Opinions & Editorials
HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT -- HEALTHY ECONOMY: NOT IN CONFLICT Authors:
Mike Hertel, SCE
Reed Holderman, TPL
It has been widely believed that the forces urging economic growth and those supporting environmental preservation are locked in an unyielding war; this, despite those instances when a major corporation or business interest weighs in publicly in favor of preserving some natural resources.
Well, wide belief has been seriously narrowed with the startling (to many) realization that a coalition of major business interests and the largest environmental advocates, joined by state and federal agency officials, has issued a position paper advocating the belief that (gasp!) a robust economy and a healthy environment are not adversarial; in fact, they go hand in hand.
"The interdependence of the economy and environment is at the foundation of California's wealth and at the center of the California dream" says the document, signed by representatives of such companies as Bank of America, Hewlett Packard, Chevron, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, PG&E, Southern California Edison, Sustainable Conservation, the Walt Disney Company, and Waste Management, as well as by the Sierra Club, Audubon Society, Planning and Conservation League, Nature Conservancy, Trust for Public Land, Earth Island Institute, Union of Concerned Scientists and California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance. Also signing on to this declaration were representatives of the State Resources Agency and state and federal EPA.
Coming together as the California Environmental Dialogue, this array of sometime-adversaries has authored a position which is as surprising in its far-reaching conclusions as it is startling for how the accord was achieved.
In calling for a greater and reliable flow of public and private investment in California's natural capital -- the land, air, water and ecosystems, we offer unhesitating recognition to the generous bounty provided by California's ecosystems, noting that "there are limits to these systems, and it is time to return their generosity."
But what brought about this plea for what we call "enlightened stewardship?" How did environmental watchdogs and giant corporations and government agencies suddenly set aside traditional disagreements and reach whole-hearted agreement on a subject seen as both complex and controversial?
The steps were simple but surprisingly effective: first, we suspended traditional antagonisms to agree to meet; next, we agreed to a dialogue process that is marked by honesty and openness, by agreement to seek common ground among our frequently competing interests. And over a two-year period of such meetings, we have seen the growth of trust, strong alliances and productive partnerships.
One culmination of the process is the position paper "Habitat and Prosperity," which we unveiled in the midst of an election year. Copies of the paper have gone to every new or returning member of the Legislature, the Governor-elect, and other statewide officials. Quite clearly, our hope is to impact the thinking of those who set priorities and allocate resources.
Now that we finally know whose hands will be at the controls of state government, we'll be watching to see how well we succeeded in delivering our message. If environmentalists and corporations can unite behind a common message, there must be real hope for California's future. We hear predictions that by the year 2020, our population could increase monumentally -- perhaps by as much as the population of New York State. But the public and private commitment necessary to keep our future in line with our dreams is within our reach -- if we, and you, will simply stretch a little to make it happen.