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[ELN] UNEP LAUNCHES DEFINITIVE STUDY OF GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS
A UNEP news release from INFOTERRA which may be of some interest.
Kay Winter
kay.winter@ea.gov.au
UNEP News Release
For information only
Not an official record
"OUR PRESENT COURSE IS UNSUSTAINABLE -
POSTPONING ACTION IS NO LONGER AN OPTION"
UNEP LAUNCHES DEFINITIVE STUDY OF GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS
NAIROBI, 15 September 1999 - Today, the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) launches its Global Environment Outlook 2000
(GEO-2000) report - the most authoritative assessment ever of the
environmental crisis facing humanity in the new millennium.
Based on contributions from UN agencies, 850 individuals and more than
30 environmental institutes, GEO-2000 outlines progress in tackling
existing problems and points to serious new threats. It concludes by
setting out recommendations for immediate, integrated action.
GEO-2000 analyses both global and regional issues. Its key finding is
that: "The continued poverty of the majority of the planet's
inhabitants and excessive consumption by the minority are the two
major causes of environmental degradation. The present course is
unsustainable and postponing action is no longer an option."
"Despite successes on various fronts, time for a rational,
well-planned transition to a sustainable system is running out
fast," said Klaus Toepfer, UNEP's Executive Director. "In some
areas, it has already run out. In others, new problems are emerging
which compound already difficult situations.
"UNEP welcomes the trend towards increased public concern for the
environment. Until recently, few individuals cared about or even
knew of the environmental issues facing the planet. Today, popular
movements in many countries are forcing authorities to make changes,"
said Toepfer.
According to GEO-2000, full-scale emergencies now exist in a number of
fields. The world water cycle seems unlikely to be able to cope with
demands in the coming decades, land degradation has negated many
advances made by increased agricultural productivity, air pollution is
at crisis point in many major cities and global warming now seems
inevitable.
Tropical forests and marine fisheries have been over-exploited while
numerous plant and animal species and extensive stretches of coral
reefs will be lost for ever - due to inadequate policy responses.
In a survey conducted by the Scientific Committee on Problems of the
Environment for GEO-2000, 200 scientists in 50 countries identified
water shortage and global warming as the two most worrying problems
for the new millennium. Desertification and deforestation at national
and regional levels was also a frequently cited concern.
While most issues raised by the survey are well-known, GEO-2000 also
identifies new threats such as:
- nitrogen's harmful impact on ecosystems
- increased severity of natural disasters
- species invasion as a result of globalization
- increased environmental pressures caused by urbanization
- decline in the quality of governance in some countries
- new wars which impact on both the immediate environment and
neighbouring states
- the impact of refugees on the natural environment
At the core of GEO-2000's recommendations is a reinforcement of Agenda
21's call for environmental integration. The report states that,
"The environment remains largely outside the mainstream of everyday
human consciousness and is still considered an add-on to the fabric
of life."
Institutions such as treasuries, central banks, planning departments
and trade bodies frequently ignore sustainability questions in favour
of short-term economic options. "Integration of environmental
thinking into the mainstream of decision-making relating to
agriculture, trade, investment, research and development,
infrastructure and finance is now the best chance for effective
action," says GEO-2000.
National Governments, international organizations, the private sector,
community groups, NGOs and ordinary citizens all have a role to play
in putting the environment at the forefront of the political agenda.
"Environmental education, like mathematics, (should be) part of the
standard educational curriculum," says GEO-2000, adding that we must
"encourage the media to devote as much attention to environmental
issues as they do to crime, politics, sport and finance."
*******
GEO-2000 was edited by Robin Clarke - and published by Earthscan
Publications on behalf of UNEP. E-mail earthinfo@earthscan.co.uk
Telephone: +44-171 2780433; Fax: +44-171 2781142. It is available
from Earthscan at a cost of ú20 or US$40. It is also accessible on
http://www.unep.org/geo2000
Note to journalists:
For more information, please contact: Marion Cheatle,
Officer-in-Charge, State of the Environment Assessment Unit, Division
of Environmental Information, Assessment & Early Warning (DEIA&EW).
UNEP, P.O. Box 30552, Nairobi, Kenya. Tel.: (254-2) 62-3520, Fax:
(254-2) 623944; or Tore J. Brevik, UNEP Spokesman and Director of
Information, Communications and Public Information (CPI), P.O. Box
30552, Nairobi, Kenya. Tel: (254-2) 623292; Fax: 623297; or Daniel
van R. Claasen, Officer-in-Charge, UNEP-DEIA&EW, P.O. Box 30552,
Nairobi, Kenya. Telephone: (254-2) 621234: Fax (254-2) 623943/44;
Email: geo@unep.org
UNEP News Release 1999/103
For a link FROM the press release TO the GEO-2000 web site, you probably
want to list all of the mirror sites where it will be hosted:
Japan: http://www-cger.nies.go.jp/geo2000/
Kenya: http://www.unep.org/unep/eia/geo2000/
Mexico: http://www.rolac.unep.mx/geo2000/
Norway: http://www.grida.no/geo2000/
Switzerland: http://www.grid.unep.ch/geo2000/
United States: http://grid2.cr.usgs.gov/geo2000/
Ms. Beth Ingraham, Information Officer
INFOTERRA-Secretariat
The Global Environmental Information Exchange Network
Division of Environmental Information and Assessment
United Nations Environment Programme
P.O. Box 30552
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: (254-2) 624299 or 623273
Fax: (254-2) 624269
Email: beth.ingraham@unep.org or infotinf@unep.org
Web: www.unep.org