October 1, 2000
Center for Environmental Economical Development (CEED) continues to bridge the gap between sustainable communities and global policy-making in two crucial areas: climate change and economic support for local initiatives
Global Warming-Induced Climate Change
CEED participated in Cities for Climate Protection Workshops, where elected officials representing 11 percent of the U.S population learned practical ways to reduce greenhouse gases. Also, the City of Arcata has signed on to CEED's "7 by 7 Campaign" to reduce carbon emissions to 7 percent below 1990 levels before the year 2007.
Still, we are a long way from the 50 to 60 percent reductions needed to stabilize atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Climate-change treaty negotiators are meeting in the Netherlands from November 13 to 24. CEED's study of the "Economics of Ecosystem-based Carbon Sequestration" for the American Lands Alliance indicates that preserving old-growth forests and restoring native forests can play a part in limiting climate change. Yet serious danger exists that "business as usual" forestry and even nuclear power could be encouraged through treaty-related carbon credits. Such misuse of carbon credits undermines the top priority: reducing fossil fuel emissions.
Financing Sustainable Development
To further bridge the gap between local communities and global issues, we are moving rapidly on two new initiatives. The Citizens Protocols for Financing Sustainable Development project has six interns working to contact groups throughout the world and listen to ideas about achieving Agenda 21 goals of sustainable development, adopted at the UN Rio Summit in 1992. Locally, we are working with citizens and groups to make sure that economic mitigation funds from the Headwaters deal are spent wisely, supporting the creation of local jobs in watershed restoration and other ecologically sound efforts.
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TOC for Forest & River News, Fall 2000