Sustainability first or conflict: UNEP chief<\/p>\n
\"Let us developing countries exploit our resources to catch up
\nwith developed countries and then we will clean up the
\nenvironment.\"<\/p>\n
This statement was conveyed by then Indonesian environment
\nminister Emil Salim to then German environment minister Klaus
\nToepfer on the sidelines of the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro,
\nBrazil, in 1992.<\/p>\n
Toepfer, now executive director of the world's most powerful
\nbody overseeing the environment, the United Nations Environment
\nProgramme (UNEP), recalled Emil's statement on a number of
\noccasions during the week-long Eco-Innovate 03 forum in Sydney
\nlast week.<\/p>\n
According to Toepfer, Emil's statement reflected the position
\nof developing countries vis-a-vis developed countries in
\nprotecting the environment from the adverse effects of
\ndevelopment.<\/p>\n
Despite his background as a minister from a developed country,
\nGermany, Toepfer believed that developed countries owed a lot to
\ndeveloping countries in terms of sustainability issues.<\/p>\n
Therefore, Toepfer noted that official development assistance
\n(ODA) from developed countries to developing countries should not
\nbe seen as charity but as an investment in sustainable
\ndevelopment.<\/p>\n
\"Yes, they are not asking for charity, but investment in the
\neconomy for the future,\" Toepfer said.<\/p>\n
He noted that if developing countries had overcome their
\neconomic problems, they could be expected to make better policies
\nfor the environment.<\/p>\n
Toepfer even supported a proposal of debt relief for poor
\nnations, which he described as a \"debt for debt\" solution to the
\nenvironment.<\/p>\n
\"Some people say this is charity, but I would say it's not
\ncharity. I believe it is debt for debt because the developed
\ncountries have quite a lot of debt to developing countries, in
\nterms of environmental costs, etc. So, it's debt for debt. I
\ninsist on this.\"<\/p>\n
Developed countries, he said, should realize that developing
\ncountries offered much more to global development and
\nenvironmental protection than was recognized.<\/p>\n
Therefore, developed countries should pay more and invest more
\nin developing countries to reduce the gaps between them.
\nOtherwise, conflicts would become inevitable.<\/p>\n
\"If we cannot handle this gap, we will have an earthquake.\"<\/p>\n
The vehicle to achieve a balanced world would be through
\nsustainable development, with full the participation of developed
\nand developing countries.<\/p>\n
Therefore, Toepfer encouraged both developed and developing
\ncountries to adopt the \"Sustainability First\" policy, and not
\n\"Markets First\" policy, to improve the quality of life without
\ncompromising that of future generations.<\/p>\n
He said if the world continued to adopt the \"Market First\"
\nscenario, the environment and human well-being would not fare
\nwell. The human footprint grows, inflicting increasing damage.<\/p>\n
As reliance is placed on market-based approaches, Toepfer
\nnoted that global competition increased, demands for
\nenvironmental goods and services continued to skyrocket,
\nenvironmental standards continued to fall, and economic interests
\ndominated to the detriment of social and environmental goals.<\/p>\n
Therefore, it was time to shift to the \"Sustainability First\"
\nscenario which offered more hope for an acceptable future.<\/p>\n
The human footprint could remain at an acceptable size as
\nsocial and environmental goals were reaffirmed, pressures on the
\nenvironment were stabilized or curbed, and a strong mix of formal
\nand voluntarily policies supported the efforts of individuals and
\ngroups to pursue sustainable development.<\/p>\n
I-Box<\/p>\n
Can you imagine life without CDs? The question was posed by Alan
\nMcGilvray, senior country representative for Bayer Australia and
\nNew Zealand.<\/p>\n
Of course, it would be hard to imagine modern life without
\nCDs, CD ROMs or DVDs. Or without mundane things like tires for
\nour cars. They are all products of chemicals.<\/p>\n
\"So, we are actually improving the quality of life,\" McGilvray
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
However, chemical companies like Bayer often became the target
\nfor attacks by environmental groups for polluting the
\nenvironment.<\/p>\n
But attacks against such companies would not help the
\nenvironment much, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
\nexecutive director Klaus Toepfer said.<\/p>\n
The best way would be to engage them so that they participate
\nin programs to protect the environment, he said.<\/p>\n
By involving these companies in a number of environmental
\nactivities under UNEP, for instance, these companies would be
\nsubject to public scrutiny and this would improve transparency in
\ntheir operations, with regards to the environment, Toepfer said.<\/p>\n
\"Are these companies part of the problem or part of the
\nsolution? We have to make them part of the solution\".<\/p>",
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