UN's Annan calls for effective environment policy
Date: 15-Mar-01
Country: BANGLADESH
Author: Nizam Ahmed
"Our biggest challenge in this new century is to take an idea that seems abstract - sustainable development - and turn it into a daily reality," Annan said in a keynote speech during a visit to Bangladesh.
Annan said sustainability - the ability of the world to replenish natural resources to keep pace with growing populations - was the major challenge facing the environment.
"In the past we could afford a long gestation period before undertaking major environmental policy initiatives," Annan told conference, arranged by Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies.
"Today the time for a well-planned transition to a sustainable system is running out. We may be moving in the right direction, but we are moving too slowly. We are failing in our responsibility to future generations and even the present one."
Citing figures from latest forecasts by U.N. experts, Annan warned global warming threatened many countries and the Kyoto Protocol which called for reducing greenhouse emissions had not been heeded.
"Next year in Johannesburg, at the world summit on sustainable development, world leaders will have an opportunity to show that they take the idea of stewardship seriously," he said.
Annan added that the burden of responsibility fell on industrialised countries such as the United States, the European Union member nations and Japan.
"They are responsible for most of the world's past and present carbon emissions," he said.
"And they are best placed - both economically and technologically - to move ahead with their own reductions. To abandon this process now would setback the global climate strategy for many years."
But he said developing countries also should consider their own contribution to the global climate strategy.
"We must make it happen - with new technologies, with energetic North-South cooperation and smart policies that create incentives and send the right signals to business and industry.