Resolution “Environmental Sustainability – A Liberal Challenge”
Brussels 1999
In the last decades it has become more and more obvious, that economic development cannot be discussed without a comprehensive approach on the environmental constraints and consequences – in particular in the efforts to improve more equal conditions for development around the world and to ensure future generations.
Liberal International recognises that the freedom of the individual can be limited in the framework of environmental protection and expresses its full support of the building of global mechanisms to lower the pressure on scarce resources and to try to avoid climate changes, who could have a huge negative impact in parts of the world.
Therefore, the Congress welcomes the Kyoto agreement, which obliges industrial countries to cut down CO2 emissions by at least 6 per cent compared to the 1992 level. Even a more drastic reduction seems to be needed. LI welcomes, that USA – the world’s main CO2 producer – after almost a year of hesitation seems willing to ratify.
Liberal International is in favour of some use of flexible measures- including off country investments- in the work of industrial countries to achieve their promised reduction. However, the change of internal patterns of production and consumption must be the main contribution in the promised reduction. It is not in line with liberal thinking, if someone could pay instead of fulfilling his duties. In this respect, the possibility of trade with emission quotas while effective and financially efficient in the short term, must be carefully regulated so that no corporation or country can simply buy their way out of environmental preservation.
The Congress hopes, that future worldwide agreements on environment also would include economic measures in the protection of the environment. For example minimum fees on energy – including air fuel – should be imposed to raise the motivation and the efficiency of the policies.
For the developing countries, the with the need to fight environmental damage is even greater but more difficult because of financial constrains though the efforts for economic development and sustainable use of resources go hand in hand. Therefore the fight against poverty must have highest priority, and the Congress asks liberal parties to ensure that commitments to increase development assistance to at least 0.7 per cent of GDP would be implemented very fast.
Finally, the congress urges states, companies and individuals to recognise, that a fair burden sharing between developed and non-developed countries is the only comprehensive way in the struggle for world-wide sustainable development, including the fulfilling of the right to development.
