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Earth Summit: Leaders walk tightrope of conservation, progress
World Bank proposal aids forests
June 26, 1997
Web posted at: 4:15 a.m. EDT (0815 GMT)From Correspondent Gary Tuchman
NEW YORK (CNN) -- It was a somber moment, but an appropriate way to begin Day Three of the United Nations Earth Summit.
"I have a sad duty to inform you that Mr. Jacques Cousteau passed away in Paris last night. It is with a sad heart that I say this, recognizing him as one of the giants of our time," said Razali Ismail, president of the United Nations General Assembly, on Wednesday.
The French-born undersea explorer was a champion of the environment, a man whose work serves as an example to many of the world leaders at the summit -- leaders who are divided on many issues, but united on cleaning up their planet.
Speaker after speaker at the summit talked of air pollution, global warming, deforestation and water pollution, hoping some of their talk will result in action.
Environmentalists have charged that little has been done since the last summit five years ago in Rio de Janeiro, a sentiment echoed by many world leaders, as well.
"In the last five years since Rio, we've probably lost 75 million hectares of tropical forest," said Steve Howard of the World Wildlife Fund International. "In 10 to 15 years time, we don't know how much more we're going to lose."
All agree that time is being lost.
"On the eve of the new millennium, we have to adopt a prudent, yet effective course of action to create the right balance between an open economic environment and steady and just development," said Maltese Foreign Minister George Vella.
Help for forests
It was the World Bank that made the most concrete endeavor for change Wednesday, proposing a plan to protect an additional 319 million acres of the world's forests.
James Wolfensohn, president of the World Bank, announced a joint initiative with the World Wildlife Fund to increase from 6 percent to 10 percent by the year 2000 the number of forests that are currently protected from development.
Under the proposal, the World Bank will establish a conservation fund to help countries work towards "a rational approach to forest management."
The money could be used, Wolfensohn said, to buy land and set it aside for protection and to help nations develop business and industry while sustaining ecological systems, as well many other purposes.
This new target of forest protection includes about 124 million acres of forests in developing countries.
Meanwhile, representatives of the United States, France, Japan and other countries have been meeting to negotiate a final statement on such issues as finance and forestry, which will be issued at the weeklong summit's end.
The summit continues Thursday, with U.S. President Bill Clinton expected to attend.
Related stories:
- Watery disaster looms without emissions curbs, leaders warn - June 24, 1997
- Castro not at summit but his views are still heard - June 24, 1997
- Earth Summit opens amid harsh words, hints of compromise - June 23, 1997
- Earth Summit set to begin amid low expectations - June 22, 1997
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