Agenda 21 and Sustainable Development

EPA's Plan to Set Water-Quality Standards in Florida, a National First

January 16, 2010

The Miami Herald - In a move cheered by environmental groups, the federal government on Friday proposed stringent limits on "nutrient'' pollution allowed to foul Florida's waterways.

The ruling -- which will cost industries and governments more than a billion dollars to comply -- marks the first time the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has intervened to set a state's water-quality standards.

"I'm thrilled,'' said Linda Young, director of the Clean Water Network, an advocacy group. "It is something that will ultimately start restoring Florida's waters.''

The agency issued the proposed regulations after reaching a settlement in August with five environmental groups that sued the federal government in 2008 for not enforcing the Clean Water Act in Florida.

The caps on phosphorus and nitrogen levels in Florida's lakes, rivers, streams, springs and canals would replace the state's vague "narrative'' approach to monitoring the effects of waste and fertilizer runoff, which the EPA deemed insufficient. The proposed rule includes provisions giving the EPA oversight authority to enforce the standards.

In Florida, 16 percent of rivers, 36 percent of lakes and 25 percent of estuaries are considered impaired, according to a 2008 report. Nutrient pollution is the most prevalent water-pollution problem in the state, contributing to algae blooms that kill fish and cause respiratory problems and infections among boaters and beachgoers. It also causes economic damage to property values, tourism and commercial fishing.

"New water-quality standards will help protect and restore inland waters that are a critical part of Florida's history, culture and economic prosperity,'' said Peter S. Silva, assistant administrator in the EPA's Office of Water, in a statement.

More than 10 years ago, the EPA told states to set limits on nutrient pollution.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection spent eight years collecting data and planned to present a draft proposal to a group of scientists and industry representatives last August. But the department abandoned the effort when the federal government interceded.

The EPA proposed standards based on geography and the type of water body using the state's data but its own methodology, which was reviewed by an independent authority, according to the 197-page report.

The agency's numbers don't deviate too greatly from what state regulators intended, though the federal standards are tougher when it comes to pollution in rivers and streams.

Take, for example, the Suwannee River basin: the state wanted to allow 1.730 parts per million of total nitrogen but the EPA set the number lower at 1.479 parts per million.

The EPA also went further than state regulators by proposing water-quality standards for South Florida canals and creating more rigid standards on upstream nutrient levels to protect downstream lakes and estuaries.

In other areas, the rules would give Florida flexibility by establishing a procedure for gradual compliance and allowing the state to set limits in certain areas.

Federal analysts estimated it would cost polluters $1.1 billion to $1.5 billion to comply -- but emphasized the state's draft proposal would have cost nearly the same amount. The cost estimates don't include the price tag for upgrading municipal stormwater systems.

A spokesman for Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Michael Sole said the department was still reviewing the report late Friday and didn't have a response.

'WATER TAX'

But a coalition of agriculture and industry groups -- which formed two months ago to oppose the EPA rules -- responded quickly by calling the proposed limits a "water tax.''

"This terrible regulation is not needed because Florida nutrient standards are perfectly adequate,'' said Jim Alves, a lobbyist who represents power companies and wastewater utilities. "The science isn't there to do this regulation.''

Barney Bishop, the president of Associated Industries of Florida, said the cost -- which his group estimates at more than $50 billion -- would hurt business recruitment and job creation.

"It's onerous, stupid, ridiculous and idiotic,'' he said.

Ever since the lawsuit settlement, political officials and special interests have waded into the debate. Gov. Charlie Crist, Attorney General Bill McCollum and Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Bronson previously voiced strong objections and suggested the state might sue the EPA.

The issue is expected to generate intense political debate ahead of three public hearings throughout the state in February. The final rule takes effect in October.

Sustainable Development Tops UN Chief’s Priorities for 2010

January 11, 2010

United Nations – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today outlined seven priorities for 2010, beginning with the urgent need for a renewed focus on sustainable development, including advancing efforts to achieve the globally agreed targets aimed at ending poverty, disease and hunger. [Click here to read UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks to the informal session of the General Assembly, “Agenda 2010,” in New York today.]

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – as the targets are known – are among the seven “strategic opportunities” to be realized not over decades but within the next twelve months, Mr. Ban told the 192-member General Assembly.

“Taken together, they can make the world safer, fairer and more prosperous today and in the future,” he stated. “I ask that we join together to make 2010 a year of sustainable development – to meet the MDGs, address climate change, promote global health and take the necessary steps for lasting and robust economic recovery.”

Mr. Ban highlighted the special MDG summit he will be convening in September in conjunction with the Assembly’s annual General Debate. Prior to that, in March, he will present his own assessment to the membership on the gaps and needs on this issue.

Negotiating a binding agreement on climate change, as well as to deliver on commitments made to date, was the second priority emphasized by the Secretary-General. Last month, countries ‘sealed the deal’ on a political accord which seeks to jump-start immediate action on climate change and guide negotiations on long-term action.

It also includes an agreement to working towards curbing global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius, efforts to reduce or limit emissions, and pledges to mobilize $100 billion a year for developing countries to combat climate change. Mr. Ban said he intends to launch a high-level panel on climate change and sustainable development, which will deliver its own recommendations on the way ahead.

The Secretary-General also called for empowering women as never before during 2010, and pointed to the need to work towards setting up the new gender entity to be established within the UN, and step up efforts to prevent violence against women. The appointment of a Special Representative on the prevention of sexual violence in armed conflict will be announced soon, he added.

Noting encouraging progress in the field of disarmament, Mr. Ban’s fourth priority is working towards a nuclear-free world. “As with the MDG summit, we must prepare the ground for success,” he stated, listing a series of meetings that he will be attending on the issue in Geneva, Paris and Washington.

“The fifth strategic opportunity lies in preventing and resolving deadly conflicts around the world,” the Secretary-General went on to say, adding that 2010 will undoubtedly bring unforeseen political and humanitarian crises.

Among the challenges anticipated are critical elections in Iraq, Sudan, Cote d’Ivoire and Myanmar. In addition, the situations in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Guinea, among others, will continue to demand attention.

“In the Middle East, we must generate new momentum in the search for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace,” Mr. Ban stated. “One year after the Gaza conflict, a fundamentally different approach is required to address the major humanitarian and reconstruction challenges still facing its people.”

The sixth priority, said the Secretary-General, is to advance on issues “at the heart of who we are – human rights and the rule of law.” In this regard, he urged the Assembly in the coming weeks to conduct a thorough and clear-eyed review of the Human Rights Council.

He also called for strengthening the International Criminal Court (ICC), describing it as the “centrepiece of our system of international criminal justice,” and urged all nations to become parties to the Court’s Statute.

Last, but not least, Mr. Ban cited the need to strengthen the UN system.

“In the last years, we have made important progress in realigning the United Nations with new global realities. But more has to be done.

“As an Organization, we have to commit to continuously improve the way we are doing business. Changing with changing times and evolving needs has to become a way of life at the United Nations,” he said, noting the need to rejuvenate management, develop the emerging leaders of the future, and build a flexible workforce for the 21st century, as well as make better use of modern technologies.

“I sense renewed energy as we start the new year and take on the heavy agenda ahead,” Mr. Ban stressed to reporters following his informal briefing to the Assembly.

“We can make 2010 a year for action on a number of fronts,” he added. “We are ready to act, ready to deliver, and ready to make 2010 a year of results for people.”

The Millennium Development Goals Report 2009: More than halfway to the 2015 deadline to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), major advances in the fight against poverty and hunger have begun to slow or even reverse as a result of the global economic and food crises, a progress report by the United Nations has found. The assessment, launched by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Geneva, warns that, despite many successes, overall progress has been too slow for most of the targets to be met by 2015. [Note the map on page 57 of the report (PDF), which divides the world into 10 "Regional Groupings" as compared to the seven continents of the world.]