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Living lightly on the earth: "As people alive today, we must consider future generations: a clean environment is a human right like any other. It is therefore part of our responsibility towards others to ensure that the world we pass on is as healthy, if not healthier, than we found it" . (The Dalai Lama, speaking on the environment)
Genetic Modification:
Biotech corporations aggressively promote GM crops such as soya and maize in developing countries, often with no public consultation. The introduction of GM crops would endanger small farmers' livelihoods, undermine poor people's ability to feed themselves and increase pressures on already damaged and vulnerable environments.
Climate change:
Unsustainable patterns of consumption and production exacerbate climate change, described by the UK government's chief scientist as the most severe problem facing the world. Industrialised countries produce the most greenhouse gases, yet the poor in the developing world disproportionately bear the brunt of climate change. Rich nations need to take a lead on this now.
Chemical contamination:
One of the main outcomes of large-scale, intensive crop production is an excessive use of pesticides. Heavy use of chemicals leads to water and soil contamination and severe health problems. In contrast, sustainable agriculture promotes the use of natural pesticides, with none of the negative effects of the artificial ones.
Weather warning:
Extreme climatic phenomena like hurricanes wreak greater havoc in areas where the environment is already damaged or destroyed by overexploitation. Inevitably, poor people bear the brunt of the damage caused by hurricanes like Mitch and Ivan. This is why reducing environment degradation is integral to sustainable development.
Organic agriculture:
Organic agriculture has positive environmental and health benefits for producers and consumers. Moreover, helping poor farmers achieve certification as organic producers can help them to substantially increase their incomes.