests; new spe-
B
D
C
F
ing the desert
bandicoot and the
B
D
D
D
Some 8,000 acres
cies are still being
lesser bilby, are
(3,200 hectares) of
discovered. About
Ethiopia
already extinct,
Philippines
the once fertile
80% of Madagascar's
highlands can no
A
D
F
C
and the rest are
rain forests have
threatened.
A
D
C
F
longer bear crops,
already been cut to
and an area the
make charcoal and
Kenya
Thailand
size of Switzerland
clear land for farm-
may be bare rock
ing and ranching If
A
F
F
c
B
C
C
B
by 2010. Destruction
the current rate of
of the watershed
deforestation con-
South Africa
Turkey
may also have con-
tinues, Madagascar
TIME Graphics by Nigel Holmes
tributed to floods
will be stripped
C
D
NA
C
Text by Andrea Dorfman
in the Sudan.
Report-card research by Deborah Wells
B
c
c
F
bare in 35 years.
Sources: U.N. Development Programme:
U.N. Population Fund: World Resources Institute
Newsweek
The Future
SOUTH AMERICA
Custodian of world's
NORTH AMERICA
AUSTRALIA
largest rain forest. Trying
Wealthy and profligate, its
Heartland threatened by
to escape poverty with
slow-growing population
overcuitivation.
rapid industrialization.
takes the lion's share of
Ambitious goal of 1 billion
Poo
world resources.
new trees by 2000.
bab
will
ANTARCTICA
Suffers an 020ne
hole each summer,
a result of
industrial
pollution. The few
humans there
leave piles of
garbage.
is Here
the world's leaders
meeter
for ther THE
summits Their mission
fosate THE
AFRICA
Poorest and fastest-
TOU?
growing. 9.9% of
babies die. Population
will double in 23 years.
EUROPE
Affluent population,
which will double in 338
years, takes large share
of world resources.
O
ASIA
From Calcutta's
misery to
Tokyo's
affluence,
resources are
stressed;
population will
double
in 39 years.
PHOTO BY PENNY GENTIEU. GROOMING BY MARIA BEREL
SPECIAL REPORT
Earth at
the Summit
Live from Rio, next week's global gathering
will be part carnival, part propaganda-fest
and a real test for the new world order
he future of the global eco-
and gatherers, housed in their own village
T
system: it's the most important
constructed by Amazon tribe members.
issue in the world today, so
Even before it's been held, Sen. Al Gore,
naturally it merits the world's
Democrat of Tennessee, proclaims Rio "a
biggest meeting. The world is
success simply because it has focused the
awash in special-interest catas-
attention of world leaders on the nexus
trophes, but the environment
between development and environmental
is bigger than any of them, because no
protection and the new dimensions of the
matter what your cause-Kurdish inde-
global environmental crisis." In short, it
pendence or national health care or the
will produce enough portentousness to fill
underclass-it won't matter if the environ-
every installment of "Nightline" between
ment collapses, taking the world's econo-
now and the Democratic convention. Who
my with it. Which is why for the first time
could be against that? Not Jay Leno.
in this century, a summit conference will
The United States alone will be sending
convene next week in Rio de Janeiro to
an official delegation of around 300, expect-
discuss an issue other than war or the econ-
ed to be headed by Environmental Protec-
omy, and it will attract leaders of virtually
tion Administrator William Reilly. That
every nation on earth. There are countries
counts the congressional "observers," led
without armies, but none without land; and
by Gore and Rep. Dante Fascell, Democrat
there are people with no mon-
ey, but none who don't eat.
The Rio meeting (officially,
the United Nations Conference
What'son the Table
on Environment and Develop-
ment) will be bigger than
intendeditocumb
any ordinary summit, in part
because it will also have rock
emissions of greenhous -principally
concerts. It will have T shirts,
carbondioxide burwithout specificitargets.or
a poster by Robert Rauschen-
timetables.
berg and souvenir personal
ultraviolet-exposure monitors.
Agenda 21 Aplan-for the 10
It will have a whole paral-
lel conference for nongovern-
(U) countries their economics
mental organizations, a catego-
the
ry including environmental
planet's Its Imatedicost Vear
groups, human-rights groups
and groups of people temporar-
adiversity Milienty
ily out of power in their own
end
homelands, such as Kurds, Ti-
betans and Democrats. The
watties
E
Earth Summit even includes
"indigenous people," who will
and
assemble for the first-ever
world conference of hunters
20 NEWSWEEK JUNE 1, 1992
While the global
poor go to bed
hungry, the
excesses of the
wealthy go up in
smoke. Can the
planet continue to
support such a
dichotomy? And
should it?
BILL WILCOX-GAMMA LIAISON (LEFT). RAINER UNKEL-SABA
of Florida, but not the visit by President
Bush himself, plus however many aides it
takes to push him on the airplane and make
him go. For a long time the Environment
President seemed unable to make himself
attend the environmental summit. His di-
rector of the Office of Management and
Budget, Richard Darman, treated the invi-
tation to Rio the way people react to a post-
card urging them to call a 900 number and
find out which of three prizes they've al-
ready won. Almost alone among major na-
tions, the United States retains a substan-
tial constituency that is indifferent if not
hostile toward environmental regulation
-an attitude oddly shared by the GOP right
wing and the leaders of the former commu-
nist bloc. But this is increasingly a fringe
position even among many of the business
executives it is supposed to benefit. The
Business Council for Sustainable Develop-
ment, which will play a prominent role
in Rio, includes the heads of global cor-
porations like Dow Chemical, Du Pont,
Chevron and 3M, and is chaired by Swiss
industrialist Stephan Schmidheiny, heir
to a substantial fortune made in the asbes-
tos trade. Dow CEO Frank Popoff's rallying
cry-"There can be no economic develop-
ment without environmental responsibili-
ty"-wouldn't fit on a T shirt, but it ex-
presses the view of many economists. In the
end, Bush sided with EPA chief William
Reilly and national-security adviser Brent
Scowcroft, who argued that it would be ma-
jor embarrassment for the leader of a new
world order to skip the meeting at which
that very thing will actually beshaped.
As Gore observed, the Earth Summit is
imbued with a powerful sense of destiny.
The leaders of more than 120 nations are
not gathering merely to codify regulations
about air pollution and toxic dumps. You
don't need a summit conference for that;
the Montreal treaty of 1987, which phased
out the future production of chlorofluoro-
carbons, set a model for efficient interna-
NEWSWEEK : JUNE 1, 1992 21
ORT
separate the future habitabil-
Six Who Can Make a Difference
ity of the planet from the cur-
rent distribution of wealth."
Speaking for many poor
countries, "the Chinese have
GEORGE BUSH
MAURICE STRONG
made the choice that if there
By holding out, he will
The organizer of the
is a decision to be made be-
probably get what he
Earth Summit, a Canadi-
tween development and en-
wanted: a treaty on
an-born oil millionaire,
vironment, they'll go for de-
greenhouse gases with-
says Rio will show wheth-
velopment," says a Western
out any specific targets
er the world is "ready to
diplomat in Beijing. "If the
for reducing them.
LARRY DOWNING
make the tough choices."
West wants a better environ-
JOHN ABBOTT
NAWAZ SHARIF
ment, they'll have to pay." If
NOBORU TAKESHITA
the West doesn't want China to
The prime minister of
Japan's former prime
burn its coal, the West can pay
Pakistan speaks for the
minister believes indus-
for the alternatives. If the alter-
developing nations,
trial countries have an
natives involve technology that
which are demanding
obligation to help the
the Chinese don't have-more
help from the West as the
Third World develop in
efficient electrical generating
price of conservation.
A.T.-SYGMA
responsible ways.
plants, say-the West should
ATLAN-SYGMA
NARASIMHA RAO
provide it. That is the proposal
STEPHAN SCHMIDHEINY
at the heart of Agenda 21," the
India's prime minister
The Swiss industrialist,
other substantive document
will seek advanced tech-
who heads the business
that may (or may not) be adopt-
nology, but resist "arm-
delegation at Rio, be-
ed at Rio. It calls, in 800 sober
twisting" from the West,
lieves that economic and
pages, for an ambitious pro-
which has yet to clean its
environmental concerns
gram of aid intended to fix the
own house.
PAONI-SABA
"cannot be separated."
Third World's sewers, clean its
REUTER
dumps and replant its forests—
all well within the reach of cur-
tional cooperation in this area. There is
rent technology. The lives of
Rio Declaration. This began as a visionary
millions of children who now die of simple
one substantiv regulatory treaty on the ta-
statement about stewardship and environ-
ble at Rio, dealing with action to head off
intestinal infections would be spared.
mental responsibility. Maurice Strong, sec-
From the environmental point of view this
global warming (page 24), but delegates
retary-general of the conference, wanted a
are still tinkering with some of the details.
may seem at first like a mixed blessing, but
short and inspirational document, some-
the experience in developed countries is
Many feel that to have much effect, the
thing that could be hung in a child's bed-
that once people assume that their babies
treaty should incorporate specific targets
room. A Third World delegate responded
will grow up, they don't have so many of
for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases,
that most of the children in his part of the
but the United States, which leads the world
them. And the world will enjoy the pre-
world didn't have bedrooms. So the decla-
sumed benefits of higher standards of liv-
in the production of carbon dioxide, is op-
ration evolved into a lengthy charter spell-
ing: the people of developing countries
posed. The outlook is bleaker for proposed
ing out the "rights" of poor countries to
might someday look at a tree the way peo-
treaties on preserving forests and "bio-
develop in responsible ways. This, of
ple do in Marin County, as the handiwork
diversity"-a wide range of species—
course, is one of the things Darman warned
of God, rather than a big piece of firewood
which are hung up on issues of national SOV-
Bush about: it's ecospeak for "foreign aid."
stuck in the ground.
ereignty. Countries without much industry
Essentially, the Third World wants the
Can we afford to do it? The estimated cost
don't like outsiders telling them what to do
West to save it from the consequences of
is $125 billion a year, which is three times
with their own trees, or, for that matter, fun-
industrialization. The corollary is that
gi. At the same time, though,
the combined foreign-aid budgets of the
otherwise the trees of Peru and
Group of Seven. But, to look at it another
they want to share in the profits
Indonesia will go the way of the
way, it is only 1 percent of the same coun-
that come from exploiting these
ones of Woodside, Queens.
tries' gross national products. To ask the
resources. Should Madagascar,
Nobody was thinking about
question is to hear Al Gore respond, well,
say, royal on a drug made
these questions when the West
Bryant, can we afford not to do it? There are
from a plant that is found only in
had its Industrial Revolution-
all sorts of sound, common-sense reasons
its forests? What if the drug is
that's how it got SO rich. Now it
for investing in the environment. "Effi-
then synthesized abroad?
wants the rest of the world to
ciency [in using natural resources] keeps
ut this doesn't mean
GOOD NEWS
follow different, more strin-
companies competitive," says the Business
gent, rules. This is the global
B
that nothing impor-
Drift.nets.kit
Council. "There are substantial [economic]
application of the well-known
costs to ignoring the environment," chimes
tant will go on in Rio.
200,000'sea
phenomenon that one's will-
in EPA chief Reilly. But there are sound,
It just will go on at a
ingness to make "sacrifices"
higher plane of gen-
common-sense reasons for doing a lot of
for the environment goes up
erality. The overlooked word in
things that the country never gets around
in proportion to the number of
to doing. So we should set above them the
the conference title is "Devel-
Volvos one already owns. Rio,
other reason for doing everything we can to
opment." The Third World has
says American environmental-
its own agenda for the Earth
preserve the global ecosystem, which is
ist Lester Brown of World-
Summit, which is contained in
that the lives of billions of people, our own
Watch Institute, will demon-
included, may depend on it.
part in a document called the
strate that "we can no longer
JERRY ADLER with MARY HAGER in Washington
22 NEWSWEEK JUNE 1, 1992
Green, Greener, Greenest
Countries vary markedly in their stewardship of the environment-their
own and the world's. NEWSWEEK rates 30 on three measures that strongly
affect the planet's health. A
is
good;
an
X
is
bad.
Bangladesh: No primary rain forest
Japan: Fourth highest greenhouse
left, causing killer floods. 97% of rural
emissions. Traffics in endangered
dwellers have no sanitation.
wildlife. Energy efficient.
Brazil: Sixth highest per capita
Kenya: Little safe drinking water out-
greenhouse emissions. Dropped
side cities. Trying to save wildlife. 6.7
some deforestation subsidies.
children per woman.
Canada: Poor energy efficiency. Con-
Madagascar: Huge deforestation
cerned over acid rain, but continues
rate. Little safe drinking water. 6.6
to burn coal without stack control.
children per woman.
China: Third highest greenhouse
Malaysia: Huge deforestation rate,
emissions, 9.1% of world total. Heavy
mostly for export to Japan. Has lost
forest loss, choking urban pollution.
half its wetlands in last century.
Congo: Little safe drinking water. 68%
Mexico: Horrible air and water pollu-
of rain forest scheduled for clearing.
tion. Clears 1.5% of fast-disappearing
5.8 children per woman.
forests per year.
Costa Rica: Pioneer in protecting
Nigeria: Complete deforestation ex-
biodiversity and forests. 3.3 children
pected by 2000. Little safe water out-
per woman.
side cities. 6.5 children per woman.
Czechoslovakia: Highly polluted cit-
Norway: Waterways and forests
ies and water: 90% of all wells in the
harmed by acid rain.Poor commer-
countryside are contaminated.
cial energy efficiency.
Egypt: Hefty pesticide subsidies
Philippines: Severe deforestation
cause chemical-related deaths and
causes killer floods and will leave no
pollution. 4.4 children per woman.
virgin forest by 2010.
Ethiopia: Loses 1 billion tons of top-
Poland: Extremely polluted. Dumps
soil per year to overcultivation. Little
20 million tons of toxic waste every
clean water. 7.5 children per woman.
year into unregulated sites.
France: Reliance on nuclear power
Saudi Arabia: A leading opponent of
cuts greenhouse emissions (1.5% of
climate treaty. 7.1 children
world total). 1.8 children per woman.
per woman.
Germany: Acid rain decimating for-
Thailand: Lost 45% of forest from
ests. 35,000 abandoned toxic-waste
1961 to 1985. Lead poisoning rampant
sites. High energy efficiency.
in Bangkok's children.
India: Fifth highest greenhouse emis-
(ex-)U.S.S.R.: Second highest green-
sions. Almost all primary rain forest
house emissions, 13.6% of total. Tons
gone. 3.9 children per woman.
of toxics dumped on land and sea.
Indonesia: 10,000 miles of coral reef
United Kingdom: Has led fight for cli-
being destroyed. Pilot project to pro-
mate treaty. Improved energy effi-
tect species-rich wetlands.
ciency 30% since 1970.
Israel: Pioneered solar energy and
United States: Highest greenhouse
desert agriculture. 2.9 children
emissions, 17.8% of world total. Sub-
per woman.
sidizes deforestation.
Italy: Severe pollution of Adriatic. En-
Zaire: Among 25 worst nations in
ergy efficient. 1.3 children per wom-
providing safe drinking water. 6.1
an. Dumped toxics in Nigeria.
children per woman.
NEWSWEEK : JUNE 1, 1992 23
SPECIAL REPORT
A House of Cards
Bitter and confusing, the debate over the greenhouse sheds more heat
than light. The science is shaky but there's reason to act anyway
TOM STEWART-STOCK MARKET
Surprise: While the globe warmed, icy glaciers on Greenland also expanded, confounding assumptions about the planet's climate
BY GREGG EASTERBROOK
"The year 1990 was, of course, just the latest' warmest year on
record'," says Sen. Al Gore (Democrat of Tennessee) in his book
Earth in the Balance," which calls the greenhouse effect "the
O more, it seemed, would winter be punctuated by the
most serious threat that we have ever faced."
N
crunch of snow underfoot. Global temperatures had
Hot compared to what? The "record" greenhouse proponents
reached record highs. The worst seemed confirmed
cite goes back only to 1880, when systematic preservation of
when an expert at England's staid Royal Meteoro-
weather data began. It turns out that 1880 was a cold year. Earth
logical Society declared that a greenhouse effect had
could experience "record" warmth and still remain cool com-
begun. The earth would heat irreversibly.
pared with most of its past. Even after the 1980s warming, glob-
Disaster scenario for the 21st century? No, histori-
al temperatures still run 2 to 4 degrees Fahrenheit lower than
cal footnote. This happened 50 years ago.
through most of the period of civilization.
There was a global-warming scare in the 1930s.
Starting around 1500, temperatures declined in
Then, as now, temperatures rose for several years
an event called the Little Ice Age. For three centuries
running. Then, as now, scientists speculated that arti-
winters were harsh and harvests uncertain; the ca-
ficial carbon dioxide was the culprit; that the future
nals of Holland froze. Around 1850 temperatures be-
could only be hotter.
gan to rise again. Thus when dawned this century of
Immediately it got cold. From 1940 through the
industrial sprawl, the climate was already warming
1970s global temperatures declined, hitting bottom
on its own.
during the frigid winter of 1976-77. Environmentalists
About 1950, emissions of greenhouse gases took
declaimed that an ice age was beginning.
Immediately it got hot. Through the 1980s one warm
GOOD NEWS
off. The warming rate, which should have escalated,
Brazil cut
promptly slowed. Pat Michaels, a climatologist at the
year followed another. Some of the same voices that
University of Virginia, says, 'Every annual high since
had cried ice age began to proclaim global warming,
subsidies.for
1950 falls below the trend of the natural increase"
and this time the idea stuck. In Rio, the world's leaders
ranching in
happening anyway when the big emissions began.
will sign a treaty which formally certifies the notion
that a dangerous global warming is in progress.
the jungle
A net advance of about one third of 1 degree is
what made the 1980s the hottest decade "on record."
The Rio treaty is an important step, though for
now Tewer
Some researchers believe that amount is within the
reasons tangential to the current warming scare. For
acres are
standard deviation, or natural variability, of the
much as the greenhouse effect exists in the popular
imagination, there is little evidence it has manifested
doomed
weather. In other words the warm 1980s might be an
omen. Or mean nothing whatsoever.
in "the laboratory of nature." Consider:
Despite these conflicting signals, global warming is
24 NEWSWEEK : JUNE 1, 1992
S
A
L
R
-]
not an incomprehensible realm. Sense can be made of the subject
Because of such limitations, when global climate models
by examining its three components: greenhouse science, green-
are run in reverse, they fail to "predict" the present. Researchers
house economics and greenhouse politics.
who have set GCMs to the conditions of 1880 find the models
True Believers and Other Scientists
say global temperatures should by now have risen as much as
5 degrees. But the actual increase over the last century is at
lobal warming has already arrived, in disastrous
most 1 degree.
G
ways, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. At the
Climate modelers know about such problems, and "tune"
National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in
their computers to compensate. James Hansen, director of a
idyllic Boulder, Colo., the greenhouse effect has struck
NASA-affiliated GCM project, reports that his model is suffi-
hundreds of times.
ciently tuned that, run in reverse, it now predicts only twice
The center operates one of the world's leading General Cir-
as much warming as has actually been observed. This may
culation Models (GCMs), computers that
still sound worthless; in fact it's a signifi-
simulate the human trespass on the atmos-
cant step toward a climate model that can
phere. When technicians run the GCM,
be trusted.
they get bad news. Computers predict that
PRESENT
DOUBLED CO2
Hansen put his reputation on the line by
a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide-
doing something modelers dread-making
likely for the next century, without ad-
a testable prediction. His computer thinks
vances in energy efficiency-will warm the
global temperatures will decline about 1
earth from 3 to 9 degrees. The long end of
degree during 1992, because the eruption
the prediction would be calamitous. Most
of Mount Pinatubo pumped enough pollu-
scientists who work with GCMs are green-
tants into the air to interfere with sunlight
house true believers.
reaching earth. When last winter was
When news reports say there is a scien-
warm, modelers braced for embarrass-
tific consensus that the earth will warm,
TEMPERATURE VARIATIONS
ment; but a late spring followed, so the
what they mean is there is agreement that
prediction may rally. The bottom line on
computers predict a warming. This is dif-
1992 will help determine whether GCMs
ferent from saying that experts believe
ocording to the
can align with reality.
global warming will happen. On the ques-
Computer models must contain assump-
tion of what will happen, the only scien-
tions about how earth's climate operates.
tific consensus is that the sky will re-
But the level of all ecological knowledge is
main blue.
primitive, and climate is no exception.
The most important documents in the
Till recently researchers assumed that
greenhouse debate, a series of statements
water in the air behaves the same whether
from the U.N.-affiliated Intergovernmen-
it is suspended as vapor or ice crystals.
tal Panel on Climate Change, rely on com-
Then experiments showed there is a big
puter models. IPCC reports were the cen-
difference between the two states. When
terpiece of negotiations on the Rio climate
the British Meteorological Office adjusted
treaty. Within the technical sections can be
its GCM to take this into account, the
found many arguments against a green-
predicted greenhouse bad news declined
house emergency. But the IPCC "policy-
from about 10 degrees to about 3.
maker's summary," the only section politi-
Most scientists assumed that sulfur diox-
cal leaders ever glance at, concentrates on
ide, which causes acid rain, is also a green-
the gloomy predictions of the GMCs. So
house gas. But new research shows it is
what are the chances the models are right?
actually a coolant. Sulfur forms what
The most basic distinction in greenhouse science is between
might be called a smog mirror, increasing the sunlight reflected
weather and climate. Weather is what happens today; climate is
back into space.
what happens over the next century. Last winter was the warmest
As recently as last summer the chemicals that deplete the ozone
in a century in North America. It also snowed in Israel. These facts
layer, CFCs, were considered potent global-warming agents. Sci-
reveal nothing other than that the weather is changeable, some-
entists were "certain" of this. Then researchers discovered that
thing known to Ben Franklin.
CFCs cool the air just as much as they warm it.
Most weather variations are essentially meaningless minor
Science traditionally thought the energy output of the sun-the
oscillations of a vast, complex system whose basic parameters are
driving force of climate-absolutely invariant. Satellite measure-
still only crudely understood. Weather-forecasting computers can-
ments begun about a decade ago show this is not the case. The sun's
not project what the temperature will be next week; imagine
production varies slightly from year to year, according to Judith
trying to predict temperatures for the next century.
Lean, an astronomer at the Naval Research Laboratory.
Because the biosphere is vast and complex, even advanced
Shortly after George Bush took office two credentialed scien-
computers can deal with it only in approximations. When the
tists, Robert Jastrow and William Nierenberg, began to argue that
climate model at NCAR prints out an image of the globe, Japan
the newly discovered solar variations explain recent temperature
and the United Kingdom are absent. These nations are too small to
trends. They had considerable influence on the White House,
fit under the model's "resolution limit."
particularly on former chief of staff John Sununu, a greenhouse
Another problem is that even the best temperature records are
agnostic. Hansen of NASA then demonstrated that a temporary
fuzzy by a few shades of a degree, plus or minus. That is a tenuous
cooling greater than has been observed in our sun or any similar
basis on which to analyze a greenhouse effect which so far is, at
star may be necessary to counter the temperature increases which
worst, only slightly larger than the margin of error in the
GCMs predict. Besides, what if the sun's utput goes up? That little
numbers. Stephen Schneider of NCAR acknowledges, "It's possi-
complication caused solar variation to fall out of favor with the
ble that everything in the last 30 years of temperature records is
White House as a global-warming counterbalance.
no more than noise." Noise is statistician's slang for little numer-
Still other questions concern the seas and glaciers. Oceanogra-
ical fluctuations that don't add up to a hill of beans.
phers long assumed that ocean currents are relatively stable. But
NEWSWEEK JUNE 1, 1992 29
SPECIA L REPORT
developments like the persistent El Niño fluctuations now suggest
Greenhouse theory posits that a warmer world would hold dire
that sudden shifts in the circulation of ocean water may be grem-
elevations of sea levels, as glaciers melt and return their water to
lins in climate malfunctions. Scott Lehman of the Woods Hole
the oceans. A decade ago, 10-foot increases were commonly project-
Oceanographic Institution recently published evidence that past
ed for the 21st century; this amount would swamp coastal cities
shifts in ocean currents have caused sea surface temperatures to
and several island nations. Now the estimates are down to one to
plummet 11 degrees in 40 years, an unheard-of rate.
seven feet. The highest claimed actual number for sea-level in-
It is an article of faith in the greenhouse community that
crease during the last 100 years is 11 inches, and most researchers
natural temperature movements are extremely gradual. Rapid
think the real figure is much smaller.
movements must be artificial and therefore pernicious because
Why isn't the sea rising? Because many glaciers are growing, not
they will confront the biosphere with unnatural pressure. If it
melting. Researchers have identified places where ice is in retreat:
turns out, instead, that rapid temperature swings do occur natu-
most are tropical or relatively small glaciers that may have been
rally, all greenhouse arguments may go back to the drawing board.
melting since the end of the Little Ice Age. In the arctic and
DESPAIR
For the poor,
The Seven
worrying about the
environment can seem a luxury.
Deadly Sins
In recent decades, Brazil, like many
developing countries, has seen a
population boom in its cities, making
it more difficult to provide basic
necessities like running water and
sewers. Surveying scenes like this
one from Rocinha, Rio's largest slum,
officials might reasonably ask
whether it makes sense to discuss
expensive antipollution devices
and the greenhouse effect when
families go without food and
medicine. If there is an answer, it's
that despair can only make the
trouble worse.
JOHN MAIER Jr.-PICTUR GROUP
GLUTTONY
Americans can devour anything. Since
Europeans first arrived in the New World,
all but 5 percent of the virgin forests have been cut down.
Modern timber companies typically clear-cut wide swaths
through the primeval growth. In Washington state's Olympic
National Forest, loggers have razed about half the original fir,
spruce and pine trees, including specimens 1,000 years old.
Though clearings are replanted, new forests lack the variety
many animals need to survive. By 1990 dwindling habitat
threatened to kill off the spotted owl, so the federal govern-
ment suspended logging on many public lands. But last month
KEITH DANNEMILLER-SABA
Polluters will dump on the site
Bush administration officials proposed opening huge tracts to
TEMPTATION
that offers the least resistance. In
cutting. Environmentalists attacked the idea as "an extinction
one U.S. government survey, four of five American
plan" for the owl-not to mention the virgin forests.
companies operating plants across the border in Mexico
CHARLES MAUZY-ALLSTOCK
admitted they were there to take advantage of weak
environmental laws. Nearly half of the 2,000 American-owned
plants generate hazardous waste, including PCBs. These
wastes and raw sewage befoul underground aquifers and
waterways like the one above, near Mexicali. Officials fear
the wastes may have led to an increase in birth defects on both
sides of the border.
30 NEWSWEEK JUNE 1. 1992
antarctic locations where the major ice masses reside, net glacia-
explanation for the expanding Greenland glacier-that it simply
tion may be increasing. A researcher named Jay Zwally surprised
gotten colder in Greenland. Indeed, some data suggest that it has.
the climate business two years ago by showing that the central
It's colder in Greenland? Isn't the earth supposed to be warm-
glaciers of Greenland have grown in the very years that global
ing? Climate shifts are not uniform. There's nothing strange,
temperatures got higher.
except to our sensibilities, about a mild winter in Minneapolis
Glaciers get bigger while temperatures get higher: impossible?
while a blizzard shuts down Jerusalem. But this seems a strike
No, perhaps inevitable. In the zones that adjoin the North and
against greenhouse theory, which holds that warming would
South poles it's so cold that snow, the raw material of glaciers,
center in the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Re-
rarely falls. Increasing temperatures might cause more precipita-
searchers generally concur that warming has favored the South-
tion, but not enough additional melting to counter the buildup.
ern Hemisphere.
This could mean more of the world's water locked up in ice.
Recently Thomas Karl of the National Climatic Data Center
For his part Schneider believes there is a more straightforward
demonstrated that summer and daytime highs have changed little
VICTORIA IVLEVA-AGENTUR-FOCUS
KAISER-GREENPEACE LONDON
ADRIAN BRADSHAW-SABA
The Kremlin
HUBRIS
No nation is
In China's rush to
NEGLECT
thought it could boss
ENVY
innocent of neglect,
catch up to the West,
Mother Nature. In the 1960s it
but East-bloc states were particularly
growth was often the only thing that
diverted two rivers that fed the Aral Sea
guilty. Czechoslovakia and East
mattered. Benxi, a city near the Korean
in order to make cotton fields bloom
Germany allowed virtually
border, has been particularly single-
on the arid lands of Central Asia. Since
unchecked dumping into the Elbe River,
minded. More than 200 factories spew
then, the water volume of the Aral has
making it one of Europe's filthiest
out more than 87 million cubic meters
been reduced by two thirds, stranding
waterways, as bottled samples attest
of gases each year, magnifying the color
boats and towns. Deprived of a
(above). The Elbe washed thousands
of sunsets and at one time earning
moderating sea, local weather is tilting
of tons of heavy metals and other
Benxi the title of the world's most
to extremes. Storms blow salt from
pollutants into the North Sea yearly.
polluted city. Beijing has launched a
the exposed sea bottom across the
A cleanup began in 1990, but the damage
cleanup campaign, but the city is still so
region, causing health problems and
is huge. Once used as fertilizer, Elbe
smoggy that it occasionally vanishes
killing the cotton fields.
mud is now a hazardous waste.
from satellite photos.
HATRED
In the heat of battle, no one stops to worry about the
environment. But Saddam Hussein took spiteful destruc-
tion to new lows during the gulf war. With Iraqi troops in full retreat,
Saddam had nothing to gain but revenge when he ordered his soldiers to
blow up more than 700 oil wells. Wellhead fires that coated the region in
black smoke were doused within a year-faster than anticipated. But
millions of gallons of oil spilled into the gulf, where it still threatens marine
life, and spread out in huge lakes covering thousands of square miles of
desert. Black muck is sinking into the sand, but some 30 large lakes
remain. The oil is killing birds and insects and causing respiratory dis-
eases among people living nearby. It will take years to tally the full extent
of the damage-including contamination of underground water supplies,
says Ibrahim Hadi, president of Kuwait's Environmental Protection Agen-
cy. The overall cleanup bill-including pumping the lakes dry-could total
$20 billion, and Kuwait plans to send the bill to Saddam.
THOMAS HARTWELL-SYGMA
NEWSWEEK JUNE 1, 1992 31
during recent decades. But winters have indeed been mild, and
nighttime lows have been less low.
Think of the Greenhouse as a Profit Center
This esoteric finding contained something to offend everybody
ere's an aspect of the controversy that drives environ-
in the climate debate. Greenhouse theory suggests that warming
should peak on summer afternoons: the worst time, because day-
H
mentalists to distraction: is global warming bad? The
high range of predictions for a warmer earth would be
time highs kill crops and push up energy demand. Karl's work
awful. But mild warming is in society's interest, particu-
suggests nature is doing the opposite.
larly its economic interest.
But the study may also lend greenhouse theory new impetus.
No one contends that the mild warming SO far has done harm.
Perhaps the gases that humans put into the atmosphere are
Warmth, after all, is essential to life; as the tropical forests show,
warming the earth, but that effect is "masked." During the day,
nature adores warmth. Cities like London and New York may be
carbon dioxide may trap heat while the smog mirror of sulfur
less likely to have a white Christmas, which is sad for sentimental
pollution reflects sunlight, netting no
reasons. (One reason mild winters spook
change. At night the heat trapping contin-
many Americans is that the baby boom was
ues but the reflections stop; temperatures
born into the 1950s and 1960s, a period of
edge upward. Perhaps greenhouse theory
unusual cold and snow. Recent winters
should be adjusted to predict warming at
don't conform to childhood memories.) But
night, exactly what Karl has found.
the prime results of warming are pluses.
Underlying all climate uncertainties is
Here's the bottom line on the 1980s, the
an ultimate question: does the greenhouse
"hottest years on record": food production
concept make sense?
was strong. Energy consumption was soft,
There's the matter of the missing carbon.
winter peak demand being a key variable
Human mischief puts 7 billion tons of car-
in power needs. In turn, energy prices de-
bon into the air annually. Yet atmospheric
clined. In real terms gasoline now costs less
monitors detect only half that amount.
than during the 1950s, a period enshrined
Where does the rest go? One possibility:
in our collective nostalgia as Energy Heav-
though deforestation is proceeding in some
en. have a hard time following why long-
places, forestation is happening in others.
er growing seasons, lower energy prices
Between the fast-growth "managed for-
ests" for timber and the expansion of forest
James director
and fewer subzero days in North Dakota
are the new apocalypse," says Michaels.
acres in many developed countries, there
(i) al ASA-amiliated
If it were certain that current tempera-
may be an unprecedented number of young
computer temodels
ture trends were natural, we might now be
trees on earth inhaling extra carbon.
reading stories about the wonderful global
And there's the little mystery of the "feed-
project sputhls
warming. But the idea that clumsy human
backs." Over the long term, earth's climate is
tinkering with the atmosphere may inad-
remarkably self-regulating. How? Maybe if
ation.on Do linely
vertently have done something useful-
the climate warms, the air becomes more
that we benefit from pollution!-is almost
moist, which causes more clouds, which
bounces more sunlight back to space. If the
prediction
too peculiar for polite discourse. In a sense,
humanity flatters itself by believing it has
climate cools, the air becomes dry, reducing
acquired the power to disrupt nature on a
cloud cover and allowing more solar energy
global scale. We like to view ourselves as so
in. Natural feedbacks may work in this be-
mighty the very planet quakes before our
nevolent fashion. Or they may backfire. Mi-
inventions. It's almost annoying to hear
chael Oppenheimer of the Environmental
that with all our imposing power stations
Defense Fund suggests warming will create a
and gleaming cars and soaring aircraft,
diabolical feedback in which plant decay accelerates the addition of
artificial-carbon emissions are only 4 percent of the natural level.
natural carbon to the atmosphere, pushing the system over the brink.
Warming, of course, may not stay mild: the best reason for
The inability of the science community to agree on issues as
greenhouse controls. During the early Bush administration, esti-
basic as whether feedbacks will be negative or positive makes
mates batted around for greenhouse reductions ran from $100
Richard Lindzen, a climatologist at MIT; suspect there is a funda-
billion to a mind-bending $3.6 trillion. Such calculations con-
mental flaw in the global-warming concept. Lindzen calculates
tained an astonishing omission. The way to control carbon emis-
that in nature, CO2 exhibits only about one quarter of the power it
sion is to make energy use more efficient. The big numbers took
seems to possess under lab conditions. Why?
into account the capital costs of new conservation technology, but
Greenhouse theory presumes that warmth vents away from
not the value of the fuel saved.
earth's surface mainly as radiant heat-the wavy lines rising from
Factor in the energy savings, the analysts Amory and Hunter
a parking lot. The notion "is simply untrue," Lindzen says.
Lovins showed in a landmark 1991 study, and the cost of global-
Most warmth, he believes, rises through convection in blocks of
warming control not only falls-it becomes possible to imagine
air. While radiant heat encountering greenhouse gases may be
cutting greenhouse gases at a profit. Even the National Academy
trapped, convective currents blocked in one place will move else-
of Sciences, often grumpy about environmental reforms, says that
where, blown on the wind, till they find an "open vent" that allows
the first 25 percent of greenhouse pollutants could be controlled at
them to release energy upward, above the greenhouse barriers.
a price equivalent to just 11 cents per gallon of gasoline.
Lindzen's idea has an appealing ability to answer some puzzles
Savings from greenhouse controls would not be confined to the
about greenhouse theory; it also has drawbacks. Neither Lindzen
specific fossil-fuel reductions at any factory, office or automobile
nor anybody else can yet say exactly why the climate is what it is.
that became more efficient. They would spread broadly to all
That is an argument against greenhouse panic, but not for inac-
energy prices, by reducing demand.
tion. A principle of wisdom holds: we don't know what we don't
The central reason world energy prices remain low is that fuel
know. Until such time as humanity really knows what makes
use has become more efficient. The U.S. economy now requires 28
climate tick, we would be fools to take unnecessary risks. And as
percent less energy per dollar of output than two decades ago.
the economics of the greenhouse show, insurance is affordable.
Somehow the economic payoff goes unappreciated. Everyone is
32 NEWSWEEK JUNE 1. 1992
keenly aware from the 1974 and 1979 energy crunches that fuel
Now Bush will go to Rio. The treaty he will sign obligates nations
pricing responds faithfully to changes in supply. Constantly over-
to cut greenhouse emissions, but, at Bush's insistence, does not
looked is that fuel prices also follow the second half of the supply-
specify by how much or when cuts must occur. Some have declared
and-demand equation, responding faithfully to demand. When
the compromise a hollow outrage. It's not.
demand for energy moderates, prices go down.
First, any action on pollution control should always be wel-
After Iraq invaded Kuwait, oil prices spiked on the expectation
comed. Second, getting on paper the need for global energy effi-
that supply would be disrupted or demand would rise through
ciency is a vital step. Progress may be agonizing, but most nations
panic buying. Neither happened; prices rapidly fell. There was
usually do respond to treaty commitments: pressure for new ener-
extensive public reaction to the increase and hardly any notice of
gy-conservation initiatives will grow.
the decline, though the latter was far more significant. No panic
Third, the Rio climate agreement will slip into international law
buying occurred because, through efficiency gains, society was less
the premise that nations must consider global environmental conse-
obsessed about oil supplies than the last
quences when making internal economic de-
time around. Cheap energy used efficiently
cisions. This is a powerful, progressive con-
is a best-of-both-worlds situation for every-
cept whose codification will pay important
one except a few desert princes.
environmental dividends in years to come.
Currently the White House is pushing its
But before you start to feel good
National Energy Strategy. It contains
This March the World Health Organization
worthwhile provisions, yet lacks an impor-
published a thick volume on global environ-
tant insight: that resource conservation,
mental damage. The book contains para-
pollution control, lower energy prices and a
graphs here and there about issues that con-
hedge against global warming might be
cern the affluent in the industrial North: the
achieved simultaneously by a comprehen-
greenhouse effect, trace pesticide residues,
sive commitment to improved fuel efficien-
skin cancer from sunbathing. And it goes on
cy. A new program to pursue all these objec-
for hundreds of pages about the environmen-
tives at once would seem one of those rare
tal issues that matter to the majority of the
public-policy areas where the light at the
world's population, such as 3.2 million chil-
end of the tunnel is bright and beckoning.
dren dead last year from diarrheal disease.
Through the last decade greenhouse emis-
Most of the deaths could have been avoided by
sions have either been flat or declined
safe drinking water and decent sanitation.
slightly, from the effects of conservation
Three million children dead, versus maybe,
pursued with little encouragement from
someday, another degree Fahrenheit. On the
Washington. Greater gains might be had
run up to Rio, the world's attention has fo-
with modest incentives.
cused on the hypothetical threat of global
Finally, inexorably, there are the effi-
warming, to the exclusion of environmental
ciency requirements obliged by population
menaces that are palpable and awful right
growth. Consider an example offered by
now-but which only affect the abstract le-
William Lee, CEO of Duke Power, a North
gions of the brown, distant poor.
Carolina utility. Suppose that the world
Among Third World intellectuals there is
population stabilizes at the low end of the
growing suspicion that developed countries
United Nations estimate: 5.4 billion souls
suddenly care about the greenhouse effect for
today, it expands to 9 billion. Next, suppose
selfish reasons. Global warming might affect
that a majority of the world's residents
property values on Cape Hatteras; unsafe wa-
reach a standard of living equal to one half
ter in Bangladesh will not. Energy efficiency,
that enjoyed by Americans. Finally sup-
supposedly a terrible sacrifice for the indus-
pose that all energy uses, from factories to sports cars, grow twice
tries of wealthy nations, will improve their competitiveness in the
as efficient. Under these optimistic assumptions, the world will
emerging global economy.
need to generate three times as much power.
And the capital required for greenhouse controls? The North will
Seen in that light, significant improvements in energy efficiency
invest this on itself, rather than sharing resources with the South
are imperative whether the thermometer is going up, down or
for, say, sewage abatement. Hasn't anybody wondered why a delega-
sideways.
tion of corporate CEOs met with Bush to ask him to back the climate
The Real Problem
treaty? Because they've realized greenhouse control is in their own
self-interest.
or two years, negotiations have progressed at the highest
Ultimately all environmental protection is in everybody's self-
levels of government over the climate treaty to be signed in
interest. The dawning of this consciousness, once complete, will drive
Rio. There has been personal lobbying between heads of
great reforms yet to come. Till that day, the First World can recover
state, Helmut Kohl taking a full hour with George Bush to
some of its moral perspective on global warming by recognizing a link
urge that the United States embrace the treaty. The Euro-
between greenhouse emissions and international aid.
pean Commission staked its nascent prestige on its ability to make
Right now the developed nations are the big greenhouse offenders.
the treaty happen. The Japanese, normally circumspect about di-
But early in the next century the Third World will pass the First for
plomacy, trumpet themselves as greener-than-thou on the subject.
this dubious distinction.
The proposed treaty has inspired wild verbiage. It's anything
Once the next level of energy-efficiency improvements are accom-
from a last-ditch attempt to save a dying planet to a cynical plot to
plished in the North, affluent nations will approach the point of
impose a socialist industrial order in the guise of climate protec-
diminishing returns, after which huge investments are required for
tion. Global warming can engender such polar positions because
small conservation gains. The rest of the world will, however, be
the actuality of the subject is SO pleasingly nebulous. Crime,
burdened for decades to come by inefficient energy systems: ones
welfare, health care: most issues are anchored in the muck of the
where relatively small amounts of capital can create large benefits
real. The greenhouse effect is a blank slate onto which partisans
both for the Third World poor and for the global biosphere. Where
may project whatever they wish to behold.
should that money come from? Us.
NEWSWEEK JUNE 1, 1992 33
Too Much, Too Fast
Multiplying
ORTH
More than.609 they
PRICE
Humpback
Human population
aciffo Northwest
EXTRACTIVE
coastal forest
stayed almost
the planet! greatest
constant at nearly
conifer forest, has
Spotted
been cut down
Black
lowl
footed
500 million from the
The totali shreatch
40% of North America's
ferret
in the northwest
year 0 to 1500.
range and cropland
Atlantic has fallen
has turned Into desert.
since the 1970s
Kemp's
Then it began rising
THE
ridley
Manatee
turtle
exponentially. It
doubled between
Golden
Mal
1850 and 1950,
At the present rate,
toad
PACIFIC
Coral reef
doubled again
half the remaining
THE
OCEAN
forest in Honduras
and Nicaragua will
olombia
Every year
between 1950 and
5,335 sq. miles
disappear by 2000.
will lose.one
of forest Is
1990, and now
third its
One
destroyed in
remaining
of
C
Brazilam
United Nations'
by 2000
fore
disa
projections say that
by
it will double again
to 10 billion by
Black lion
tamarin
2050. Either nations
Vanishing wilderness
with burgeoning
TH
ICA
More tham95
populations will
Eco-collapse
of Brazil's
Atlantic fores
take steps to limit
has nished
Endangered species
their numbers, or
7.2 or more children
Malthusian misery
per woman
Southern
Chile s rain
-starvation and
diforestis
threatened
epidemic-will
accomplish the
same goal.
STATEMENT
0
to
DIXON ROHR-NEWSWEEK
SOURCES MULTIPLYING: POPULATION REFERENCE BUREAU. INC.: VANISHING: SPECIES SURVIVAL COMMISSION OF IUCN THE WORLD CONSERVATION
UNION, WORLD WILDLIFE FUND. CONSERVATIO INTERNATIONAL U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE: COLLAPSING WORLD WILDLIFE FUND. IUCN
Vanishing
Roughly 1.4 million species have been identified on earth. Scientists suspect there are
probably 10 million to 80 million more, mostly in little-explored places such as the rain
forest. But before science can find them, they're gone, destroyed with the one acre of tropical forest that
disappears every second: nearly 4 million acres, an area bigger than Connecticut, vanish every year. With
every acre go 50 to 100 species every day. Why worry? Time after time, species thought useless have proven
essential to the ecological systems that support man.
71% of trees in Czechoslovakia
suffer from defoliation
caused by air pollution.
Central Asia from the Middle
Giant
East to China has lost 72% of
panda
range and cropland.
anean
Deforestation in the Himalayas
160 million acres
causes flooding in Bangladesh.
south of the
Asiatic
Sahara have
lion
Kouprey
turned to desert
In the Philippines
Burkina
Mali
Faso
since 1940.
Yemen
dynamiting, polluting
and collecting have killed
90% of the coral reefs.
Ivory
Togo
Coast
More-than
Ethiopia
India and
Sri Lanka
In peninsular Malaysia
60% of the
Uganda
almost all forest resources
One third
have
Congo's
almost no
will be gone by 2000.
of Guinea's
train forest is
Rwanda
forest will
rain forest
slated for
left.
Queen Alexandra's
disappear
clearing
birdwing butterfly
by 2000.1
Malawi
Zambia
INDIAN OCEAN
Indonesia's
coral reefs are
threatened.
Nail-
Madagascar
tailed
will lose 30% more
Black
forest by 2000.
wallaby
rhinoceros
Aye-aye
23% of
Australla's
range and
cropland
has turned
to desert
Collapsing
The natural systems that support life on earth are reeling under the assault of human
activity. The atmosphere is losing the ozone layer, which screens out cancer-causing
ultraviolet sun rays. Once fertile soils, assaulted by overcultivation, overgrazing and overcutting, are turned
to desert: 15 million acres of productive land disappear every year. Forests are clear-cut faster than they
can grow back. Runoff from deforested land chokes coral reefs, home to one third of all fish species. Fleets
that strip-mine the seas have depleted fisheries.
SPECIAL REPORT
Is It Apocalypse Now?
Computer models warn of doom within a century unless mankind mends its
ways. Pshaw, say the skeptics. But they, too, see a need for change.
lip the floppy disk into your Mac-
trial output per capita crashes; the "rich" live
trol, fertility rate or crop yields changed.
S
intosh. Your mission: explore
at the level of 1900. By 2100 your world has
Its sobering conclusion: humankind is us-
how the future of the world can
collapsed.
ing resources and dumping waste at rates
unfold, without bringing the
the planet cannot sustain. "If changes are
planet to the brink of apocalypse.
It's not a very jolly video game. More like
not made," says Donella Meadows of Dart-
The screen shows a rat's nest of
Malthusian Nintendo, it is a so-
loops describing 225 measures,
phisticated simulation called
from fertility to soil loss to industrial capacity.
World3 whose dire scenarios
In the Philippines,
Hidden deep in the software are the equations
have spurred dozens of scientif-
the poor pick
relating them. Now choose your poison. Cut
ic meetings and international
the same 42 million acres of forests that are
symposiums over the past year.
through Smokey
being taken today; your world has no forests in
Now the warnings of World3
Mountain. On a
47 years. Click. Make your hungry people
have become the specter that
work the soil more intensely; land fertility,
haunts the Rio summit. Nei-
global scale, such
GOOD!
which fell only 5 percent from 1970 to 2000,
ther a brainless extrapolation
of current trends nor a predic-
In 1970
desperation may
plunges 12 percent per year in 2040. Click. By
the year 2020 reserves of minerals and other
tion, World3 lays out possible
oridipopu
make life on earth
resources have shrunk to just 30 years' worth.
futures and how they'd change
a Malthusian hell.
Crop yields plummet; billions starve. Indus-
if factors such as pollution con-
rowing 21
MELVYN CALDERON-JB PICTURES
mouth College, one of the au-
Rather than arguing about cyberland,
thors of the book "Beyond the
those who take World3 seriously prefer to
Limits,"* describing World3,
make their case in the real world, where
"then our computer model fore-
natural systems are already collapsing. Be-
sees collapse within 50 years."
tween 1985 and 1989 (the last available
If this sounds familiar, that's
figures), food production per capita fell in
because the three authors
94 countries. In parts of the United States
of "Beyond the Limits" also
and elsewhere, crop yields per acre are de-
helped produce the notori-
clining because of air pollution and the
ous 1972 report "Limits to
buildup of salt and chemicals. The global
Growth." Its warning that pop-
fish catch fell (by 4 million tons) in 1990, for
ulation and growth might tip
the first time in two decades. Oysters in
the world's economic or biologi-
Chesapeake Bay, once so plentiful that they
cal life-support systems into col-
could filter all the bay's water in three days,
lapse within 100 years was
ALAIN BUU-GAMMA-LIAISON
now number a mere 1 percent of their 1870
greeted with as much ridicule
For generations Nepalese chopped
population; it takes the survivors one year
as reflection. Few thought its
doomsday scenario possible.
the wood they needed and lugged the
to filter the bay. Thailand had to ban com-
mercial logging in 1989 when its forest cov-
Few took itseriously. But then a
fuel back to their villages. The
er fell from 29 percent in 1985 to 19 percent
funny thing happened. From
in 1988 and landslides from the denuded
fisheries in the North Atlantic
denuded slopes of the Himalayas sent
hills cost 40,000 people their homes; the
to crop yields in Africa to timber
floodwaters pouring over countries
Philippines has suspended logging in most
harvests in Asia, exactly the
sort of collapses foreseen in
downstream. Now villagers are using
provinces. Canada predicts that within
16 years all the old-growth forests of Brit-
"Limits" came about. These
solar water heaters to provide hot
ish Columbia will be gone; its wheat belt has
harsh facts of life have made
for some strange bedfellows.
showers for trekkers. Some villages
lost half its organic material and is eroding
badly, costing farmers $500 million to $900
From the private sector, the
have mini-hydropower generators
million in lost crops. "For the first time,"
Business Council for Sustain-
that exploit small falls-no dams
says James Gustave Speth of the World
able Development-48 CEOs
Resources Institute, "human numbers and
from firms such as Du Pont,
needed-to light their huts. And
impacts have grown so large [that] they are
Chevron, Nissan and Mitsu-
bishi, led by multimillion-
local conservation committees
eroding on a global scale the natural sys-
tems that support life."
aire Swiss industrialist Ste-
preserve the land that attracts
phan Schmidheiny-declared
that the world must "change
tourists, using the foreign currency to
Give your world twice the natural resources
you thought it had. Assume that technolo-
course" or face a collapse of the
finance health clinics for women
gy decreases pollution-per-unit-of- GNP; as-
systems that sustain life. From
government, an anxious Robert
and children.
sume that crop yields increase sevenfold in a
century. Pollution stays lower than before.
McNamara, former head of the
Industry grows 20 years longer than in your
World Bank and secretary of
first run; so does population, topping 9 billion
defense, warned in December that the
in Oregon and Brazil, for growing rice in
by 2050. But the incredible agricultural inten-
earth cannot tolerate its rising population
California, for raising cattle in Amazonia-
sity causes galloping soil erosion. Agriculture
and increasing pressure on resources. And
the planet might be saved. But World3 does
and pollution control draw so much capital
from the developing nations, Shridath
assume perfect markets. It also allows for
that industrial output peaks in 2035. Billions
Ramphal, former secretary-general of the
pollution abatement, crop improvement
starve. The economy collapses.
Commonwealth, predicted that "unless we
and resource substitution. The outcome is
Although averting doomsday is not ex-
bring ourselves to accept the need for global
the same. "As long as there's continued
plicitly on the Rio agenda, it informs every-
and far-reaching change, we are headed for
pressure for growth, and delays in reacting
thing that is. That's because the numbers
catastrophe."
to limits, the system tends to [collapse],"
are SO scary. Population, according to the
says systems analyst John Sterman of the
United Nations, will increase 2.4-fold (to 13
an that be? Economists, who know
Massachus Institute of Technology. "It
billion) by 2100. If consumption grows at
C
all about wrong forecasts, criticize
doesn't depend on the numbers."
just two thirds the rate of the past 25 years,
World3 for its hubris in plotting
But it's not just a matter of numbers.
it would quadruple in 70 years. In 2100, the
the 21st century's population, in-
World3's scenarios depend on the mathe-
world economy, by these modest projec-
dustrial capacity, pollution and
matical equations containing the numbers.
tions, would be producing 20 times-20
other indicators. Some argue that technolo-
The outcome will be different if, say, soil
times-as much as it is today. Can that be
gy will stave off apocalypse: once scientists
loss is proportional to crop yield rather than
sustained? Says McNamara, "The answer
invented fiber optics, for instance, a single
proportional to crop yield times 100. "The
is almost certainly no."
ultrathin fiber could replace 625 copper
scenarios are spun out of a mathematical
The easy solution-let Malthus, the
wires and it didn't matter a whit to telecom-
model that has little to recommend it," says
Grimmest Reaper, take care of the poor-
munications if earth ran out of copper.
MIT's Robert Solow, a Nobel laureate in
won't work. Desperate people chop down
What invention can't cure, argue econo-
economics. Economists who build scenarios
forests for firewood, leaving so few trees
mists, markets can. If governments would
"spend most of their time trying to verify
that local and perhaps even global weather
only scrap policies that encourage ecostu-
that A is connected to B in the way the
patterns change. They overcultivate land
pidity-subsidies for cutting virgin forest
model says. There isn't any reason to be-
until it gives out, permanently lowering the
"By Donella H. Meadows, Dennis L. Meadows, Jorgen
lieve this model has done that. My view is
planet's ability to feed its passengers. Help-
Randers. 300 pages. Chelsea Green. $19.95.
that it's bad science."
ing the poor to escape their misery through
NEWSWEEK JUNE 1, 1992 37
development has only a little to
make happy." As a result, Costa Rica
do with charity and everything
slashed its fertility rate from 7 to 3.5 chil-
to do with self-interest. "Poor
dren per woman in just 25 years.
people can be stopped at bor-
Adopt green tech. "The most daunting
ders," Mahbubul Haq, an advis-
environmental challenge," says Michael
er to the United Nations, told
Deland, chairman of the White House
The Wall Street Journal. "But
Council on Environmental Quality, is
poverty can be stopped. Pover-
meeting the needs of those 8 billion without
ty travels in the form of drugs,
running the planet into the ground. That
terrorism, global warming and
requires avoiding the mistakes of the past.
AIDS." The solution, according
It requires developing with different tech-
to the Business Council, is to put
nologies from those that got America and
"the developing regions of the
WILL & DENI McINTYRE-PHOTORESEARCHERS
Europe where they are today. If the tech-
world, where 90 percent of fu-
Rather than chopping down its jungle,
nologies that brought acid rain and ozone
ture population growth is ex-
holes along with sports cars and food proc-
pected to occur
on a sustain-
Costa Rica is making $1 million by
essors are applied throughout the develop-
able path. [Otherwise], their
problems will affect the more
preserving it. That's what Merck
ing world, they will cause "truly cata-
strophic impacts on global climate, human
prosperous areas of the globe."
Sharp & Dohme, the pharmaceutical
health and the productivity of natural sys-
As gloomy as this sounds,
tems," says WRI's Speth.
the apocalyptic vision is, like
giant, will pay in exchange for rights
Scrooge's visit from the Ghost
to 'chemically prospect' for plants that
he only way to fuel development is
of Christmas Yet to Come, not
a glimpse of what the future
may have pharmaceutical value. If
to wean industry from nonrenew-
able resources such as minerals
will be, but only of what it
any products are actually developed,
and fossil fuels, improve farm
might be. The authors of "Be-
yond the Limits" are surpris-
Merck will share royalties with a
methods SO soil isn't washed away
and depleted, and slash pollution-per-unit-
ingly upbeat. "We think the
nonprofit corporation in Costa Rica that
of-production within 20 years. Technology
human race is up to the chal-
trains conservation scientists. The
exists, or can be imagined, for all this. Ja-
lenge," they write. "We think
pan already uses just half the energy that
that a better world is possible
deal has enabled Costa Rica to set aside
the United States does to produce one unit
and that the acceptance of
physical limits is the first step
one quarter of its land, thought to
of GNP. The U.S. Office of Technology As-
sessment estimates that half of all industri-
toward getting there." The
contain half a million species,
al pollutants could be eliminated with ex-
prescription:
Stabilize population. The
for conservation.
isting technology. The Department of
Energy says that hydropower, biomass, so-
bomb is still ticking: in the time
lar and geothermal power could meet 28
it takes you to read this sen-
percent of the nation's energy needs. There
tence, 18 babies will have been born around
lowering infant-mortality rates and rais-
are already prototype solar electric and
the world. But it's ticking considerably
ing the status of women, is how Europe,
hydrogen cars. "Developing countries need
more slowly. In 1970, world population was
America, Canada, Japan and other nations
to learn that they don't have to grow the
growing 2.1 percent annually; in 1990, it
managed to cap family size. It's called the
way the industrialized nations did," says
grew only 1.7 percent and is now 5.4 billion.
demographic transition. If history is any
Mohamed El-Ashry of the World Bank.
By almost all accounts, population must
guide, it will take a few generations for
Can poor nations afford green tech? One
stabilize at around 8 billion. China, Thai-
lower death rates to dampen birthrates.
of the most contentious issues at Rio will be
land, Singapore and Costa Rica have all
Demographers say we don't have that
the feeling of developing countries that
gotten a grip on their once skyrocketing
much time: the developing world must
"they are suffering for our growth," says
populations. Will other high-fertility coun-
slash its population growth within the next
Maurice Strong, secretary-general of the
tries do the same? Maybe, but they're an-
20 years. One model is China's
Earth Summit. "They have the
gry about being expected to shoulder the
draconian one-child policy; cou-
attitude that they didn't create
burden. The have-nots point out that the
ples who have more children
these problems." America and
North, which has 25 percent of the world
are fined as much as $2,000 and
Europe burned so much coal
population, consumes 70 percent of the
can be fired from their jobs (al-
and oil to fuel their industries
planet's energy, 75 percent of its metals, 85
though controls are more lax in
that the atmosphere may be
percent of its wood. 'One child in the West
rural areas). Another is Costa
reaching the limit of its capaci-
consumes as much as 125 in the East," says
Rica's more benign approach.
ty to absorb the emitted carbon
Maneka Gandhi, India's firebrand envi-
The Caribbean nation provides
GOOD NEWS
dioxide without falling into a
ronmentalist. As a result, she says, "nearly
near-universal access to birth
disastrous greenhouse effect;
all the environmental degradation in the
control (in a nation where
the rich chopped down so many
East is due to consumption in the West."
90 percent of the population
trees to feed their furnaces and
There will be no real brake on population
is Roman Catholic and lo-
build their houses that those
growth as long as despair-over astronomi-
cal church officials regular-
remaining are but a fragile fire
cal infant-mortality rates that make each
ly denounce contraception),
wall between the world and dis-
birth a crapshoot, over eking out a living
boasts a literacy rate of 93
astrous weather patterns. So
from garbage heaps and the unforgiving
percent and produces bill-
the poor are demanding that
land-drives women to bear five, six, seven
boards and condom packages
the rich ante up. India will ar-
and eight children.
advising, "Have only the num-
gue in Rio that the industrial
Eliminating that despair, especially by
ber of children that you can
nations must pay the difference
NEWSWEEK JUNE 1, 1992 39
E P.O.R
between the cost of development under the
seeded by birds, bats and wind, the strips
What's needed is wisdom. That's where in-
proposed new accords and development
grow back and yield 60 times as much wood
satiable, or at least unsated, consumption
without. The price tag may be $70 billion a
per acre as conventional logging. Sustain-
comes in. Meadows calculates that the
year, on top of the current $54 billion in
able-development money has also brought
planet can support 8 billion people with
foreign aid. (The developing nations them-
solar water heaters to Nepal, so villagers
about the standard of living of Western
selves have pledged to kick in at least $280
no longer have to cut the Himalayan for-
Europe in 1990. But no higher. That means
billion, says Strong.) That's one twelfth the
ests for fuel wood (box, page 37). It can also
no aspiring to ever more-cars, gadgets,
world's $900 billion-a-year military spend-
buy refrigerators that do not use ozone-
the toys of affluence. No more-and
ing. Alternatively, it's 140 percent of the
destroying gases, such as the 300 million
more-stuff. To a society that equates
$50 billion net flow from poor to rich coun-
units destined for China (box, below).
growth with all that is good, this vision is
tries because of debt.
If the developing nations don't get what
wrong, impossible to achieve, cruel or
Such numbers have led the Republican
they want in Rio, there's talk of environ-
naive. What happens to a business that
right to fume that Rio will produce the
mental blackmail. The Third World can opt
does not grow? How does an economy
Marshall Plan From Hell, with billions go-
to grow any way it pleases. If that means
absorb new workers, be they immigrants
ing down a Third World hole. In fact, the
spewing out gases that destroy the ozone
or fresh college graduates? "The notion
rich may find a silver lining.
that we can or should put some
"Sustainabledevelopment"aid
kind of a limit on economic
should line the coffers of multi-
growth seems to me neither
nationals that have something
necessary nor practical," says
environmentally benign to sell.
MIT's Solow.
Also, developing nations ac-
count for just over one third of
hose who take seri-
the U.S. export market. If they
T
ously the threat that
grow out of abject poverty, busi-
growth poses to hu-
ness could boom.
mankind's life on earth
naturally disagree, ar-
nd there are green-
guing that a sense of "enough"
A
backs to be earned on
is crucial. But more than that,
the green market. The
they argue that it won't be such
White House's De-
TOM HALEY-SIPA
a bad life at that. Their vision is
land estimates that
the market in environment-
Markets in China still feature open-air
perhaps best captured in a car-
toon. In it, two men stand on a
al goods and services-every-
butchers, but the government is determined to
street corner in a haze of fumes
thing from smokestack scrub-
give people a cool place to store their
as cars whiz by and wall-to-wall
bers to waste disposal-comes
people jostle them; they say
to $200 billion a year. While the
purchases. China intends to triple its number of
how glad they are for their high
United States balks at contrib-
uting a few million dollars to a
refrigerators to 300 million. If they use
standard of living-without
which they could not enjoy such
sustainable-development fund,
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), the ozone shield
a high quality of life. Says the
and thus alienates countries
that might buy such goods, for-
against cancer-causing sun rays would thin
Business Council, "[there must
be] changes in the measure-
mer Japanese prime minister
further. So the U.S. has given technical advice and
ments of progress to include in-
Noboru Takeshita is reportedly
contributed to a $20 million aid package to
dicators of quality as well as
pushing Japan to kick in one
quantity. Life can get better as
quarter of the total requested-
build environmentally safe refrigerators.
people get more education and
as much as S25 billion a year.
Chinese researchers are testing several non-
healthier. Meadows calls it
"Japan will take the initiative
"smart development rather
in this cause," says Takeshita.
CFC models and plan full production soon.
than dumb growth." It is the
There is no lack of ideas for
path away from the world of
how to spend the money. A
World3. Ours may be the last
$180,000 solar-energy project
generation that can choose it.
in Argentina, sponsored by the Argentine
layer over the Riviera and Malibu, tough
"If we fail to pull off the environmental
and German governments, will supply en-
luck. If it means burning all their coal, and
revolution, to reverse the environmental
ergy and running water to rural dwellers
thus altering the climate patterns that
trends undermining our future," says Les-
who would otherwise burn polluting gas.
keep wheat growing in Kansas and Sas-
ter Brown of the WorldWatch Institute,
"Solar energy," says German engineer
katchewan and Australia, too bad. There is
"future generations may not have the
Helmut Geipel, "is a step from the last
ample precedent. India and China dragged
chance." It's getting later, but it's not too
century right into the next." Farther south
their feet over phasing out chemicals that
late yet.
in Patagonia, the World Wildlife Fund is
destroy the ozone layer until they got
Give couples no more than two children.
helping ranchers replace their 22 million
cash-$50 million in 1991-to help them
Rein in demand so industrial output per capi-
sheep with guanaco, relatives of the Ande-
meet the new standards. "Those who make
ta is about equal to South Korea's in 1990.
an llama. The sheep uproot so much grass
$200 a year should not pay SO that those who
Invent technologies that cut pollution 90 per-
that they turn 1,200 to 1,900 square miles
make $10,000 a year can breathe clean air,"
cent over a century. Population levels off at
into desert every year. The guanaco, whose
says Edward Kufuor of Ghana, former
7.7 billion, average life expectancy is 80 years,
wool is more valuable, don't tear out their
chairman of the Group of 77 developing
services per capita are twice what they were in
lunch by the roots.
nations.
1990. Pollution falls after 2040. Congratula-
In Peru, another WWF project helps the
Limit affluence. Green tech requires
tions: you have saved your world.
Yanesha Indians cut strips of forest. Re-
cleverness. Cleverness is not enough.
SHARON BEGLEY with bureau reports
42 NEWSWEEK JUNE1, 1992
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LOS ANGELES TIMES a TUESDAY, MAY 26 1992
A Day in the Life of
Mother Earth
A SPECIAL EARTH SUMMITISSUE OF WORLD REPORT
World leaders will gather for a global environmental summit
in Rio de Janeiro on June 3. If it's a typical day
Be
250,000 people will be added
on the road È Forest cover-
to the world's population
ing an area more than
Up to 140 species
one-third the size