From: IGC Conservation Biology Desk <consdesk@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: sci.environment
Date: 03 Sep 92 19:40 PDT
Subject: Earth Council Opens Doors
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1466601752:000:6782
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!consdesk    Sep  3 19:40:00 1992


                       Joint Press Release
                      San Jose, Costa Rica

President Rafael Angel Calderon and Maurice Strong announced today the
opening of the offices of the Organizing Committee of the Earth Council,
which will be based in San Jose, Costa Rica. This follows from the
initiative to establish the Earth Council proposed by the Government of
Costa Rica at the Earth Summit. Mr. Strong has agreed to become Chairman
of the Organizing Committee following completion of his term as
Secretary-General of the United Nations 1992 Earth Summit Conference on
Environment and Development.

The Earth Council will be an independent, international, broadly
representative group of eminent non-governmental persons from many
nations.  Nominations for membership of the Council are now being invited
from interested organizations and groups, and members will be selected on
the basis of broad consultations.

Sponsors of the Earth Council include the International Council of
Scientific Unions (ICSU), the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the
Society for International Development.  A number of leading professional
and policy institutes and citizens groups from all parts of the world will
also be associated with the Council, which will draw on their broad range
of capacities and expertise.

The Earth Council will seek to become a major focal point for promoting
and facilitating follow-up and implementation of the agreements reached at
the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June and cooperation amongst various
non-governmental and citizen groups for this purpose. It will complement,
supplement and utilize the expertise of others rather than duplicate or
compete with them. An important related objective will be to help achieve
the aims and mission of the Sustainable Development Commission expected to
be established by the United Nations General Assembly at its forthcoming
session in response to the recommendations of the Earth Summit.

Mr. Strong voiced his "great appreciation" to the President and the
Government of Costa Rica for its willingness to host the Earth Council and
its Organizing Committee and for the President's presence on this
inaugural occasion.

Noting that the full Organizing Committee had yet to meet, Mr. Strong said
that it would be premature to provide more than preliminary information
about the Council.  He said that further details will be made available
following the first meeting due to be held shortly.

Mr. Strong described the present concept of the Earth Council in the
following terms:

	"The Earth Council will actively promote world-wide awareness,
	understanding and resolution of major planetary problems: poverty,
	underdevelopment, environmental deterioration, unsustainable
	patterns of production and consumption and population growth. By
	providing objective information, fair and unbiased evaluation,
	public dialogue and constructive suggestions, the Council will
	encourage international organizations, governments, the private
	sector and other groups and individuals to respond in a vigorous and
	timely manner to these challenges. In particular the Council will
	seek to provide a new, strong and independent force for action based
	on the momentum developed and the commitments made at the Earth
	Summit. It will provide a global focal point for information on
	public and private progress in achieving sustainable development and
	an international citizens network of monitoring and interchange
	based on the capacities and expertise of many existing networks."

The challenge of contributing towards global sustainable development
strategies, particularly from the perspective of developing countries, is
a major feature of the Earth Council.

President Calderon expressed his satisfaction during the inauguration of
the Organizing Committee offices and noted that this event takes place
within the framework of the New Ecological Order for International
Cooperation proposed by his administration.

Alicia Barcena, the Executive Director of the Organizing Committee, has
moved to San Jose to establish the office of the Secretariat being opened
by the President today.

Mr. Strong stated that, "The location of the Earth Council Organizing
Committee in Costa Rica is very appropriate due to the unique character
and peaceful tradition of this country and its people and the positive
example it has set in the conservation of its rich and diverse natural
resources." Mr. Strong expressed his great respect and appreciation for
the leadership of Costa Rica in the field of environment and development
and indicated that there could not be a more appropriate venue for the
Earth Council. He expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome extended to
them by President Calder"n and the people of Costa Rica. In particular he
referred to Mr. Hern n Bravo, Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and
Mines, Mr. Bernd Niehaus, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Luis Javier
Guier, Executive Chairman of the Instituto Nacional de Seguros, for the
facilities and support provided to the installation of the Organizing
Committee in San Jose.

The Earth Council is in the process of being registered in Costa Rica
where its activities will be based.

Initial financing is being provided by ECOFUND '92 and additional support
will be sought in many countries from foundations, corporations,
individuals and other sources.

Membership of the Organizing Committee is now being finalized.  In
addition to representatives of the sponsoring federations, it will include
the following persons and others:

-    Maurice Strong, Canada, Chairman 
-    Ashok Khosla, India, Former Chairman of the International
     Facilitating Committee of NGOs for UNCED and President of
     Development Alternatives;
-    Khadija Haq, Pakistan, Executive Director, North-South Round
     Table;
-    Margaret Taylor, Ambassador of Papua New Guinea to the
     United States of America;
-    Gus Speth, USA, President of World Resources Institute;
-    Hironobu Shibuya, Japan, Public Affairs Consultant;
-    Stephan Schmidheiny, Switzerland, Chairman of Business
     Council for Sustainable Development
-    Alvaro Umana, Costa Rica, Central American Institute for
     Business Management (INCAE)
-    Gerardo Budowski, Venezuela, World University for Peace
-    Hernan Bravo, Representative of the Government of Costa Rica

Ex-officio

-    Benjamin Read, USA, President of ECOFUND '92
-    Gabriela Niehaus, Costa Rica, Designated liaison with the
     Government of Costa Rica, and
-    Alicia Barcena, Executive Director.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
     Earth Council Organizing Committee
     San Jose, Costa Rica
     Tel: (506)233-418   Fax: (506)552-197

(ref.: jpasztor@igc.apc.org Thu Sep  3 17:01:09 1992)