Earth Day Spurs Examination of Bush Environmental Record

NEW U.N. REPORT ON POPULATION, ENVIRONMENT INDICATORS For the first time ever, the United Nations has released an informative wall chart with country-by-country information on key population, environment and development indicators. This new information contains valuable data about national, regional and global trends on population density, urbanization, water use, cropland, nutrition, pollution, energy use and economic progress. The report documents that global population density has increased to 45 people per square kilometer, from 20 in 1950. The world's urban population has nearly doubled since 1950 and cropland per capita has decreased by 25% in just 20 years. For the full data and chart, click here

April 25- Earth Day 2001 (April 22) has prompted early reviews of the young Bush Administration's environmental record by public interest groups, the media and the public. To be generous, the reviews are mixed. President Bush has been excoriated by the environmental community and editorial opinion for a series of early decisions; more recently several steps have been taken to bolster the Administration's environmental standing.

Among the most controversial decisions during his first 100 days, President Bush has:

• Halted numerous environmental protection rules promulgated by the Clinton Administration including regulations to limit the amount of arsenic in drinking water and to protect pristine forests from roadbuilding and mining;
• Reversed course on a campaign pledge to cap power plant emissions of carbon dioxide (the primary gas responsible for global warming);
• Withdrawn US support

  OTHER NEW PUBLICATIONS The Environmental Implications of Population Dynamics by RAND Addressing Environmental Health Issues by CCMC Population and the Environment: The Global Challenge A CD-ROM Resource by JHUCCPP Atlas on Population and Environment by AAAS

  from the international agreement aimed at preventing costly global warming;
• Cut environmental funding in the budget by $2.1 billion, including $500 million from the EPA and more than $350 million from the Department of Interior's land conservation efforts;
• Cut funding for energy efficiency programs by 50% and for solar and other renewable energy programs by more than 30%.

• Leaving in place a Clinton Administration plan to set stricter requirements on industry to disclose releases of toxic lead into the environment (lead is well known for its adverse health effects, especially for children);
• Releasing a Clinton Administration proposal to ensure additional protection for and reduce development around wetlands that clean freshwater and provide critical wildlife habitat;
• Agreeing to forward to the Senate a treaty negotiated by the Clinton Administration to ban global production and use of 12 toxic chemicals that are also known as "persistent organic pollutants," which have been linked with various disorders of the human immune and reproductive systems (For additional information on persistent organic pollutants, please see Saving Women's Lives Fact Sheet: Addressing Environmental Health Issues

In terms of the record related to population, international family planning and issues important to saving women's lives around the world, the Bush Administration record is also mixed.

On his first business day in office, President Bush imposed a global gag rule on family planning providers. Under this onerous Executive Order, as a condition of receiving federal funds for non abortion-related family planning services, organizations must demonstrate and declare that none of its private funding is used for abortion-related services or counseling. Experts indicate that the effect of the gag rule will be to significantly curtail provision of international family planning by cutting off funds to some of the most experienced and effective health care providers.

President Bush's budget proposal suggests level funding for international family planning efforts and a doubling in funds to combat the global HIV/AIDS crisis. While steady funding for international family planning programs is better than numerous environmental programs fared, it is not in keeping with the overall increase in foreign affairs spending, nor is it anywhere near the level of funding agreed to by the United States at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development.

For more information on the linkages between population, the environment and development, learn more about the American Association for the Advancement of Science's new Atlas, or the United Nation's new wall chart with a country-by-country report card on key population and environmental indicators.

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