A Plan for the 21st Century — Turning the Planet Around

Transcript of Presentation to ECO 95, given at Filton College, October 1995
“The  headlines in Mondays paper read “Schumacher drives away doubts”…  But which Schumacher were they talking about? Whether you immediately think of the Schumacher lectures at the Colston Hall last Saturday,  or the winner of the Pacific Grand Prix on Sunday depends on your particular perspective,  but it is the contrast between these two worlds that marks the theme of ECO 95.
We must find a way for the world that hails speed on the track as progress,  to meet and work together with the world that gives the Schumacher Society award for 1995 to Transport 2000.  It was Schumacher in his book Small is Beautiful who wrote about the problems of the world being primarily that of 2 million villages,  which makes it a problem of 2 billion villagers.

These days we can add a zero or two to the figures, but the essential message, think globally, act locally,  is that we must start here and now in order to put into practice any action plan for fixing global problems.  Local Agenda 21 is about that local action plan.

From Stockholm to Rio

The Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment took place in 1972 — a year before Schumacher's book was written,  and this marked a time when there was perhaps the first hint of political recognition  that environmental issues were anything other than on a par with reading tea leaves  as an indicator of the way we should order our lives. This key conference was followed, eleven years later, by the World Commission on Environment and Development. This commission was set up by the United Nations and headed by the  prime minister of Norway (who was later awarded the Third World Foundation prize for leadership in environmental issues), Gro Harlem Brundtland.
When its landmark report ‘Our Common Future’ came out in 1987, it marked the beginning of a period of heightened activity that  gave new confidence to the ‘ecology nuts’, as one columnist described them at the time. Some of you may remember another  prime minister, a little closer to home, who made …that speech …to the Royal Society in September 1988, and was seen as a surprising convert
In short, “Our Common Future” said that the ecological crisis should not just be seen as a problem of the developing countries, and a short term problem at that, but it required a whole new game plan, that took account of the entire planet, and looked well into the distant future. The Brundtland Commission’s call for a new era of environmentally sound economic development led the United Nations to begin planning a conference on Environment AND Development, its aim to set out how we were to achieve this goal of what had come to be described as “sustainable development”, defined as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. This conference was at Rio in 1992 — It was the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, or UNCED — the biggest political jamboree ever: what did it achieve, and what remote relevance does it have to your school in Southmead…… your business in Broadmead, or your recycling group in Russell Town

Major concerns

First, lets see what went into Rio: we had a number of major concerns:
 — the Balance of Nature, and concern about endangered species  and
 — the Climate, and mans contribution to the Greenhouse effect
These first two were covered by The Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations framework on Climate Change, which were negotiated separately from, but in parallel with the preparations for the Earth Summit, and were signed by most governments meeting at Rio.
The negotiations at Rio dealt with a third:  the concern about forests and their inhabitants in:
—  The Statement of Principles on Forests
Of the five major documents that came out of  that conference,  the remaining two set out:
— “The Ground Rules From Here On In” or The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and
 — “The Plan” or Agenda 21
So, how do we ‘turn the planet around’ — what is the plan?

The Plan

Agenda 21, over 150,000 words in 40 chapters, starts by listing all the factors, all the considerations relevant to the future health of the world and is divided into four sections: Section 1 Social and Economic Dimensions;  section 2 Conservation and Management of Resources; section  3 Strengthening the Role of Major Groups; section 4 The Means of Implementation. The first deals with how we get on with each other on a global level, and how we deal with everyday life covering for instance poverty and excessive consumption, health and education. The second: What we do with the natural world —  I’ll come to section 3 in a moment, and the last section,  section 4, deals with how we do it , finance, education training, the law, and so on. Now, section  3: Strengthening the Role of Major Groups,   recognises that, although this is the action plan for the Globe, its success relies on each local part being aware of what the overall plan is, and implementing it . Section 3 defines what these ‘parts’ are: governments, business people, trade unions scientists, farmers, local authorities, Non Government Organisations, teachers, indigenous people, women, youth, children. and discusses their roles and how partnerships can be achieved
The chapter that talks about Children and Youth in Sustainable Development, chapter 25, for instance, highlights the fact that Youth makes up nearly one third of the world’s population,  and they need a voice in determining their own future.  Children make up nearly half the population in many developing countries.  In both developing and industrialised countries children are highly vulnerable to the effects of environmental degradation.  Development strategies should deal with the entitlement of young people to natural resources. Governments should consult and let youth participate in decisions that affect the environment.  Youth should also be represented at international meetings and participate in decision making at the United Nations. Students should be taught about the environment and sustainable development throughout their schooling.
The chapter that deals with the role of Business and industry, chapter 30 talks about both rights and responsibilities, so for instance  it talks about the role of government in providing incentives and training, as well as introducing laws and standards to promote sustainably managed enterprises with cleaner production.  It also covers the processes that businesses are expected to set up and, in the same way that the Planet Earth’s corporate plan has its four sections, each business is encouraged to take the same  attitude to the globe as a whole, re-considering the relevance of poverty and excessive consumption, health and education, how our actions affect the natural world, or, how businesses interact with the other groups in section 3
The chapter that deals with Partnerships with Non governmental organisations, chapter 27,  discusses the vital role that NGO’s play in the shaping and implementation of participatory democracy.  The global network of NGOs should be recognised as partners in implementing Agenda 21.  Governments should involve NGOs in sustainable development plans. Goverments also need laws giving NGOs the right to take legal action to protect the public interest; Governments should encourage sustainable development partnerships between non government organisations and local authorities. Which brings us to the Chapter on Local Authorities chapter 28 and the area that has given prominence to the phrase Local Agenda 21.
Alongside all the other groups,  since many of the problems and solutions listed in Agenda 21 have their roots in local activities,  so local authorities have a key role in making sustainable development happen. Local authorities are recognised as playing a vital part in educating and mobilising the public around sustainable development. Local officials should consult citizens and community, business and industrial organisations  to gather information and build a consensus on sustainable development strategies. And it specifically states that, by 1996, every local authority should have developed “a local Agenda 21”
The other weekend I was looking at a toy for my eight-year-old daughter . “Isn’t that rather complicated for a child of eight?” I asked the salesman.  “ That sir,” he said,  “is an educational toy, designed to prepare young people for life in today’s world. Any way you put it together is wrong.”
It may seem at times that no matter what plan we devise for protecting the environment,  we will never manage to get it right for everyone.  The less positive may think why bother, why try.  But as someone said, ideals are stars to guide us,  and the perfect solution for a perfect world is an ideal. When do we ever finish growing, when do we ever stop learning.  It’s the process that matters,  the process of thinking about improving our future,  and planning with others how to improve our future, and acting now to improve our future.

++++++++   Post script for business   ++++++++   

 you don’t relinquish the consumer society and go green today, your grand-children will face a nightmarish future of severe climate change, disease, drought, starvation, horrendous rises in sea level, and Portishead and Clevedon will be at either end of an island in the Bristol Channel. And that’s just the good news.”
To a lot of people, what the more extreme environmentalists put out is disregarded as just a load of emotional bullying. But sometimes first impressions are misleading. There’s an old joke about a mother who was having difficulty waking her son. … [anecdote] …the Head Teacher.”
So, we continually have to distinguish between what is bullying and what is facing up to reality. Over the next quarter of an hour I’ll be discussing the way that global issues, that previously were a mile away from being considered relevant by most businesses, have now come to be way up there with financial planning, marketing, distribution, communications and so on. The reality of business today is that we need to see the big picture, and you don’t get the right picture, unless you know what to put in the frame and what to leave out.
I guess what has happened over the years is a gradual realisation that everything is related to everything else to a greater or lesser degree, and some of those elements that previously we had considered a low, negligible, priority, were just dormant, and have now woken up and grabbed us round the neck from behind. Who would have thought 20 years ago that in the late ’80’s there would be demonstrations outside the local Boots about an inert propellant used to dispense hairspray, for goodness sake. Yet the commercial implications of the way in which freons are now perceived are considerable. The lesson is: if we want to survive in today’s world, none of us can hide under the covers.

From Stockholm to Rio

The first hint of political recognition that environmental issues were anything other than on a par with reading tea leaves as a way of guiding the business of the day, was the 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, followed, eleven years later, by the World Commission on Environment and Development. This commission was set up by the United Nations and headed by the prime minister of Norway (who was later awarded the Third World Foundation prize for leadership in environmental issues), Gro Harlem Brundtland.
When its landmark report ‘Our Common Future’ came out in 1987, it marked the beginning of a period of heightened activity that gave new confidence to the ‘ecology nuts’, as one columnist described them at the time. And you will remember another prime minister, a little closer to home, who made …that speech …to the Royal Society in September 1988, and was seen as a surprising convert.
In short, “Our Common Future” said that the ecological crisis should not just be seen as a Third World problem and just for a few years, but it required a whole new game plan, that took account of the entire planet, and planned well into the distant future. The Brundtland Commission’s call for a new era of environmentally sound economic development led the United Nations to begin planning a conference on Environment and Development, its aim to set out how we were to achieve this goal of what had come to be described as “sustainable development”, defined as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Rio in 1992 — the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, or UNCED — the biggest political jamboree ever. What did it achieve, and what remote relevance does it have to your business plan in Bedminster or Bath, Exeter or Avonmouth, or whatever address is on the bill for the rates?
Major concerns
First, lets see what came out of that process. Part of that big picture I spoke about earlier are a number of major concerns:
— the Balance of Nature  or “where is that Caspian Tiger, it was here a minute ago…”
— the Climate, about people in greenhouses and what they should or shouldn’t burn and
— Forests and their inhabitants  or “now you see them… now you don’t”
The first two of these were covered by The Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations framework on Climate Change, which were negotiated separately from, but in parallel with, the preparations for the Earth Summit, and were signed by most governments meeting at Rio.
The negotiations at Rio dealt with the third in The Statement of Principles on Forests and also set out
— “The Ground Rules From Here On In” or The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and
— “The Plan” or Agenda 21.
The Plan
So, how do we ‘turn the planet around’ — what’s the plan? (see below if you wish to know more about the first four). The plan, over 150,000 words, starts by listing all the factors, all the considerations relevant to the future health of the world in 40 chapters which are divided into four sections. The first deals with how we get on with each other on a global level, and how we deal with everyday life.This is the ‘Social and Economic Dimensions’ section covering, for instance, poverty and excessive consumption, health and education. Then there is ‘What we do with the Natural World’ — Section 2 ‘Conservation and Management of Resources’. I’ll come to Section 3 in a moment. The last section, Section 4, deals with ‘How We Do It’, the ‘Means of Implementation’, finance, education, training, the law, and so on.
Now, ‘Strengthening the Role of Major Groups’ — Section 3 —  recognises that, although this is the business plan for Our Planet plc, its success relies on each subsidiary company, so to speak, being aware of what the corporate plan is and implementing it.
Section 3 defines what these ‘subsidiaries’ are —  governments, business people, trade unions scientists, farmers teachers, indigenous people, women, youth, children — and discusses their roles and how partnerships can be achieved. The chapter that deals with the role of Business and Industry, Chapter 30, talks about both rights and responsibilities; so, for instance, it talks about the role of government in providing incentives and training, as well as introducing laws and standards to promote sustainably managed enterprises with cleaner production. It also covers the processes that businesses are expected to set up, and, in the same way that the Planet Earth’s corporate plan has its four sections, each business is encouraged to take the same attitude to the globe as a whole, re-considering the relevance of poverty and excessive consumption, health and education, how our actions affect the natural world or how we interact with the other groups in Section 3 for example, with the most relevant depending on your type of business.
Most of what we are talking about is nothing new and just gives a name to the context of, or merely formalises, such areas as Equal Opportunity policy, waste or energy policy, Health and Safety, or a business’s interaction with the voluntary sector, for instance.
The Agenda for your business
So, what should be high on the agenda for your business? The programme today gives some clues, but the route you take depends on several factors. The extent to which senior management in your organisation have the same priorities. The resources that can be committed towards make a change. The time scale that you have set to achieve your aims. But in my view the most important lesson from Rio is to involve everyone in what you want to achieve: their attitudes are fundamental to your success, and motivation must be one of the most important factors.
I’d like to finish by quoting from The Local Government Management Board roundtable guidance series the sort of information that will be available through the ENclub, details of which will be available today. The LGMB has some useful things to say about the greening of business:
‘Any business cannot help affecting the physical world in a number of ways, including: taking resources either as raw materials or in the form of products made from raw materials; energy use; waste production, which will need disposing of rather than generating, water or air pollution; the occupation of premises and land; possible visual noise or odour nuisance.
‘It follows that businesses can become greener by increasing their environmental efficiency, i.e. reducing the impact they have on the environment per unit of production. In the long term any business will be more sustainable if it: avoids over refining its product; uses resources, especially energy, more efficiently; reduces transport, including the sourcing of raw materials and distribution; uses reclaimed and renewable resources instead of finite ones; minimises waste and recycles what it can.
‘Why should any business do any of these things? Basically good environmental management = good management. Good environmental management always means significant immediate cost savings. It can also have other significant impacts, for example: protection against future cost increases (e.g. VAT on fuel); market position (consumer preference; stakeholder pressures;  contract compliance;  overseas markets); as a marketing/promotional tool; protection against future environmental liability suits; protection against future regulation; as a means of attracting and retaining quality staff.’
I said earlier that we have to decide between what is bullying and what is facing up to reality. Even if I were to subscribe to the view taken by Marshall Fields III that for people to change you have to hit them in the face with a plank, there is still the worry that by not listening to the messages that came out of Rio, we are somehow missing an opportunity not only to save money, but also to get ahead of the competition. You’ll no doubt have heard the story of the two hunters in the woods… [anecdote] …outrun you.”
So you don’t necessarily have to go completely green, or not right away, but at least it might be a good idea to make sure that you are the one who is putting on his running shoes.