From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: MILITARY LINK UNSAID AT UNCED
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Distribution: na
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1992 08:23:15 GMT

POSITIVE ALTERNATIVES
A Publication of the CENTER FOR ECONOMIC CONVERSION

Published quarterly. Materials in POSITIVE ALTERNATIVES may be 
reprinted if this publication and the CENTER for ECONOMIC CONVERSION are 
credited and a copy is sent to CEC.

** Written  4:45 pm  Aug 10, 1992 by dwalt in cdp:econconversion **
MILITARY LINK UNSAID AT UNCED

UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, opening the U.N. Conference 
on Environment and Development, acknowledged that security  is "less and 
less a military matter. . . and is instead acquiring an economic and 
ecological dimension." Military spending, he said, "must be redirected 
towards planetary development projects." But such rhetoric was never 
translated into substantive language in Rio.

In fact, language calling on governments to "ascertain that their military 
establishments conform to strict environmental norms" in the handling of 
hazardous waste was diluted in UNCED's action plan, Agenda 21. Now, it 
states that countries must conform to ambiguous "nationally applicable" 
norms.  Other standards for handling radioactive waste and contamination 
in weapons production and war were also rejected.

Unfortunately, the United States, concerned about bringing its own 
military fully under domestic environmental regulations, played the major 
role in keeping the military out of UNCED.  This is despite the fact that ten 
to thirty percent of all global environmental degradation can be attributed 
to military activities, according to a report of the Science for Peace  
Institute at  the University of Toronto. The world's armed forces are also 
responsible for more than two-thirds of the ozone-depleting CFC-113 
released into the atmosphere.

Non-governmental groups that worked together to lobby UNCED are now 
discussing future projects. One proposal includes bringing environmental 
and development concerns to international disarmament negotiations. 
(Many governments argued at UNCED that military impacts should be dealt 
with in other forums.) Preparing a global environmental impact statement 
on the military and filing complaints before the newly-created 
Sustainable Development Commission are also being considered.

"UNSAID at UNCED" a 30 page collection of proposed language on 
militarism for UNCED documents and other material prepared by the NGO 
working Group on the Military, the Environment and Development is 
available for $5 from the International Clearinghouse on the Military and 
the Environment, PO Box 150753, Brooklyn, NY 11215; 718-788-6071; e-
mail: fbp@igc.org.

** End of text from cdp:econconversion **

******************************************************************
                     THE CENTER FOR ECONOMIC CONVERSION
                222 View St., Suite C, Mountain View CA 94041
                  Tel: (415) 968-8798    FAX: (415) 968-1126
                          Email: bdelson@igc.org
The CENTER for ECONOMIC CONVERSION is a non-profit public benefit 
corporation dedicated to building a sustainable peace-oriented economy. 
Founded in 1975, the organization serves as a national resource center and 
a catalyst for conversion planning. CEC provides educational materials; 
speakers; organizing assistance to conversion activists; technical 
assistance to workers, managers and public officials confronting military 
cutbacks; and research on conversion issues.

Beth Delson, Editor; Michael Closson, Executive Director; Joan Holtzman, 
Development Coordinator; Marie Jones, Conversion Planner; Susan Strong, 
Senior Research Associate; Rosemary Wick, Office Manager.
******************************************************************

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