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Earth Summit > Background
> Failed Promises
Failed promises
Since the Rio Earth Summit there has been more
rhetoric than action towards protecting the environment.
While waving the sustainable development flag,
governments and corporations have mostly continued with business
as usual, pursuing a course of economic growth at any cost with
little respect for the environment.
Under the banner of 'economic growth' we have seen
a decade of broken promises and gross environmental abuse. Millions
live in poverty while 20 percent of the world's population consumes
80 percent of the resources and creates 80 percent of the world's
pollution.
When action on some issues was taken it was largely
due to such gross environmental damage where governments could not
hide or because activist organisations forced the change.
It is extraordinary that in the 21st century, gross
environmental abuse still continues. Globally, we are conducting
a war on the environment - instead we need to make peace with the
planet and each other.
For more information: download the Who is
to blame 10 years after Rio. The role of the US, Canada and Australia
in undermining the Rio agreements - (PDF)
document.
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