by Michael Marvin
Given the proliferation of postmortems that have already been posited, one may reasonably wonder if there is any point in attending the WSSD. Even as representatives of government, industry and NGOs arrive in Johannesburg, the rest of the world is wondering if anything will really be accomplished at this summit. The problem, of course, is that accomplishment is in the eye of the beholder, and there is very little agreement concerning the metrics of success for this world event.
One way to measure the success of this summit would be to compare its achievements (after the conference is over, not by using a crystal ball) to that of its predecessor. What, exactly, was accomplished 10 years ago in Rio? One major achievement of the first Earth Summit was to gain a better understanding of the problems we face in moving toward more sustainable development patterns. Another was to recognize that both government and industry were part of the problem, and thus needed to develop and realize the solutions together.
Another result of the Rio conference, admittedly of less moment that those mentioned above, was the creation of the US Business Council for Sustainable Energy. The Council was established, in part, to debunk the myth that economic growth and environmental protection are mutually exclusive. It is facile but specious to conceive of all “environmentalists in white hats, and industry” wearing the black ones. Reality, as most of us are aware, is less clearly drawn, and the dominant color in the real world is a lovely shade of gray. The Council’s members–which include companies and trade associations involved in renewable energy, energy efficiency and end-use natural gas technologies–are committed to both fiscal and environmental responsibility.
Profit is not the bad guy here. The real villain is environmental neglect, or, more egregious, premeditated destruction. Certainly, corporate apathy has contributed to the current global environmental situation. But, just as certainly, the only potential solutions to these issues must include the efforts of both governments and industry in partnership to be effective.
The members of the BCSE are coming to Johannesburg to offer solutions that fulfill the full range of their corporate goals, both financial and environmental. The Summit participants need to understand that business is not the enemy of the environment, but instead a powerful ally that can work with governments and non-governmental organizations to promote clean and sustainable energy solutions while fostering economic growth.
So, if the world is not as clearly black and white as some pundits would have us believe, how can we judge the success or failure of Johannesburg? Against which criteria should we discern real accomplishments from the appearance of activity that merely masquerades as achievement?
These are difficult questions, and the challenge for this second Earth Summit is for the participants to walk away from the table having unmistakably produced results, one way or the other. But the opposing parties at Johannesburg are not the “environmentalists against industry.” The war isn’t between those who want to protect the environment and those who want to protect the bottom line; the war is between those who truly want to achieve sustainable development — economic growth that promotes environmental responsibility — and those who want to sabotage the process by slinging mud and dragging their feet.
We must remember that the WSSD is not an end in itself, but the continuation of a process that began ten years ago and will last for years to come. Going into Johannesburg, governments acknowledge that action is necessary on a variety of fronts: to improve access to and advance the use of sustainable, renewable energies; to support the transition to a hydrogen-based economy; and to provide financial and technical assistance to increase the availability of reliable, environmentally sound and affordable energy, particularly in rural communities.
Outside of the official negotiations, the Summit provides industry with an opportunity to put forward its experiences and showcase the latest technologies upon which a comprehensive and sustainable development plan can be based. Industry representatives, including those from the US Business Council for Sustainable Energy–as well as those from the other members of the sustainable energy family: the European Business Council for a Sustainable Energy Future; the UK BCSE; and the soon-to-be announced Australian Business Council–are here to help, not to hinder the process.
A recent editorial in the London Guardian suggested that the Summit was being “hijacked” by big business, including our colleagues in the International Chamber of Commerce and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. This loaded metaphor implies that big business, clearly the villain here, has wrested control from the rightful airplane pilots, presumably governments and NGOs that seek only to protect Mother Earth. But this metaphor is flawed. Business, which is not the outlaw in this story, is not the pilot of the plane, but instead, its engine. The editorial was correct in opining that governments need to establish and execute policies that promote environmental protection.
But governments cannot perform this function without the twin drivers of economic prosperity and international cooperation, and for this, they need the participation of global industry. Without this corporate/governmental collaboration there can be no real progress that comes from Johannesburg.
Only time will tell whether governments will deliver on their commitments to promote and implement effective policies, set standards for energy efficiency, increase financial resources to reduce the environmental impact of energy production and use and encourage investments in clean energy technologies, services and products. Only time will judge the ability of the private sector to meet its social and environmental responsibilities while simultaneously meeting fiscal priorities. And only time will determine the impact of the public-private partnerships that will be initiated or furthered as a result of the Johannesburg Summit.
Perhaps one criteria of success for Johannesburg will be to measure the increased membership in the organizations of the sustainable energy industry that result from the conference. The U.S. Business Council for Sustainable Energy, as well as its international partners, welcomes companies and industry trade associations that seek to work toward real world solutions for promoting global sustainable development. It would be a mark of real achievement to swell the legion of companies joining the sustainability fight and would leave no doubt–even among the most die-hard skeptics–that industry can be the friend of the environment, and not its adversary.
Clean energy is not an end unto itself. It is a means to achieving every major objective of the Summit, and the clean energy industry will be in Johannesburg to reinforce that message.
| Michael Marvin is President of the U.S. Business Council for Sustainable Energy. The BCSE is a coalition of companies and business trade associations in the energy efficiency, natural gas, renewable energy and electric power industries that promotes economic growth and environmental security through technology and policy development on issues such as climate change and domestic energy policy. www.bcse.org |
Reprinted with permission from The Earth Times.
Visit the Earth Times for ongoing, comprehensive coverage of the World Summit.
Loading...