Review: World in
Transition: Fighting Poverty through Environmental Policy
By German Advisory
Council on Global Change
Reviewed by William
Ted Johnson
Scottsdale Public Library, Arizona, USA
German
Advisory Council on Global Change. World in Transition: Fighting Poverty
Through Environmental Policy. London: Sterling, VA : Earthscan,
2005. 268 pp. ISBN: 1-85383-883-7 (hardcover) $US115.00.
Produced
by the German Advisory Council on Global Change, this technical report is
written with a European-centered view, though the principles set forth apply
internationally to developed and developing regions alike. It is quite
refreshing to see the intermingling of environmental issues and economic
policies. Published in the USA and UK by Earthscan in
2005, it is presented to the Western world with a plethora of the conditional
"should." Without a more engaging demonstration of successful case
studies or tangible benefits, such a report may fall on deaf ears.
The
report's organization is impressive. The detailed contents lay out the report
so any section, almost down to the individual paragraph can be found with ease.
Boxes, tables, and figures are listed with a substantial collection of acronyms
and abbreviations. A summary for policy makers offers a comprehensive overview
at the outset so that the reader is thoroughly prepared as s/he encounters
specific topics.
The
following hypothesis is presented: Global environmental policies are
prerequisite to global poverty reduction. While focusing on poverty rather than
peace, this hypothesis echoes the most fundamental relationship between the
environment and the quality of life set forth by Gifford Pinchot as he called
for a UN conference on the environment and peace early in the 20th
century. Whether it is peace, prosperity, or politics, the environment plays an
essential role in achieving economic or health goals. The environment is the
underlying foundation for any regional or international policy, yet, it is so
often neglected or taken for granted. Those days are over, however, as we must
now "pay the piper" for past neglect and exploitation.
Several
concepts permeate the report: sustainability, linkages, complexity,
selflessness, holistic approaches, cooperation, mutual benefits, sharing, and
accountability. Additionally, the wealthy are called upon to halt their
exploitation of the poor. In fact, developed nations are expected to assume the
lion's share of financially correcting or compensating the developing nations
for environmental ills, since it is the developed world which is producing the
vast majority of pollutants impacting global systems. The acknowledged
challenge to improving the environment boils down to going beyond promises to
taking decisive action and paying the costs for such actions to be taken. The
long term costs for no action are always higher than taking positive steps now.
This
must-have reference work is essential for staff in private industry, government
bureaucracies, and NGOs as they all strive to understand the issues and promote
actions that will positively impact the environment as well as the material
good of the poor around the world. There are few goals more worthy and this
text helps us all become better positioned to play a decisive role in making
the world more livable for everyone.
William
Ted Johnson <TJohnson@ScottsdaleAz.Gov>,
Senior Coordinator, Scottsdale Public Library - Palomino Branch, 12575 E. Via
Linda Suite 102, Scottsdale, AZ 85259-4310 USA. TEL: 1-480-312-6110. Fax:
1-480-312-6120.
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Electronic
Green Journal,
Issue 25, 2007
ISSN: 1076-7975