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Planning for a Sustainable Future: The Case of the North American Great
Plains Common Ground: Working Together for a Sustainable Future | |
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The following chapter is the text of a speech delivered at a luncheon banquet on May 8, 1995. |
I'm delighted to join you today to tell you a little about the President's Council on Sustainable Development (PCSD). Talking about the idea of sustainable development with people who care about the future and seeing the action already under-way across America is one of the great privileges of our work at PCSD. Today I want to tell you a little about the Council, its activities, and its goals, and how it fits in with some of the forward-looking projects already underway in regions like the Great Plains. And I'll offer you my view of what sustainable development means for the future of our country - and generations to come. It is also a pleasure to get outside of Washington, where the winds of change feel more like a waving blender than progress. In fact, one of the terms most often associated with the changes now underway in America is polarization. Everyone wants change, but few can agree on just what exactly that change should be, and where it should lead. The environment is a great example. During the Superfund re-authorization debate of the last two years, everyone - businesses and environmentalists alike - agreed that the law was flawed and had to be changed. But it was very difficult to find consensus on exactly how the law should be changed. Today, the law is still seriously flawed, and it is still awaiting reauthorization. Somehow, this country has to break out of the stalemate caused by polarization. Somehow, we have to find new ways of thinking, new approaches to old problems, where both sides win. Somehow, we have to find the common ground where both economic prosperity and environmental protection are assured for all of us. That's where the PCSD comes in. The Council is composed of 25 members appointed by the president - a half-dozen cabinet secretaries, a half-dozen CEOs of prominent American corporations, the heads of the largest environmental organizations in the country, and the leaders of several other union, civil rights, native American, and state-level organizations. In other words, the Council is composed of a cross-section of the nation's leadership and a cross-section of the organizations and institutions with a deep interest in our country's economic, environmental, and social future. These leaders joined the Council in 1993 because they shared a common vision of the future. They believed, for example, that a healthy economy and a healthy environment go hand in hand. These two ideals are not contradictory or mutually exclusive. In fact, over the long run, you can't have economic prosperity without protecting the ecological systems on which all life depends. Moreover, you can't have either unless all the members of society have an equal opportunity to share in the benefits of both. Thus, at the outset, the Council adopted the Brundtland Commission's definition of sustainable development, which is: "Development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs." Then we set for ourselves three main goals, what I call the three Es: (1) strengthen the economy, (2) protect the environment, and (3) ensure social equity. We define success as the three Es working in unison. They form the foundation of our draft vision statement: Our vision is of life-sustaining Earth. We are committed to the achievement of a dignified, peaceful, and equitable existence. We believe a sustainable United States will have a growing economy that equitably provides opportunities for satisfying livelihoods and a safe, healthy, high quality of life for current and future generations. Our Nation will protect its environment, its natural resource base, and the functions of viability of natural systems on which all life depends. Most of you probably agree with that vision. It sounds like a lot of motherhood and apple pie. But lurking beneath the idealism are some very knotty problems: how do we build the economy, protect the environment, and bring justice to our communities all at the same time? We're convinced we can do it. We've seen examples in communities, in companies, and in government. For instance:
The PCSD hopes to promote this kind of behavior, behavior that leads to businesses making more money by being better environmental stewards. Equally important, the Council hopes to promote the same thinking in every federal, state, and local government agency, and in every American family. We want to see more of this:
Studies also show that most Americans think sustainability can work. A recent Times Mirror Magazine survey found that 66% of Americans agreed with the statement that environmental protection and economic growth can go hand in hand. At the same time, they still show a strong commitment to the environment: 60% said the environment should win if a compromise is possible. These recent reports tell us that the winds of change are howling now. In the past, the government, industry, and environmental groups all approached environmental protection from distinctly different paths on the President's Council. Now we're talking and listening to each other. Considering new options. Agreeing on goals. Why? Because we recognize that together we can be a powerful force for change, much more powerful and successful than any of us acting alone have been in the past. In the last year, the President's Council helped break down the walls between these groups. Reaching our vision also means changing the way we make decisions on environmental, economic, and social policy in this country. This nation canít tolerate much more gridlock. I'm convinced that decisions resulting from consensus will be more widely accepted, respected, and upheld. Best of all, these decisions will more likely deliver results. For example, think of the Council co-chairs. It's a ground-breaking move to pair Jonathan Lash, president of World Resources Institute, with David Buzzelli, a Dow Chemical Company executive. It's a sign that confrontation belongs in the past - and that progress depends on cooperation. Let me mention a few of the Council's specific goals. By late 1995, the Council will set broad national goals for sustainable development. As a framework for how we can achieve these goals, the Council also will deliver specific policy recommendations to the president for a national sustainable development action strategy. If approved, the public and private sector together will adopt and implement these recommendations. And we must identify some key indicators and measures of success so we'll know that we've achieved results. Our goals are to:
How are we doing on these goals? During its first year together, the Council worked hard to organize and mobilize for action. Among other things, we built trust among the Council members, shared viewpoints, and targeted mutual goals for the country. At this point, the Council will accelerate its effort to form recommendations. Here is a quick look at what we must accomplish in the coming months:
So far, Council members have visited Seattle, Chicago, Chattanooga, and San Francisco to hear about local sustainable development efforts. During these visits, Council members look for sustainable development programs and initiatives. You can see there is a lot of work to do - and a myriad of issues to consider. Early on, the Council agreed to establish several task forces to examine critical issue areas in depth. Now, more than 400 people serve on eight PCSD task forces to tackle these issues:
I'm confident that this intense effort will generate results - and lead to more equitable policy recommendations for sustainable development. We must all play our part. I believe the Council will be a success if our report draws the attention of people around the country. We want to turn some heads, raise a few eyebrows, start conversations in neighborhoods and office hallways. This is the launching pad for action; we are only starting the journey down the path to sustainable development. If we are to succeed, people must want us to continue this effort. Each sector can interpret our work a little differently. For industry, I believe the time has come for companies to be environmentally responsible as well as responsive. That means initiating environmental strategies, creating new clean technologies - and moving beyond compliance. In government, regulators and legislators can use sustainability as a framework for progress. They should encourage industry to make voluntary improvements and offer incentives for progress. The EPA and DOE are doing this today - by offering a menu of voluntary programs, like WasteWise, ClimateWise, and Green Lights, where industry can benefit from participation. Environmental organizations can do their part by rallying public support and promoting individual efforts to achieve sustainable development. This means translating broad goals into meaningful activities for people like you and me to follow. It's not an easy task. Communities can take action by incorporating sustainable development principles in the way they develop their economy and their social and physical infrastructures. One thing we know: The work of this Council will have an impact beyond our country's borders. We must instill sustainable development values in people around the world. Business crosses national boundaries every day - with global markets, global production, global technology transfer. Sustainable development demands that we change the way we do business. Council members - industry, government, and environmental leaders alike - are searching for a path to development that is truly sustainable. Today you have taken on that challenge for the North American Great Plains. In the end, achieving sustainable development will depend on each of us taking personal responsibility for our own actions. The Council can learn a great deal from your experiences and expertise. I want to congratulate you for your efforts here in the Great Plains because partnerships like this will help our nation leave a legacy to future generations that we can all be proud of. About the Author Molly Olson is executive director of the President's Council on Sustainable Development. Before joining the Council, Ms. Olson was special assistant to the director of the Bureau of Land Management at the U.S. Department of Interior, with responsibility for ecosystem management, and the deputy national coordinator of environmentalists for Clinton-Gore. She worked with the Environmental Minister of Australia, where she conducted a major review of that government's funding for the environment, and she was a scientific research diver with the Australian Institute of Marine Science. Ms. Olson has been a delegate at major international meetings on the environment. She has lectured, written, and published on environmental issues and has been managing editor and member of the editorial board of Wildlife Australia magazine. In January 1995, Ms. Olson was selected as a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Leaders for Tomorrow program (GLT). |