FROM INFORMATION TO EDUCATION,

an educational series from the Panos Institute

ENVIRONMENT AND
DEVELOPMENT
Introduction: Definitions and Linkages

Global Environmental Problems and Development

How Underdevelopment Affects the Environment

How Development Strategies Affect the Environment

Discussion Exercises

A Publication by
the Panos Institute
I. Introduction: Definitions and Linkages

Conventional wisdom holds that concern for the environment is limited primarily
to the wealthy industrialized nations of the Northern hemisphere. Perhaps this was
true twenty years ago, .. .but it is definitely not true today.... Citizens around the
world are voicing great concern over the state of the environment. (Report of the
22-nation Survey on the Health of the Planet, George R. Gallup, Jr, June 1992)
Global warming ... sustainable development... biodiversity ....
Terms related to environment and development are now part of a global vocabu-
lary. Individuals from peasants to policy-makers are becoming aware that develop-
ment depends upon the environment, and the environment is at risk.
This module focuses on the developing countries of the Southern hemisphere,
and like other Panos publications, highlights Southern perspectives. After reviewing
key definitions and theories, the text outlines global environmental problems and
their impacts on poor countries. Then, the module describes how in the South,
home to 80% of the world's people, poverty and underdevelopment present unique
environmental challenges. The final section discusses some of the environmental
problems posed by development strategies themselves.
The module is designed to help illustrate how underdevelopment limits the range
of alternatives available to poor people and governments when they make decisions
People worldwide are organizing to protect the about resource use. To that end, the text includes quotes and excerpted writings
environment. Women from the Appiko movement by journalists and development advocates from the South.
in southern India have prevented thousands of trees The module's goals are 1) to clarify some of the complex linkages between envi-
from being cut down. ronment and development and 2) to help readers understand that in a global
ecosystem, these linkages affect the social, political, and economic interests of all
nations, including the United States.

A. What is the Environment? The environment is everything contained in the biosphere where life exists. For
humans, it is the physical context in which we live, work, and play, from wilderness
to urban neighborhoods.
The environment demonstrates that everything is inter-connected: the activities of
individual species affect all other species. This is particularly true if a species' popu-
lation and behavior exceed an ecosystem's ability to support them, or its carrying
capacity.

B. Defining Development If it doesn't benefit the poorest ten percent of the population, most of whom are
women, it isn't development. (Mu hammad Yunus, Grameen Bank, Bangladesh)

Many definitions exist for development, and indicators for its assessment include
gross domestic product (GOP), female literacy, and political freedom. Regardless of
terminology or measurements, most descriptions of development suggest reducing
people's vulnerability- to poverty, ignorance, and oppression.
Reduced vulnerability is vital for the millions of poor people in the global South
who live on the brink of survival, a status known as subsistence. People living at the
subsistence level in both rural and urban areas have no margin for error, and avoid
taking risks. If they don't grow enough food or earn enough money through their
labor, they and their families will starve.
Like everyone, poor people in developing countries want to survive, even if this means
clearing forests, over-working their farmland, or having large families in the hopes that
surviving children will increase family income or care for aged parents. For people -
and nations- who are chronically poor, meeting immediate needs may threaten long-
term sustainability. As the history of development illustrates, concern for environmental
Some observers fear that human resource use sustainability has only recently begun to influence development theory and practice.
(consumption) and population may exceed the
carrying capacity of the planet.

2
 Wf;e1t tTl I l1 Y.r irr. a 51Jt!rYtnmf rod lzi/l~ides; degratt~ Another example.of ln~erdependenoe related to etwtron ·
nn elands,.ar l1 nz {L1re~t") s nding 'P de .. i11to ~ ·rhtc- me t and ·development invoiY!3S t f e export 1 davel 1ping
tion) th y ar rn l· the nly w:.::n1 hCJ st1j,~ ·~ ... Poft!ntffi.Uy countrles of pe ic de..~ I at are banned or tightly con rolled
vall (tble mcdi · u3..' lost with l'ze e:·rm lion of min fim• i in he North, but ha a~e attractive to sorne Southe l pro-
~pecier; are t t Hm}af/able .to the rich ill fhriJI pri at hospf.. ducors d ue to the expectation of ncreassd yields. is '' ..ir-
talc; a- thry arr..la the pocn- in tl'z,~l-r rural iinics., And til. cle of polson" bBgins W1fh endangered vvorke·s who pro-
Carb 11 dioxide t~ fef.1t7ed a.::.Jtmdles mi.ff(tMl ·.~ bHf1l pJutto i11 duce pesticides 1or export_ It continues when he chemicals
t1u? AH1t1ZOU ur he Cmtg(iJ wn. ms the lobe ns swrc1y ns do anive In a developing: courl ry wt ere esl1cide regulation 1!'-1
lll ft.nn s frm1z 1ulmiwbile twd f'm kesta k. in L(J weal< or nonexrs eot, and whera protective gear is unavatl-
A ngele"' t r MilnH. 1he fnl of f{w (or/ mm.le i- imnmtably ab e or loo ex en~ive for Iabore s. A th point on the or~
bun lud fo fl1c fntc f the dispos _d IhrmJgfr llle Lnttcl, ce, t1e hemicals poison t rm-wotka sand contaminate
Vijfer, rmd ~1h: ... ( Almr B. . Dun-ting i-n Pa erty att~f tl1rt the ~ ocal env.1ror ment, as welf as the crops o vvr rch 1hey
Ewoi-ror:m~ Jt: R ·v r .. i ng tJte Do·wnu' rd SJ:'in l are applied. The oycte enr;Js when crops wilt t fgh tovels of·
ch mica resldt e are exported to the North and oonsumed.
nly wiT en Lh · ridl fittd tn'trirmmumt"al d ogtadnHo z A tllougl transna; lOhal problems raqu1re gfob-ql solu ions,
ntld. adver dv affi d HHir i ltrrr? t .. do tlr y sta t- tot .lk indivtdUals and r on-govemmentaJ organtzatfons (NGO )
.ab ut iui· ft-ll!p ·11den e. ( Hu: h M Cu11Htr1, S Jl 111. n1 . now play an unprecedanted rare in advoc ling policies r Cl
African Resr.mrch nm1 Oocr.mreniati u ~enler, Zimlmbwe) rograms, ~ nd in practici11g cit zen diploma y. If glob" I
tr~nds toward in rea ed oernooratizauon and pluralism
Ma:ny phenomena hat link ~eop l e .vorltiW1de suo as oo tinue, NGOs may have a even grent~r impac. At the
travs1or trade) result from echnology, Others (such lndM(JUal level, people around tt1e wortd have begun o
w~ether end food availa.b1lity) a.r:e environmental. he envi- 1nderstand t 1a.r pefsanal decisions about consumption and
ronm nt fl!lps aemcmstrate U1a phenomenon oF lncreas ng repro uc l1on affect e1wlronrnent ~md deVc:J1opment world-
g lobal interdependence. widR
fn 198-7, the World Oommisst 1r 1r t=: vironment and
Development (t.:alled ttl e BrundUand Con mission) ass Jr ~r 9Wo ldwal h Paper 92, Wa lngt) , DC, Nov !her 19 :~1. pp, _ -68.
thal lhe old view orthe wor ld. in which ·ssues ar svenls
w ere confined wflhin oountrles, was no longer Etccurate.
Today, there is ample prooHnaJ poverty<- nd environme~ I
degr~da.Uo t 11ns ~ d nst-ioF"lat borders. It is also clear I a
actldh en er:~vimnme.nt and development is 11 1<1r1g p .. ople
around the g~ob . Citizens jn o.ountrie$ a cttfare t as the
United Sta :as nd Kenya have formed grass10ots org niza
c

tions to address env1 onment an developrneFlt

One problen reqw ling in erhaliona at1enwon i~ nor - ~d
human rnjgm.tion re!a Hd to en~irmnmental degrad~tion and
pov.ert.y. Unable to tn ake a I v' ng on unprodurntve land:J,
envi ronmenta~ refugees l'fiOVe m crowded otties o ami-
TIT>( tJ~' v timnt~ 1Ml• IllY< ~I'm 14 milrrm 11·'11Wim •sl1l fdtr, ,
gra -e, as have thousands of Hartians leaving thai severely cl1 t t•Mwi~e-, nrmmb•l '
rp Clrrfl11i11c1 rlSt!f - J•MNt'll 41 , hli1!)11rlll ' lli
deforested country. mzd an• fopment tm; tmh d " ed.

Development Theories in Evolution

In the 1950s, planners emphasized industrial development, assuming that since
Western Europe, the United States, and the Soviet Union had developed through
industry, the same approach would work in the South. Infrastructure projects,
such as dams, roads, and ports, were expanded during the 1960s, accompanied by
investments in agriculture, education, and health.
Capital investments were expected to create infrastructure and jobs, generating
economic growth to benefit everyone. By the late 1960s, although many developing
country economies had higher growth rates than industrialized countries had enjoyed
at similar stages in their development, the benefits were not reaching the poor.
By the 1970s, emphasis shifted to improving income distribution in order to
achieve "growth with equity." Programs attempted to reach the "poorest of the
poor," especially in rural areas. Meeting basic human needs for food, health care,
and shelter, became a primary concern, leading in the 1980s to emphasis on poor
people's ability to earn income. This "private enterprise" strategy emphasized gov-
ernment policy reforms and economic growth, partly in response to the debt crisis.

3
 Also related to mounting debt, government inability to "deliver" development led to
a growing role for non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
For the first time in the 1980s, experts began to acknowledge that the natural
resource base is finite, and that neither national accounting systems nor market
prices accurately reflect the value of these resources. ·Other assumptions began to
affect development in the 1980s, as wel_l. Experts began to focus on the critical role
of women in development; on non-governmental organizations (NGOs); on charac-
teristics of developing country governance; on pluralism and human rights; and on
sustainability, where environment and development converge.

Integrated rural development strategies of the 1970s promoted community participation in project
planning and implementation.

C. Sustainable Development Generation after generation, we Kunas have been learning how we depend on
the Earth, how one species depends on another.... And so we have learned that, by
ensuring the life of Mother Earth, we are ensuring the life of our people.
(Guillermo Archibald, Management Project for the Wildlands of Kuna Yala,
Panama)
In its 1987 report Our Common Future, the Brundtland Commission described
sustainable development as "development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
Concern for the welfare - and rights - of future generations is referred to as
inter-generational equity. A cultural value shared by most traditional peoples,
inter-generational equity begins with the ancestors, and continues indefinitely, bind-
ing successive generations in responsible resource use.
While sustainable development and its focus on meeting future needs is a pre-
vailing theory in the 1990s, it has not enjoyed universal acceptance. In fact, as
negotiations at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED) demonstrated, many people in the South are concerned that
Northern definitions of sustainable development place greater emphasis on long-
term environmental protection than on immediate development.

''EnvitonmentalApathyi:n. Francophone Africa?"

Whatca? ti)e~?? Whe~jwaE; agirl, therewet'e many ~~m~:1;r Even.at the levelpf q~ticqm~!oeci~ion~r;ri~~m~ •.~~¥1":
fruitE; . tobe$~~htr~a._..· vye ~ta•· third for .our oU1ft ~onsump~ ronmental concerns seem.to have f<;J.llep several.qtBIP$ orJ ttie
tionp~tfd_·• sol~. t~~ ~~9it{~(}'P( 1fll.U3ould·_ simply _ take ~h~ scale of priorities.
fruits~fnd·· l?a~e~ zpi~~t;>t,tt~~o~ardizing • the·_· tree·•·:•· We used to There are several reasons for this. Erwironmental cqnc~rns
c?ll~Qt.fir~??~fflO.ltl tre~~ w~ichhad.died.· naturally... Now are often long-term. But for developing countries, thefutUr¢1$
therearenlartY• • We~ve~ogo.t1 · longway,tqcutliving perceived as a luxury enjoyed by wealthy nations that are
shrubatfd l~p~ it todry out for days.or wee~~~qrewecan forcibly trying to impose environmental concerns on the restot
use .it forotl.rfise?: •· • It isfqr l~cko[otherprodt{cethc{tlsell the world. Populations threatened by poverty are understand ...
wood, beqause at leastla11f sure that it will b~ bqt[.~~t .and ably more concerned about the present.
that .J will hc{ve enoug~ 11f9.11ey to provide for·my needs.. Tq be persuaded to pay more attentionto the envirpnrn~nt;
(Rasmata,a 11JQ.1Jlan from Byrkina.Paso) pedple must be presented withalternatives. · But due to laql<
of means, lack"of•informationj orboth, -. people oftendo .· not
Th(3 SP.dtruth abC>ufFr(3.ncophone Africa's·- envirc:>niTlehtal have·.choices.
healthi isthatfeWpeople,apartfromthe odd farmer; are con.;. Diana Senghor, in Panoscope ZS,July 1991

4
II. Global Environmental Problems and Development

The most vulnerable populations are in developing countries, in the lower-

income groups, residents of coastal lowlands and islands, populations in semi-
arid grasslands, and the urban poor.... (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change)
Some environmental problems, such as climate change and loss of biological
diversity, are global in nature. Acting alone, individual nations cannot solve these
problems; instead, global environmental issues challenge governments to cooper-
ate. The way nations respond depends upon a set of variables related to develop-
ment. These include monetary wealth, access to information and technology, nat-
ural resources, consumption patterns, and population growth. In addition, many
government responses depend on political factors, such as social and economic
policies influenced by public opinion.

A. Climate Change and The atmosphere is part of the global commons (also including outer space and
Global Warming the ocean floor) owned by no individual countries. Like other commons, the atmos-
phere's viability depends on responsible use. Many scientists believe humans are
threatening the atmosphere through increased emissions of "greenhouse gases":
carbon dioxide (C0 2), methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons (or CFCs,
found in aerosols, refrigerants, and solvents).

What, and Who, Causes the "Enhanced" Greenhouse Effect?

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a UN-sponsored body of emi-
nent scientists that advises policymakers, estimates that carbon dioxide has been
responsible for half the enhanced greenhouse effect (that which is caused by
humans) since the industrial revolution in the late 1700s. These C0 2 emissions
result from burning carbon-based fuels, such as coal and oil; from burning forests;
and from cultivating soil.
Will the enhanced greenhouse effect cause global warming? Because human
behavior is unpredictable and scientific models are imperfect, this is a difficult ques-
Industrialized countries account for roughly 75%
of global C02 emissions; the United States alone is
oc
tion. If emissions continue at current rates, the IPCC predicts a 1 increase in
global mean temperature by 2025 and a 3°C increase by the end of the next
responsible for some 25%.2
century, with visible impacts during our children's lifetime.

Impacts of Global Warming on Developing Countries

Developing countries are expected to suffer most dramatically from global warm-
ing. Higher temperatures, resulting in the melting of polar ice, may raise sea levels.
This would affect millions of people in the South, whose homes and land would be
flooded, and whose governments are already straining to meet basic needs. Island
states, megacities, and highly populated regions near or below sea level are expect-
ed to disappear or lose substantial land mass, including cities such as Calcutta,
Shanghai, Bangkok, and Jakarta; Bangladesh, with a population of over 110 million;
and fertile land such as the Nile Delta. The United Nations estimates, for instance,
that by the year 2050, almost 20% of Egypt's cultivable land could disappear.3
The IPCC also predicts altered weather patterns, causing drought and more
severe storms. Even small decreases in rainfall could markedly increase the intensi-
As in Bangladesh, increased flooding in regions
ty of drought in semi-arid regions, where food shortages are already serious. In
near sea level will strain government capacities to
addition, higher temperatures may extend the geographic range of insects, dis-
provide relief assistance.
eases, and weeds. On the other hand, the IPCC predicts that the rate of climate
change may be faster than the ability of some species to adapt, leading to their
migration or extinction.

2 Gerald Foley, Who's Taking the Heat, p. 71 .

3 UNESCO-UNEP, Fact Sheet on Climate Change,

1992.

5
 In addition, the IPCC predicts socioeconomic and political impacts which devel-
oping countries are ill-equipped to address. For instance, climate change would
require new agricultural technology and management practices, yet many develop-
ing countries lack the money, expertise, and time required to adapt to new condi-
tions. Farmers would need to make continual changes and investments in methods
and inputs, but such adaptation would t;>e difficult or impossible for the poor, espe-
cially if crops failed due to more pests, drought, or floods.
Poor people would also be most vulnerable to water quality and availability. For
them, the difficulty of securing safe drinking water because of drought might
increase malnutrition and disease. The breeding and survival of disease-causing
viruses and bacteria would likely increase, moreover, and spread to areas where
they are now rare or unknown.
In one of the most serious potential impacts of climate change for developing
countries, global warming is also expected to reduce the availability of fuelwood, a
vital energy source. In some African countries, for example, more than 90% of
The UN estimates that the average person in the energy needs depend on fuelwood, and in Latin America, some 80 million poor
North uses up to 70 times more water than an depend on fuelwood for heating and cooking.4 Yet some scientists fear that
average person in a developing country. drought, changing temperatures, and other environmental variables may lead to the
extinction or scarcity of important tree species.
At the same time, the IPCC predicts that continued economic development in
the South will require increased fossil fuel consumption, and therefore, co 2 emis-
sions. Thus, many environment and development advocates argue that all coun-
tries would benefit from the open exchange of technologies and patents to help
ensure worldwide energy-efficiency. In addition to energy-efficient technology, if
global warming occurs at the rates predicted, developing countries will require
assistance in constructing dams; responding to refugees permanently displaced
from their homes; stabilizing agricultural yields; and responding to increased hunger
and disease.

B. Biological and With the advent of genetic engineering, genetic resources are as coveted as oil.
Cultural Diversity Yet we are destroying them so fast that scientists estimate at least 50 species of
plants or animals become extinct each day. Some say the rate of species loss is so
great it may disrupt evolution itself. ... Disagreements over how to save biodiver-
sity are also threatening to widen the North-South divide as developing countries
seek to derive benefit from their biological wealth. (Omar Sattaur in Panoscope
23, March 1991)

You cannot think about "conserving genetic resources" when you have an
empty stomach. (Saleh Omari, a Tanzanian village elder)

Biological diversity, or "biodiversity," refers to genetic diversity within a

species, species diversity within a region, and ecosystem diversity (e.g. rain forest,
desert). Developing countries are home to an estimated two-thirds of the earth's
biodiversity. The loss of biological resources is particularly serious, because it is
irreversible.
Reasons for the accelerating loss of biodiversity include: pollution due to human
activities; expanded human settlement by people in need of wood, pastures, or
farmland, and also due to national policies to open up "unproductive" lands; com-
mercial activities, such as mining, fisheries, beef production, and sale of forest prod-
ucts; and new agricultural practices used to produce crops that are uniform in taste
and appearance, especially for foreign consumers. Another factor contributing to
Cloning plants in Nigeria. Most U. S. food pro-
biodiversity loss is export production related to debt repayment.
duction is based on crops native to other regions,
especially developing countries. Why is biodiversity important? In addition to their intrinsic value to the environ-
ment, these biological resources help support agriculture, medicine, and industry
worldwide. For instance, drugs as varied as those for cancer treatment and birth
control require genetic material (germplasm) from developing countries, but other
4 International Center for Research on Women, medicines may never be produced as species disappear. In the United States,
Women, Poverty, and the Environment in Latin 40% of all prescriptions are based on biodiversity resources,5 and U.S. scientists
America, 1991. use germplasm from foreign plants and animals to help breed resistance to pests,
diseases, and drought into U.S. crops and herds.
5 UNESCO-UNEP, Fact Sheet on Biological
Diversity, 1992.

6
 The debate over profit from, and access to, biodiversity resources has intensified
with their scarcity. Most foreign scientists who collect Southern species for
research in the North do not pay for these resources; nor do they share information
or revenues from valuable patents with the countries where the resources originat-
ed. Yet medicines developed from wild products worldwide, especially from the
tropics, are worth about $US 40 billion a year. Critics have characterized this lack
of compensation as "biological imperialism."
In contrast, others believe that biological diversity belongs to everyone, and
should be conserved and carefully exploited for the benefit of all. Still others main-
tain that, as sovereign nations, developing countries have the right to use their nat-
ural resources as they wish, just as industrialized nations have done in clearing their
own forests. The Biological Diversity Convention signed by more than 100
countries at UNCED in June 1992 supports this sovereignty position.
A related issue, that of cultural diversity, focuses on indigenous peoples,
including some 50 million forest peoples. These groups are highly vulnerable when
governments, lenders, and development agencies attempt to develop certain lands
or even establish parks to protect endangered species. In response to this vulnera-
bility, the Biological Diversity Convention asserts that indigenous peoples,
whose patterns of sustainable use have preserved fragile ecosystems for genera-
tions, should be the first beneficiaries of protected areas.
Because of the vast knowledge and practices of indigenous peoples, cultural
diversity is a vital complement to biological diversity. Yet in many developing coun-
Like this traditional healer in Zambia, indigenous tries, traditional knowledge about using biological resources is disappearing faster
people often have unparalleled knowledge about the than the resources themselves. Beyond the humanitarian implications of whole cul-
medicinal properties of plants and animals. tures disappearing, there are other impacts as well. For example, 80% of people in
the South depend upon traditional medicines, 6 and therefore, on individuals knowl-
edgeable about the medicinal properties of wild species. In fact, this knowledge is
61bid. potentially vital to everyone.

"Biodiversity in Agriculture: A View from the South"

Developing countries are home to a bewildering variety of Since time immemorial farmers have been creating,
plants but, with few exceptions, they lack the facilities to maintaining and promoting crop genetic diversity, but their
conserve them as seeds, tissue or pollen in expensive gene contribution is only starting to be acknowledged. Since
banks or in controlled plots in the field. The result is that 1988, Ethiopia's Plant Genetic Resource Genter has been
valuable plant material for agriculture and medicine is being involving farmers, scientists, and extension workers in the
conservation and improvement of native seeds ....
lost.
Many farmers do not like traditional varieties because
Reliable and low-cost conservation techniques are need-
their yields are so low. If they continue to use them it is
ed. For example, setting gene banks in places of relatively because they are more stable and are better adapted to
low temperatures and humidity would reduce electricity local growing conditions and to methods of farming that use
costs and the devastation of power failures. little or no outside inputs, such as fertilizers. But farmers
Developing countries are also in an enviable position to also want higher yields, ~pit i$ important to improve the tra-
conserve the traditional crops and the wild relatives of ditional varieties.... ··
domesticated plants in their natural habitats. There, culti- If farmers are to become the curators of the world's
vated crop varieties can cross with related wild plants and genetic resources, theywil.l •haveto be supported financially
weeds , or adapt to changing soils and climate, and to and technically. Such support is justified. Conserving tradi-
pests. tional varieties and medicinally or economically important
species on farms is vital for sustainable agricultural develop-
Several developing countries are already preserving wild
ment and for a constant supply of useful plant material to
relatives of crops in natural parks and biosphere reserves.
breeders.
For developing countries that lack adequate gene banks
Melaku Worede, Plant Genetic Resource Center,
this i$ a cheaper; and more reliable, way of protecting wild Ethiopia, in Panoscope 23,.March 1991
genepools, It also encourages the protection of natural
environments ..•..

7
C. Deforestation and Deforestation and desertification - unlike climate change or species loss -
D esertification are not considered global environmental problems, because land and trees are not
recognized as "commons." Deforestation and desertification are problems of global
concern, however, because the degradation of any nation's natural resource base
affects poverty levels, cultural and biological diversity, climate change, environmen-
tal migration, and international trade.

Deforestation
There, my son, is where I used to hunt. All over there was forest and plenty of
animals. I can't believe my eyes. All the trees and animals which surrounded
the city seem to have vanished overnight, replaced by buildings and dust.
(Fathi, a tax driver in Khartoum, Sudan)
Forests play an integral role in the natural equilibrium of the environment. They
hold topsoil and provide nutrients for other plant life; house biological and cultural
diversity; provide fuelwood and lumber; and are central to the functioning of water-
sheds (river systems that flow to the sea).
Nearly one-third of the Earth's forest cover has been removed to date. The rate of
deforestation has accelerated most sharply in developing countries, home to about
60% of the world's remaining forests.? The causes of deforestation include human
With government encouragement, Brazilian farm-
settlement, industrial and agricultural expansion (including shifting cultivation, com-
ers have cut and burned the rainforest in exchange
for land, unaware that their crops will not grow mercial plantations, and cattle ranching}, and logging, especially for export.
well in the impoverished soil. In addition to the loss of trees, deforestation initiates a series of changes that
reduce the productive potential of an ecosystem. Removing trees and other ground
cover exposes topsoil on hills and mountains, increasing the likelihood of landslides
while reducing the area's regenerative capacity. As soils are washed into rivers and
streams by storms, residual siltation leads to more frequent flooding, waterlogged
fields, and contaminated drinking water.
Rural women and children are most directly affected by deforestation. As their
resource base shifts, mothers may no longer be able to feed their families and must
walk much farther in search of fuelwood and safe drinking water. Hours spent on
this vital labor is time lost from other work, including income-generating activities.
Large-scale deforestation, particularly of rain forests, also affects global climate
change. Trees are both a source of and a sink for carbon dioxide, absorbing C0 2
as they grow, storing it as they mature, and releasing it as they burn. Clearing and
burning forests exacerbates the greenhouse effect by reducing the number of car-
bon sinks, in addition to releasing C02. Changes in forest cover also affect the
earth's hydrological cycle and may alter local and global weather patterns.

Desertification
There is an advertisement on television in New York which says, "Our
peanuts are fresh from the jungle." The joke is that peanuts don't come from the
jungle; you have to cut down trees to plant peanuts. Then you get the peanuts
-and desertification.B
Desertification in semi-arid regions, like Ethiopia,
is part of a worldwide trend of soil degradation.
"Desertification" describes the near total loss of fertility and productivity of land.
The popular image of the desert taking over farmland is inaccurate. Instead, desertifi-
cation appears wherever people have exhausted land by over-exploiting it. Individual
patches of degraded land join together, until eventually a whole area is affected.
While desertification may be accelerated by drought, its root causes are anthro-
pogenic (human-made). These include over-cultivating poor soils, over-grazing,
deforestation, poor water management and irrigation, and human settlement.
Typically, soil degradation and its social costs affect only the rural poor at first. Loss
of productive land causes food and water shortages, leading to famine and malnutri-
7 U.S. Citizens Network for UNCED, Report on the
tion, and even migration. The poor are forced to compete for resources they used to
Status of Negotiations for the Earth Summit,
1992, p. 5. share, and conflict often results. In responding to people's needs, governments may
increase food imports, and vie for water rights with neighboring countries. And, as
8 Djibril Diallo, UN Office of Emergency Operations in
Africa, in Lloyd Timberlake, Africa in Crisis,
increasing numbers of peasant farmers and pastoralists migrate across political bor-
1985, p. 1 03. ders in se~rch of productive land, local problems quickly take on global implications.

8
 11
Farming the Desert"

The soil in our fields is red and sandy. It is no longer as I have noticed that certain crops which we used to grow,
rich as it used to be, so the harvest has diminished. Today, such as sesame and haricot beans, are no longer so com-
in order to feed the many mouths, we have to cultivate larg- mon. Those crops we still grow are troubled by weeds ....
er and larger areas of land. Animals are often left in the What is more, the soil is cut into by deep ravines. These
fields after the harvest, to enrich the soil. They are put in have appeared since the trees died, when the land became
·one field, from which the manure may be gathered and exposed.
applied to other areas. Nowadays chemical fertilizer is Zouma Coulibaly, a woman farmer from Mali, in At
availabl€3 too, but you have to be rich to afford it. the Desert's Edge, Oral His tories From the Sahel

III. How Underdevelopment Affects The Environment

Poor people and poor countries experience global environmental crises and nat-
ural resource degradation very differently than people in the North. With limited
industrial and service sectors, Southern economies tend to be based upon agricul-
ture, forestry, mining, and the production of primary goods, e.g. leather, clothing,
furniture. Thus, environmental degradation, because it reduces the availability of
raw materials, has direct consequences on how much developing countries can
produce and develop.
In the North, most environmental problems relate to the waste products of indus-
trial production and consumption. At the individual and national level, people in the
Finding waste disposal sites to accommodate the North have both greater access to natural resources and greater capacity to pro-
consequences of consumption is a major environ- duce goods. Because of these higher production and consumption levels, the pri-
ment and development problem for mary environmental concerns of industrialized countries are controlling pollution and
industrialized countries. eliminating waste.

A. Poverty and the The great red hills stand desolate, and the earth has torn away like flesh ....
Environment Down in the valleys women scratch the soil that is left, and the maize hardly
reaches the height of a man. They are valleys of old men and old women, of
mothers and children. The men are away, the young men and girls are away.
The soil cannot keep them anymore 9
Although development has improved the lives of millions, most of the world's
people still live in poverty, and at least four-fifths of the absolute poor live in rural
areas throughout the South.1 0 They are usually landless, female, and illiterate. For
them, sustainability means being able to make it through the dry season.
Closely linked to the land, the rural poor understand the value of water, trees,
and good soil, because everything they use comes from nature: their homes, their
food and water, their clothing, even their children's toys. Families with secure
land tenure (ownership) tend to preserve their environment. But the majority of the
poor are landless, or they own increasingly smaller parcels of land. Many move on
to less-productive, marginalized lands, such as steep hillsides, seeking enough
space to grow food for their families.

Distribution and Access to Resources

Restoring to the community the responsibility that was originally its own
may be our only hope for the future protection of our soil, water, fisheries, pas-
tures, forests, and wildlife. (M.S. Swaminathan, International Union for the
Conservation of Nature)
The distribution of natural resources and political power plays an important role
9 Alan Paton, Cry, the Beloved Country, 1948.
in determining poverty levels. The development of capitalist agriculture, and new
10 Worldwatch, p. 20. land tenure legislation introduced since colonization, have altered traditional means

9
 of distributing and managing land. Formerly, local leaders or councils tended to
allocate the use of common land for grazing, planting, or recreational purposes.
The use of trees, a valuable asset, was also strictly regulated at the local level.
These practices served to protect the environment and provide a stable resource
base for the community. Governments have now assumed this allocating and regu-
latory function.
In addition to its dramatic impact on local political and social organization, cen-
tralized decision-making that is not sensitive to local conditions also deprives poor
people of access to, and control over, resources. Because women in developing
Like this Thai woman, increasing numbers of poor countries tend to be responsible for gathering fuelwood, and often, for agricultural
people move on to marginalized lands, trying to production, limiting their access to such key resources as wood and land has a
feed their families. serious impact on family health, nutrition, and welfare.

B. Women and the In developing countries, women are key to the management of many environ-
Environment mental systems. They grow food as well as cook it; they provide fuel as well as
burn it; they manage the water supply as well as use it. If energy, land, and
water are the keys to survival, the keys are held by the women of the world.
(Dr. Nafis Sadik, United Nations Fund for Population Activities)

Women are at the heart of the environment, developmen t, and population

nexus. (Wanga Mumba, Environment and Population Center, Zambia)

Development planners have often overlooked the key roles of women in the
development process - as producers, consumers, managers of household
economies, mothers, and caretakers of family and community welfare. In part, this
is because women's labor is mainly non-salaried. For example, researchers have
calculated that a rural Tanzanian woman spends about 16 hours a day performing
duties related to the upkeep of the family.
Development projects are frequently based upon incorrect assumptions about
gender roles, for instance regarding land ownership. Traditionally, women had legal
rights to land in many societies. In the Jahally-Pacharr irrigation project in Gambia,
for instance, women were recognized by project planners as the main rice produc-
ers in the swamps, but when the irrigation-improved land was reallocated, 87% was
registered in the men's names.
Women in developing countries such as Nepal In another common example of false assumptions about women's and men's
spend as many as eight hours a day fetching fuel- work, extension workers tend to direct their messages about new farming practices
wood and water for their families. only to men. This prevents women, who produce 80% of the food in Africa, for
example, from benefiting and improving yields. In addition, income-generating pro-
jects that target men benefit family welfare far less than those directed at women,
who allocate virtually all of their income to family nutrition and education.

Population, Environment, Development, and Consumption

When women have economic viability, they exert greater control over their
reproductive lives, family size shrinks, and population growth slows. Equally
important, low fertility... provides cthe opportunity to fo cus on broader dimen-
sions of family well-being. (Kathryn Cameron Porter in WorldWide N ews,
January-February 1991)

Nowhere is women's role in environment and development more evident than in

the issue of population. Analysts in both the South and North believe that overpop-
ulation is contributing to environmental degradation in developing countries.
Much of the "population debate" centers on whether Southern population
growth is the major contributor to global environmental crises. While some critics
assert this is true, others, especially in the South, disagree. They argue that while
population is important, Northern consumption has the greatest impact on the
environment. Experts have calculated, for instance, that if a family of four in
11 Franklin Moore, in remarks to the U.S. Agency for
International Development's Development Education California has another child, this additional person will have the same environmental
Conference in Atlanta, GA, June 1992. impact as 40 Indian villagers. II

10
 Many people in developing countries resent the use of such terms as population
control by some Northern environmental and development groups, suggesting that
emphasis on Southern population may be rooted in racism. For women in particu-
lar, the term "control" implies regulations that will affect the most intimate details of
their lives.
It is clear that family planning and environmental protection go hand in hand.
Thus, a number of innovative programs are now integrating family planning educa-
tion and assistance with environmental projects that give people additional assets.
Many women in developing countries assert they With a more secure resource base, and improved health and economic conditions,
want access to safe family planning, but only if the need for extra hands in the family decreases, and men and women alike
they can use these resources with informed choice. become more receptive to the idea of smaller families.

IV. How Development Strategies Affect The Environment

Development policies and programs significantly affect the environment.

Strategies that ignore key stakeholders, such as women; that fail to involve and dis-
tribute benefits to the poor; or that emphasize short-term economic benefit, all tend
to contribute to the degradation of the resource base upon which development
depends.

A. In Search of When something grows it gets quantitatively bigger; when it develops it gets
Economic Growth qualitatively better, or at least different .... Our planet develops over time without
growing. Our economy, a subsystem of the finite and non-growing eartlz, must
eventually adapt to a similar pattern of development.. .. The time for such adap-
tation is now. (Robert Goodland and Herman H. Daly, The World Bank)

Southenl Perspc "'iiv .~on UNCED:· What Hav:1 Wl L nrrted?

ln JLJne ~ 992~ m r than 35,000 people trom 10 cour1- tor global envir nm .nta1 deteriorat1ort Th y crit o!zed wtk
tl1es·d soe 1de upon Rio de Jansiro Bra i for the United they p~r:ce:nved as a pattern of bfarmng the South for
Nations Conference on E'nviron1 c:, and OevefGpmeht t"e$0Urce deplatior and ·over1 ~population, arguing that
(tJNCEO. or tt e 1'Earth Summir-) . Govemmenl and UN ofh- responsi }!lity fo - con ai 11 ir1g~ r-eduoing 1 and el~m•nt:ting lobal
:01 Is met Lo 1n IZ nego iations and ratify intema ional con- environ ~t&('tal damage should lie with those countries most
ventions on cWn~te ollan.ge and btodiversity, as well as a se1 respons1ble for· __.eusing it Southern ·representatives also
: offorem prin iples. They also endorsed the Rio Declaration ec ue ·ed inc eased toreigll assist,ance an t echnology
. (a statement or prinuiples) and .A ge da 21 1 wmk plan or
j- ·trcns ers ~ r envrtonmentally sound developm - t. J,t t-h y
er'l\4ranmentol 'f" r fe. aLd OU.f'ild'~ development Or the next 'nsisted he t such sststa.nce.not be a companied by con
. century. d it1ons or trade bHniers. ·
Jri Rio, So,Jthern ret.m~sentaHves asserted their ooncom Many experts chatacteriza UNCED, an. !:he two vears af
that UNCED's emphasis had shifted torn environment ar1d plann g and nego at!on prjor to the con[! renee, s he rust
development · o environ men al prot ctl 1 • They recognized in ernational mee Jng based upon a partioip . ory decUon-
h€1 1n er ()iationsh'ps between poverly and the environ-
9
il - king p ocess. fhls pr-ocess was marked by a h·igh
men' but 'n... J ed hat because em/ronme tal prote tion egree, of ''aross- erti i7ation'' 10 w~ ich Southern and
measures rnu... be an in egral part o the dtwelopn en1 North·elll represen tives reco~hized he vaiidi y of each
r

processt heso me sur s cannot be considered in isolation. otner's concems. a Vv II a l heir mutualf ot in -ares s" jn
They pheld t1 e sovereign rig t of nations to develop and to addi tion! NGOs, women's groups . a,_nd indigenous gro ~ps
defi ·e theTr own pat11 tow rd sustainable deve opmentr played an 1 npreoedented (OJe a UNCED. both in the'r rep-
lncJuding the nght rows ha ural rasourc s for eco!'1omk: resentation on offici I oounby delegations an il1 deci i n
growth. making at he Global Forurn. ~1e NGO par' l e~ conterence .
Southern 1 aders caflad for aokncw l ~dgement that In fact ~ the Uh1t0d Nations has r cu nl e NGO s a pli-
L~nsustainab l e pattern& (Jf produ Uon and consUrnption . rnary mechcn;sm for mphr!meilfng g ~of da 21 and achiev-
·partfcularly in i ldustrial:iied aoun lrles, re he maJO cau._.e ing .suet61H1 ble dev~op mont.

11
 After decades of theory and practice linking development with economic growth,
a small number of analysts have begun to question this approach. They ask
whether economic growth is sustainable, given what is known about ecosystems
and carrying capacity. Supporters of economic growth, on the other hand, believe
that technology and human creativity will ensure substitutes for natural materials
and adaptation to new conditions.
For developing countries, approaches that suggest limiting economic growth
and that seem to place greater emphasis on environment than on development
raise serious concerns: How will nations feed, employ, and provide services for
their citizens without economic growth? Will the aspirations of millions of people for
higher standards of living (including modern conveniences and varied diet) be sacri-
ficed to environmental protection and "sustainability"?
The development through economic growth model continues to predominate.
The Brundtland Commission, for example, termed it necessary for improvement in
living standards. In the World Development Report 1992, moreover, the World
Industrialization has provided jobs and fueled eco- Bank states that "Economic growth is essential for sustained poverty reduction.
nomic growth in many countries. At the same it But growth has often caused serious environmental damage. Fortunately, such
has led to high levels of pollution and waste adverse effects can be sharply reduced, and with effective policies and institutions,
production. income growth will provide the resources for improved environmental management."
The strategies governments and lenders use to generate this growth, and the
ways in which its benefits are distributed, are key variables affecting how people
experience development. For many in the South, emphasis on economic growth
has led to the growing importance of cash itself: people who have never required
money because of social and economic acceptance of the barter system, now find
themselves marginalized if they are cash-poor. The need for cash has contributed
both to changing agricultural production and to rural-urban migration.

B. International Trade and Many developing nations have attempted to generate economic growth through
the Environment exports, despite trade barriers (tariffs and quotas) erected by protectionist coun-
tries in the North. In order to earn foreign exchange, poor countries have been
pressured to increase exports, particularly of primary commodities (minerals and
agriculture) that they are most able to produce. Export production, in turn, has
taken a heavy toll on the environment: mining and cash crops, including narcotics,
are the two greatest causes of environmental degradation in much of the South.
In the 1970s, when international markets became "flooded" with primary com-
modities, prices fell. Some countries, attempting to diversify"their export base,
increased manufacturing or began processing raw materials, such as textiles.
Others intensified logging and mining, or increased their exports of non-traditional
crops, such as strawberries, flowers, and other goods not consumed locally.
Decades of cash cropping in the South have shifted agricultural production away
from traditional land use patterns. As a result, farmers who once grew all or most
of their food must now purchase more of it. In some regions, rural unemployment
and poverty have also increased. This has been the case, for example, with export
production of such plantation crops as coconut, pineapple, and oil palm, which are
more capital-intensive than labor-intensive.
In an effort.to attract badly needed foreign capital and jobs, many developing
countries have established tax-free export production zones. In these zones, for-
eign manufacturers take advantage of inexpensive local labor (especially women) to
produce exports. In addition to low-cost, skilled labor, the companies often benefit
from the absence of strict workplace safety or environmental laws.

Rather than attend school, a Guatemalan girl helps

support her family by rolling cigars. For many
developing countries, cash crops, such as tobacco,
have social and environmental consequences.

12
 ebt nd Developuu 1t

~Er debt c "s OriQ!n~tsd in rei 970s. when tt'le PriCE'S

of 1 any J;t Vej ping co L ntry bomrnod· I s·. indud1nc petro~s­
nn it"lcr~ on WO ld tlla-ke ·s The1 D ec1ation that
* e;, ,port "6 r f g:s VV Ul;:l ~o ltlrnLJe. the t!locj f "petrod,ollm~'
into books, an l·ow moo $$1 ra son U.S. ''' ns, all enc.our-
~ged pnvate lenders to urec (. Je' h p~trodoHI=l s hrotl h
1

tnaSSiye loans 0 d::Nelopfng GOI r · rfe .

By 98"1, the S1 uation bt)gan I t leterJo te tm th'B
lndemted Cdl.m trie$: tJ.S...1nterest ra es 11cr~wed and
f?r~ices'fo! Jjritn ry g ods {e.g. C0ffl5!3. tin~ f I ~ sh py, 40%
fifbtn 1980 to 1982 ~ ne. New b rrowin to pay 1ntet-e.'3t
due on old loa s ancl gmwirlg d~i:JmarKi s an the em/ onr enrl
t ~enenat~ lil ome.exaeerbateell li!! c ·bis~ Developilll
coLin i~s war sc despe ate to ay metr ~e t. lha sDme
~ccepted Nonhem _hipr Ients of toxic was es for payment
i. fa ign e hanga. Betwee January and July 498-8. frw
,t} mpr ,00r:ne 520 oompanies inf r flta' t th U.S.
'En.vit!'Qmnental Protect on Agency of t 1e1r p~1 s ta expon
« hazardous vva tes. comparnd to 12 U.S. c mpantes in
1980,.
6etweer~¥ ·f:l 10 and 1~0, he foreign de: of develnplng
a · un Hi~e' no~~ ~-om just ovrJ $r.;O ~Ilion a$ .2 "llioh
fu~pit~ h. 01fficult1lfi8 ~e(i encad j· ,-ep yment, most
ing$t~d OGldnt i~~'9 11ieo ·o do just hal: by -.988 to al net
s;apimt flows-from a'®v~Japlirg countfles to tl? _. Norl.l lotaled
$3~P"tJllJidrh1 '"~ Ct-~iCB -of the uhresolv n· is oint ou r a
® fhes.e 1 0ni.es oould ha\te bee sp t on deveJopnlel"'t and on
tta.tle with indus. i~_ l rzad cou:rr t'tes such as the UDi ed Sta ~.
m®hb~e no nmereia1 h-ahksl'le)d rnost. or h eb . J

w ~\111 is re onsiblefor,.th§ eriars7 Many dbrewe

aeGU$Ef h&rGOm 1aroial banks of pOQf risk asse~sme t,
0

&9Raciall¥ rag rding om1 odi y prices· .some analysts

b lame both ,e 1dt:!rs and bormwers tor t~vonnQ capit~f
~ ' rrfe~va indu~ rializati n,pro}e_.ts: ~nd o he1 -s b~am€!
-so,ufhern go mn ents for corrupt1on cJ 1d for f- ol1c1es that
t, . fscQ~,;~raged savn19s aFtclinvooir nt.
Mutt lateral cfevel prr: Bnt ba: ks (MDBs, uch. as the
\!Vdtld 13:ank and lntematidnal Monetary Fl nd) 1-atVa also 2 Partners! lo ro Susta nabI& Developm n' A N lA S. Agen;da fOt
l'hletnfiiltion~JJI De~ aprn~tlt n@ ~rronme tai.Sec:ur ty 'E V1rQtlrn~t a d
fucw$'~ ~n policy re ormt thrDugh lnetr len fng practice-a. 1 -n~r y S {1\llros It li'R W. . 'ror Q11:i1 I M ·~L -
As A con · to fo vheir oans, MOBs r ulr d v.eloping

13
CONCLUSION The range of environmental problems The inter-related problems of under-
now facing countries in both North and development and environmental degra-
The world's peoples have a unique South, from loss of biodiversity to deser- dation will make demands on individu-
opportunity to strike a new global bar- tification, will place their heaviest burden als, as well. This is especially true for
gain based on a sense of common des- on developing countries. Some analysts people in the North (who have greater
believe it may be beyond the capacity of access to information, resources, and
tiny and shared responsibility for the
many developing countries to cope with political power - and whose consump-
planet and for each other. We must
increased levels of popular discontent tion levels may not be environmentally
begin with an understanding that in and political instability caused by envi- sustainable).
many countries widespread poverty, ronmental crises. For people whose Individual awareness and action will
unacceptable progress toward economic aspirations have gone unfulfilled for gen- be crucial to the global search for a
and social development, the low status erations, and for whom standards of liv- development model that alleviates
of women, social injustice, the mount- ing continue to fall, government inability poverty, and that is equitable and envi-
ing pressures of human numbers, and to respond to continued underdevelop- ronmentally sustainable. Such a model
the degradation of natural resources ment and environmental degradation will likely require alternative patterns of
are problems so closely intertwined may even lead to political violence. behavior by nations and individuals alike.
that one cannot readily be solved with- These social and political impacts, in
out progress on the others. turn, will place increased demands (from
(Inter Action, the American Council for foreign assistance and refugee asylum ,
Voluntary International Action, to peace-keeping and environmental
Statement of Principles on monitoring) on industrialized countries
Sustainable Development) and international institutions.

DISCUSSION A. Questions
Suggested Format 1 . How are the key concepts of subsistence, carrying capacity, and environmental
refugees inter-related? How do they help illustrate connections between
These activities provide an opportuni- environment and development?
ty to think globally about Environment
and Development; to understand the
experience of real people in developing 2. Which is more important: respecting national sovereignty or protecting the
countries; and to discuss action priori- "global commons"?
ties for dealing with Environment and
Development.
3. What kind of development might nations pursue, and be supported in pursuing,
Facilitators, please note: The partici-
to minimize the threat of global warming? Would Northern consumption patterns
patory exercise, "Action Plans for the
be affected?
21st Century," requires a minimum of
90 minutes. To help prepare partici-
pants for the exercise, their written
4. What happens to women and children in developing countries when water and
responses to the questions may be dis-
fuelwood are scarce? Why is it important for all development projects to involve
cussed in a preliminary session, or if
women?
time allows, as a warm-up for the par-
ticipatory exercise. In planning the dis-
cussion, remember that:
5. Think about ways the United States responds to natural disasters. What are
some of the constraints that might affect developing countries' ability to recover
• Participants should read the module
from disasters in the same way?
text in advance.

• Participants should prepare the dis-

6. Why do some developing countries import toxic wastes?
cussion questions in advance.

• Participants should be familiar with

7. How does poverty affect people's resource use?
the participatory exercise on p. 15 and
be able to identify stakeholders in envi-
ronment and development from both
8. How do the choices you make have a direct impact on development, and
South and North.
on the global environment?

14
B. Class Exercise "Action Plans for the 21st Century"

LARGE GROUP ACTIVITY 1. Assume the following scenario: The World Conference on Development and the
(minimum 10 minutes) Environment has just concluded. Participants did not complete International Action
Plans on five major issues. Your help is needed in drafting Plans to help address the
following concerns:

a. Poverty (access to cash, land, education, other resources)

b. Forests (deforestation, global warming, nature reserves)

c. Population (access to family planning, impact on environment,

cultural sensitivities)

d. Debt (exports, debt-for-nature swaps, structural adjustment)

e. Indigenous Peoples (land rights, knowledge of biodiversity)

2. Divide participants into groups of four to seven persons each. Assign one issue
to each group. Select one person in each group to be a reporter.

SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY 1 . Brainstorm a list of the key stakeholders in both North and South affected by
(minimum 40 minutes) your group's issue.

2. Shorten or expand this list until the number of stakeholders matches the number
of participants in your group. Each participant should now assume the role of a dif-
ferent stakeholder.

3. Have each stakeholder explain:

a. how the group's issue affects him or her;

b. what the Action Plan for this issue should include to

address his or her concerns.

4. Complete the small group activity by negotiating the most important elements of
the International Action Plan on your issue, making the Plan as responsive as possi-
ble to all stakeholder concerns.

LARGE GROUP ACTIVITY 1. Have each working group report their Action Plan.
(minimum 40 minutes)
2. Drop stakeholder roles and discuss the following three questions as a large
group:

a. What can people and governments in developing

countries do in support of these Action Plans?

b. What can my government do in support of the Plans?

c. What can I do?

3. List opportunities for individual action on the blackboard or post them on large
sheets of paper.

15
Panos Institute Environment Unless otherwise footnoted, the module with Chris McDowell, with contributions
and Development Resources text is derived in part from the following from regional environmentalists, journal-
books, periodicals, and briefing docu- ists, and NGO leaders, 1991.
ments from the Panos Institute.
Toward a Green Central America:
At the Desert's Edge: Oral Histories Integrating Conservation and
from the Sahel, edited by Nigel Cross Development, edited by Valerie Barzetti
and Rhiannon Barker, published with and Yanina Rovinski with contributions
SOS Sahel, 1991. from reg ional scientists and specialists,
published with Kumarian Press, 1992.
Cultural and Biological Diversity, a
media briefing paper by Kelly Haggart, Towards Sustainable Development
1992. fourteen case studies prepared by
African and Asian journalists for the
Global Warming: Who Is Taking the Nordic Conference on Environment and
Heat? by Gerald Foley, 1991 . Development in Stockholm, 1987.

Panoscope, a bi-monthly environment Whose Trees? A People's View of

and development magazine featuring Forestry Aid, edited by Nicholas
articles from correspondents in the Atampugre and Olivia Bennett with con-
Southern hemisphere. tributions by forestry and development
experts in Nepal, Sudan, and
Restoring the Land: Environment Tanzania, 1991.
and Change in Post-Apartheid South
Africa, edited by Mamphela Ramphele

Founded in 1986, Panos consists of three • co-sponsorship of briefings on sustainable

autonomous institutes in London, Paris, and development and transnational issues featuring
Washington that work collaboratively to raise pub- distinguished public policy experts; and
A Publication by lic understanding of sustainable development • workshop presentations on strategies for
the Panos Institute around the world. internationalizing higher education curricula in
the United States.
Panos-Washington is an independent organi-
zation that provides information and education Written by:
Panos- WashinJ?ton resources on sustainable development issues Elise Storck, Director, Development Education
The Panos lnstitu1e throughout the Americas. Panos believes that Melissa Rose, Program Associate
1717 Massachusetts Avenue, NW information enables people to participate more Burak Inane, Intern
effectively in re-shaping their communities toward
Suite 301
patterns of living that can endure. Panos works Design: Studio Grafik
Washington, DC 20036 through a process of asking, listening, analyzing, Art by Naul Ojeda.© All rights reserved,
Telephone: (202) 483-0044 and evaluating in equal partnerships. By collabo- 1988 and 1992
Fax: (202) 483-3059 rating with groups and organizations that work on
many levels, from the grassroots to the global, the Advisory Committee
Institute seeks to amplify voices seldom heard in
Panos-Landon the debate about sustainable development. Nii Akuetteh, African Development Foundation
Hilda Crespo, ASPIRA
The Panos Institute From Information To Education Kimberly Crews, Population Reference Bureau
9 White Lion Street In October 1991, the Panos Institute launched Belmont Haydel , Rider College
London, N1 9PD, UK a new development education program called Crandall Jones, National Organization of
Telephone: (44) 71-278-1111 FROM INFORMATION TO EDUCATION . Funded Black County Officials
Fax: (44) 71-278-0345 in part by a Biden-Pell Development Education Michael Lenaghan, Miami-Dade Community
Grant from the United States Agency for College
International Development, the program will adapt Gabriel Manrique, Winona State University
books, dossiers, and magazines in the Panos Ruth Perot, Professional Associates
Panos-Paris information portfolio to educational use. Sandra Proctor, Norfolk State University
L'lnstitut Panos William Savitt, Interfaith Hunger Appeal and
53 rue de T urbigo FROM INFORMATION TO EDUCATION seeks Columbia University
75003 Paris, France to highlight the research and analysis of journal- Kilthy Sessions, United Nations Association
Telephone: (33) 1-42-71-20-21 ists, non-governmental leaders, and other experts of the USA
from developing countries, and to engage diverse Kilthy Sheram, The World Bank
Fax: (33) 1-42-71-21-55 U.S. audiences in exploring these important Rudolph Wilson, Norfolk State University
perspectives. Leslie Wolfe, Center for Women's Policy Studies
FROM INFORMATION TO EDUCATION offers Ex officio:
©The Panos Institute, 1992 the following resources: Mencer D. Edwards, Executive Director,
• a series of modules on timely international Panos-Washington
$2.95 development issues, designed for interdiscipli-
nary use by U.S. college students, trainers, and
Series ISSN 1064-9034 adult learners;
recycled paper
 DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE ON MODULE ORDERS!
From Information to Education, a new educational series from the Panos Institute, pro-
vides analysis of important global issues from the perspective of developing countries.
Each module has been reviewed by issue experts and teaching faculty, and successfully
fieldtested at U.S. colleges in a range of academic disciplines.

The modules include: reading assignments, discussion exercises, and participatory

activities designed to encourage learners to identify key stakeholders in transnational
issue analysis. Readings and activities can be easily adapted to incorporate important
Southern Hemisphere perspectives in your course syllabus or training program design.

Panes-Washington is offering significant discounts for bulk orders to encourage

use of the modules in university, continuing education, and NGO courses and
training programs.
For more information, please contact Melissa Rose or Elise Storck at:

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tel: (202) 483-0044

From Information to Education, Series ISSN 1064-9034

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~~--~--~~------------------------
(please describe)

2. On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is low and 5 is high, please evaluate the following aspects of the
Environment and Development module:

Value of information _ _ Readability

_ _ Design/Layout Price

3. Using the same scale, how would you rate the module's educational approach in terms of:

Providing a Southern Hemisphere _ _ Coverage of issues (degree of detail)

- - perspective on the issues

_ _ Objectivity (fair, balanced) Stimulation of further interest

in subject matter

4. Overall, what did you like best about the module?-------------------------------------

Please provide suggestions for improvement. -------------------------------------

[please continue on reverse side]

 6. Would you recommend the module to colleagues?
-----------------------------------
whyorwhynon _____________________________________________________________

7. How do you plan to use the module? Please check all those that are appropriate.

_ teaching/training research

review in a publication documentation center

writingjspeaking Other
~--~--~~--------------
(please describe)

8. If you intend to use the module for teaching or training, please describe the course or activity, and also
the user group. _____________________________________________________________

9. If you would like to receive information about bulk orders of Environment and Development, please
provide your name and phone number.
'I

Name______________________________________phonel__j ______________________

10. Having read the module, do you intend to become more active on environment and development issues?
YES NO If yes, please describe actions you might take.

11. We welcome other comments and suggestions. -------------------------------------

l-'

Thank you vety much . Please return this questionnaire to:

The Panos Institute

1717 Massachusetts Ave., NW Suite 301
Washington, D.C. 20036
 ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
The Newest Educational Resource From Panos
"First-rate resources for educators across a wide range of disci-
plines. They successfully bridge the gap between college curri-
cula and training design." William Savitt, Columbia University
and Interfaith Hunger Appeal Office on Education

A 16-page module on Environment and Development is now available from the Panos
Institute, internationally acknowledged for its work on environment and development
issues. The second in Panos' educational series, the module is appropriate for college use
in a variety of disciplines, for development professionals, and for anyone interested in learn-
ing more about the interdependent nature of environment and development.

Southern Viewpoints: Sidebars and quotations by experts from developing countries

provide important perspectives on environment and development for audiences in the
Northern Hemisphere. Discussion activities emphasize stakeholders from peasants to
policy-makers.

Environment and Development covers issues such as:

• human, economic, and social costs of environmental degradation
• impacts of underdevelopment on the environment
• debt, trade, and other international environmental and developmental linkages
• the role of women, farmers, and local NGOs in successful programs

Order ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT now!

Individual copies of Environment and Development are available for $2.95, plus $1.00 shipping (pre-paid
orders only please). Bookstore discounts are available for bulk orders. Series ISSN 1064-9034.

The Panos Institute, 1717 Massachusetts Ave., NW Suite 301, Washington, D.C. 20036. Tel: (202)483-Q044

--------------------~~roffandrefumcouponwiharde~-------------------

Please send me copies of Environment and Development at $3.95 (pre-paid).

Please send me copies of HIV and Development at $3.95 (pre-paid).
Please contact me. I'm interested in ordering Panos modules for my students.
--- Please keep me informed of upcoming modules on other development issues.
---
Enclosed is my check for$_ _ __

Name:
---------------------------------------Phone:----------------
Institution/Organization:________________________________________________________________________

Address:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for you order!

The Panos Institute, 1717 Massachusetts Ave., NW Suite 301, Washington, D.C. 20036. Tel: (202)483-Q044