Now the debates are about who is responsible, who pays and how much, as well as access to resources whether natural or intellectual. There is an urgent need to move beyond finger pointing. No organism can exist without affecting its environment. Lions dine on gazelles. A growing tree will shade out sun-loving herbaceous plants.
All organisms excrete wastes.
So the question facing the Earth Summit and humanity in general is not whether to affect the environment or not, but in what ways. The need is not just for restraint but also for creativity. There are opportunities for economic growth that bear the environment in mind. There is money to be made in efficient use of resources and in new technologies that make it possible. An interesting piece of sustainable development is already emerging unheralded from the intersection of biotechnology and biological diversity.