POVERTY AND ENVIRONMENT ON G-8 SUMMIT AGENDA

Press Release
UNEP/73

POVERTY AND ENVIRONMENT ON G-8 SUMMIT AGENDA

NAIROBI, 20 July (UNEP) -- Environment and development issues are high on the agenda of the G8 Summit meeting this weekend in Nago City, Okinawa, Japan. But, according to Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), difficult decisions need to be taken if the Summit is to be a landmark event for the environment and for global sustainable development in general.

According to Toepfer there are two main global environmental threats facing the world today -- poverty in the developing world combined with the unsustainable production and consumption patterns in developed countries. It is these two problems which lie behind key global environmental issues on the Summit agenda such as combating climate change and the sustainable use of Earth's forest and water resources.

"Today, the gap between the rich and poor in countries and among countries is wider than ever before -- a gap that fuels many of the economic, social and environment issues on the table in Okinawa", continued Toepfer. This gap will not be closed until poverty, the number one obstacle to sustainable development, is addressed", he said.

Debt relief will be a high profile "poverty-reducing" topic for discussion at the G-8 Summit. However, the UNEP Executive Director hopes the Heads of State will also adequately address other lower profile, but very important sustainable development issues, like the greening of export credit agencies, which finance projects in developing countries to the tune of billions of dollars each year.

"Foreign investment in developing countries is very necessary if we are to combat poverty, but this investment needs to take into account environmental considerations and sustainable development principles", said Toepfer.

"Large infrastructure projects in developing countries, such as dams or roads, whose finance is often made possible by an exporting country's export credit agency (ECA), can have potential negative environmental impacts. Therefore, the development of stronger environmental assessment procedures and guidelines for ECAs are essential", Toepfer said. "UNEP, in cooperation with its partner agencies in the United Nations system, stands ready to assist in their development in any way we can".

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