Five years after Rio

There are several reasons why every responsible inhabitant of Earth should mark International Environment Day today. It was 25 years ago that the first global meeting to alert humanity of the deteriorating environment was held in Stockholm. Ten years ago the Montreal Protocol on the preservation of the ozone layer was endorsed. It was also 10 years ago that the World Commission on Environment and Development was set up and coined the phrase sustainable development. Today is the fifth anniversary of the Rio de Janeiro international conference on the environment, called Earth Summit.

In short, these are landmark events intended to raise and strengthen our awareness of the need to protect the environment; they are reminders that when we tap Earth's riches, we should think about the needs of future generations. The environment and its preservation has become a subject of study in itself -- for some an obsession -- and has churned out terms such as "recycling" and "sustainable development" that are now in common usage.

Although it has been 25 years since the Stockholm meeting, it took Earth's inhabitants a little while to wake up to the realities of the dangers of failing to conserve the environment.

Indonesia, like most other countries, has only recently caught the green fever. In 1993, a cabinet position was created solely to oversee the environment, but it is one of state minister, a portfolio without a department and virtually without power. Perhaps, in the next cabinet, the position could be elevated into one with a full department and greater executive power.

Indonesia has observed International Environment Day each year. Today, President Soeharto, as in previous years, will present Adipura and Kalpataru awards -- the first to city and provincial administrations in recognition of their efforts to maintain cleanliness, and the second to individuals for their outstanding achievements or contribution toward the environment.

There is also the ongoing "one million trees" campaign nationwide. The government has tightened industrial and forestry regulations to make them more environmentally friendly. In the past few years, there has been a mushrooming of non-governmental organizations concerned with environmental conservation. No one can blame us for not taking part in what is now clearly a global undertaking to save Earth.

In spite of all this, it is disturbing to hear that man-made destruction of Earth continues, and at an even greater rate according to some experts. It seems we're not all the wiser despite our greater awareness of the dangers of failing to act.

The problems are right before our eyes. Commercial interests continue to override environmental concerns, and the kind of lavish lifestyle that most of us are pursuing is something that Earth cannot support continuously. Very few of us are willing to make the necessary sacrifices to conserve the environment. We'd rather leave it to someone else.

We tend to be reactive when it comes to questions over the environment, and then our reactions are left begging. Proactive may be an overused term, but that is exactly what's needed now to save Earth. Preserving alone is not enough, we need to improve the environment, or at the very least undo many of the damages already done to Earth.

Today, let's all observe International Environment Day with all its ceremonial functions. Let's acknowledge and praise those who make a difference. But as we do that, we should all ask ourselves: have we as individuals done our share to protect Earth? And for how long can we remain indifferent to the environment?