Two weeks ago, Environment Ministers from the world's seven most
industrialized economies met in Hamilton, Ontario in preparation for the
full scale meeting of their leaders in Halifax next month. The pre-
meeting press releases suggested that the Ministers would be grappling
with far-reaching environmental themes.
Despite efforts by Canadian Minister Sheila Copps to raise the event's
profile, and the Ministers' joint pronouncements that the world's economic
powerhouses have the ability, and responsibility, to lead the campaign to
deter the massive threat to our environment, the small print in the
concluding press release told the tale. These Ministers either do not
have the mandate or willpower to forge the alliance, and advance the
tough actions for a successful effort.
One of the only announcements of substance from Hamilton was a
commitment (no specifics forthcoming) for national governments to
"green" their governments, and to work towards mechanisms to measure
and report on their progress.
What is meant by greening G-7 governments? It is to assert pollution
precaution and environmental stewardship by measures such as insisting
on recycled content in products, fuel efficient vehicles and
environmentally responsible contracts. Even further, governments can
decide to green their policies and actions by integrating and assessing
environmental considerations, linking environment and economics,
implementing ecological tax reform, and removing disincentives to sound
environmental practices. The extent to which the Hamilton commitment
extends to these opportunities is unclear. The fact that the news release
mentions only the greening of operations and not policy suggests that the
Hamilton delegates did not have a commitment to the environment.
A close look at the environmental projects for the upcoming Halifax
Summit reveals a stronger commitment. For many months
approximately two (2) dozen Nova Scotia citizens have been meeting
and working towards the objective of maximum environmental benefit
and minimal environmental impact from the Summit. The group is
termed the Civic Environment Committee (CEC) for the Halifax Summit.
It is composed of a group of representatives from environmental groups,
business, concerned individuals and interested governmental
departments. In early discussions last fall it set an ambitious agenda - to
green the Halifax Summit so that it would have minimal environmental
impact on Nova Scotia; to capitalize on the event to advance local and
provincial progress towards environmental stewardship; to effect the
summit organizational process and conduct; and to educate, affect and
influence Summit participants and media in terms of their actions, during
and after the event.
G-7 Summits are accustomed to spending millions of dollars on security,
hospitality, communications, beautification and transportation. The
Halifax Summit had the hardest time deciding to spend a relatively few
thousand dollars on a variety of environmental changes. Nonetheless,
slowly but surely, things have moved - much more than CEC members
or Summit organizers may have envisioned in their original expectations.
This Summit may transform the way these events are coordinated.
Rigorous purchasing guidelines, in accord with Canada's Environmental
choice product guidelines, have been widely implemented where
possible. The major venues will undertake the most aggressive waste
minimization and diversion effort in Nova Scotian event history - an 85%
diversion plan featuring extensive composting. The Summit will see
substantial efforts in mass transit, bicycle access and de-emphasis on
auto transport. Media materials and communications will stress green
education and paper reduction. A major reusable mug program will put a
big dent on disposable containers, which themselves will be compostible
when necessary at all. Youth environmental coaches will be everywhere.
The list of environmental changes is still expanding.
Perhaps most importantly, a recent decision to fund a post Summit
environmental audit of all operations and planning, supervised by CEC
committee members, should go a long way to ensuring that managers
and bureaucrats take these efforts seriously.
The final result cannot yet be forecast. At
best, the Summit could
establish the "Halifax model" as a new way of organizing and
implementing Summits with environmental responsibility in a prominent
place. Equally important, the Summit could and should demonstrate to
Nova Scotia's governments and business community that substantial
improvements towards sustainability can be achieved and make sense.
Processes and systems introduced in June can be maintained and
expanded. Federal government departments and agencies can learn
that Canada's 'green' government objectives can be successfully
implemented, even for such a massive undertaking. Green procurement
and green policies can and must be taken seriously.
With a bit of luck the message will penetrate the heady world of Summit
participants. Perhaps media and delegates will learn, see, experience, or
realize something that will affect their view of what they can and should
do on many levels. In the wildest CEC fantasy, Bill Clinton will turn to
Jean Chr#tien and ask about the funny off-white paper, hear of the
positive feedback from the environmental changes here, or find his staff
exploring the implications of this approach to integrating environment with
other agendas. In this fantasy, the ripple will affect the discussions on
our global future. In this fantasy, the Halifax Summit will mark a shift
from global posturing to global and national action.
A fantasy? Probably so. But less so than
Environment Ministers claiming that their posturing about environmental
leadership will translate into G-7 action in June. We'll see and compare
fantasies later.