Global Change and Our Common Future Papers from a Forum (1989) / Chapter Skim
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2. Global Change and Our Common Future: The Benjamin Frankline Lecture
2. Global Change and Our Common Future: The Benjamin Frankline Lecture
Pages 10-18
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From page 10... ...
It is quite clear that this cannot be done by perpetuating present patterns. In the never-ending human search for an improved habitat, for new materials, new energy forms, and new processes, the constraints imposed by depletion of natural resources and the pollution caused by the conversion of resources have brought mankind to a crossroads.
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From page 11... ...
emissions by 50 percent over the next decade, could never have been achieved without a delicate balance between the most up-to-date scientific information, reliable industrial expertise, and committed political leadership against a background of strong and informed public interest. The fact that new scientific data on the threat to the ozone layer have already prompted us to move beyond the 1987 accords only underlines my point: The scientist's chair is now firmly drawn up to the negotiating table, right next to that of the politician, the corporate manager, the lawyer, the economist, and the civic leader.
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From page 12... ...
It requires political reform, access to knowledge and resources, and a more just and equitable distribution of wealth within and between nations. Over the past couple of years some progress has been made in the environmental field, both in terms of raising consciousness and in terms of taking on particular challenges, such as in the Montreal Protocol on the ozone layer and the Basel Convention on hazardous wastes.
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From page 13... ...
Major challenges include reducing payment imbalances between the United States, Japan, and the Federal Republic of Germany and making the surpluses of Japan, the Federal Republic of Germany, and other countries increasingly available to developing countries. From a world development point of view, the financial surpluses of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
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From page 14... ...
It is time for a global economic summit to launch a new era of international cooperation. Issues like the debt crisis, trade matters, resources for the international financial institutions, harnessing technology for global benefit, strengthening the United Nations system, and specific major threats to the environment, such as global warming, are becoming increasingly interrelated.
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From page 15... ...
The industrialized countries have a responsibility for controlling market forces in this field and for promoting a more equitable sharing between developed and developing countries. The protection of intellectual property rights and royalties must be in a form that promotes research, provides for an equitable sharing of financial benefits between inventors and the country of genetic origin, and not least, makes the products of biotechnology available to those who need them.
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From page 16... ...
Can we see any solutions to the political instability that will accompany increased migration as the number of environmental refugees continues to multiply? All this may not happen, or it may not be that drastic.
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From page 17... ...
The Norwegian government very recently adopted a white paper on the follow-up of the World Commission's report. It has involved all ministries, not only that of the environment; it has implied change in attitudes and policies, and tough challenges for the heavy sectoral ministries -- such as energy, industry, transportation, finance, foreign affairs, and trade -- and the prime minister's office has been directly engaged in charting a cross-sectoral course for the future.
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From page 18... ...
of us to view environmental problems in interdisciplinary terms, not in the narrow terms of The world is replete with projects that made excellent engineering sense but were economically disastrous or that were economically sound but environmentally catastrophic. The global environment cannot be separated from political, economic, and moral issues.
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