TIEMPO

a bulletin on global warming and the Third World

issue 7  January 1993


published by the International Institute for
Environment and Development (London, UK) and the
University of East Anglia (Norwich, UK) with support
from the Swedish International Development Authority in
association with the Stockholm Environment Institute

editorial office:  TIEMPO, c/o Mick Kelly, School of
Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia,
Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK (email gn:crunorwich)

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EDITORIAL

We return to the Framework Convention on Climate Change
in this issue. James Cameron discusses the role of
international law in environmental affairs and
considers the climate convention from a legal
perspective. He reveals strengths and weaknesses,
evidence of compromise and deliberate ambiguity.
Concluding that the convention represents a major
achievement, not least because the concept of equity
survived as a basic principle, he notes that the
convention opens the way for continued participation by
non-governmental actors.

Maria Elena Hurtado highlights the complexity of the
links between population and the environment. She
counters the emphasis on numbers, drawing attention to
the need for an integrated approach focusing on
consumption patterns and polluting technologies.

Polluting technology is also a critical concern of 
Zoltan Illes, who argues that Hungary must adopt new
strategies if it is to recover from the environmental
stresses of recent decades. He warns that the emerging
colonization of Eastern Europe by harmful technologies
and products must be avoided.

The needs of the people and ways in which they can be
truly accounted for in responding to environmental
change are underlying themes of this issue. We report
on the proceedings of a major conference on this topic
and consider the conclusions of an IPCC workshop which
discussed, amongst other things, the inclusion of
social and cultural factors in country case studies.
While non-governmental organizations are increasingly
playing a role in shaping the international response to
climate change, mechanisms have to be found to take
full account of the desires, understanding and opinions
of us, the people.

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CONTACT ADDRESSES

James Cameron, FIELD, King's College London, Manresa 

Rd, London SW3 6LX, UK.

Maria Elena Hurtado, World Development Movement, 
25 Beehive Place, London SW9 7QR, UK.

Zoltan Illes, Federation of Young Democrats, 
Lendvay u.28, H-1062 Budapest, Hungary.

Les Cahiers du Futur, Environnement-Developpement, 
5 Passage Montgallet, 75012 Paris, France.

Tam Tam Video News, CIES, via Palermo 36, 00184 Rome, 
Italy.

Television Trust for the Environment, 46 Charlotte 
St, London W1P 1LX, UK.

TVE Distribution and Training Centre, Postbus 7, 3700 
AA Zeist, The Netherlands.

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