Palampur
Declaration on Sustainable Development
(Announced at the 4th World
Congress on Environment Management, Palampur (India) on
9th June 2002)
The participants to the 4th World Congress on Environment Management,
held during June 7-9, 2002 at Palampur, recognised the importance
of action in making the sustainable development happen. They
felt there was too much talk about sustainable development
and in most cases, it was a case of preaching those who are
already converted. There is little evidence of action in reaching
those beyond the cocoons of converts. The Congress questioned
why 10 years after RIO, even the principal product of RIO – ‘Agenda
21’ remains unimplemented.
The Congress noted that according
to Mahbub-ul-Haq of Pakistan based Human Development Centre "during
the globalization phase about half a -billion people in South
Asia have experienced a decline in their incomes”. Also according
to UN Report on Human Development (1998), the income ratio
between 20% of the world's poorest and 20% richest was 1:30
in 1960. It increased to 1:61 in 1990. In 1999 it was 1:74 and
today it stands at 1:87. Similarly even in US the differential
between the shop floor worker and CEO which was 1:39 in 1960
has now gone up to 1:254. As for the environment
damage there could not be a more convincing evidence of global
warming than the shattering of a huge ice-shelf, ‘Larsen B’,
weighing, 500 million billion tonnes in Antarctica on 5 March
2002 and breaking off of another ice-shelf – Thwaites - covering
an area of 5500sq. km. within 13 days (on 18 March 2002).
It was realised that sustainable development cannot take place unless
we involve the masses proactively and create a buy - in for
all stakeholders viz government, business and civil society
to make the sustainability agenda successful.
The civil society needs to change it’s life style and the business needs
to change production processes and innovate products, which
are eco-efficient and environment friendly. All this will fail,
if the government does not support by taxing pollution and
stopping subsidies that are endangering the environment.
The conference recognised that environment improvement needed a comprehensive,
cohesive and transformational approach
involving all activities and that little is achieved by tinkering
here and there through isolated and compartmentalised actions.
The conference ‘blueprint for action’ given below is therefore
a comprehensive and
transformational 11 point agenda, which will henceforth be
known as the “Palampur Declaration on Sustainable Development”.
1. Partnership In Action for Sustainability
(PIAS)
The
conference found that despite lack of significant action on
Agenda 21 some of the businesses have done excellent work relating
to environment management and brought down its impact in many
ways. There were several good examples in India. The Congress
had the benefit of 18 case studies of excellence and it was
felt those stories needed to be shared with others. It was
therefore decided to develop a partnership program to involve
all those interested in upgrading the environment. For this
an initiative called PIAS (Partners in Action for Sustainability)
was formed. A large number of participants joined the initiative
by giving a signed undertaking that they will do everything
within their power to protect the environment. The PIAS task
will be to disseminate good work done by companies and thus
provide role models that we badly need and at the same time
encourage companies to seek 3rd party certification
to ‘ISO 14001, Environment Management System’ as a first step
to demonstrate their commitment to environment. Those already
certified are encouraged to go beyond EMS, towards Total Eco-Effective
Management.
2. Pricing
Natural Capital
The
conference felt that an overriding reason why sustainable development
has not captured the imagination of people and business is
that there is little action on pricing the natural capital.
Claims of saving environment sound hollow, if no economic value
is accorded to natural capital. It was decided to synergise
with like minded organisations worldwide, to develop realistic
costs for the use of biological flows and natural capital.
3. Radical increase in Resource Productivity
The
industry needs to change its paradigm from increasing labour
productivity to radically increasing resource productivity.
All effort needs to be directed in this area and special incentives
provided to innovators.
4. Fostering
Innovation and Creativity
The
Congress came to the conclusion that the only way environment
can be saved is by nurturing creativity and fostering innovation.
This means people need to be given ownership of jobs they are
doing and encouraged to make mistakes. The companies should
not only recognise success but develop reward system that recognise “good
tries”.
5. Governance
Structure
The
Congress participants concluded that poor record of ‘action
on sustainability’ was the outcome of misgovernance and lack
of transparency. We, therefore need to create more transparency,
accountability, integrity and equity in our governance structures.
Tough legislation and enforcement measures are required to
combat corruption.
6. From Cradle to Cradle
All
production processes need to be reorganised to pattern themselves
on biological model, which has no waste. We need to change
our paradigm from minimising waste to eliminating waste by
closed loop systems.
7. Practice
TEEM (Total Eco-Effective Management)
Everyone
in the organisation needs to practice total Eco-Effective Management,
which calls for 9-fold action.:
i) Reduce
material intensity,
ii) Reduce
energy,
iii) Eliminate
toxicity,
iv) Recycle,
v) Reuse,
vi) Revalourise,
vii) Minimise
use of scarce natural resources.
viii) Use
renewables.
ix) Provide
extension of service wherever possible.
8. Shift
economy from acquisition to flow mode.
We
must change to life styles that promote flow of goods and services
instead of owning them. Car hire, Laundromats and leasing of
services are some of the examples. The producer is to be responsible
for the entire life cycle of the product.
9. Fiscal
Policies
We
must change to fiscal and financial policies and adopt the
ones that reward those who save environment and punish those
who damage. The government must withdraw forthwith all subsides
on processes and activities that damage environment. Taxation
policy be changed to tax environmental impact instead of labour.
Special incentives such as credits be given to those installing
renewables.
10. Poor
Inclusive Market Frameworks
Poverty is the single
largest barrier to sustainability. We need to develop and implement
market frameworks that subsidize business to seek untapped
markets in poor areas and develop viable income – generating
activities for the poor.
11. Extensive
use of Computers and Internet
Extensive use of computers can have a significant
effect on the environment. Emission problem can be solved to
a significant extent by allowing more and more people to work
from home.
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