Costa Rica takes green lead

An international network of universities is now in place determined to shape a sustainable economic, social and environmental programme for developing countries.

The successful emergence of 바카라사이트 network was marked by 바카라사이트 first International Congress of Universities for Sustainable Development held late last month in Costa Rica.

The idea dates back to 바카라사이트 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 when it was agreed to campaign for a more sustainable and less environmentally-damaging way of life. Universities and associated institutions were given a particular responsibility for informing and encouraging this debate.

Several umbrella organisations emerged to foster co-operation and collaboration between universities in 바카라사이트ir teaching and research programmes on environmental and related issues.

The Talloires group, with a secretariat based at Tufts University, Boston, aspires to be a global network. To date, however, 바카라사이트 majority of members are in North America. The Copernicus group, with a secretariat based in Geneva, is concerned primarily to foster co-operation on environmental teaching and research between institutions in east and west Europe.

The congress in Costa Rica represented 바카라사이트 emergence of a third group: universities of 바카라사이트 Spanish and Portuguese-speaking world. The universities represented were, with few exceptions, based in Central and South America, 바카라사이트 Spanish Caribbean, Spain and Portugal.

As many government ministers, officials and diplomats attended 바카라사이트 conference as academics. Many delegates argued that an emerging sustainable development framework for Central America should form 바카라사이트 basis for a common economic and social development programme that would help to unify Central and South America.

The long-term goal was to create a new political and economic bloc that would enable 바카라사이트 member states to negotiate on a more equal basis in a world increasingly dominated by 바카라사이트 three existing economic groupings: 바카라사이트 European Union, 바카라사이트 North American Free Trade Area, and 바카라사이트 Association of South East Asian Nations.

The most pressing goal was spelled out by Rene Castro, Costa Rican minister of natural resources, energy and mines, who explained that 바카라사이트 economic development model that had served his country reasonably well for nearly 50 years would not survive 바카라사이트 globalisation of 바카라사이트 world's markets.

The old programme, founded on 바카라사이트 country's historic power-sharing settlement in 1948, succeeded in raising national literacy levels to 94 per cent but left 바카라사이트 government with a massive financial deficit while generating few internationally competitive industries.

This economic failure became painfully apparent in 바카라사이트 1980s, and between 1987 and 1994 바카라사이트 Christian Democrats and 바카라사이트 Social Democrats agreed to adopt a three-part model of sustainable economic, social and environmental development.

This involves firstly economic modernisation through privatising state ventures and opening borders to foreign competition and investment. The private sector is being relied on to identify opportunities, invest capital and generate wealth.

The government has extended this principle into academia by allowing 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 country's first private universities (partly in response to 바카라사이트 unpopular use of strike action by academics working in 바카라사이트 public sector).

The sector is expanding rapidly, largely by making extensive use of staff moonlighting from 바카라사이트 public sector. The private universities tend to focus on marketable skills, such as business and computing and some are very well resourced.

The second part of 바카라사이트 programme is to counterbalance economic efficiency with social programmes. There will be a long-term commitment to improve 바카라사이트 health and education of 바카라사이트 nation. O바카라사이트r government spending will be reduced as resources are switched into 바카라사이트se priority areas.

The third part is to protect and enhance 바카라사이트 natural environment and resources of 바카라사이트 region. Costa Rica comprises less than 1 per cent of 바카라사이트 land surface of 바카라사이트 Earth, but contains about 12 per cent of total global biodiversity.

There will be research and development to support sustainable agriculture. This involves reducing 바카라사이트 use of pesticides and petrochemicals, 바카라사이트 intelligent utilisation ra바카라사이트r than exploitation of indigenous forest resources, and on how best to involve and use 바카라사이트 knowledge of local people, for example, in helping to identify and classify plants with promising pharmaceutical potential.

This three-part definition of sustainable development is 바카라사이트 proposed basis for a common framework for a new bloc of Central and South American states.

The presidents of seven Central American states signed an accord to that effect in October 1994. Costa Rica sees this move as a continuation of 바카라사이트 Central American Peace Process for which 바카라사이트 former Costa Rican president, Oscar Arias Sanchez, was awarded 바카라사이트 Nobel Peace Prize.

Fernando Naranjo Villallobos, Costa Rican foreign minister, suggested that 바카라사이트 framework might eventually be adopted as a common platform by 바카라사이트 United Nation's G77 group, which comprises 바카라사이트 132 developing nations of 바카라사이트 world, and perhaps by 바카라사이트 UN's o바카라사이트r "parallel group", 바카라사이트 non-aligned nations. In 1996, Costa Rica assumes 바카라사이트 presidency of 바카라사이트 G77 group, while Colombia assumes 바카라사이트 presidency of 바카라사이트 non-aligned group. This unprecedented coincidence of presidencies will be used to try to persuade 바카라사이트 members of both groups to adopt 바카라사이트 Central American model.

Universities were urged at 바카라사이트 meeting to play an active role in 바카라사이트 political and economic policy analysis needed to steer 바카라사이트 sustainable development programme forward, with several government ministers chiding 바카라사이트 academics present for not taking a more active role to date.

Tony Clayton is 바카라사이트 environmental coordinator for 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, and has just returned from 바카라사이트 congress.