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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWest must cut appetite for cars and TVs, says UN official
"We don't need more cars, more TVs, more whatever" UN Development Program chief Helen Clark told AFP in an interview ahead of the Rio+20 summit starting Wednesday.
The 116 heads of state and government and their populations -- rich and poor -- face "chaos" unless the three day summit can at least lay the groundwork for economic growth that eases poverty and preserves natural resources, said the former New Zealand prime minister.
"I think there is a high level of awareness that the planet is in peril, to put it bluntly," said Clark, who will be one of the key figures at the Rio de Janeiro event
http://www.france24.com/en/20120618-west-must-cut-appetite-cars-tvs-says-un-official
bhikkhu
(10,716 posts)FarCenter
(19,429 posts)TheWraith
(24,331 posts)Albeit not a very practical one, nor very likely. What will happen is that we'll devise more environmentally friendly means of maintaining our lifestyles, which is basically what has happened all through history.
we've come a long way..more to come..
FLAprogressive
(6,771 posts)MrSlayer
(22,143 posts)I hate when people say this. We as a species are in peril but the planet is just fine.
Good luck getting people not to buy tvs and cars.
HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)MrSlayer
(22,143 posts)There seems to be little of that going around.
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)FLAprogressive
(6,771 posts)Zalatix
(8,994 posts)Response to FLAprogressive (Reply #8)
Zalatix This message was self-deleted by its author.
Response to FLAprogressive (Reply #8)
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Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)A very valid point!
muriel_volestrangler
(101,316 posts)http://www.unicef.org/emerg/index_landmines.html
http://www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/ArmsTradeTreaty/
and, inevitably, it's the US trying to block things, especially Republicans:
...
Initially suggested by a group of Nobel Peace Prize laureates in 2003, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 61/89 to establish an ATT working group with 153 nations in support, 19 nations abstained (including China, Russia and Israel) and one nation voted in opposition -- that one nation was the United States. In 2009, the Obama Administration reversed the US position with the caveat that all decisions at the conference be unanimous thereby providing one country with the ability to veto the Treaty.
As the ATT moves toward multilateral consideration in July, significant opposition to the Treaty has surfaced in the Senate with its 'advise and consent' authority on treaties. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Ks) sent the President a letter of opposition signed by 44 Republican Senators and Sen. Jon Tester (D- Mt) sent a similar letter along with 12 Democrats stating that "the Arms Trade Treaty must not in any way regulate the domestic manufacture, possession or sales of firearms or ammunition."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/renee-parsons/the-export-of-weapons-pas_b_1540165.html
lunatica
(53,410 posts)Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)Archae
(46,327 posts)Helen Clark can go screw herself.
I happen to like getting new tech toys like my TV and mp3 player.
And guess what? I ride a bicycle, something Helen Clark probably hasn't been on since she was a teenager.
Fla_Democrat
(2,547 posts)off her new iPad.
Ikonoklast
(23,973 posts)Yeah, a few billion born into poverty each year aren't stressing the planet, either.
Anyone can play this game, try it, it's fun!