Tribute to Our Common Future, the World Media Institute, Inc., 549 Besserer St., Ottawa K1N 6C6
In April, 1987 newspapers carried lengthy stories about the Brundtland Report, a three-year study by the World Commission on Environment and Development headed by Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, prime minister of Norway.
September,1987 — World Media,Inc. published this special issue of their quarterly magazine, Tribute, on Our Common Future. Financed by C/DA, the report aimed to produce a summary and guide to the Brundtland Report.
Tribute summarizes the findings of the 23 members of the WCED who represented a cross section of nations with a variety of racial, political, economic and cultural backgrounds. The Commission held hearings in many parts of the world, discussing environmental and economic problems with government officials, holding public meetings and talking to people. They learned that neglect of the environment is world wide and of epidemic proportions. With each passing day the “third world” is losing land, forests and fresh water and the developed countries are consuming more and wasting more. The two main enemies of the environment are poverty and population. But the Report argues that by adopting cooperative policies and by using existing technologies, communication and production techniques,the present environmental destruction can be reversed and a more equitable quality of life can be obtained for all.
As summarized in Tribute, the UN is pivotal to the success of a plan of action outlined in Chapter 12 of the Report. Beset by problems as it is, it is still the only world agency with resources and infrastructure for the project. The UN needs a mandate from its constituents to institute a global programme of environmental responsibility. Elected officials are urged to join with business, universities, non-governmental bodies and concerned citizens to develop and implement policies and legislation to provide environmental protection.
A limited number of copies of Tribute is available from Science for Peace Bulletin, or write World Media Institute.
– Marjorie Wilton
The Bulletin has begun a collection of newspaper clippings, conference reports, resource publications (such as reports from APPEN, the Asia-Pacific People’s Environment Network) which are concerned with environment issues. Such material is available on request. Readers’ contributions are welcome.
Released January, 1988:
High — Level Radioactive Waste in Canada: The Eleventh Hour. Report of the Standing Committee on Environment and Forestry (of the 33rd Parliament) on the Storage and Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Waste. Free. Call at your MP’s riding office. Readers outside Canada, address the Hon. Bob Briscoe, MP, House of Commons, Ottawa Canada.
An information package concerning the Proposed Transportation Of Plutonium Through Northern Canadian Airspace is provided by the Hon. Audrey McLaughlin, M.P. for Yukon. Address: House of Commons, Ottawa, Canada KlA 0A6.
Reprint Available:
From the Atlantic Monthly, January 1988, Jonathan Tasini, “Washington Nuclear Missions”.
“Plans for reactors to power SDI weapons systems have gone further than the drawing board despite unresolved questions about practicality and safety.”
A statement prepared by Derek Paul for Science for Peace was presented by Ann Gertler (Project Ploughshares) at the 11 Jan. meeting of NGO representatives to the UN. A joint NGO Brief to the Preparatory Conference preceding the III UN Special Session on Disarmament will be prepared from the statements. A copy of the Paul paper is available from the Bulletin.
The December issue of Soviet News & Views is devoted to a survey of the Summit results, an interview with Gorbachev by NBC on the eve of his trip to Washington and the text of the Joint Soviet-US Statement. This publication is free from USSR Embassy Press Office, 1108-400 Stewart Street Ottawa K1N 6L2.
“Superpowers And National Security” from the Winter 1987-88 CIIPS magazine, PEACE & SECURITY, is available as a reprint from the Bulletin, or the magazine can be ordered directly from CIIPS. The article, by Don Munton, is receiving extended press coverage. It reports on a recent CIIPS survey which has shown that most Canadians perceive the policies of both superpowers, not just the Soviet Union, as the major threat to national security.
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