Poverty:

Some people have counted the number of people living in absolute poverty, particularly in developing countries. The enormity and complexity of the poverty issue could endanger the social fabric, undermine economic development and the environment, and threaten political stability in many countries.

The General Assembly Programme decided that poverty eradication should be an overriding theme of sustainable development for the coming years. It is one of the fundamental goals of the international community and of the entire United Nations system, Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development.

Resolutions:
Priority actions include:

1. improving access to sustainable livelihoods, entrepreneurial opportunities and productive resources;
2. providing universal access to basic social services;
3. progressively developing social protection systems to support those who cannot support themselves;
4. empowering people living in poverty and their organizations;
5. addressing the disproportionate impact of poverty on women;
6. working with interested donors and recipients to allocate increased shares of ODA to poverty eradication; and
7. intensifying international cooperation for poverty eradication.

Industry:

Rio Declaration on Environment and Development provide the fundamental framework for policy discussion and action on matters related to industry and sustainable development. Although the role of business and industry is related to industry and economic development, consumption and production patterns, social development and environmental protection.

Governments need to integrate economic, social and environmental concerns in their policy-making and to promote economic growth and international competitiveness of industry through macroeconomic policies. In order to stimulate domestic private enterprise, boost economy-wide competitiveness and attract foreign direct investment, policy reforms should aim at creating an enabling policy environment, through improvements in infrastructure and education, encouragement of research and development, facilitation of exports and liberalization of domestic markets. In this regard, the development of small and medium-sized enterprises should receive special attention.

Industry plays a critical role in technological innovations and research and development activities, which are crucial for the economic and social development of any country, as well as in the development, diffusion and transfer of environmentally sound technologies and management techniques, which constitute a key element of sustainable development. As the world has become more industrialized, there have been increasing environmental pressures such as harmful emissions and waste, which have had global, regional or local impacts.

These include, at the local level, urban air pollution, contamination of soils and rivers and land degradation; regionally, acid rain and water and coastal zone contamination; and globally, climate change, ozone layer depletion, loss of biodiversity, increased movement of hazardous waste and increased land-based marine pollution.

The overriding task facing Governments is to maximize the positive influence of industrial activities on economic and social development, while minimizing the negative impact of production and consumption on the environment. To this end, Governments should review their regulatory policies and systems of economic incentives and disincentives and undertake other actions such as capacity-building, environmental data collection and enforcement that support the environmental protection efforts of industry and civil society. Governments should encourage the wider dispersion and implementation of industry’s voluntary initiatives and agreements and sharing of best practices.

Tourism is one of the world’s fastest growing industries and an important source of foreign exchange and employment for many developing countries. It has begun to focus on natural environments. While it can contribute in a positive manner to socio-economic development and environmental protection, uncontrolled tourism growth can also cause environmental degradation, destruction of fragile ecosystems, and social and cultural conflict, undermining the basis of tourism.

Mission:

A daunting task is at hand. We must ask industry, including the ones that have come from other countries, to do their part in helping the communities where they are. We must make a plan where they not only take from your communities but they also give in ways that will help sustain development and not lead to the destruction of the environments.

Questions:

1. What percentage of your population are poor?
2. What is the main cause of poverty in your country?
3. What are the main industries in your country? How many of them are foreign?
4. What have the different industries done to help your (their) country?
5. What can the UN do about transnational countries that only take from a country without doing anything beneficial for it?