by Susan Burns
Day 7
I came to WSSD, in part, to spend time with business, and to invite them to consider using the Ecological Footprint as a measure for sustainability. To date, though, I have yet to step foot into the Hilton Hotel, where WBCSD (World Business Council for Sustainable Development) is hosting its events. This is mostly because I have been lured by the enormous diversity of people who have come to the summit. Having never been in Africa, I am particularly enjoying the time I can spend with activists from all over this amazing continent. Attending a WBCSD event feels like something I can do at home. This morning, however, I was reminded why I work with business on sustainability issues. Mathis and I met with Christopher Boyd, Senior VP at Lafarge, one of the worlds largest cement companies. They are interested in using the Ecological Footprint to measure their impacts and communicate progress over time. Christophers passion for sustainability is a trait I find regularly among corporate executives and is something I find very hopeful.
On Wednesday, WBCSD launched a major initiative with Greenpeace, calling for urgent action on climate change. Christopher reported to us how emotional the event was and that for the first time during the summit, he felt hope and positive movement. The US members of WBCSD are apparently very unhappy, however. WBCSD is walking a fine line because they feel they need US members in order to be a truly global business organization. This feeling mirrors the summit as a whole. The US is a stumbling block to a strong final implementation document, however, the alternative to compromise, leaving the US out all together, is not acceptable. Most countries feel the US must be included because of its significant influence.
Day 8
Its Saturday, and although heads of state are starting to arrive, a major march is planned, there are hundreds of parallel events, and government negotiations continue, Mathis and I decide to be tourists and head into Soweto, a black township on the outskirts of Johannesburg. As we head out of Sandton, we note the armored riot-control tanks and hundreds of police cars that have been assembled, just in case, although no one really expects trouble, in fact, many of the marchers are supportive of the summit. Our black tour guide says the sight of the tanks brings back bad memories of apartheid times.
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Susan & Mathis at Nelson Mandela’s House |
Soweto is home to 3.5 million people, most families living in small 4 room houses, with outhouses in the back. We pass endless stretches of township homes. The people look healthy and happy, but is it clear they have few possessions. We visit Nelson Mandelas house where he lived with his family until he was arrested. Down the road, we happened upon an a-cappella choir group practicing in a big empty corrugated metal container. The music took our breath away; it was so gorgeous, and we all piled out of the van to be closer. There were fifteen people moving and singing with a passion that reflected a beautiful reverence for life. My smile turned to sadness though, when our guide told us the words were a prayer for the children. Oh, please tell me, what will become of our children? What will their future hold? I remembered, then, about the terrible AIDS crisis, that many children dont have access to education and adequate housing and that the unemployment rate is terribly high.
Later, we ask our guide about how his life changed when apartheid ended, and what he thought of the Truth and Reconciliation Process. And even though we have heard many versions of his story told this week, I still struggle to comprehend how South Africa could have achieved something so rare. South Africa could easily have broken out into civil war. Instead, they found a way to heal and move forward together. Our guide said the truth and reconciliation process allowed everyone to tell their story, to understand what happened, and then to leave the past in the past. Now, according to our guide, blacks and whites are living together, in harmony.
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Children in Soweto |
The word Ubuntu, is an African word that describes reality. It means I exist through my relationship with you. (as
opposed to Descartes I think therefore, I am). The idea is deeply established in the culture here, which explains the feeling of well-being that I have had since Ive been here. Each and every South African has greeted me warmly, connected with me through eye contact, and wished me well. Later, we spoke with a white South African about the ending of apartheid. He said it only happened because South African blacks are an incredibly forgiving people. Imagine that.
Day 9
Today, a full day of events organized by WBCSD are planned at the Hilton Hotel. Security is extremely tight, and even though I registered on-line weeks ago, I am not allowed in, as my name is not on their list. I’m disappointed, but know that there are a million other interesting things to do at the summit. It is unfortunate, though, that the summit is organized into silos, business people rarely interacting with NGO groups. Although it would be challenging, I think there is so much to be gained by cross communication.
I decide to attend a session organized by Ubuntu, an exciting initiative based in Spain, that is a growing network of NGO/civil society organizations. Its goal is to reform international institutions like the WTO, and to provide a platform and organizational structure for civil society to have the same power and standing as other international organizations.
Later, Mathis hosts a workshop on the Ecological Footprint. The room is packed. Speakers include Rhodri Morgan, First Minister for Wales, Simon Upton, Former Environment Minister of New Zealand and Chair of the OECD Roundtable on Sustainable Development, and representatives from Earthday Network and WWF, all proud footprint practitioners and promoters. All week, Mathis has been passing out these little wallet-sized footprint brochures that rank average per capita footprints of all countries with populations over 1 million people.
These have created a little buzz all around the summit. People are learning about the footprint on the bus, on train rides, in cafes. It is clear the world is ready for footprinting, although most governments are not sure what to do with the idea because it surfaces such uncomfortable and difficult challenges.
Day 10 (September 2)
Security continues to intensify as heads of state arrive from all over the world. Collin Powell is due to arrive on September 4th for a half-day visit. NGO representatives I’ve spoken to are totally frustrated and feel they haven’t been able to get any traction at all. People are hoping the deadlocked issues can be kicked up to the politicians so that we end up with an implementation document after all.
Today, I attend events at the Hilton related to WBCSD’s “sector specific” initiatives. Earlier in the week I attended the event for the Cement Industry; today it is t
he Finance and Mobility Initiatives. At the Finance event, Randy Hayes and his co-conspirator Michael Brune of the Rainforest Action Network, are in the audience. True to form, Michael asks a question of the panel beginning with the statement “Your initiative is a stunning example of underachievement.” Earlier in the week, RAN took out a full page ad in the International Herald Tribune, which reads “Put a Face on Global Warming and Forest Destruction” and features photos of the President of the World Bank, US President George Bush, and the Chairman and CEO of Citigroup. At the bottom of the ad is a provocative image: a pair of scissors cutting a Citibank banking card in half. Mike has abundant copies of the ad to hand out, which the audience eagerly devours. His question, about whether they will do anything about financing destructive projects, adds some color to an otherwise average event.
In the afternoon, a friend Dana Smirin, business sustainability consultant based in the US, surprises us with a set of passes to an Arbor Day event in Alexandra (known as Alex), the sprawling, impoverished black township just a stone’s throw from wealthy Sandton. Dana, having grown up in South Africa, navigates the chaotic streets and chats with the locals like a pro. The event was a total treat. Alex has huge problems in terms of housing, crime and education, but we learn the township has come a long way – its Mayor organized this event to showcase their achievements. The catered event is held in a big tent and features many heads of state and their spouses, and entertainers including South Africa’s famous Yvonne Chaca Chaca. Even Tony Blair showed up, surrounded by a comical hoard of reporters and body guards, to plant a tree and give a quick off-the-cuff speech. It’s obvious the township of Alex spent a fortune on the event and I notice “the people of Alex” that all the speakers rave about are actually outside our plush tent.
Day 11
Finally, the implementation document has come together in 11th hour agreements. The document is not what the NGO community and many governments wanted, but a compromise has been reached nevertheless.
Today, we have been invited to a private meeting with Christine Todd-Whitman, Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency. With her is the Head of the White House Council on Environmental Policy. About 15 of us sit around the table; most are heads of major US environmental groups. The tone is friendly, but the message to Todd-Whitman is one of measured frustration and disappointment. Main themes: the administration has been secretive (the list of official US delegates was never released, even to US citizens) and the administration is avoiding accountability by not agreeing to targets and timetables. I am impressed with Todd-Whitman. She doesn’t argue, but listens and appears thoughtful and constructive in her answers. When someone complains about the lack of targets and timetables for renewable energy, she asks us to look on the bright side; renewable energy is specifically called for in the document and that’s a big step. Somehow, though, we aren’t comforted.
Heads of State continue to arrive, the speeches have started, and not all of them are directly about Summit issues. Robert Mugabe, President of Zimbabwe, defended his policy of expelling white farmers and distributing their land to blacks; he expressed outrage toward Tony Blair for meddling in Zimbabwe’s affairs. Tony Blair, in his speech, ignores Mugabe’s attack and instead directs his aim toward the US, calling for all countries to ratify Kyoto as soon as possible. In fact, quite a bit of comment is directed at the US. Mbeki, President of South Africa also takes a shot at the US claiming that old initiatives should not be proudly paraded about as new commitments. Later today, Nelson Mandela held a press conference expressing his outrage at the US’s drumbeat for war with Iraq. He apparently tried to get President Bush on the phone, and when he couldn’t reach him, he called George Senior. Nelson Mandela is so impressive. As I watch him on television, I wonder if his powerful message has reached the US public.
Day 12
While we’ve truly enjoyed the summit, today we happily set out to see a bit more of South Africa, and will be spending some time in Pilansburg, a South African national park, to see some big animals. As we wait for our shuttle, a friend gives us some great news: Canada and Russia have announced they will ratify the Kyoto protocol. This development was a surprise! Everyone we talk to is overjoyed and see this as one of the best outcomes of the summit.
Day 14
As we board the plane to Switzerland, to visit Mathis’ family, we pick up the International Herald Tribune and on the front page is our own Mike Brune (Rainforest Action Network), shouting as he is being taken by UN police after interrupting Collin Powell’s speech (Powell could barely finish his speech because of the jeering delegates). Mathis jokes that this exposure for RAN was a whole lot cheaper than their full-paged ad, and a lot better placed.
| Susan Burns is a principle of the sustainability consulting firm, Natural Strategies. The company helps organizations achieve long-term, “bottom-line” results through the application of sustainability principles in strategic and tactical decision-making. Contact her: burns@naturalstrategies.com www.naturalstrategies.com Mathis Wackernagel is Sustainability Program Director at Redefining Progress and is co-developer of the Ecological Footprint. Contact him: mathiswa@rprogress.org |
Useful links:
www.joburgmemo.org
www.iisd.ca/linkages/2002/wssd/
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