United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Information Resources
Management
(PM-Z11A)
INTERNATIONAL
UPDATE
February 1991
220N91002
FEB261991
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
LIBRARY, REGION V
Sources of Information on the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development (UNCED)
-Mary Stevanus
Open access to information concerning the
United Nations Conference on Environment
and Development (UNCED) is an important
component of the 1992 meeting process.
Maurice Strong, Director, UNCED Secretariat,
announced the formation of a global electronic
networkto allow world-wide access to UNCED
developments. The network will provide
electronic transmission of UN resolutions,
schedules of future meetings, and press
releases to officials, non-governmental
organizations, and concerned citizens.
While UNCED information is available from
traditional news and wire sources, two existing
telecommunications vendors, ECONET and
Telecommunications Cooperative Network
(TCN) have been selected to provide complete
and interactive access to UNCED information
world-wide at a relatively low cost.
TCN
Previously available only to official
representatives of the UN, UNISER, the
database of the United Nations Department of
Public Information, is now being made available
to the public via the Telecommunications
Cooperative Network, a commercial vendor.
News and official information concerning
UNCED preparations (TCN), full text of UN
resolutions, reports from the Prepcomms,
press releases and other information from
UNCED officials are part of the UNISER
database.
ECONET
Part of the Institute forGlob;>: Communications
network, ECONET links e virr mentalgroups
and officials from around the world for
discussion and information exchange on the
UNCED conference. Online conferencing and
electronic mail services allow users to upload
official statements concerning UNCED and
provides a forum for the timely exchange of
information and ideas on the conference
between concerned environmentalists and
UNCED officials. The use of ECONET will
ensure non-governmental organization
participation in the conference. ECONET
participants can offerproposalsforinclusion in
the UNCED declaration as well as comments
and ideas on any topic related to UNCED.
NEWS SOURCES
Traditional news and wire sources provide
additional coverage of UNCED events.
Reuters, Nexis (UPI/AP), Newsnet and other
databases with world-wide coverage provide
occasional articles dealing with UNCED
events.
For more information on UNCED contact Mary
Stevanus at FTS 245-3638.
INFOTERRA/USA National Focal Point
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Journal Articles
"Action Expected in 1991 to Set Global
Environmental Agendafor21 st Century." [BNA
Special Report] International Environment
Reporter. January 16,1991. pp. 23-28.
LaLonde, Bruce. "The International Dimension
of Climate Change" [by French Minister of the
environment - BNA Special Report]
International Environment Reporter.
January 16, 1991. pp. 29-31.
Perera, Judith. "USSR Reassesses Alternative
Energy in Face of Nuclear Prog ram Slowdown"
Multinational Environmental Reporter.
January 22, 1991. Vol. 17, No. 2. p. 14.
Sand, Peter H. "Innovations in
Intergovernmental Environmental
Governance" Environment. November 1991.
Vol. 32, No. 9. pp. 16-20, 40-45.
Wille, Chris. "Peace Is Hell!" [environmental
impacts of war in Nicaragua] Audubon.
January 1991. Vol. 91, No. 1. pp. 62-70.
Get Up and Go
Upcoming Conferences
Environworld 91: International Conference on
Solid and Hazardous Waste Management.
June 27-30, 1991. Singapore. Innovative
technologies and policies, particularly those in
Pacific Rim countries, are the focus of this
conference. For more information contact:
International Secretariat; Communication
International Association; 44/46 Tanjong Pagar
Road; Singapore 0208. Telephone: (65)226-
2838; FAX: (65) 226-2877.
Environmental Effects From
the Gulf War
-- Keith Chanon
Now that the Persian Gulf crisis has escalated
into a full-scale war, we are beginning to see
its environmental effects. At this stage, the
extent of environmental damage is unknown,
however, many reputable scientists have
predicted that burning oil fields and major oil
spills may have a global impact, and will
certainly endanger the region's wildlife,
agriculture, and clean water supply.
This is the first war-time experience where the
environment has become an issue of major
concern. Several organizations are actively
disseminating information about the
environmental effects of the war, and are
questioning the military as to what actions are
being taken to minimize the damage. The
active organizations include Friends of the
Earth, Greenpeace, the Global Alliance for
Peace in the Persian Gulf, and the International
Clearinghouse on the Military and the
Environment.
According to Carl Sagan and Richard Turco,
the burning of Kuwaiti oil fields would produce
enough sooty smoke to block heat and disrupt
the climate over much of the Northern
Hemisphere. The consequent regional cooling
could disruptthe Indian monsoons which bring
summer rains that sustain agriculture in India.
Even without considering the damage caused
from oil well explosions, troops and military
equipment will disturb desert life. Accordingto
Biologist John Cloudsley-Thompson of the
International Clearinghouse on Military and
the Environment, since the desert ecosystem
is very fragile, it will take several years to
recover from this military action.
For more information and contacts on this
issue please contact Keith Chanon at FTS
382-5638.
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