Guest Editorial
Towards a Better Common Present

Agenda 21 and the conventions on biodiversity and climate change approved at UNCED are regarded as passports to a better common future for humankind. I however feel that the very comprehensiveness of Agenda 21 is its major weakness. In my view, the following five areas need priority attention if we are to achieve the goals which prompted the convening of UNCED.

Population: Population containment and achieving a balance between human population and natural resource endowments are absolutely essential for sustainable advances in quality of life. However, population issues should not be viewed solely from the point of view of contraception methods and delivery systems. Education and economic opportunities for women, reduction in infant mortality and implementation of the UNICEF charter for the child, with particular attention to the girl child, are extremely important for the success of family planning programmes.

Poverty : The 1992 UNDP Human Development Report has done a great service by pointing out the growing disparities in income distribution. About 82.7% of the world’s income now goes to about 20% of the global population and only 1.4% of the world income goes to the poorest billion. Such skewness is not only true at the global level, but also often at the national level, particularly in developing countries. A high proportion of the income of the poor goes to the purchase of food. Achieving nutrition security needs concurrent attention to food production, distribution and income generation. A "jobs for all" policy is essential for converting the goal of "food for all" into reality. In India, we have to create about 100 million new jobs between now and the year 2000, if we are to ensure every citizen economic access to food. The livelihood security of rural households can be ensured only through a mixture of enterprises in the farm and non-farm sectors. There is need for massive programme for linking the creative energy and skills of the poor with opportunities for the improvement of environmental quality. For this, there is need for an "Employment entitlements for sustainable development" programme. Also, economic entitlements and ecological obligations need to be linked at every level.

Pollution: Containment and elimination of all forms of air, soil and water pollution need urgent attention, soil and water pollution need urgent attention, if sustainable food security is to be achieved. Every village, town and city should have a programmes for garbage and sewage utilisation and recycling. Environmental sanitation needs much higher priority both from the citizen and the state.

Protection of life support systems : Protection of land, water, flora, fauna and the atmosphere must become a join responsibility of governments and the people. Systems of involvement of local populations in the management of natural and common property resources should be fostered. this is essential for promoting sustainable advances in food production.

Public policy and action : The "greening" of public policy is a must for both food security and poverty alleviation. Professionals and leaders of business and industry will have to ensure that technology, training and trade become environment-friendly.

The above five areas should become the core of Agenda 21. In addition to normal development assistance, there is need for raising a Poverty Alleviation and Planet Protection Fund based on a contribution of US $ 1000/- per head by the richest billion of the world, who are today enjoying 82.7% of the global income. this will help to raise a fund of 1000 billion dollars for conservation and poverty alleviation. the major environmental problems of today have as their root causes, the unsustainalbe life styles of over a billion people and the unacceptable levels of poverty experienced by another billion. The ‘Road from Rion" will lead us to a better common future, only if those two issues are attended to with the urgency and seriousness they deserve. Development which is not equitable will not be sustainable and there can be no better common future for humankind without a little better common present.

by M.S. Swaminathan

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