TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Volume 3, No. 10 January - February 1998
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Environment and Development Editorial, by Najib Saab |
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6 |
Nature's
Pharmacy Many common symptoms and maladies can be remedied without
drugs |
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14 |
Cover Story: Water A Thirsty World in the Year 2000 Water in the
Arab World: Will it become more expensive than oil? |
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26 |
Extinction
of the Onager Few are left of the wild asses that roamed the deserts
and plains of Africa and Asia |
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32 |
Pesticides:
A Threat to Health and Environment Stocks of obsolete pesticides
cause diseases and pollute soil and water |
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35 |
Cities
Change the Climate The role of transportation and air conditioning
in increasing temperature |
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36 |
The
Future Environment The World on the Eve of the 21st Century
Environment Vs. Development in the Arab Region |
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42 |
Noise
Barriers Beautiful designs on highways |
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44 |
Ferrocement
Water Tanks A do-it-yourself practical guide |
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50 |
Desert
Locusts Millions of locusts raid agricultural land leaving no trace
of green |
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52 |
Birds of Damascus Species of all colours and tunes animate the
Ghouta national park |
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54 |
The
Delta Project A gigantic dam project to protect the Netherlands
against the sea |
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60 |
Rainforests:
Mysterious Continents Nature's richest lands are being destroyed
along with their biodiversity |
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Green Quotes,
11 - Arab Environment News, 12 - World Environment News, 24 -Environment
Market, 30 - Natural Medicine, 41 - Consumer Tips, 48 - Environment &
Development Forum, 58 - Green Library, 63 - Calendar, 64 - Subscriptions
Form, 65
With this issue: Environmental Calendar 1998
FROM THE EDITOR
Climate change: who pays the price?
By Najib Saab
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has finally
adopted a firm stance regarding its participation in international
measures to tackle the issue of climate change. For the first time, the
organization declared, during the Climate Summit in Kyoto last month, a
courageous stand to protect the rights of oil exporting countries, the
majority of which are developing non-industrialized nations, and
safeguards the interests of poor countries. OPEC statements were very
well structured not to show the the organization is abandoning its
commitment to international environmental action.
OPEC member states demanded financial compensations for their future
losses due to the imposition of high taxes on oil, an act that will
reduce oil consumption. The plan proposed by industrial countries to
reduce carbon dioxide emissions is expected to decrease oil production,
resulting in an annual loss of twenty billion dollars to OPEC states.
The majority of oil producing countries are developing countries in the
Arab World, Asia, Africa and Latin America. They lack large industries
and still need to spend billions of dollars on social and economical
development programmes. Like poorer countries, they believe that the
rich industrial nations should bear the bulk of cleaning the
environment, since they are basically responsible for its contamination.
Oil producing
countries, and other developing and poorer countries, should not be
driven to commitments harmful to their peoples, under the pressure
of international financial and industrial powers. However, this
should not mean that the issue of climate change is not crucial, and
should not be taken as a pretext for delaying necessary measures. It
is evident that the climate is drastically changing as a result of
uncontrolled practices in industry and transportation. Most
scientists agree today that the continuation of present practices
may raise global temperature by 3.5 degrees during the next century.
This will cause a 15-25 cm rise in sea levels and change coast,
desert and forest ecosystems.
Climate change is caused mainly by gas emissions from burning fuels
in industry, transportation and energy production. The solution is
reducing the use of polluting fuels and developing cleaner energy
sources. This, however, will increase production costs.
Where do the world nations stand regarding this issue?
The United States, which hosts 4% of the world population, is
responsible for 25% of the gas emissions causing climate change. If
current policies persist, the emission of these gases in the United
States is expected to increase by 23% in 2010, compared to their
levels in 1990. On the other hand, the European Union suggested a
reduction of 15% before that date. The United States also calls for
imposing the same emission reduction rates and deadlines on poor
developing countries as industrial countries, regardless of the
negative impact on their development programmes. Australia, on the
other hand, is threatening not to abide by any reduction that may
cause job losses and slow down economic development.
Amid these conflicts, OPEC countries joined the poorer countries in
adopting a unique position. In the past, they categorically refused
to discuss any oil tax increases, which gave them an environmentally
unfriendly image. In contrast, they have now adopted a wise tactic
that is sure to cause serious embarrassment to industrial countries:
it is a position which combines environmental protection with
economic interests. Now OPEC says: it is ok to increase taxes on
oil, but those should be accompanied by proportional higher taxes on
every other source of energy.
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That is because environment protection should not be used as a cover to
punish oil countries to the advantage of other polluting sources of
energy. OPEC's declared view now is that increased tax on oil has become
another source of great revenue to rich industrial countries, on the
pretext of environmental conservation. As a result, they will gain from
oil taxes much more than what the producing countries earn from selling
oil. If environmental conservation is the real issue, the rich
industrial countries should give a major cut of oil taxes to developing
oil producing countries and other poor developing countries, as
compensations to help them develop their environmental protection
programmes.
This is sound reasoning to which the west would listen, and OPEC should
persist on this path.
We are part of the Arab world, and members of the group of developing
poor countries. We rely on Arab oil producing countries for the major
part of the resources required for the much needed development
programmes in poorer Arab countries. While we should care about our
environment, we have to be careful not to blindly join any international
environmental chorus. We should not yield our interests to the hammers
of "environmental globalization", especially when it means
that only the poor should pay the price.
To Discuss This Topic, Write to nsaab@mectat.com.lb |