UNEP SASAKAWA ENVIRONMENT PRIZE AWARDED TO AUSTRALIAN ORIGINATOR OF 'CLEAN UP THE WORLD' UNDERTAKING
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UNEP SASAKAWA ENVIRONMENT PRIZE AWARDED TO AUSTRALIAN ORIGINATOR OF 'CLEAN UP THE WORLD' UNDERTAKING
19981116 Deputy Secretary-General Applauds Work of Ian Kiernan -- 'Civil Society at Its Best', Offering Hope of Global ImprovementThis is the text of remarks by Deputy Secretary-General Louise Fréchette this evening at the UNEP Sasakawa Environment Prize award ceremony in New York:
I am both privileged and delighted by this opportunity to be part of the 1998 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Sasakawa Environment Prize award ceremony. This prize is one to which the United Nations attaches great importance. For when we talk about the environment, we are not speaking only of preserving ecosystems and resources. Far from it.
We are talking about most of the key issues on the international agenda: about the way we live -- sustainably or unsustainably; about poverty and inequality; and about peace and security, since the roots of conflict can also be found in competition over land, oil and water.
We are also talking about democracy, and the involvement of men and women in the decisions affecting their lives. And we are talking, not least, about shared values and goals, working jointly to see that the benefits of economic growth and development are shared not only among countries, but among generations as well.
Safeguarding the environment is, in short, a quintessentially global challenge, meaning that the United Nations, as the global organization, must continue to play a strong and well-defined role.
As in so many fields, one of the most encouraging signs for the future lies in the extraordinary growth of civil society. In recent years, thousands of dedicated citizens' groups and individuals have become indispensable leaders and partners in the quest for peace, development and human rights.
Ian Kiernan of Australia, the winner of this year's UNEP Sasakawa prize, is one such person. Almost a decade ago, he started with a vision close to
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home: that of a clean Sydney Harbour. That effort grew quickly into the annual country-wide "Clean Up Australia" campaign. And since 1993, he has directed the "Clean Up the World" effort.
Let not the logic of this growth obscure the magnitude of his achievement. In taking to heart the idea that we should "think globally and act locally", Ian Kiernan has given birth to nothing less than a global environmental movement in its own right. Just two months ago, 40 million volunteers in 120 countries made this year's weekend of clean-ups -- in the street, at the beach, alongside rivers and in parks -- the largest yet.
The campaign did not wait for governments to take the lead but instead stepped in, decisively and innovatively, to fill a need. Moreover, "Clean Up the World" has united governments, industry, business, community and youth groups around a common goal. This is civil society at its best. It is a popular success with lessons for all of us working on the "road from Rio" to realize the great potential of the Earth Summit of 1992.
The programme of transformation adopted in Rio was ambitious. No one assumed that it could be accomplished in five years. Indeed, if the main challenge of the twentieth century was whether the world's people could live together peacefully, the major challenge for the next will be whether we can feed, clothe and provide for ourselves without destroying the natural resource base on which our existence depends. While we have taken some steps towards sustainability, it is clear we have a long way to go.
Ian Kiernan is among those who give us hope of getting there, and who provide an antidote to "business as usual". That is why I am delighted that UNEP, as the environmental conscience of the United Nations, has recognized his accomplishments.
Mr. Kiernan, I know that awards and recognition have come to you in abundance over the years. This award is bestowed upon you because, in true United Nations fashion, you have transcended both physical and intellectual borders, led tens of millions of people around the world to take responsibility for the health of our one and only earth and created in effect, a new generation of environmental citizens. You are an inspiration to us all. In that spirit, I would like to convey to you the congratulations of Secretary-General Kofi Annan and to say how proud I am to present you with the 1998 UNEP Sasakawa Environment Prize.
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