Former prime minister of St Lucia, Dr Kenny Anthony has reiterated that the world's ills involve the three Ps-pollution, population and poverty.He made this comment delivering the feature address at the book launch Sustainable Development: Towards A Judicial Interpretation, at the Faculty of Social Sciences, St Augustine Campus, on Friday.Senator/former environment minister Pennelope Beckles also delivered remarks on the contribution/book from Dr Rajendra Ramlogan.
Against the backdrop of the fear of environmental degradation, world leaders met in Stockholm, Sweden, for the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. The year was 1972 and it was also billed as the first major conference on the environment.Anthony said: "Speaker after speaker from developing countries lamented the problem of poverty and its impact to ensure the human environment was maintained at acceptable levels. The Afghanistan delegation noted the world's ills involve the three Ps-pollution, population and poverty."
During the 70s and 80s, the focus shifted to articulating a developmental philosophy that contemplated environmental imp­er­atives. In 1987, the different philosophies coalesced when the World Commission on Environment and Development issued the report Common Future.Anthony added: "The report gave rise to the phrase "sustainable development. Sustainable development was defined as "development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
In 2002, at the Johannesburg, South Africa conference, the delegation spoke about integration of three components of sustainable development-economic, social and environmental protection. They were seen as interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars.Sustainable development emerged into a buzzword.But for it to be transformed into an "operational strategy" it had to unite the dwellers of remote villages and far-flung forests, deserts and cities.
Kudos for pioneers
Anthony noted the judicial Recognition of Sustainable Development emerged. He paid kudos to pioneers, including early researchers and scientists. They created a new subject in the service of humanity... Environmental Studies.
Anthony said: "We must give credit to the so-called "busy bodies," those individuals who had the courage to approach the courts, sometimes alone, pleading for judicial intervention to restrain uncaring developers and governments. They were able to marry the findings of scientists, academics and researchers to law and mount legal challenges to companies, regulators and the State."He noted, these efforts were finally yielding key principles in both the legislative and judicial fora of nation states and are providing tools for specificity to the concept of sustainable development.
Dr Rajendra Ramlogan lauded
Continuing in a complimentary vein, Anthony described Ramlogan as "one of those exceptional and brilliant students."He said the "crowning honour for any teacher is to be given the opportunity to celebrate the success of a former student in his or her chosen field."He holds the Bachelor's in English Literature, an LLB, both from UWI with honours, and an LL.M in International Legal Studies from New York University School of Law. He holds the PhD in International Environmental Law from (2000) Cambridge University.