PCSD Draft Report
Climate Change Task Force
Environmental Management Task Force
International Task Force
Metropolitan and Rural Strategies Task Force
Climate Change Task Force updated
2/99
In November 1997, the Task Force approved a set of Climate
Principles that were transmitted to the President. Rather than focus on the
entire range of issues that emerge when considering climate change, the Task
Force is exploring three important areas of policy development that build on
those Principles: 1) the role of communities in climate mitigation; 2)
development and deployment of climate-friendly technologies; and 3) incentives
for early action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Cross-Cutting Policies and Issues Working Group
(Co-chairs: Scott Bernstein, Center for Neighborhood Technology; and John
Adams, Natural Resources Defense Council) developed recommendations to foster
greater community involvement in climate change mitigation strategies that also
further progress in other areas of sustainable development. This Working Group
also is planning a forum to give banks, regulators, and interested community
groups the chance to discuss opportunities to mitigate climate change and
achieve other sustainable development objectives in the context of the rapid
restructuring the financial industry is experiencing. This forum is tentatively
scheduled for early 1999.
Technology Working Group (Co-chairs: John Atcheson,
Department of Energy; John Williams, General Motors Corporation; and Donna
Wise, World Resources Institute) developed a set of objectives and policy
recommendations to achieve greenhouse gas reductions for the agriculture,
buildings, electric power, industry, and transportation sectors. The Council
incorporated their recommendations in its
draft report.
Economic, Regulatory, and Voluntary Measures Working
Group (Co-chairs: Marcia Aronoff, Environmental Defense Fund; Ken Blower,
British Petroleum; Rob Wolcott, Environmental Protection Agency) developed
principles for the design of an early action program. These principles were
presented to Vice President Gore on Oct. 27th. (See link below)
Progress Report:
The Climate Change task force sent a letter to the
President in November 1997 outlining its first product: a set of climate
principles which were agreed upon to help the task force in its policy
deliberations. In the letter, the co-chairs of the Council stated: "This
consensus statement about climate policy from industry, environmental, citizen
and state and local leaders is, as far as we are aware, the first such
agreement on climate policy." The principles call for incentives for early
action, international commitments, accountability, flexibility, strong measures
to encourage technology, and fairness.
Working group meetings began in
February 1998. The Working Groups have developed a set of objectives and
general policy aproaches to spur technological innovation and a set of
principles for early action.
U.S. Environmental and Business Leaders Agree
Early Action Is Needed to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Present
Principles for Early Action to Vice President Gore
Environmental
Management Task Force updated 3/99
The PCSDs' landmark report Sustainable America: A New Consensus
for Prosperity, Opportunity and a Healthy Environment for the Future made a
number of recommendations regarding the nation's environmental management
framework. These included: accelerating efforts to evaluate existing
regulations and to create opportunities for attaining environmental goals at
lower economic costs; creating an alternative performance-based management
system; using market incentives as a part of an overall framework; and shifting
tax policies and reforming subsidies that encourage environmentally damaging
activities. Recognizing this and other recent work, the Environmental
Management Task Force chose to focus in its newly completed report on
integrating key concepts, adding others, and recommending next steps for
organizing environmental management toward sustainable development.
The first part of the task force report puts forth further
observations on the vision of a new environmental management framework and its
key attributes (e.g., Improve Performance, Ensure Environmental Stewardship,
Involve Communities, etc.). The second part offers some specific
recommendations about the next steps in building a new framework to foster
sustainable development (e.g., Measuring Progress and Accountability, Improving
Environmental Management Performance, Linking Places and Strategies, and New
Approaches For Persistent Problems and Emerging Issues). These two sections
suggest how and where change can happen -- any new framework would necessarily
address a far greater number of issues, as well as the imperative of the
international context.
A 21st century framework for environmental management and
protection that fosters sustainable development will be one that drives
continuous environmental improvement to accompany continuous economic and
social gains. To do this, the new framework must consider, accept and
strategically optimize the benefits of the dynamic interplay between people,
markets, information, technology, and the natural world.
Many environmental management and protection initiatives now
underway begin to point the way to an environmental management framework for
sustainable development. While none of them individually represents the full
model for the future, these reform efforts each suggest elements that could
become characteristics of the environmental management framework of the future.
The combination of these elements working together, organized for
sustainability, would undoubtedly have a multiplying effect, increasing the
performance level of each element.
A new environmental management framework will include standard
requirements for all but more flexible strategies for those who demonstrate
strong environmental performance and increasing improvement. Such a framework
will tap a combination of voluntary, regulatory and market mechanisms that
motivate improved environmental performance, recognize the value of community,
and respect a sense of place. The new framework will focus on more effective
environmental protection and encourage more efficient strategies for increasing
effectiveness. In summary, it is possible to create more prosperity and more
opportunity for more people, with much less burden on the environment, if we
agree that is what we want, and we are prepared to make it profitable to
attain. This is the underlying premise of sustainable development; it is the
assumption guiding this report.
International Task Force updated
2/99
The International Task Force has focused its efforts on three
primary topics: examining the links between international private capital flows
and sustainable development, interaction with other National Councils on
Sustainable Development, and general advice on the promotion of sustainable
development in international fora.
Given the enormous increase in
international private capital flows to developing countries this decade,
the Council examined the impacts of international private capital flows on
efforts to achieve sustainable development. To begin to understand these
complex issues, the International Task Force convened two fora relating to two
timely and critical prospective multilateral mechanisms which would influence
foreign investment: the Multilateral Agreement on Investment and the Clean
Development Mechanism.
- The task force held a forum on the MAI in February 1998 to
bring together various perspecitves on the relationship between the prospects
for sustainable development efforts in the context of the proposed multilateral
agreement on investment. The MAI seeks to protect investors by ensuring that
their investments abroad will be treated no differently than investments made
by nationals of that country. Such protections would increase international
investment by reducing risks and costs. However, some groups are concerned that
national sovereignty and the ability of local governments to act would be
threatened, and that broader effects on the environment, labor, and social
justice could result.
The task force convened a forum on the CDM and Sustainable Development
on July 27, 1998 to bring industry, NGO, and other interested parties together
to discuss opportunities as well as key ingredients that would have to be in
the CDM to meet stakeholder objectives. The dialogue was designed to increase
understanding, develop interest, and to further discuss the conditions to
accomplish the objectives of both sustainable development and the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change. The task force endeavored to present a variety of
perspectives: developing country, vulnerable island states, environmental
groups, business, and government agencies.
Interaction with other National Councils on Sustainable
Development
The Task Force is pursuing interaction with other National
Councils on Sustainable Development (NCSD) as part of the National Town
Meeting.
- NCSD Roundtable: A meeting between members of the US
PCSD and other National Councils on Sustainable Development will be convened to
discuss what activities have been successful and what areas of NCSD efforts
have proved to be more of a challenge in advancing sustainability in each
country.
Exhibits: Other National Councils will be invited to
contribute to an International section of the exhibit hall that will showcase
various examples of sustainable development around the world.
Metropolitan and Rural Strategies Task Force
updated 3/99
Summary
In February 1999, the Metropolitan and
Rural Strategies Task Force completed its report to the Council on how multiple
stakeholders can assist communities in metropolitan and rural areas to develop
sustainably. The report is a chapter in the PCSD's report to the President,
which will be released in April 1999. This work builds, in part, on the results
from a workshop, entitled "People, Places, and Markets: Comprehensive
Strategies for Building Sustainable Community," which was held from June 28-30,
1998. The task force's work also builds on previous PCSD reports, including
Sustainable America (1996), the Sustainable Communities Task Force report
(1997), and Building on Consensus (1997).
Key Findings and
Recommendations
- The imperatives of sustainable community development are
gaining momentum. There are hundreds of initiatives around the country that
are finding sustainable solutions to pressing local and regional challenges.
These initiatives are also rediscovering or finding new economic, ecological,
and social assets in order to strengthen and enhance their communities.
- The Task Force identified five strategic opportunity areas
for sustainable community development -- green infrastructure, land use and
development, community revitalization and reinvestment, rural enterprise and
community development, and materials reuse and resource efficiency.
Sustainable community development does not constitute a single fix or solution.
Instead, communities need multi-faceted solutions. By undertaking sustainable
strategies that address each of these five areas, communities can realize
significant and synergistic benefits. When invested in collectively, the five
areas comprise a comprehensive approach to sustainable community development.
- Successful initiatives share seven common characteristics
that should inform and guide the development of policies and projects.
Successful initiatives: 1) serve, invest in, and respect people; 2) invest in
and respect places; 3) align with or create new market forces for sustainable
development; 4) leverage their ecological, social as well as economic assets;
5) constructively address issues of race and class; 6) build regional and
multi-jurisdictional alliances; and 7) are locally-driven. In particular,
successful initiatives understand the intrinsic value of "place." They
recognize that challenges extend beyond artificial jurisdictional lines and
attempt to create regional solutions. They also recognize that challenges and
opportunities can be best addressed by networks of people with diverse
backgrounds, views, and experiences working together in inclusive planning and
decision-making processes.
- In order to overcome major implementation obstacles,
communities need three types of tools and resources: information and technical
assistance, economic incentives and financial assistance, and local capacity
and partnerships. Numerous stakeholders, including Federal, State, local
and tribal governments, community-based and environmental organizations, and
the private sector must work together to empower communities with the tools
they need to develop sustainably.
- In order to accelerate the pace of sustainable community
development, we must make the most out of existing authority and resources to
empower communities. By immediately undertaking new initiatives and
building on initiatives already underway, we can significantly enhance local
capacity, leverage markets, and strengthen multi-jurisdictional and regional
partnerships within the next three years.
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