Four Critical Environmental Conventions 

by Julie Devaud (Poland  91 -94)

Let's begin with good news.  Old good news.  On December 10, 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.   This Declaration guarantees the rights of all people and encompasses a broad spectrum of economic, social, cultural, political and civil rights.  Eleanor Roosevelt spearheaded the effort to get this declaration adopted in the United Nations.  And, unfortunately, most of people living the United States are unaware of this document, the foundation of other human rights documents.  And, still more unfortunately, the United States has quite a dismal record ratifying conventions proposed by the United Nations.
However, discussing key conventions is very important to raise public consciousness about important environmental and development issues on the planet.  Despite the fact that the U.S. rarely ratifies UN conventions, we citizens must take the lead in discussing these issues in our communities.  The following four conventions are critical for environmental and development issues.  A recommended action section follows each summary. 

Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

The Convention on the Rights of the Child  (CRC) is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history.  All countries but two - the United States and Somalia, have ratified it.  The CRC is an internationally recognized agreement between nations which establishes a comprehensive set of goals for individual nations to achieve on behalf of their children.  The CRC is the first legally binding
international instrument to incorporate the full range of human rights - children's civil and political rights as well as their economic, social, and cultural rights - thus giving all rights equal emphasis.
Madeleine K. Albright signed the CRC on February 16, 1995, but President Clinton has not yet presented it to the Senate for advice and consent due to political resistance.  However, just now timing is crucial.  November 20, 1999 is the 10th Anniversary of the Adoption of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child by the United Nations.  Now is the time to promote human rights, particularly the rights of the world's children.

ACTION RECOMMENDED: Write President Clinton to urge him to submit the Convention to the Senate for consideration.  Use this ten-year anniversary date to educate your community and organize a letter-writing campaign to the U.S. Senate in support of the CRC.

UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC)

In 1992 at the Rio "Earth Summit," more than 150 countries signed the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC).  This convention focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to slow the global warming trend of the past few years.  Changing climatic conditions will significantly increase the heat index and air quality problems in the U.S.  However, the urgency of global warming only began to reach many Americans when world leaders met in Kyoto in 1997 to continue their negotiations over the UNFCC.   
Despite the fact that the U.S. has not ratified this convention, President Clinton recently announced his commitment to stabilize greenhouse emissions at 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012.  While these commitments fall far short of targets and timetables proposed by other countries, this is an important step for the administration.  We must use the public's increasing concern about the earth's rising temperature as an opportunity to educate communities. 

ACTION RECOMMENDED: Write President Clinton and your Senators and urge them to adopt a strong international treaty to stabilize gas emissions and get the U.S. in step with the rest of the world.  Also urge them to support research and development funding for alternative energy sources.

Cairo+5

At the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in September 1994 in Cairo, 180 countries reached a new consensus on population issues, including a move toward considering population trends as they related to women's reproductive health, environmental conditions, and development.  Major issues focused on adolescents, aging, migration, reproductive health/family planning and the role of the private sector.  In March 1999, five years later, these countries met at the United Nations to decide on the
next steps for the conference's 20-year Program of Action.   Because of disagreements on wording related to sex education, reproductive rights of women and adolescents, emergency contraception, and abortion, the governments were unable to reach a consensus.

ACTION RECOMMENDED: Contact your Congressional Representatives and urge them to contact the UN to continue its important work implementing the ICPD's Program of Action.

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBC)

The Convention on Biological Diversity's objectives are "the conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the earth's genetic resources."  The Convention is the first global, comprehensive agreement addressing the issue of biological diversity: genetic resources, species, and ecosystems.  The Convention recognizes, for the first time, that conservation of biological diversity is "a common concern of humankind" and an integral part of the development process.  To achieve its objective, the Convention promotes a renewed partnership among countries, provisions on scientific and technical cooperation, and access to genetic resources.
The Convention was opened for signature in June 1992 at the Rio "Earth Summit" and received 168 signatures.  The U.S. signed in June 1993 but has not yet ratified the Convention in the Senate.  This Convention was inspired by the world community's growing commitment to sustainable development
and represents a dramatic step forward in the conservation of biological diversity on this earth.

ACTION RECOMMENDED: Write President Clinton to urge him to submit the Convention to the Senate for consideration. Write your Senators asking them to support this important convention.

Sources:

Biodiversity
Web site: www.biodiv.org

Population Reference Bureau
Web site: www.prb.org

United Nations Association of the United States of America:
Web site: www.unausa.org

U.S. Committee for UNICEF:
Web site: www.unicef.org