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Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2002 |
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| Interview series
Q. What do you think are the major priorities in the path to sustainable development? A. According to the many groups I have spoken to on this issue in my trips abroad, the major priority is undoubtedly poverty alleviation. They also want to discuss the concept of energy because people in the developing world need energy, so that they can one day attain what the developed countries already have. I feel this is one of the issues that can be discussed at the Summit (Delhi Sustainable Development Summit).
Q. What is Canada’s approach in tackling environmental problems? A. What we have done is that we have gone to citizens and representatives and people in different provinces. We have asked them to spell out their priorities and their opinion on what should be done on specific problems. For example, despite having 20% of the world’s surface water and not being highly populated, we still have difficulties in our cities. Sometimes there is a water problem, besides the smog effect. I feel one has to tackle these problems directly and one of the ways of doing it is to see that the energy that we use is clean. In Canada, 80% of the energy used is clean. But I feel that we have to expand a little bit more in the field of wind energy and solar energy. I believe that the world community is looking at new kind of fuels and new ways to clean the fuels that we have.
Q. Do the people of Canada have strong views about global environmental problems? A. Yes, they do. We have one of the most abundant natural resources in the world. They want us to exploit these natural resources but not at the expense of the environment. It is an issue that has evolved over the years. Canada is one of the first countries to have a Minister for the Environment; he was appointed some 22 years ago. I am one of the Ambassadors of the Environment going about now. There could be a few more but they are specifically entrusted for dealing with the problems of the environment and putting the case across for our government, for others to hear and look at. They are also entrusted with bringing back information to the government so that they can deal better with the problems that they are facing right now.
Q. There is a view that the international community is reluctant to invest in solving problems where the global dimensions are perhaps minimal. What do you think of this? A. I feel that many countries fear, for example, you and I are sitting right next to each other, you clean up your backyard, while I throw my garbage into yours. Now that is what does happen with water and air as they do not know any boundaries. Canada has supported and is supporting the Kyoto Protocol and we are trying (as soon as possible) to ratify it.
Q. You have been a regular visitor to TERI in the past few years. Your views on the Institute. A. TERI is doing a wonderful job by organizing conferences like the DSDS where they bring in a lot of thinkers and men of action from all over the world. I think its efforts should be praised. Hopefully in the future many more people can do something like this, maybe in the Americas (South America and North America). But the TERI conference is one that I look forward to attending every year.
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Mr Gilbert Parent
