In
the United States, it has been difficult to pursue comprehensive
environmental policies because government planning efforts
have traditionally, and often rightfully, been viewed
with suspicion. However, there are three key reasons
why environmental planning on this scale will succeed
in the U.S.:
-
We
have the political will to make government more efficient
and to encourage a less adversarial role for industry.
-
We
now have the tools necessary for complex environmental
management, such as centralized computer databases,
sophisticated modeling systems, better knowledge of
ecosystem relationships, and a better understanding
of human interactions with the environment.
-
Most
important, the coalition approach required by green
plans makes them less likely to be blocked by special-
interest politics.
Fortunately,
other nations are also coming to this conclusion. A
milestone occurred at the United Nations Earth Summit
in June, 1992. There, 179 nations adopted Agenda 21,
in which they committed themselves to implementing sustainable
development strategies, or green plans. The forward
momentum has been created.
green
plan | replanting
| links
| degradation
| pop.
growth | funding
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