EXTENSIONS of REMARKS June 23, 1989 EXTENSIONS of REMARKS ENVIRONMENT, POPULATION Environment
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13488 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS June 23, 1989 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS ENVIRONMENT, POPULATION environment. My aim was not to turn the The United States accounts for nearly a AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOP World Bank into an environmental agency third of all use of chlorofluorocarbons es MENT for its goal has always been, and will contin caping into the atmosphere, the most im ue to be, development and the reduction of portant of chemicals depleting the ozone HON. JAMES H. SCHEUER poverty. But I did intend for the Bank to in layer. tegrate environmental concerns into its day And Hawaii has the highest number of en OF NEW YORK to-day activities and to put the environment dangered species for its size of any area in IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES on the front burner in our policy dialogue with Third World countries. the world. Friday, June 23, 1989 Most of you know the facts and recent de What will be the likely impact of this if Mr. SCHEUER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to velopments. The World Bank has: growth rates remain unchecked? submit Barber Conable's excellent speech of Created a central Environmental Depart Population will be too large in relation to June 13 for the RECORD. Mr. Conable is the ment as well as Regional environmental the productivity of the resource base; units; current president of the World Bank and a Larger numbers of people will suffer from former Member of Congress. As guest speak Increased staff resources assigned full time to the environment sevenfold over poverty, ill-health, and malnutrition; er for the World Resources Institute, he gave staffing three years ago <about 65 staff Increasing population will put added pres an overview of the program that the World years); sure on the environment, causing more deg Bank has been using in the last few years to Prepared Environmental Issues Papers for radation of agricultural land, the further assist developing countries with their environ most of its active Borrowers <more than 70 destruction of forests, greater shortages of mental problems, including the creation of an countries will be covered by August); water, and the loss of flora and fauna spe environmental department at the World Bank. Set up a $5 million Environmental Techni cies; and Mr. Conable discussed the importance of col cal Assistance Program to speed up prepara There will be mass migration of "ecologi lective global responsibility for the environ tion of environmental projects. cal refugees" from areas that can no longer ment, with industrialized countries making an Initiated a number of regional studies, in cluding a capital cities cleanup project for sustain them. effort to accept and act upon environmental the Asia region, supported by the UNDP, In such developments lie the seeds of po shortcomings to promote global cooperation. and an environmental program for the Med litical instability and international tensions. Mr. Conable focused on the link between iterranean, funded jointly with the Europe Call it a worst-case scenario if you will. · the environment, population growth and pov an Investment Bank. But it is still very much in the cards, unless erty in great detail. He explained that with INDUSTRIAL NATIONS' RESPONSIBILITIES nations are prepared to check high popula today's birth rates, the ratio of people to pro Now this raises an awkward question. By tion growth rates within their borders. ductivity is off, causing a strain on the environ man, did the respondents mean Third What, then, should be done? ment. When countries cannot support their World man? You would think so, judging by If we are agreed that sustainable develop populations with natural resources, the pover the media focus on Third World issues, such ment is our objective, then the prerequisite ty level rises. Global good health depends on as Brazil's diminishing rain forests. is to bring human populations into balance a balanced ratio between population and envi But this is both inaccurate and short with the natural resources that support ronment. He suggested two ways of balancing sighted. Unless and until the industrialized them. As the Population Crisis Committee this ratio, which if used simultaneously, could world is prepared to accept and act upon its has warned: "We don't know what will be effective. These two choices were family own environmental shortcomings, it will be happen to the natural resource base at a difficult to persuade developing nations population of 8, 9, 10, 14 billion." planning and the expansion of the environ that there is such a thing as a collective mental capacities of the world. It was Mr. global responsibility for our planet's health. If not limited by conscious human plan Conable's opinion that governments will have The reality is that it is the industrialized ning, population growth will surely be limit to take the necessary actions swiftly and soon countries which account for most pollution. ed by natural resource constraints, because and only in this way will any of the environ For example: populations cannot be sustained beyond the mental problems facing the world today be North America and Western Europe are "carrying capacity" of their regions. solved. I couldn't agree more. together responsible for 71 percent of the There are, therefore, only two viable industrial emission of carbon dioxide into choices: ENVIRONMENT, POPULATION AND SUSTAINABLE the atmosphere but account for only 8.2 Act to lower population growth rates DEVELOPMENT percent of the world's population. The de through family planning; (Address by Barber B. Conable, P~esident of veloping world, with 79 percent of the Seek to expand the carrying capacities of the World Bank) world's population, is responsible for only 7 the regions in which they live. Thank you, John. Distinguished guests. percent of the industrial emission of carbon Ladies and gentlemen. Meeting with this dioxide. SUMMING UP group, on Capitol Hill, is like coming home. Carbon dioxide, as you may know, is the The linkages between the environment, I hold many fond memories of the years I most significant of the gases building up in population, and sustainable development spent in Congress and the friendships the atmosphere and accumulating heat are obvious. We must recognize our collec formed. I feel a special kinship and have a from the sun to produce global warming, tive responsibility to maintain a healthy great deal of respect for the World Re the so-called Greenhouse Effect. ecosystem on this planet. sources Institute, also, which has a close Take the United States: Toward the end of his life, the aviator, working relationship with the World Bank. It produces five tons of carbon dioxide for Charles Lindbergh, was asked whether he Just over two years ago, I had the pleas every man, woman and child in the country. ure of speaking to members and supporters The world average is under one ton. thought civilization could survive the march of the World Resources Institute about the The United States continues to permit the of progress. After due reflection, he replied: environmental action agenda of the World export of agricultural chemicals banned in "The final answer will be given not by our Bank. I am pleased to be with you tonight this country as dangerous to human health amassing of knowledge, nor by the discover to talk about the progress we've made and or the environment. ies of our science, nor by the speed of our the important next steps. Fuel consumption is the principal cause of aircraft, but by the effect our activities as a When I took over the Presidency of the air pollution and global warming. The U.S. whole have upon the quality of our planet's World Bank, I started with the premise that continues to lead all industrial nations, life-the life of plants and animals as well as the Bank ought to be devoting more staff except Canada, in the amount of energy that of men." resources and more financing to help bor used per unit of production of goods and I'm sure all of you here tonight agree with rowing countries safeguard and improve the services. this sentiment. e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. June 23, 1989 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 13489 VIOLENCE IN EL SALVADOR The climate of terror which exists in El Sal see who had the highest sales volume in vador is one in which we are responsible ac Maryland. He also distinguished himself last cessories. A first step in policy change would year as one of Maryland's newest philanthro HON. MICKEY LELAND be the enactment next week of the McHugh pists by awarding charitable gifts of $350,000 OF TEXAS amendment to the International Cooperation to more than 50 organizations. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Act of 1989. It is a moderate action that will Dr. Mary Helen Spear is the recipient of this Friday, June 23, 1989 retain congressional vigilance over our year's faculty award. She has been a member present policy in El Salvador. It would require of the Prince Georges Community College Mr. LELAND. Mr. Speaker, this morning's passage of a resolution of approval next psychology department since 1972. During news brings us a tragic story of violence in El spring to release future military aid funds. It that time she has taught almost every course Salvador. Wednesday night a 72-year-old nun, guarantees that a majority in Congress will in the psychology curriculum in every conceiv Mary Mackey was shot in the head and criti decide whether or not to provide more military able format.