Colorado Journal of International Environmental Law and Policy Volume 6, Number 2, Summer 1995
Foreword
6:2:245 Population: Challenges and Alternatives
by Timothy E. Wirth
The Honorable Timothy E. Wirth, Undersecretary of State for Global Affairs, provides a foreword for this issue of the Colorado Journal of International Environmental Law and Policy which compiles thoughtful post-conference analyses of several noteworthy participants in the International Conference of Population and Development, held in Cairo the previous year.
Articles
6:2:249 Reflections on the International Conference on Population and Development and the Efficacy of UN Conferences
by Nafis Sadik
The local, national, and international environmental actions are called for today are often ambitious undertakings that can only be met through consensus and joint action. Explored is the very important role United Nations Conference in meeting today's demand for global action.
6:2:255 Population, Consumption, and Environmental Degradation: Problems and Solutions
by Judith E. Jacobsen
While the International Conference of Population and Development primarily focused on population, it is the consumption of natural resources and production of waste that is responsible for much of the environmental degradation. Explored are the dynamics between population and consumption. Included in the discussion are issues such as demographics, population growth, wealth of nations, and implications for the future.
6:2:273 Poor Reproductive Health and Environmental Degradation: Outcomes of Women's Low Status in India
by Geetanjali Misra, Veronica Magar & Susan Legro
While poor reproductive health (high fertility levels) leads to environmental degradation, it is lack of control which serves as the underlying factor. When one lacks control over self and surrounding it leads to degradation be it of reproductive health or the environment. Thus the low status of women leads to a lack of control which ultimately results in environmental degradation. Explored as an example is the status of women in India, specifically focusing on the women's lack of control, poor reproductive health, and the environmental ramifications.
6:2:299 Troubled Waters: Population and Water Scarcity
by Pamela LeRoy
Freshwater is essential to human wealth and development but it is becoming increasingly scarce in areas around the world. Increasing population pressures on the world's freshwater supply has critical impact on human health, the environment, and international security. Explored are limits to freshwater resources, population effects, implications for health and environment, water and conflict, and future strategy.
6:2:327 Population: The Human Rights Approach
by Luke Lee
While the population field has focused on statistics, statistical data and family planning are only a means to an end. Human rights, on the other hand, provides a common standard on which to base the population laws and policies of all countries since family planning is a part of the foundation from which the holistic concept of human rights has evolved. Examined in depth are the relevant considerations of human rights theory in the context of family planning.
6:2:345 Shaping a Sustainable Planet: The Role of Nongovernmental Organizations
by Patricia B. Waak
Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have rapidly become an important player in the protection of the environment. NGOs serve as lobbyists and often act as partners with their national governments and international bodies. Described is the historical development of NGOs and their increasingly important contributions to the formulation and implementation of international environmental and population policies. Explored is NGO roles with specific organizations and conferences.
1995 Semiannual Summary
Organization Summary
A brief synopsis of the Women's Environment and Development Organization and its programs and activities is provided. The Women's Environment and Development Organization is a nonprofit educational and advocacy organization dedicated to improving the social, economic, and political status of women throughout the world.
Chronological Summary
The chronological summary follows environmental events in Latin America from December 1994 through March 1995.
Book Review
6:2:395 Recent Books About World Population Growth
by John Bermingham
Reviewed are various books which address world problems that have population growth and environmental degradation as a common theme. A short synopsis is provided for each book reviewed.
Comments
6:2:405 NAFTA and Petroleum Development in the Gulf of Mexico: The Need for a Bilateral Oil Spill Response Regime Between the United States and Mexico
by Arnoldo Medina, Jr.
This comment discusses the need to pursue a comprehensive US-Mexico plan of pollution prevention and response for the Gulf of Mexico. Explored are environmental provisions in the NAFTA, petroleum development in the Gulf of Mexico, and a conclusion that a bilateral agreement is needed.
6:2:423 Balancing Hardrock Mining and the Environment: The Chilean Model
by Karin Ranta
This comment examines the balance Chile must accomplish between encouraging its mineral industry and improving its environment. If successfully accomplished, Chile may emerge as a model for other mineral-rich developing countries. Explored is the status of Chile's hard rock mining, economy, and environmental laws.
About the Contributors
John Bermingham is a retired Denver lawyer who now spends most of his time on global population issues. He received his B.A. in Electrical Engineering from Yale in 1944 and his law degree from Columbia University in 1949. After several years in private practice, Mr. Bermingham served on the Colorado State Senate, on the Governor's staff, where he specialized in legislation relating to population and the environment. In 1975 he became Chair of the Colorado Land Use Commission. More recently Mr. Bermingham is the founder and President of the Colorado Population Coalition, has taught at the University of Denver, and is currently preparing a book of graphics on global population issues. He attended the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the 1992 U.N. Asia-Pacific Population Conference, the 1993 U.N. Meeting of Experts in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and the ICPD in Cairo.
Judith E. Jacobsen is an Adjunct Professor at University College of the University of Denver where she teaches courses on sustainability and population in the Environmental Policy and Management and Liberal Studies Programs. She holds a Ph.D. in geography from the University of Colorado, a J.D. from the College of William and Mary's Marshall-Wythe School of Law, and a B.A. in political science from the University Maine. Her former employment includes: teaching at the University of Wyoming and the University of Colorado; working for the U.S. State Department establishing Nigeria's family planning program; researching population and family planning issues at the Worldwatch Institute; conceptualizing and conducting public roundtable discussions for the Population and Consumption Task Force of the U.S. President's Council on Sustainable Development; and authoring the Task Force's final report to the Council. Ms. Jacobsen attended the Cairo Conference and will be attending the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in September 1995.
Nafis Sadik is the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and served as the Secretary-General of the International Conference on Population and Development in 1994. Dr. Sadik is a medical doctor specializing in gynecology and obstetrics. She was born in Juanpur, India, and is a national of Pakistan, where she was appointed Head of the Health Section of the Government's Planning Commission in 1964 and served as Director-General of the Pakistan Central Planning Council in 1970. Dr. Sadik has been an advocate of improving the status of women throughout her career, and is known for her leadership in addressing population problems, working to alleviate poverty, and promoting development.
Patricia B. Waak is the director of the National Audubon Society's Human Population and Resource Use Department and also coordinates Audubon efforts on international issues. Ms. Waak came to Audubon from the Center for Population and Family Health at Columbia University where she was assistant director for Administration. Her prior experience includes five years with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and two years with the U.S. Peace Corps in Brazil. During her USAID tenure, Ms. Waak was a special assistant to the assistant administrator for Population and Humanitarian Assistance and the Bureau for Development Support, and associate and deputy director of the Office of Population. Ms. Waak is a member of the World Conservation Union, IUCN's Commission on Environmental Strategy and Planning and chairs the working group on population and natural resources. She has worked in numerous developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Timothy E. Wirth is Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs and Counselor of the Department of State. Prior to his appointment in Global Affairs, Mr. Wirth led a distinguished career in public service as both Senator and Congressman from Colorado. As Senator (1986-92), Mr. Wirth's committee assignments included Armed Services, Energy and Natural Resources, Budget, Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. As Congressman, he was Chair of the Subcommittee on telecommunications, Consumer Protection and Finance and Energy and Commerce Committee. Born in New Mexico, Mr. Wirth was raised in Denver and Jefferson Counties in Colorado. He earned both his B.A. and M.A. at Harvard, and his Ph.D. at Stanford. Mr. Wirth was awarded a White House Fellowship with the Secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare early in his career. He also served in the U.S. Army Reserve. Mr. Wirth has served on the board of Denver Planned Parenthood, is a founding board member of Denver Head Start, and is a member of the Colorado Hispanic Agenda. Mr. Wirth was national co-chair of the Clinton-Gore presidential campaign in 1992.
Article Synopses
Population, Consumption, and Environmental Degradation
Judith Jacobsen critiques the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) that convened in Cairo in September, 1994. She suggests that the ICPD's principal focus on population issues ignored the complementary issue of consumption patterns. Her thesis centers on the premise that discussion of one issue necessarily dictated discussion of the other in order to effect substantive change to protect the environment.
Judith points out that the name, context, history, and content of the ICPD document related primarily to population issues. While not suggesting that population issues do not substantially relate to environmental degradation, she maintains that focus must be equally given to consumption trends. Judith finds significant support of her premise within the text of the conference. Many delegates spent considerable time addressing consumption concerns. This was partially a result of the sensitivity inherent in discussing concrete action plans regarding population. Many nations consider such action plans to be a direct threat to their national sovereignty.
Judith also recognizes that achieving significant results in population stabilization is a long-term process. Momentum in birthrates throughout the world creates an implicit lag-time in actually effecting change through a rapid drop in global birthrates. By focusing on consumption patterns, the rate of environmental degradation can be slowed even while population stabilization is gradually becoming reality.
The second point of the article focuses on several myths regarding blame assessment. Judith identifies that population growth is not strictly a North-South issue. She points to the relatively high birth rate that the United States sustained during the early nineties. When the growth rate of the industrial countries is combined with the high natural resource consumption rates of those same nations, the results are disproportionate.
Similarly, Judith notes that the third-world nations, although not industrialized to the same degree as the predominately northern nations, still waste natural resources in a roughly proportionate manner. Poverty in those nations typically constrains the people to use the least efficient resources available thereby causing an acceleration of the overall environmental degradation.
Judith concludes that the focus must remain on both variables when addressing the cumulative effects each has on environmental degradation. She dispels the myths that both issues can be defined as North or South. Finally, she outlines various approaches necessary to achieve both short- and long-term results.
This article discusses the role of non-governmental organizations in the international dialogue on sustainable development. The author sees an increasing role for all NGO's, ranging from local private organizations to national professional organizations.
Ms. Waak first discusses the development of NGO's, noting that they often developed as private aid organizations. Some of these organizations worked with the United Nations to implement aid programs. These organizations, empowered by UN resources, gained additional skill and responsibilities. The author suggests that this collaboration led to the development of NGO's as bodies capable of undertaking technical research and policy planning roles.
The remainder of the article focuses on this continuing development of NGO roles in international policy planning. The author traces this development through recent UN conferences, examining the contributions of NGO's in each.
At the Rio conference on the environment, UNCED in 1992, the author notes that NGO's were invited as members of delegations, but thereafter marginalized and ignored. The author states that this is especially true for NGO's in the United States delegation. However, the author states that this treatment eventually benefited the NGO's. Dismissed from the negotiating table, the NGO's undertook negotiations among themselves, and developed international policy initiatives for environmental protection. The author suggests that these actions by the NGO's were perceived positively in the international media. In comparison, the collected governments appeared unable or unwilling to take leadership roles. The author suggests that the NGO's benefited from their independence and flexibility to experiment with new ideas, their relative lack of bureaucracy, and their independence and greater vision, allowing them to take constructive actions while state governments were mired in politics.
In contrast, the author relates the proceedings of the 1994 UN Cairo conference on world population. Here, the NGO's were included in several countries' delegations and participated in negotiations and document drafting. Overall, according to the author, the NGO's and governments cooperated together to shape policy.
The author suggests several reasons for this shift in treatment of NGO's. On is that these organizations have a historic record of involvement in population control issues. As a result, many government administrators at the conference worked with NGO's before taking government jobs. Additionally, the author suggests that governments recognized the expertise that existed within NGO's and realized the need to include them. Finally, the author notes that government and NGO policy on population issues was generally congruous, even before the conference.
Ms. Waak suggests that the Cairo experience will be indicative of the future role of NGO's in international policy making. Governments and the United Nations will increasingly cooperate with NGO's as they realize the potential contributions the organizations can offer.
