Making sustainability
a political priority
By Jeffrey
Barber, Integrative Strategies Forum
August 3. The Democratic Convention in Boston has
just ended, chanting "hope is on the way," followed immediately
by a new terrorist alert from the Office of Homeland Security. Although
this election year features a national debate about America's future,
attention by candidates and media alike has been mostly on short-term
priorities—the war in Iraq, possible terrorist attacks, jobs, and
tax cuts. As usual, for those controlling the agenda of issues, sustainability
and the long-term future of the country is not a priority.
Future generations do not have a vote
Beyond these media-active, high-alert months, the longer-term future
and the possibility of a just and sustainable America seems very far
away, waiting somewhere in that misty, abstract world of "next
generations." These are the citizens yet unborn or not old enough
to vote in this election. Nevertheless, they would be most concerned
about the policy priorities that are resulting in climate change, loss
of social security, the deepening gap between rich and poor, the poisoning
of the air and water, the disappearance of farmable land, old forests,
and innumerable species of life. These are the citizens who will suffer
the future consequences of today's spreading cloud of fear, the rise
of a Big Brother culture and gradual erosion of rights and liberties
Americans once took for granted. These are the citizens who will pay
the costs and suffer the consequences of the country's growing debt,
pollution and overall neglect of long-term issues.
Unfortunately, the rules of the game to get elected as President of
the United States or as member of Congress, are defined and maintained
by political, financial and media machinery and traditions difficult
to ignore. Of the countless polls listing voters' major concerns, sustainability
is, needless to say, not among the top ten. If it does come up, it is
usually subsumed under "environment" or "energy policy."
Rarely is sustainability treated by the media or many politicians,
particularly during this national election, as a framework for understanding
and making just and responsible decisions needed to improve the quality
of life for everyone - including future generations.
The movement is growing
Yet increasingly we have been seeing a movement growing across
the country and around the world where sustainability is recognized
as the key to unraveling the complex web of social, economic and environmental
problems with which citizens and the country have been struggling. Examples
of leadership for sustainability by citizens, educators, workers and
business leaders, artists, religious leaders, and government officials
are now increasingly taking place at the local, state and national levels.
Such leadership steps beyond blind faith that the invisible hand of
the market will solve everything.
For example, in the West Coast region a number of state governors recently
formed a partnership to address global warming. In her report from Oregon,
Cylvia Hayes points to actions by state governments, impatient with
a "lack of federal leadership on global warming," to use procurement
policy for buying fuel-efficient vehicles, promoting renewable energy,
and monitoring greenhouse gas emissions. Gail Karlsson reports from
the other side of the country on efforts by New York politicians to
commit to a sustainable energy path. In his book American Heat,
CitNet member Don Brown analyzes the ethical challenge of developing
climate policy and strategies at the nation level.
Towards a national sustainability
strategy
In another important publication and assessment of US progress towards
sustainable development, John Dernbach writes in the introduction to
Stumbling Towards Sustainability about the need for a national
strategy. A report recently published by the International Institute
for Sustainable Development (IISD) offers us a global survey of progress
by different countries around the world in developing such national
sustainability strategies.
Although the majority of Americans have few facts about efforts, since
the late President's Council on Sustainable Development, to produce
such a national strategy here in the United States, word is slowly getting
around. Ironically, at next year's Commission on Sustainable Development
(CSD), each country is expected to report on their implementation of
their national strategy—one of the commitments agreed to at both
the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development as well as the 1992
UN Conference on Environment and Development.
"Those who wait for a president, any president no matter how wise
and just, to lead us to the promised land," David Korten warns,
"will wait in vain." In order to create a just and sustainable
economy, he explains, "leadership must come from We the People."
In past CitNet meetings with both the Clinton and Bush administrations,
with members of Congress, as well as state and local authorities, there
is the continual point that political steps forward require a greater
public demand. The same has been said by journalists, in response to
complaints about their lack of coverage of sustainability news and issues.
When the public starts asking for these stories, they will then become
a priority.
This is of course a chicken and egg problem. If the public is not informed
or is having a difficult time understanding the alternative vision,
principles and policy agenda of sustainable development, how can they
be expected to "demand" this information. In contrast to big
budget advertising campaigns, to raise brand awareness, or political
campaigns to raise candidate visibility, the work of building public
understanding of sustainability remains the work of public advocates,
educators and informed citizens.
Leadership for Sustainability
On July 4th, CitNet launched its Leadership for Sustainability Campaign,
with a press release "Citizens call for national sustainability
strategy." The campaign, discussed by Rob Wheeler and others, points
out the need to raise the national and local discussions about America's
future beyond the short-term agenda of priorities reiterated by the
mass media. In addition to helping to raise awareness about sustainability
and taking steps to work towards a national sustainability strategy,
the Campaign wil highlight and promote sustainability initiatives and
campaigns around the country.
This newsletter will help to serve those objectives, serving as a vehicle
for sharing information, analysis, opinions and stories about the
US sustainability movement and efforts to make this country a just
and sustainable society.