Previous Sessions
1. Discussed how UN is supposed
to operate
a. especially: General Assembly, Security Council, Secretary-General
b. also: regional organizations (such as NATO) and NGOs (such
as Sierra Club
and Commission
on Global Governance)
2. Looked at recommendations from
Commission on Global Governance
3. Showed that UN is restructuring
itself largely as recommended by the Commission to
overcome embarrassing past and become the
solution to world’s problems
4. Why discuss UN?
a. I believe it will have central role in period Jesus called
“beginning of birth
pains”
b. during that time, earth will begin to convulse, labor contractions,
preparation
for Jesus’ return
c. is important we understand what is happening, so won’t lose
hope.
d. instead, your faith increase as watch these developments
5. This session: examine UN’s
position on environment, which I believe will be a key to
UN’s ascendency to power
6. We’ve seen the importance UN
places on NGOs
a. relies on them for expertise and recommendations
b. Ex: UN implementing recommendations of Commission on Global
Governance
virtually without
modification
c. this session, see NGOs strongly influencing UN and world
leaders in area of
environment
Background
1. when UN was established 1945,
its agenda emphasized peace, human rights and
socioeconomic development; no mention was
made of the environment as a concern
2. however, 1972, Stockholm Conference
on the Human Environment made environment
the UN’s fourth major concern
3. now have several UN agencies
fostering care for environment
a. UNEP, United Nations Environment Program
b. UNESCO, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
c. under UNESCO, have “Man and the Biosphere Program” and “World
Heritage
Program,” both
formed in 1972
World Heritage Program
1. formed by Convention Concerning
the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural
Heritage, approved by UNESCO in 1972
2. two types of heritage sites
defined by the Convention
a. “cultural heritage”: man-made monuments (from architectural
works to cave
dwellings),
groups of buildings “which are of outstanding universal value”
b. “natural heritage”: natural features, geological formations,
natural sites “which
are of outstanding
universal value”
3. Convention formed “World Heritage
Committee” to oversee heritage sites
a. States (i.e., nations) submit sites to the Committee to
be included in the list of
heritage sites
b. this gives the sites protected status
c. state is responsible for maintaining the site, may request
financial assistance
from heritage
fund
d. [Excerpts from Congressional Research Service Report for
Congress, 96-395:
World Heritage
Convention and U.S. National Parks, Updated May 14, 1999.]
i. “There are currently 558 natural and cultural sites from
around the
world listed on the World Heritage List established under the World
Heritage Convention. Twenty U.S. sites are listed, including
Yellowstone and Grand Canyon National Parks, Independence Hall, and
the Statue of Liberty. The World Heritage in Danger list currently has
23 sites worldwide, including Yellowstone National Park and Everglades
National Park.”
ii. “The World Heritage Convention does not give the United Nations
authority over U.S. sites.”
e. World Heritage Sites in the United States:
i. 1978 Mesa Verde National Park
ii. 1978 Yellowstone National Park
iii. 1979 Everglades National Park
iv. 1979 Grand Canyon National Park
v. 1979 Independence Hall
vi. 1980 Redwood National Park
vii. 1981 Mammoth Cave National Park
viii. 1981 Olympic National Park
ix. 1982 Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site
x. 1983 Great Smokey Mountains National Park
xi. 1983 San Juan National Historic Site and La Fortaleza
xii. 1984 The Statue of Liberty
xiii. 1984 Yosemite National Park
xiv. 1987 Monticello, and the University of Virginia, Charlottesville
xv. 1987 Chaco Culture National Historic Park
xvi. 1987 Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
xvii. 1992 Pueblo de Taos
xviii. 1995 Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Man and the Biosphere Program (MAB)
1. [Excerpts from Congressional
Research Service Report for Congress, Biosphere
Reserves: Fact Sheet, October 3, 1997]
a. “As part of the U.S. MAB program, 47 biosphere reserves
have been
established
in the United States. These sites are part of a network of [357] such
areas worldwide
in which scientists conduct research and communicate about
their findings.
Biosphere reserves are nominated by the country in which they
are located,
and no change in jurisdiction or sovereignty occurs as a result.”
b. “The purpose of the Biosphere Reserve program is to promote
cooperation and
communication
among a worldwide network of areas that would include all the
major ecosystem
types globally, with sites identified as areas where research on
ecological concerns--especially
the impacts of human activity on ecological
systems--could
be performed.”
c. “There are no legally binding requirements on countries
or communities
regarding the
management of biosphere reserves.”
2. Other info
a. almost 43 million acres in the US have been designated as
Biosphere Reserves
b. the Interior Department operates this program without any
legislative direction
and no authorization
from Congress
c. designation as Biosphere Reserve limits mining, oil and
gas, grazing, logging,
farming, and
development.
d. list of Biosphere Reserves in the US, as of June 1999
i. Aleutian Islands 1976
ii. Big Bend
1976
iii. Cascade Head 1976
iv. Central Plains 1976
v. Channel Islands 1976
vi. Coram 1976
vii. Denali
1976
viii. Desert
1976
ix. Everglades & Dry Tortugas 1976
x. Fraser
1976
xi. Glacier 1976
xii. H.J. Andrews 1976
xiii. Hubbard Brook 1976
xiv. Jornada 1976
xv. Luquillo 1976
xvi. Noatak 1976
xvii. Olympic
1976
xviii. Organ Pipe Cactus 1976
xix. Rocky Mountain 1976
xx. San Dimas
1976
xxi. San Joaquin 1976
xxii. Sequoia-Kings Canyon 1976
xxiii. Stanislaus-Tuolumne
1976
xxiv. Three Sisters
1976
xxv. Virgin Islands 1976
xxvi. Yellowstone
1976
xxvii. Beaver Creek
1976
xxviii. Konza Prairie 1978
xxix. Niwot Ridge
1979
xxx. University of Michigan Biological Station 1979
xxxi. Virginia Coast
1979
xxxii. Hawaii Islands 1980
xxxiii. Isle Royale
1980
xxxiv. Big Thicket
1981
xxxv. Guanica
1981
xxxvi. California Coast Ranges 1983
xxxvii. Central Gulf Coast Plain 1983
xxxviii. South Atlantic Coastal Plain 1983
xxxix. Mojave & Colorado Deserts 1984
xl. Carolinian-South Atlantic 1986
xli. Glacier Bay-Admiralty Is. 1986
xlii. Golden Gate
1988
xliii. New Jersey Pinelands 1988
xliv. Southern Appalachian 1988
xlv. Champlain-Adirondak 1989
xlvi. Mammonth Cave Area 1990
xlvii. Land Between The Lakes 1991
e. my point: this program has been underway since 1972; many
US areas already
protected as
Biosphere Reserves
f. from the beginning, US has supported UN’s environmental
programs
g. World Heritage Program and Man and the Biosphere Program
are both
voluntary programs;
US responsible for its sites; no national sovereignty lost
h. problem: is not restrictive enough for many of the environmental
NGOs
i. many NGOs working to shape UN environmental policy
i. Ex: Earth Council, Green Cross Int’l, World Conservation
Union,
Wildlands Project, many others
ii. these NGOs are working aggressively to draft UN policy
iii. let’s examine some of their work, will have major impact on US in
coming years
Historical background
1. 1987, the World Commission
on Environment and Development recommended creation
of a new charter or universal declaration
about environmental protection and
sustainable development.
2. Earth Council (NGO)
a. formed to develop Earth Charter (not sure of date; it’s
Secretariat was formed
early 1992)
b. excerpts from “Summary of Principles” [Earth Council web
site], section
entitled “Sustainable
Development” — key policy points
i. All humanity has the duty to integrate environmental conservation
with development activity at all stages and levels so as to achieve
sustainable development
ii. Activities which are likely to cause irreversible environmental
change
or damage should be avoided altogether.
(1) who decides activity is likely to cause damage?
iii. Precautionary Principle: In situations where there is the risk of
irreversible or serious damage to the environment, lack of full scientific
certainty shall not be used as reason to postpone action to avoid
potentially irreversible or serious harm to the environment.
(1) if you simply believe there is a risk, postpone action even
without scientific data suggesting damage may occur
iv. . . . appropriate demographic policies, ensuring that human population
levels remain within the carrying capacity of the Earth, are necessary
to improve the quality of life for all people and to protect the
environment.
(1) population control is essential for protecting the environment
v. The elimination of unsustainable patterns of production
and
consumption is essential
(1) is widely held belief among world leaders that current levels
of
production and consumption in the US are unsustainable
(2) Earth Council advocates reduced production and consumption to
match its model for sustainable development
c. these are some Earth Council core principles, from their
own web site
d. Earth Council developed a draft Earth Charter based on environmentalist
writings, including
these core principles
e. these principles already supported by world leaders, such
as UN Secretary-
General Kofi
Annan
3. 1992, UN Conference on Environment
and Development (UNCED), “Earth Summit”
in Rio de Janeiro
a. Earth Council (an NGO) placed its draft Earth Charter on
agenda
i. but state representatives failed to reach agreement on it
ii. it contained some unacceptable language, strong Gaia/New Age
influence, Earth as mother of life, etc.; I’ve read original draft, parts
are
radical New Age
b. state representatives did ratify:
i. Convention on Biological Diversity
ii. Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development
iii. UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
iv. will examine these briefly, discover many of same ideas contained
in
original Earth Charter draft
v. reasons:
(1) NGO influence of UN
(2) are widely held positions among world leaders
Convention on Biological Diversity, approved 5 June 1992 at UN’s “Earth
Summit” (excerpts)
1. Preamble
a. “Conscious also of the importance of biological diversity
for evolution and
for maintaining
life sustaining systems of the biosphere”
i. evolution is losing scientific credibility as a theory,
including among
secular scientists, yet legislation is assuming it as fact
b. Noting also that where there is a threat of significant
reduction or loss of
biological diversity,
lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a
reason for postponing
measures to avoid or minimize such a threat
c. Noting further that the fundamental requirement for the
conservation of
biological diversity
is the in-situ conservation of ecosystems and natural
habitats
i. “in-situ conservation” means protecting the natural habitats
d. Acknowledging further that special provision is required
to meet the needs of
developing countries,
including the provision of new and additional
financial resources
and appropriate access to relevant technologies
i. developing countries will need financial help to implement
this
e. [Signing parties are] determined to conserve and sustainably
use biological
diversity for
the benefit of present and future generations
i. keys to sustainable development: preserve resources needed
by future
generations, not create pollution/waste that would adversely affect future
generations
2. By signing the Convention, states
agree to:
a. “Develop national strategies, plans or programmes for the
conservation and
sustainable
use of biological diversity”
b. “Establish a system of protected areas or areas where special
measures need
to be taken
to conserve biological diversity”
c. “Promote environmentally sound and sustainable development
in areas adjacent
to protected
areas with a view to furthering protection of these areas”
i. have a protected area, then a zone around the protected
area to protect it
ii. this is a popular concept among environmentalists; enlarges the
controlled area
d. “Prevent the introduction of, control or eradicate those
alien species which
threaten ecosystems,
habitats or species”
i. “alien species” is plant or animal not native to the area
3. Other provisions
a. developed country parties agree to help developing country
parties by:
i. providing financial assistance
ii. transferring technologies and relevant data
iii. training personnel, exchanging experts
b. in effect, developing countries can’t afford these programs,
so developed
countries will
foot the bill
c. states that sign the Convention become members of Conference
of the Parties
i. each state has one vote
ii. Conference of Parties can amend the Convention
iii. Conference of Parties “shall make every effort to reach agreement
. . .
by consensus”
iv. if can’t reach consensus, then 2/3 majority vote required to
approve any
changes
v. notice: developing countries represent much more than 2/3
of signing
parties
vi. therefore, developing countries can basically pass any change
they want
d. once a state ratifies, accepts or approves, is bound for
minimum of three years
i. must wait two years before requesting to withdraw from Convention
ii. actual withdrawal occurs one year after the request
4. this is Convention on Biological
Diversity
a. is in effect, is basis for other environmental conventions
and treaties
b. [has US signed?]
_______________________________
Agenda 21, 14 June 1992 at UN’s “Earth Summit” in Rio
1. Excerpts from Agenda 21: The
Earth Summit Strategy To Save Our Planet
a. This book is an abridged version of Agenda 21 based on original
UN documents
b. abridged version is 316 pages long
c. Agenda 21 is very lengthy document
2. What is Agenda 21?
a. “Agenda 21" represents “UN environmental agenda for 21st
century”
b. “Agenda 21 provides a comprehensive plan of activities to
coordinate [the
transition to
sustainable development]; a plan which applies to economists,
entrepreneurs,
big businesses, financial institutions, the international trade
community, individuals
and governments alike. As with virtually all aspects
of Agenda 21,
there will be a difficult and wrenching period of change
incurred in
implementing these plans.”
c. notice: anticipates a “difficult and wrenching period of
change,” specifically for
the developed
countries because they will have to adjust downward
3. Chapter 1
a. “There is strong evidence from the world’s scientific community
that
humanity is
very, very close to crossing certain ecological thresholds for the
support of life
on Earth.”
i. states the ozone layer, “our only protection from the harmful
rays of
the Sun is being depleted”
ii. “Massive erosion is causing a rapid loss in the fertile soil
of our
planet”
iii. “Vast destruction of the world’s forests is contributing to the spread
of
the world’s deserts”
iv. “the human effects of poverty, hunger, poor health and illiteracy
also
threaten the human race. . . . The very fabric of civilization on Earth
is at risk when 1 billion people live in abject poverty”
v. “The Earth cannot long support the types of production and
consumption that the industrialized countries now enjoy.”
vi. alarmist rhetoric; is actual language of Agenda 21
b. [The Earth Summit was] “the largest gathering of heads of
state in the history of
life on Earth.”
c. this demonstrates the broad support by heads of state for
international
environmental
movement
d. “The bold goal of Agenda 21 is to halt and reverse the environmental
damage to our
planet and to promote environmentally sound and
sustainable
development in all countries on Earth. . . . It includes concrete
measures and
incentives to reduce the environmental impact of the
industrialized
nations, revitalize development in developing nations, eliminate
poverty world-wide
and stabilize the level of human population.”
i. put a stop to unsustainable production and consumption of
industrialized
countries
ii. sustainable development in all countries on Earth
iii. assist developing nations
iv. eliminate poverty world-wide
v. population control
vi. these are the goals of Agenda 21
4. The Role of the United Nations
a. is a UN environmental program, UN General Assembly clearly
in charge of it
b. remember: General Assembly is a democratic assembly in which
every state has
one vote; developing
nations overwhelmingly outnumber developed nations
5. Agenda 21 addresses broad range
of topics, gives specific steps to be taken in each
a. The Quality of Life on Earth
b. Efficient Use of the Earth’s Natural Resources
c. The Protection of Our Global Commons (atmosphere and oceans)
d. The Management of Human Settlements
e. Chemicals and the Management of Waste
f. Sustainable Economic Growth
g. many others
6. Universal adherence by populace
is expected
a. “For the far-ranging programs of Agenda 21 to be successful,
a concern for
the environment
must begin to be integrated into every human action and
every personal
decision. What we manufacture, what we buy, what we wear,
how we travel,
what we eat, who we choose as leaders: these and a myriad of
other daily
questions must begin to be answered with a recognition that every
single human
action has an impact upon both the environment and upon all
other people.”
b. freedom of choice and freedom of action are American liberties
that are being
discarded for
participation in global environmentalism.
7. Agenda 21 is in effect
a. approved by necessary number of states
b. UN agencies formed, states are passing legislation; is a
fact of life
_______________________________
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), approved at UN’s
“Earth
Summit” in Rio, June 1992
1. Convention on Biological Diversity
and Agenda 21 are important conventions
a. provide specific changes that must be made by all parties
b. are basis for other conventions and agreements
c. but are individual documents
d. unlike these two, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
is a
framework for
on-going process
2. UN Framework Convention on Climate
Change
a. name is descriptive: framework for additional actions regarding
climate change
i. allows for development of new environmental conventions/agreements
ii. Convention on Biological Diversity is one convention, is having
broad
impact
iii. Agenda 21 is agreement or convention? is basis for national legislation
iv. UNFCCC allows creation of new conventions/agreements at discretion
of its Parties
b. each state that ratified/approved the convention became
part of “Committee of
Parties”
c. Committee of Parties meets regularly to review progress,
implement new
conventions
and agreements as needed to reach environmental goals
d. schedule of Committee of Parties meetings:
i. COP1, date and place? 1995?
ii. COP2, 8 July 96, Geneva, Switzerland
iii. COP3, 8 Dec 97, Kyoto, Japan
iv. COP4, 12 Nov 98, Buenos Aires, Argentina
v. COP5, 25 Oct 99, Bonn, Germany (in progress)
vi. COP6, scheduled Nov 00, The Hague, Netherlands
e. significance:
i. remember the uproar about the Kyoto agreement?
(1) it committed developed countries (including US) to cut back
significantly on pollutants, even at risk to their economies
(2) undeveloped countries will not have to comply with the treaty
at
all; yet they are expected to produce the most greenhouse gases
over the next 50 years
ii. it was only one of a series of meetings/agreements US committed
itself
to at UN’s Earth Summit in Rio, 1992
iii. we’re committed to the process and there’s no turning back
iv. may explain why our Senators and Congressmen are making noise
but
not doing anything
v. we will adhere to these environmental treaties and conventions,
and they
will have an adverse affect on us as a nation
f. interesting coincidence:
i. as early as 1987, UN was planning for the 1992 UN Conference
on
Environment and Development
ii. President Bush was an internationalist, US approved the documents
at
Rio Earth Summit during his administration
iii. no surprise in 1993: President Clinton a strong internationalist,
Vice
President Gore a strong environmentalist; exactly the combination
needed to move US forward in UN’s governance and environment
programs
_______________________________
After UN “Earth Summit” in Rio
1. 1993, formation of Green Cross
International [quote from Green Cross web site]
a. “Green Cross International was founded by Mikhail Gorbachev
in 1993,
building on
the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and Agenda 21. Our
mission is to
help create a sustainable future by cultivating harmonious
relationships
between humans and the environment. Green Cross concentrates
its efforts
. . . to promote a significant change in human values leading to
greater respect
and care for Earth's community of life in all its diversity.”
b. my understanding: Green Cross is environmental arm of Gorbachev
Foundation,
headquartered in California
2. 1994, the Earth Council and
Green Cross International, with support from the Dutch
Government, begin the task of developing a
"People's Earth Charter" to be presented
to the UN by 2000.
a. 60 experts and representatives met at The Hague, propose
formation of a
commission to
oversee Earth Charter initiative
b. Earth Council is designated the international Secretariat
for the commission
c. they begin working to develop the commission
3. follow-up to the Earth Summit
[Rio+5, in 1997]
a. focused on implementation of Agenda 21
b. Rio+5 called for enhanced and strengthened role for the
United Nations
Environment
Program (UNEP)
c. General Assembly passed A/RES/S-19/2 (19 September 1997).
excerpt:
i. “Time is of the essence in meeting the challenges of sustainable
development as set out in the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21. . .
. We
therefore pledge . . . to accelerate the implementation of Agenda 21.”
4. during Rio+5 forum, the Earth
Charter Commission had its first joint meeting
a. remember Earth Council, draft Earth Charter?
b. formed Earth Charter Commission to revise Earth Charter
draft; first meeting
during Rio+5
c. since then, Earth Council worked with 35 Earth Charter committees
d. was concerted effort to gain consensus on world environmental
policy
e. drafts included key points of first Earth Charter draft,
Agenda 21, Rio+5
Forum, other
works
5. April 1999, most recent draft
of Earth Charter released for review
a. goal: approval of draft by sponsoring NGOs by early 2000
b. upon agreement, Earth Charter will be presented to UN as
draft resolution to
formulate UN
policy on environment; will seek endorsement of Earth Charter
by UN General
Assembly by 2002
c. expectations are good for approval, since key national leaders
from all regions
were involved
in development.
d. I have copy of this draft; it embodies the key points I
presented tonight
6. My goal tonight
a. to impress you with the size and force of the international
environmental
movement
b. probably overwhelmed you with quotations and information,
but need to show
you how UN has
embraced radical environmentalism, made it a high priority
c. Convention on Biological Diversity and Agenda 21 are the
official foundation
d. remind you: after Rio+5 in 1997, General Assembly stated
in a resolution that
time is of the
essence, needs to accelerate implementation of Agenda 21
e. UN Framework convention on Climate Change is still in progress,
generating
agreements such
as the Kyoto agreement
f. also wanted to show how UN’s action is being fed by NGOs,
advocacy groups
recognized by
UN as experts
Conclusion
1. These sessions on UN have all
been “out there,” remote from us in US
2. next week, begin to show how
America is responding to these changes in UN, how this
has already begun to affect us, will affect
us more in near future