[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 13, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2259-2266]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-762]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
THE PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Twenty-First Meeting of the President's Council on Sustainable
Development (PCSD) To Take Public Comment on the Council's
Recommendations and Draft Report to the President
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The President's Council on Sustainable Development (PCSD), a
Presidential advisory council with representation from industry,
government, environmental, and Native American organizations, will
convene its twenty-first meeting in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday,
February 10, 1999 to take public comment and finalize recommendations
for its report to the President. A draft of the executive summary for
this report is included below for public review. If you would like to
read the entire report please visit our website at ``http://
www.whitehouse.gov/PCSD'' or contact the PCSD office at the address or
phone number below. The Council will consider all comments received.
The Council's current charter from the President is to forge
consensus on policy, demonstrate implementation, get the word out about
sustainable development, and evaluate progress. The Council is advising
the President in four specific areas: (1) Domestic implementation of
policy options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; (2) next steps in
building the new environmental management system of the 21st century;
(3) promoting multi-jurisdictional and community cooperation in
metropolitan and rural areas; and (4) policies that foster the United
States' leadership role in sustainable development internationally. The
final report to the President will fulfill this charter and culminate
work in all four areas.
At the Council's last few meetings, the members have deliberated
among themselves, listened to experts, and
[[Page 2260]]
taken comments from the public on the four main topic areas described
above of this draft report. At the February 10 meeting, the Council is
interested in hearing from the public in the following areas:
How can the Council improve its proposed findings and
recommendations in the areas of climate change, metropolitan and rural
strategies for sustainable communities, environmental management, and
international leadership?
Are there any major omissions among the Council's set of
policy recommendations?
How can the Council generally improve the report?
How can the Council maximize exposure of the report and
have it contribute to and influence active policy debates?
How can the Council and the President use the report to
engage the public and leaders from all sectors to promote sustainable
development.
The Council's previous recommendations to the President may be
found in two reports: Sustainable America: A New Consensus for
Prosperity, Opportunity and a Healthy Environment for the Future (March
1996) and Building on Consensus: A Progress Report on Sustainable
America (January 1997). Copies of the latter report may be ordered by
calling 1-800-363-3732. Both may be downloaded off the Internet at
``http://www.whitehouse.gov/PCSD''. For more information about PCSD,
please e-mail infopcsd@aol.com'', log onto PCSD's web site, or call
the contact listed below. You may also check the web site for the
National Town Meeting for a Sustainable America at
``www.sustainableamerica.org.''
Dates: Wednesday, February 10, 1999 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Place: The Ronald Reagan Building, International Trade Center,
1300 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Polaris Rooms A and B, Washington D.C.
Status: Open to the public. Public comments are welcome and may
be submitted orally at the public meeting or in writing any time
prior to the meeting until February 8. Please submit written
comments prior to the meeting to: PCSD, Public Comments, 730 Jackson
Place, NW, Washington, D.C. 20503, fax to: 202/408-6839, or e-mail
directly to PCSD.comments@erols.com using ``PCSD Report Comments''
as your subject line.
Contact: Evangeline Deshields, Chief Administrative Officer, at
202/408-5296. Sign Language Interpreter: Please notify the contact
if you will need a sign language interpreter.
Martin A. Spitzer,
Executive Director, President's Council on Sustainable Development.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Vision Statement
Our Vision is of a life-sustaining Earth. We are committed to the
achievement of a dignified, peaceful, and equitable existence. A
sustainable United States will have a growing economy that provides
equitable opportunities for satisfying livelihoods and a safe, healthy,
high quality of life for current and future generations. Our nation
will protect its environment, its natural resource base, and the
functions and viability of natural systems on which all life depends.
Sustainable America, p. iv
Introduction
The Journey
As the world stands at the threshold of the 21st century, the
President's Council on Sustainable Development is completing its sixth
year working together to visualize and realize a new American dream. In
our dream of a better future, prosperity, fairness, and a healthy
environment are inseparable threads woven into the fabric of our
everyday life at work, at play, with our families and communities, and
among nations.
We began this journey in June 1993 when President Clinton asked the
Council--a groundbreaking partnership of leaders from industry,
government and non-profit organizations--to recommend a national action
strategy for sustainable development. We began by exploring some of the
most challenging issues of our day, including the rapid social,
economic, environmental, and technological changes all about us--
locally, nationally and internationally. We struggled with many
difficult and seemingly inconsistent ideas. We listened to,
occasionally argued with, and learned from one another. We traveled the
country and spoke to Americans from all walks of life. Thousands of
people participated in workshops, conferences, Council task forces and
our public meetings.
By early 1996 we reached agreement on a set of common beliefs and
recommendations and delivered them to the President in our first
report, ``Sustainable America: A New Consensus'' for Prosperity,
Opportunity, and a Healthy Environment for the Future. The beliefs and
recommendations, which remain as timely as ever, are a compass for a
more sustainable future. They are also the basis of all our work since
then. The recommendations were comprehensive, addressing everything
from economic and regulatory policy to natural resource management,
from strengthening communities and education to international
leadership. Crafted to move the nation toward sustainability, the
recommendations were directed toward public and private sectors, as
well as citizens.
Upon receiving the report, the President asked us to continue our
work. Since 1996 we have worked to implement some of our policy
recommendations, continued to forge consensus on sustainable
development policy, begun getting the word out about sustainable
development to larger audiences, and encouraged efforts to evaluate and
report on progress. Substantively, we were asked to focus on (1)
policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (2) the next steps in
building the new environmental management system of the 21st century,
(3) policies and approaches to build partnerships to strengthen
communities; and (4) policies to foster U.S. leadership in
international sustainable development policy.
This report presents our recommendations in each of these policy
areas. As we did before, we worked collaboratively, overcoming
differences of opinion and perspective to find common ground. In some
cases, we found common ground where conventional wisdom seems to
suggest none should exist. Our work on climate change was some of the
most challenging. As we navigated through the often-heated public
debates surrounding the international climate negotiations, we reached
agreement on critical steps needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
By listening to each other and working together we were able to
overcome many of our differences in other policy areas as well.
Each chapter of the report corresponds to one of the substantive
areas in the Council's charter. In each policy area we have produced a
concrete set of findings and recommendations for future action.
Climate Change (Chapter 2)
Early on, we agreed on a set of principles to guide overall United
States climate policy.
With accord on key issues, we then (1) developed principles for an
incentive-based program to catalyze voluntary early action to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions; (2) agreed on policies to spur the rapid
development
[[Page 2261]]
and deployment of climate-friendly technologies in the next 10-15
years; and (3) stimulated opportunities to realize the broader benefits
and global opportunities of climate change mitigation strategies.
Environmental Management (Chapter 3)
Our report on environmental management builds on the earlier work
of the Council and of others to improve the existing system and build a
new, more effective, flexible and accountable one. It goes beyond our
earlier efforts by recognizing that we are reaping some benefits and
learning a great deal from existing reforms, but that most reforms were
not designed to promote sustainable development. This report begins to
answer the question, what would environmental management look like if
we did? We do so by identifying the attributes of an environmental
management framework designed for sustainable development and
recommending the critical steps that can be taken to move the existing
environmental management framework toward one that is more sustainable.
Metropolitan and Rural Strategies for Sustainable Communities
(Chapter 4)
This report on building sustainable communities directly follows
from our earlier work. It goes a step further by suggesting that the
many successful efforts promoting more sustainable communities have
seven common characteristics. It also goes further by acknowledging
that although we are witnessing more activities and successes, most
sustainable community development initiatives face daunting technical,
financial, and institutional obstacles. In order to fulfill the promise
of sustainable communities, we addressed a fundamental question: How
can we, as a nation, help sustainable community initiatives ``get over
the hump'' from inspiration to implementation? In response, we
developed a framework for implementation highlighting five strategic
opportunities 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--and three types of tools and
resources that can overcome major implementation obstacles: information
and technical assistance, economic incentives and financial assistance,
and local capacity and partnerships.
International (Chapter 5)
In our earlier work, we identified key international sustainable
development issues and the importance of leadership for the United
States. Our recent work has been more focused. Specifically, we have
examined how international private capital flows affect sustainable
development, particularly in investments in developing countries. We
convened stakeholders to discuss key issues in the prospective
Multilateral Agreement on Investment and on a structure for
facilitating capital flows to developing countries to help them embark
on a clean development path in the context of climate change. We have
also begun outreach to other National councils on sustainable
development.
In all of our work, we saw connections between the specific policy
issues we were asked to study; and whenever possible, we made those
connections. We know, for example, that community development decisions
has implications for greenhouse gas emissions, just as reducing
greenhouse gas emissions have implications for community development.
We know that an environmental management system that creates incentives
for sustainable development will provide incentives for greenhouse gas
emissions and community reinvestment. A more prosperous, healthy, and
equitable future for our children requires all of us, as individuals
and institutions, to understand and make these types of connections
whenever we can.
We have several hopes for this report and for the future. Our
recent experiences reaffirm the Council's view that collaboration,
individual responsibility and stewardship are cornerstones for a path
to a more Sustainable America. The Council is very much a mirror of
America. Because this report is more of a handbook for people and
organizations struggling to improve our quality of life than are either
of our earlier reports, we hope readers will use it that way. The
content of the report as much reflects the ideas and innovations we
have seen and heard about, as it provides direction and recommendations
on specific policy areas that we believe can immediately move us in a
more sustainable direction. Many specific ideas and suggestions can be
found in the body of the report.
We present this report to the President knowing the challenges to
improve our quality of life are as great as ever. But as we said 3
years ago, ``We view this challenge with considerable optimism * * *
But optimism is not complacency.'' Vigilance and perseverance will be
needed if we are to meet these local, national and global challenges.
On May 2-5, 1999, the PCSD and its partners 1 will hold
a National Town Meeting for a Sustainable America. The event will use
the ideas in this report and those from tens of thousands of Americans
who are joining together with us to demonstrate how we can make America
a more sustainable, livable place.
Sustainable America, A Reprise
Challenges
As we said in Sustainable America in 1996, ``these are remarkable
times.'' Market economies have continued to spread around the globe,
even as they experience unprecedented growing pains. The overall flow
of trade, investment, and people moving across international borders is
increasing. Communication, manufacturing, agricultural, and
transportation technologies continue to change how we work and play,
and what we produce and consume. Information and knowledge are now
hallmarks of our economy and increasingly the world economy. Energy and
raw material efficiency per unit of economic output continue to
increase, even as overall consumption and resource use increases.
We recognized the significant benefits and challenges from growing
economies, population and demand for goods, services, food and space.
The world's growing economic output continues to raise more people from
poverty and create opportunity, but also creates growing disparities
between rich and poor. Growing population and affluence increase demand
for materials and land, in turn creating pollution, depleting finite
resources, and stressing natural systems and the communities dependent
on those resources.
In our travels across America, we spoke with thousands of Americans
from all walks of life to hear about their concerns and aspirations. We
were humbled and inspired by what we learned. From them, we learned how
crime, congestion, education, good jobs, clean air and water are
fundamental concerns. We learned how sustainable development remains
abstract unless it is connected to people's daily lives and the
communities in which they work, live and play. We saw innovation in
communities across America and noted ``striking contrasts between
communities struggling with dissatisfaction and despair, and
communities where energized and
[[Page 2262]]
optimistic citizens have become engaged in shaping their own future.''
2
As we said three years ago,
We believe that significant change is both necessary and
inevitable. American society has been characterized by its capacity
to embrace and profit from change. But how can communities be
mobilized to leave future generations a cleaner, more resilient
environment; a more prosperous nation; a more equitable society; and
a more productive and efficient economy--one that is competitive
internationally? This is especially difficult because the pace and
extent of today's changes are unprecedented, reflecting the local
consequences of the interaction of economic, social, and
environmental forces at the global level.3
Pursuit of Common Goals
Prosperity, fairness, and a healthy environment are interrelated
elements of the human dream of a better future. Sustainable development
is a way to pursue that dream through choice and policy. Work, wealth,
community, and the environment are interwoven into the fabric of
everyday life and the life of the nation. Sustainable development is
the framework that integrates economic, environmental, and social goals
in discourse and policies that enhance the prospects of human
aspirations.
The Council had hard and frequent debates about the term economic
growth, and heard it discussed by members of the public as well, at
almost all of our meetings. In the end, we agreed that to achieve our
vision of sustainability some things must grow--jobs, productivity,
wages, profits, capital and savings, information, knowledge,
education--and others--pollution, waste, poverty, energy and material
use per unit of output--must not. We agree on growth, and agree that it
must be defined and measured with care. The issue is not whether the
economy needs to grow but how and in what way.
An economy that creates good jobs and safeguards public health and
the environment will be stronger and more resilient than one that does
not. A country that protects its ecosystems and manages its natural
resources wisely lays a far stronger base for future prosperity than
one that carelessly uses its assets and destroys its natural capital. A
society that invests in its children and communities, equitably
providing education and opportunity, is far more likely to prosper than
one that allows the gap between rich and poor to widen.
By recognizing that the economy, the environment, social equity,
and well-being are integrally linked and by having policies that
reflect that interrelationship, Americans can regain their sense that
they are in control of their future and that the lives of each
generation will be better than the last. Thinking narrowly about jobs,
energy, transportation, housing, or ecosystems--as if they were not
connected--creates new problems even as it attempts to solve old ones.
Asking the wrong questions is a sure way to get misleading answers that
result in short-term remedies for symptoms, instead of cures for long-
term basic problems.
Seeing choices in terms of tradeoffs and balance reflects a history
of confrontational politics. It pits vital necessities against each
other in a false contest that inhibits exploration of the best
solutions, those that link economic gain, ecological improvement,
social equity, and well-being--solutions that build common purpose from
shared goals.
The United States is a democracy with powerful traditions of
individual liberty. What happens in American society ultimately depends
on the values that guide the choices that individuals make--which is a
function of their commitment and understanding. People act according to
their perception of the intersection of their needs and wants, their
values and conditions, and the events that affect them. But the narrow
and immediate interests of individuals, organizations, or government
officials do not necessarily coincide with the long-term interests of a
larger community at home or abroad. Although people can act in the
interests of the larger community, they rarely do so alone. Because
each fears losing separately, all lose together.
We Believe Statement 5
There are certain beliefs that we as Council members share that
underlie all of our agreements.
We believe:
1. To achieve our vision of sustainable development, some things
must grow--jobs, productivity, wages, capital and savings, profits,
information, knowledge, and education--and others--pollution, waste,
and poverty must not.
2. Change is inevitable and necessary for the sake of future
generations and for ourselves. We can choose a course for change that
will lead to the mutually reinforcing goals of economic growth,
environmental protection, and social equity.
3. Steady progress in reducing disparities in education,
opportunity, and environmental risk within society is essential to
economic growth, environmental health and social justice.
4. The United States made great progress in protecting the
environment in the last 25 years, and must continue to make progress in
the next 25 years. We can achieve that goal because market incentives
and the power of consumers can lead to significant improvements in
environmental performance at less cost.
5. Economic growth based on technological innovation, improved
efficiency, and expanding global markets is essential for progress
toward greater prosperity, equity, and environmental quality.
6. Environmental regulations have improved and must continue to
improve the lives of all Americans. Basic standards of performance that
are clear, fair, and consistently enforced remain necessary to protect
that progress. The current regulatory system should be improved to
deliver required results at lower costs. In addition, the system should
provide enhanced flexibility in return for superior environmental
performance.
7. Environmental progress will depend on individual, institutional
and corporate responsibility, commitment, and stewardship.
8. We need a new collaborative decision process that leads to
better decisions; more rapid change; and more sensible use of human,
natural, and financial resources in achieving our goals.
9. The nation must strengthen its communities and enhance their
role in decisions about environment, equity, natural resources, and
economic progress so that the individuals and institutions most
immediately affected can join with others in the decision process.
10. Economic growth, environmental protection, and social equity
are linked. We need to develop integrated policies to achieve these
national goals.
11. The United States should have policies and programs that
contribute to stabilizing global human population; this objective is
critical if we hope to have the resources to ensure a high quality of
life for future generations.
12. Even in the face of scientific uncertainty, society should take
reasonable actions to avert risks where the potential harm to human
health or the environment is thought to be serious or irreparable.
13. Steady advances in science and technology are essential to help
improve economic efficiency, protect and restore natural systems, and
modify consumption patterns.
14. A growing economy and healthy environment are essential to
national and global security.
15. A knowledgeable public, the free flow of information, and
opportunities for review and redress are critically
[[Page 2263]]
important to open, equitable, and effective decisionmaking.
16. Citizens must have access to high quality and lifelong formal
and nonformal education that enables them to understand the
interdependence of economic prosperity, environmental quality, and
social equity--and prepares them to take actions that support all
three.
Climate Change
The risk of accelerated climate change in the next century cannot
be ignored as the United States seeks to achieve its aspirations for
economic growth, environmental protection, and social justice. Although
the challenges of taking action are not inconsequential, failure to
respond could mean that we miss opportunities to improve our quality of
life. We can reap the benefits of acting to protect the climate as we
strive to achieve economic, environmental, and social improvement for
ourselves without compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs.
Advise the President on domestic implementation of policy
options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Council should not
debate the science of global warming, but should instead focus on
the implementation of national and local greenhouse gas reduction
policies and activities, and adaptations in the U.S. economy and
society that maximize societal benefits, minimize economic impacts,
and are consistent with U.S. international agreements.
--PCSD Charter, April 1997
In the course of its work on climate change, the Council benefitted
from the wealth of scientific research, technical and economic studies,
and policy analysis that is available on the subject. In November 1997,
the Climate 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 29 PCSD
members, including leaders from businesses, environmental and civic
organizations, and local and federal government, focused on developing
consensus climate policy recommendations in three key areas:
Principles for an incentive-based program to catalyze
voluntary early action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
Policies to spur the rapid development and deployment of
climate-friendly technologies in the next 10-15 years;
Stimulating opportunities to realize the broader benefits
and global opportunities to climate change mitigation strategies.
Climate Change Key Findings
Climate protection policy is fundamentally linked to any
national agenda for economic growth, environmental protection, and
social justice. If we are to achieve all of these goals together,
climate change must be drawn onto the roadmap for the achievement of
our other national aspirations.
We urge timely action to reduce the risks of climate
change. Incentives for early action, international agreements,
accountability, flexibility, broad-based measures to encourage
technology, and fairness are essential in any climate mitigation
strategy.
Many actions that protect the climate have multiple
benefits. Action to protect the climate can help solve other social,
economic, and environmental problems, benefit society, create global
opportunities, and meet the needs of current and future generations.
An incentive-based program is essential to catalyze
voluntary early action to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions. The
program should include broadly-based participation; encourage learning,
innovation, flexibility, and experimentation; grant formal credit for
legitimate and verifiable measures to protect the climate; ensure
accountability; be compatible with other climate protection strategies
and environmental goals; and be inspired by government leadership.
Climate-friendly technology will play a critical role as
we strive to achieve reduced greenhouse gas emissions as well as our
other sustainable development goals. Rapid deployment of existing
technologies and continued investment in research and development are
essential elements of any strategy that aims to help the United States
and the rest of the world secure a future of reduced greenhouse gas
emissions to protect the climate. Because greenhouse gases are released
from small, large, stationary, and mobile sources throughout our
economy, a broad and diverse policy portfolio to rapidly develop and
disseminate climate-friendly technologies is essential. the Council
reached agreement on a solid course of action that could accelerate the
development and deployment of climate-friendly technology in the
agriculture, buildings, electric power, industry, and transportation
sectors and reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in the next 10-15
years.
Consensus building, outreach, and inclusive approaches are
essential components of sustainable climate action.
Environmental Management
It is possible to provide more prosperity and more opportunity for
more people with 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.
A 21st century environmental management framework that fosters
sustainable development will be one that drives continuous
environmental improvement, while respecting and creating continuous
economic and social value. 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.
One of the most important revelations of the PCSD in Sustainable
America was that meaningful and long term solutions for environmental,
economic and social equity problems will require new strategies that
address the source of problems, create mutual benefit throughout
society and the chain of commerce, and achieves multiple objectives--
environmental, economic and social--simultaneously. Building on this
view, the PCSD sought to further identify the interrelated tools and
strategies that need to be put into place for aligning economic and
social equity concerns with a clean and safe environment. Sustainable
America emphasizes some specific approaches that are necessary in
building a new environmental management framework, but alone may be
insufficient for simultaneously achieving the interrelated goals of
sustainable development outlined elsewhere in the report.
Sustainable America stands for the concept that no matter what
environmental issue we choose to address, we must also recognize and
understand the economic and social dimensions of the issue, and that
they are often interrelated or connected. We must likewise, identify
the multi-purpose solutions to these issues or problems that address
the environmental, economic and social aspects in relation to one
another.
Throughout the report an attempt was made to highlight the
objectives of a new environmental management framework with references
to ``related activity'' or examples corresponding to
[[Page 2264]]
the specific recommendations. These and other recent initiatives were
not explicitly designed to achieve sustainable development goals, yet
some are achieving success, but not always in the integrative way, or
to the degree, that sustainable development requires. Read together,
the suggested framework attributes, recommendations, and related
activities form a compass for charting the next steps in building the
environmental management framework of the 21st Century.
Environmental Management Key Findings
A new environmental management framework that fosters sustainable
development requires rethinking the nature, source, and linkage of
problems. Currently, the definitions of environmental management and
environmental protection are too narrow in some cases for identifying
the true nature of problems and re-casting their potential solutions.
A dynamic environmental management framework needs to
understand interdependencies between communities, nature, and the
economic world, to craft strategies that respect and use those
interdependencies to improve environmental quality. Increasingly,
consumer, market and regulatory behavior need to complement natural
systems or cycles as well as each other.
The framework can and should serve multiple purposes by
improving business management, resource productivity, worker
protection, community life, ecosystem health, and global awareness.
Information garnered by the framework should be used to identify new
social and economic opportunities (as well as responsibilities) for
making continuous environmental improvements.
The framework needs to reliably monitor ambient conditions
and measure the environmental performance of activities or
organizations that affect environmental quality, including products,
households, services, firms, governments, and the economy. Future
environmental effects, and potential ones, must be anticipated as well.
The framework must make extensive use of incentives that
provide both rewards for improving environmental outcomes and penalties
for degrading environmental quality. Rewards can and should vary in
value and depend upon the magnitude of the benefits.
The capacity to protect the environment needs to grow with
the economy, adapting and harnessing innovative environmental
management systems, accounting practices, and market forces that
enhance environmental performance.
An environmental management framework must be sensitive to
differences among people, communities, and organizations. Communities,
like organizations, differ in size, ability, sophistication, and
understanding of environmental issues.
FROM INSPIRATION TO IMPLEMENTATION: METROPOLITAN AND RURAL STRATEGIES
FOR BUILDING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
Introduction
In Sustainable America, The President's Council on Sustainable
Development (PCSD) presented a vision of community development that
embraced economic, environmental, and equity concerns--a vision
informed by the collective aspirations and experiences of communities
around the nation.
Goal Statement for Sustainable Communities
Encourage people to work together to create healthy communities
where natural and historic resources are preserved, jobs are
available, sprawl is contained, neighborhoods are secure, education
is lifelong, transportation and health care are accessible, and all
citizens have opportunities to improve the quality of their lives.
--Sustainable America, 1996
Over the past give years of the Council's work, we have observed
considerable innovation in how people with different interests can act
collectively to strengthen their communities. In hundreds of
communities and regions across America, community leaders representing
citizens groups, elected officials, businesses, and other stakeholders
are ``rolling up their sleeves'' to engage each other and work
together. Whether they are restoring watersheds, creating accessible
transportation alternatives, championing more efficient use of land,
fostering racial and cultural tolerance, making housing more
affordable, linking people with quality jobs, or creating new
environmental businesses, these community leaders are improving the
lives of today's citizens while safeguarding their communities for
future generations. Our review of projects and programs from around the
country suggests that successful initiatives have seven characteristics
in common:
They serve, invest in, and respect people
They invest in and respect places
They align with or create new market forces to improve
community well-being
They look for and build on the local assets of their
communities
They constructively address issues of race and class
They build regional alliances and multi-stakeholder
coalitions
They are locally-driven
There is no denying the power of example these efforts provide.
Although we are witnessing more activities and successes, most
sustainable community development initiatives face daunting technical,
financial, and institutional obstacles. In order to fulfill the promise
of sustainable communities affirmed in Sustainable America, the
Metropolitan and Rural Strategies Task Force addressed a fundamental
question: How can we, as a nation, help sustainable community
initiatives ``get over the hump'' from inspiration to implementation?
The task force developed a framework for implementation that
highlights 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. We believe that investing resources in each of these five
areas leads to a comprehensive approach to sustainable community
development. However, communities that invest in any one of these five
areas can benefit in their efforts to develop sustainably. The
framework also identifies three types of tools and resources that can
overcome major implementation obstacles: information and technical
assistance, economic incentives and financial assistance, and local
capacity and partnerships.
[[Page 2265]]
Framework for Implementation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strategic opportunities
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tools Community Rural community and
Green infrastructure Land use and, revitalization and enterprise Materials use and
development reinvestment development resource efficiency
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Information and Technical
Assistance
Economic Mechanisms and Financial
Assistance
Local Capacity and Regional
Partnerships
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The framework's philosophy asserts that many actors working at
multiple levels need to take several actions, both small and large, if
we are to more rapidly build a nation of sustainable communities.
Numerous stakeholders--including the Federal government, State, local
and tribal governments, the private sector, and community-based
organizations--have already taken creative and bold steps to advance
the use of tools and resources. Our recommendations of specific
policies and actions, presented later in this report, acknowledge these
efforts, but also contends that more can be done.
In order to accelerate the pace of sustainable community
development, we must make the most out of existing authority and
resources. By immediately undertaking new initiatives and building upon
initiatives already underway, communities can achieve the following
within the next three years:
By Year 1: Learning Through Information and Networks. In
one year, we can enhance existing capacity by deploying new information
toolkits and creating learning networks to rapidly enable cross-
regional innovation and partnerships. We can also begin to make a
persuasive and credible case for action to the public and key decision-
makers through education and communications.
By Year 2: Leveraging Markets and Financial
Intermediaries. By year two, we can be ready to leverage economic
mechanisms and financial intermediaries to create the crucial financial
support needed by communities seeking to create sustainable projects.
We can also leverage the economic mechanisms needed to create
incentives for everybody to act in ways that enhance sustainability.
By Year 3: Linking Institutions to Build Local Capacity
and Partnerships. By year three, we can institutionalize strong
regional and multi-jurisdictional partnerships and local capacity that
will institutionalize and implement sustainable community development.
By ``learning, leveraging, and linking,'' various stakeholders can
work together to create communities where everyone in every generation
can have a high quality of life.
Metropolitan and Rural Strategies Key Findings
Urgent action is needed by communities to combat air and
water pollution, loss of ecosystems, poverty, energy inefficiency, and
other threats to their current and future well-being. Individuals and
institutions that pursue sustainable community development are
resolving these pressing challenges and are also finding new or
rediscovering local economic, ecological, and social assets that can
strengthen their communities.
Place matters. More and more individuals and leaders are
recognizing the intrinsic value of the places in which they live, work,
and visit. Community leaders are also recognizing that place is defined
by more than artificial jurisdictional lines. Successful initiatives
are attempting to understand their regions--composed of ecosystems,
economic networks, and human habitats--as a total larger than the sum
of its parts in order to create more realistic and useful policies and
plans. They are also recognizing that problems and challenges can be
best tackled by networks of people with diverse backgrounds, views, and
experiences.
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--
hold particular promise and potential. We believe that each of these
five opportunity areas can deliver significant benefits. When invested
in collectively, the five areas comprise a comprehensive approach to
sustainable community development.
International
The United States of America is blessed with significant endowments
of capital--human, social and financial. These riches enable the United
States to be a world leader. In turn, this leadership gives the nation
a substantial amount of economic, political, and cultural influence
around the world. The United States must recognize this leadership
role, and use it to help put itself, and the world on a path toward
sustainable development.
As a society, Americans need to appreciate that U.S. leadership is
wide-ranging, and can be informal in nature. For instance, American
movies and television programs are popular throughout the world.
Through them many people are shown a higher standard of living than
their national circumstances currently allow them to attain. These
media images can lead to many results: dreams for a better future,
immigration as people seek the ``American Dream,'' as well as
dissatisfaction with their current situation leading to changes in
local customs and cultures.
Advise the President on the promotion of sustainable development
in international fora, and gather and disseminate information about
US and international sustainable development policies. Promote the
creation and continuation of national sustainable development
councils around the world. Additionally, given the increasing flow
of financial capital from developed to developing countries, the
Council shall recommend policies that encourage foreign investment
by the U.S. Government, businesses, investors, and, as appropriate,
multilateral institutions that are consistent with the principles of
sustainable development.
Given the enormous challenge of charting a path toward
sustainability for our country, our government and our communities, the
Council focused primarily on domestic issues during its first four
years. The International Task Force was formed in 1997 to ensure that
an international perspective is
[[Page 2266]]
maintained in the Council's efforts to develop a plan for America's
path to sustainable development.
The Task Force recognized the value of sharing knowledge across
national borders. Lessons learned by Americans pursuing a sustainable
future, and new technologies and processes developed in the United
States could be of interest and use to other nations. Correspondingly
the United States can learn from the many interesting examples of
sustainable development found all over the world.
The Task Force focused on how internationally private capital flows
affect sustainable development, particularly in investments made in
developing countries. To help develop an understanding of this complex
set of issues, the Task Force undertook several activities. It convened
stakeholders to discuss key issues in the prospective Multilateral
Agreement on Investment and on a structure for facilitating capital
flows to developing countries to help them embark on a clean
development path. It also provided input to the United Nations effort
to take a fresh look at how to finance development, emphasizing that
financing should be for sustainable development and take into account
social and environmental concerns in parallel with economic growth.
International Key Findings and Recommendations
The United States must use its leadership role to help chart
a path toward sustainable development both at home and abroad. In doing
so the United States should be open to learning from other nations'
experiences.
The Council can benefit from information exchange with the
international community. Efforts should be made to disseminate the
Council's work internationally as well as to learn from other
countries' experiments and experiences toward achieving sustainable
development.
New coalitions of interests are needed, both domestically and
internationally, to build support for the changes necessary for
sustainable development to be achieved. Without ``champions'' from all
sectors, change will not occur.
Multilateral agreements should integrate economic,
environmental and equity considerations. Sustainable development is
inherently an integrative effort. Economic agreements must consider
environmental and social effects and environmental agreements must take
economic and equity effects into account.
The Council or a similar body should continue as a forum for
thoughtful consideration of issues of sustainable development by high-
level leaders in all sectors. In having such a body, the United States
sends a strong signal to the world that multistakeholder dialogue and
consensus-building are important means of policy advice and
development, and that all sectors are committed to a more sustainable
future.
Foreign investment, assistance, and all government activities
should be progressively and consistently conducted in ways that promote
recipient countries' efforts to achieve sustainable development. The
global need for ``green'' development strategies creates new investment
opportunities. Domestic policies should enhance America's ability to
take advantage of these trends and support the creation and expansion
of businesses which help improve the environment and well-being of
citizens around the world.
Endnotes
1. PCSD's co-sponsor of the event is the not-for-profit
organization, the Global Environment Technology Foundation.
2. Sustainable America, p. 3
3. Sustainable America, p. 4
4. Sustainable America, pp. 6-7.
5. Sustainable America, p. v-vi.
[FR Doc. 99-762 Filed 1-12-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3125-01-P
