20 October 2002Chapman University1 The World Summit on Sustainable Development [WSSD] The Meaning of ‘Sustainable Development’ 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

20 October 2002Chapman University2 The Road to “Rio+10” 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

20 October 2002Chapman University3 Population “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

20 October 2002Chapman University4 The Correlation Economic Development = Low Birth Rates [coupled with women’s liberation, social security, and child labor laws] Cases-in-Point: Spain. 99% Roman Catholic >44% Reduction/Generation (.55 female children/woman) Italy Home of the Vatican >42% Reduction/Generation (.427 female children/woman)

20 October 2002Chapman University5 The Dilemma Direct family planning measures may be taken, but encounter stiff opposition. Development is the obvious solution, but The Environment cannot sustain historical patterns of development, therefore It must be environmentally tolerable, “sustainable development”.

20 October 2002Chapman University6 The Three [official] Components of Sustainable Development economic development social development environmental protection WORLD SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PLAN OF IMPLEMENTATION Advance unedited text 5 September 2002 WORLD SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PLAN OF IMPLEMENTATION Advance unedited text 5 September 2002

20 October 2002Chapman University7 Sustainable Development Official Definition: "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].

20 October 2002Chapman University8 My Definition Economic [and other] development that leads to reduction in population toward an optimum level for maximization of the quality of life.

20 October 2002Chapman University9 Sustainable Environment The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

20 October 2002Chapman University10 Sustainable Population “...growing global population…” “.. consistent with... The United Nations International Conference on Population and Development…” [5-13 September 1994, Cairo, Egypt. WSSD PLAN OF IMPLEMENTATION

20 October 2002Chapman University11 Sustainable Population “…population policies and programmes to support the objectives and actions agreed upon in Agenda 21…” The United Nations International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) 5-13 September 1994, Cairo, Egypt.

20 October 2002Chapman University12 MULTILATERAL TREATIES RELATING TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT [UN List] Human Rights Penal Matters [None yet in force] Ocean Affairs [None yet in force] Environment [No mention of any that are directly related to population.]

20 October 2002Chapman University13 Sustainable Development “Nature Bats Last” The Big Die Off has begun.

20 October 2002Chapman University14 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

20 October 2002Chapman University15 Prognosis Slowing, but continuing growth, already far beyond what is estimated to be the earth’s maximum carrying capacity. Continuing unsustainable economic growth.

20 October 2002Chapman University16 Population: Focus Focus on “maximum carrying capacity” to the neglect of optimization.

20 October 2002Chapman University17 Population: Conclusion Need for sustainable development, i.e., for environmentally benign development that reduces the birth rate.

20 October 2002Chapman University18 Population: Progress Inadequate, spotty, national. Global attention is focused on other, more immediate issues. U.S. government obstructionism. Here religious fundamentalism is a problem.