Sustainable Development, the New
International Scientific Order, and UN
Reform
Roger Dittmann
President, U.S. Federation of Scholars and Scientists
U.S. Affiliate of the World Federation of Scientific Workers
UN Representative of the WFSW
Professor of Physics Emeritus
California State University
Fullerton, CA 92834-6866
RDittmann@Fullerton.edu
9 March 2004
Midnight Special Bookstore/Southern
California Federation of Scientists
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Sustainable Development
The Law locks up the man
who steals the goose from
the commons, but leaves the
greater villian loose who
steals the commons from
the goose.
9 March 2004
Midnight Special Bookstore/Southern
California Federation of Scientists
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The Road to “Rio+10” [WSSD]
The History
Developing Countries Ministerial Conference
Beijing June 1991
ICUNP Victoria British Columbia, February 1992
“The Road to Brazil ‘92”
UN Conference on Environment and Development
[UNCED] Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992
UN Conference on Population and Development
[ICPD] Cairo, Egypt , 5-13 September 1994
UN World Summit on Sustainable Development
[WSSD] “Rio +10” [Johannesburg] 26 August - 4 September 2002
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California Federation of Scientists
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Sustainable Development
Problem #1: Population Control
“No matter what your
cause, it’s a lost cause
without population
control.”—Elaine Stansfield
“The rich get rich—the
poor get children”—Pop
song from the ’30s
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Midnight Special Bookstore/Southern
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Sustainable Development
Prognosis:
Rising global temperature and greenhouse
gases.
Shrinking amount of cropland per person.
Decline in amount of wheat and rice/person.
Shrinking area of tropical moist forests.
Decreasing oceanic fish harvest per person.
Increasing number of people dying of AIDS.
Declining human sperm count.
Growing gap between rich and poor
Reduced biodiversity
Ehrich and Schneider
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Sustainable Development
Prognosis:
Slowing, but continuing population
growth, already far beyond what is
estimated to be the earth’s maximum
carrying capacity.
Continuing unsustainable economic
growth, e.g, fossil fuel agriculture.
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California Federation of Scientists
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Sustainable
Development
Sustainable
Development
Maximum Carrying Capacity vs.
Optimum Population
“The greater the
population the greater the
restrictions necessary to
achieve sustainability.
9 March 2004
Midnight Special Bookstore/Southern
California Federation of Scientists
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Sustainable Development
The Perfect Correlation
All industrialized countries
have less than replacement
birth rates.
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Sustainable Development
Economic Development = Low Birth
Rates
[coupled with women’s liberation, social security, and child
labor laws]
Spain.
99% Roman Catholic
>44% Reduction/Generation (.55 female children/woman)
Italy
Home of the Vatican
>42% Reduction/Generation (.427 female
children/woman)
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California Federation of Scientists
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Sustainable Development
The Dilemma
The habitat cannot sustain
the environmental impact
of traditional development
for the exploding
population.
Direct birth control meets opposition.
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Sustainable Development
The Remedy
“Sustainable Development”
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The Three [official] Components of
Sustainable Development
Components
Economic development
Social development
Environmental protection
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Definitions
Sustainable
of Sustainable
Development
Development
Official
“Development that meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own
needs."
World Commission on Environment and
Development (the Brundtland Commission),
1987 [emphasis added].
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Definitions of Sustainable Development
My Definition
“Economic [and other] development that leads
to reduction in population toward an
optimum level for maximization of the
quality of life, i.e. environmentally
benign development that
reduces the birth rate.
9 March 2004
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California Federation of Scientists
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Elements of Sustainable Development
Environmental
“The United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change
Population
“.. consistent with ...The United Nations International
Conference on Population and Development…”
“…population policies and programmes to
support the objectives and actions agreed upon in
Agenda 21…” [Rio 1992]
The United Nations International Conference on Population and
Development (ICPD) 5-13 September 1994, Cairo, Egypt.
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One Path
Reminders
“If one stays the course one will end up
where one is headed”: “Ecocatastrophe”
“Things that can’t last forever, won’t”.
There is always a remedy: “Nature Bats
Last”
The Big Die Off has already begun.
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New International Scientific Order
Elements:
Science and space exploration as common
adventures and common heritages of the
family of humanity to which all are
allowed to contribute.
Realize the fullness of human rational
potential in all countries.
Divert science from the dispatch of death and
destruction to humanistic goals, including
sustainable development.
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New International Scientific Order
The Strategy:
Since this is a global effort, it requires global
organization, both governmental and
popular.
Corollary: Not only do people require
organization about their (multiple)
identities (including professional, scholarly, and
scientific), they need international, even
supranational affiliation, facing a
common adversary.
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California Federation of Scientists
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New International Scientific Order
Organization:
World Federation of Scientific Workers
U.S. Federation of Scholars and Scientists
[formerly American Association of Scientific
Workers, formed in 1938 of anti-fascist
scientists]
Southern California Federation of Scientists
[formerly LA Chapter of the FAS, formed
after WWII to oppose nuclear war]
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New International Scientific Order
Relevant UN GA Agencies:
UNEP
UNDP
UNCTAD
UNIFEM
Population Fund
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New International Scientific Order
UN GA Agencies Relevant to
Sustainable Development:
UNEP
UNDP
UNCTAD
UNIFEM
Population Fund
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New International Scientific Order
ECOSOC Commissions:
Social Development
Human Rights
S&T for Development
Sustainable Development
Status of Women
Population and Development
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New International Scientific Order
ECOSOC Specialized Agencies:
ILO
UNESCO
WIPO
FAO
UNIDO
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New International Scientific Order
Proposed UN GA Agencies:
Space Agency [Direct Revenue Source]
[Remote sensing-environmental monitoring]
Science Foundation
[NRC] [Not the IAEA Safeguards Program]
[Food and Drug Administration]
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UN Reform
Structural:
Blocked by Article 108, unless
• Philadelphia II can be implemented, or
• Substantial regime change can be
achieved in support of world rule of law.
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UN Reform
Functional:
Strengthen, reform, and add UN GA
agencies.
Organize NGO’s, reform them into
SVDO’s.
Found a UN People’s Assembly.
Model Reformed UN’s.
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What Can Everyone Do?
Vote with your consumer dollar.
[Don’t buy from countries with rogue
governments.]
Study and stay informed.
Join organizations, especially global ones.
• Be active in them. Contribute your expertise
and talents.
• Insist that they develop international
affiliations.
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California Federation of Scientists
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