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abolition-usa-digest     Monday, October 30 2000     Volume 01 : Number 397




----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2000 06:11:36 -0400
From: Ellen Thomas <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) NucNews 00/10/30 -  Daybook; Presidential Candidates; Activist Announcements

Washington Times Daybook, October 30, 2000, Agence France Presse=20
http://www.washtimes.com/national/daybook-20001030215323.htm
[No "nuclear" events today.]

- - State Department told to turn over data on deal=20
        Ten senior U.S. Republican senators have ordered the State
Department to
turn over "all the relevant documents" relating to a secret deal Vice
President  Al Gore made with Russia on arms sales to Iran by  noon today.
http://www.washtimes.com/national/default-2000103023126.htm

- -- PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

- - George W. Bush -=20
http://www.GeorgeWBush.com - http://64.92.133.170/Calendar.asp
Today: Albuquerque, New Mexico, morning; afternoon, rallies in Burbank,
California, and Fresno, California; the Tonight Show with Jay Leno this
evening. Details:
        9:45 a.m. - Bosque Farms Elementary School, 1390 West Bosque Farms
Loop,
Bosque Farms, New Mexico 87068, [phone]
        11:15 a.m. - Eclipse Aviation, 2503 Clark Carr Loop, SE,=
 Albuquerque,
New Mexico 87106, [phone]
        3:25 p.m. - Hilton Burbank Airport & Convention Center, Academy
Ballroom, 2500 Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA, 818-843-6000=20
        8:00 p.m. - Fresno Convention Center, Exhibit Hall 1, Fresno,
California
[phone]=20

- - Al Gore -=20
http://www.algore2000.com/
Unknown

- - Ralph Nader -=20
http://www.votenader.org/campaignevents.html
Wednesday, November 1
 Nader/LaDuke -=20
        7:00pm - Milwaukee, WI, Super Rally with guest John Anderson   Doors
open at 5:00pm, Milwaukee Auditorium, 500 W. Kilbourn Ave. (corner of=
 Kilbourn
and 6th St.), Ticket & Volunteer Information
http://www.votenader.org/superrallies.html#WI

Friday, November 3 - Los Angeles, CA
        8:00pm - 10:30pm - Nader Super Rally with guest Phil Donahue, Doors
open at 6:00pm,  Long Beach Arena, 300 E. Ocean Blvd.; Ticket & Volunteer
Information http://www.votenader.org/superrallies.html#LA

Sunday, November 5 -=20
        9:00am - Nader Exclusive on Meet the Press
        1:00 PM - DC Super Rally -  Doors open at Noon.=20
Ralph Nader will be wrapping up campaign 2000 right here in Washington, D.C.
with a super rally of 17,000 people at the MCI Center. [Please note, the
time is
different from yesterday's announcement; thanks for the correction, RMF!]

Tuesday, November 7 - Election Day

- -- ANNOUNCEMENTS --

- - Upcoming - "Conference of Women for Responsible National Security." will=
 be
held Dec. 2 and 3 in Washington, DC.  Call Peace Links at [phone] and
ask Charlotte for brochure or pdf file.

- - Is Your College Contaminated?
        On 21 September 2000, the US Department of Energy (DoE) published a
list
of more than 577 sites that may have been involved in nuclear activities.=
 The
DoE is examining each site for possible nuclear contamination. The list
includes more than 40 colleges and universities that may have conducted=
 nuclear
weapons research over the last 50 years. Publication of the list comes at=
 the
same time as the US House of Representatives is discussing legislation that
would compensate people who worked in the nuclear weapons program and now
suffer from illnesses related to radiation exposure.
        Among the colleges listed on the DoE's list are: Brown University,
California Institute of Technology, Case Western Reserve University,=
 Colorado
School of Mines, Columbia University, Cornell University Medical College,
Fordham University*, Harvard University, Iowa State University, John Hopkins
University, Long Island College of Medicine*, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, Montana State College, New York University*, North Carolina=
 State
University, Ohio State University, Princeton University, Purdue University,=
 St.
Louis University, Stanford University*, Syracuse University*, Tufts College,
University of Arizona*, University of California at Berkeley, University of
California at Davis, University of Chicago, University of Cincinnati,
University of Denver Research Institute, University of Florida, University=
 of
Indiana at Bloomington, University of Miami*, University of Michigan at Ann
Arbor, University of Nevada*, University of Notre Dame, University of
Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh, University of Rochester, University=
 of
Utah, University of Virginia, University of Washington, Washington=
 University
(Mo.), Wesleyan University and Yale University. The entire list can be=
 viewed
at Http://www2.em.doe.gov/sitelist/
        *Indicates institutions previously found not be contaminated (The
Chronicle of Higher Education, 26 September 2000)

                 ><>< ><>< ><>< ><>< ><>< ><>< ><>< ><>< ><>< ><

- - Take Action and Write a Letter -=20
From: The Sunflower Newsletter No. 41 October 2000=20
<mailto:sunflower-napf@egroups>=20
        Below is a sample letter to personalize and send to your Foreign
Minister and UN mission, urging them to vote affirmatively on these
resolutions. Handwritten letters are always best. Fax numbers for Heads of
States and foreign ministers can be found at the Abolition 2000 website at
Http://www.abolition2000.org and the Reaching Critical Will website at
Http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org.
        Dear Foreign Minister and UN Ambassador,
        I am writing to you because I understand that a number of important
resolutions concerning nuclear weapons are coming up in the United Nations
General Assembly First Committee, starting this month.
        I am concerned that my country may not be doing enough to rid the=
 world
of the one thing that could possibly destroy civilization and perhaps the=
 human
race.
        I understand that in a press conference on 14 September, the New=
 Agenda
Coalition (NAC) (New Zealand, Ireland, Sweden, Brazil, South Africa, Egypt=
 and
Mexico) asked the nuclear weapons states to fulfill their obligations to get
rid of nuclear weapons under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
        This is a wonderful initiative, and I believe that my country should
also take a leading role in supporting this vital initiative. Just as New
Zealand and Ireland, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and Egypt, all=
 small/middle
countries, are pressing the US and Russia to get rid of their, so should my
country.
        There are at least seven really good initiatives that will be=
 presented
to the United Nations General Assembly, including a resolution from the NAC.
Also included is a resolution to prohibit the use of nuclear weapons, a
resolution for a nuclear weapons convention like the chemical weapons
convention, a resolution to take nuclear weapons off "hair-trigger" alert,=
 as
recommended by the Canberra Commission, a resolution calling for a nuclear
weapons free zone in the Southern Hemisphere, and a resolution to prevent=
 space
from being used for military purposes.
        I urge you, Foreign Minister, to please support the New Agenda group=
 in
the General Assembly and satisfy the desire of all those who want this=
 country
to take a leading role in nuclear disarmament.
        (Signed) (Your name)

- - NOW AVAILABLE! CDI's Issue Brief "National Missile Defense: What Does It=
 All
Mean?"
        As the debate in the United States on the planned deployment of the
national missile defense (NMD) system heats up, the Center for Defense
Information (CDI) has released a timely Issue Brief, "National Missile=
 Defense:
What Does It All Mean?" on this important national security issue.
        The Issue Brief is designed to offer unbiased, in-depth, and=
 up-to-date
information on all aspects of the NMD debate to citizens, educators and
decision-makers nationwide. Missile defense has gained additional prominence=
 as
one of the most divisive and defining issues in this year's presidential
campaign. The 56 page document includes the following:
        "The Impact of National Missile Defense on Strategic Relations with
Russia" By Dr. Bruce G. Blair, President of CDI and the author of "The Logic=
 of
Accidental Nuclear War."
        "Why Should You/We Care?" By Rear Admiral Eugene J. Carroll, Jr.,=
 USN
(Ret.), Vice-President of CDI, and former Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval
Operations for Plans, Policy and Operations.
        "Technical Feasibility, Threat Justification, and Program History=
 and
Chronology" By Colonel Daniel Smith, USA (Ret.),CDI Chief of Research, and a
former Defense Intelligence Agency official and a Military Attach=E9 in=
 London.
        "Current and Past Cost Estimates" By Christopher Hellman, CDI Senior
Analyst, former Congressional aide.
        "NMD and Asia: Views from China, India, Pakistan, Japan, North and
South
Korea" By Dr. Nicholas Berry, CDI Senior Analyst, and the co-author of "IR:=
 The
New World of International Relations."
        "Europe and NMD: Views from the European Continent and the Role of
Europe in NMD Architecture" By Tomas Valasek, CDI Senior Analyst, former
journalist on European security issues.
        In addition to the print version, CDI is preparing a web site with
further information on the National Missile Defense program. Each section in
the print version will be updated on the web, on an as-needed basis, to keep
the document current. www.cdi.org

- - There is a precedent-setting review process happening behind closed doors=
 in
NATO. Your government URGENTLY needs to know that its citizens are watching,
and that you want the report / document made PUBLIC at the NATO meeting in
December.=20
        Suggested timeline: Because the final report from NATO on its=
 nuclear
policy is due in DECEMBER, a letter out by end of October, and a meeting=
 with
your  representative and foreign ministry in November would be ideal.
        BASICS ABOUT NATO=20
        The North Atlantic Treaty was signed in Washington on 4 April 1949,
creating an alliance of 12 independent nations committed to each other's
defence. Four more European nations later acceded to the Treaty between 1952
and 1982. On 12 March 1999, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland were
welcomed into the Alliance, which now numbers 19 members.=20
        NATO countries are: Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway
Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States. NATO is
headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.=20
        As of 1998, there were 214 NATO Nuclear Weapons storage sites in=
 seven
NATO countries: Greece, Italy, Turkey, Germany, Belgium, UK, Netherlands.
        SOME LINKS AND REFERENCES FOR MORE INFORMATION
- - The Centre for European Security and Disarmament (CESD)
http://www.cesd.org Subscribe to CESD's NATO NOTES, an email newsletter from
former WILPF intern Sharon Riggle, Executive Director of CESD. (Sharon has=
 said
she is willing to provide country specific information to WILPF sections
Ph: + 32 2 230 0732, fax: + 32 2 230 2467 email: [e-mail])
- - Berlin Information-Center for Transatlantic Security subscribe to the NATO
information email list of BITS - Berlin Information-Center for Transatlantic
Security=20
email: [e-mail] and ask to subscribe
- - The British American Security Information Council http://www.basicint.org=
 has
good article about NATO and the NPT promises
- - The Acronym Institute has regular reports on NATO
developments http://www.acronym.org
- - The NATO Website http://www.nato.int
        SOME RELEVANT PARAGRAPHS FROM NATO DOCUMENTS
        The April 1999 Strategic Concept states:=20
        "The supreme guarantee of the security of the allies is provided by=
 the
strategic nuclear forces of the Alliance, particularly those of the United
States. The fundamental purpose of the nuclear forces of the allies is
political: to preserve peace and prevent coercion and any kind of war. They
will continue to fulfill an essential role by ensuring uncertainty in the=
 mind
of any aggressor about the nature of the allies' response to military
aggression."=20
        46.To protect peace and to prevent war or any kind of coercion, the
Alliance will maintain for the foreseeable future an appropriate mix of=
 nuclear
and conventional forces based in Europe and kept up to date where necessary,
although at a minimum sufficient level. Taking into account the diversity of
risks with which the Alliance could be faced, it must maintain the forces
necessary to ensure credible deterrence and to provide a wide range of
conventional response options. But the Alliance's conventional forces alone
cannot ensure credible deterrence. Nuclear weapons make a unique=
 contribution
in rendering the risks of aggression against the Alliance incalculable and
unacceptable. Thus, they remain essential to preserve peace.=20
        The April 1999 Final Communique Paragraph 32 states=20
        32. Arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation will continue to
play a major role in the achievement of the Alliance's security objectives.
NATO has a long-standing commitment in this area. Allied forces, both
conventional and nuclear, have been significantly reduced since the end of=
 the
Cold War as part of the changed security environment. All Allies are States
Parties to the central treaties related to disarmament and non-proliferation=
 of
weapons of mass destruction, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the
Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention and the Chemical Weapons Convention,
and are committed to the full implementation of these treaties. NATO is a
defensive Alliance seeking to enhance security and stability at the minimum
level of forces consistent with the requirements for the full range of=
 Alliance
missions. As part of its broad approach to security, NATO actively supports
arms control and disarmament, both conventional and nuclear, and pursues its
approach against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their
delivery means. In the light of overall strategic developments and the=
 reduced
salience of nuclear weapons, the Alliance will consider options for=
 confidence
and security building measures, verification, non-proliferation and arms
control and disarmament. The Council in Permanent Session will propose a
process to Ministers in December for considering such options. The=
 responsible
NATO bodies would accomplish this. We support deepening consultations with
Russia in these and other areas in the Permanent Joint Council as well as=
 with
Ukraine in the NATO-Ukraine Commission and with other Partners in the EAPC.=
=20
        The May 2000 Florence Ministerial Final Communique States:
        54. NATO Allies value the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as=
 the
cornerstone of the nuclear non-proliferation regime and the essential
foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. Alliance nations have
dramatically reduced nuclear weapons and delivery systems, and reaffirm=
 their
commitment to work for the further reduction of nuclear weapons globally. We
welcome the positive outcome of the NPT Review Conference. The Conference
agreed on the importance of universal adherence to and compliance with the=
 NPT,
and reaffirmed the commitment of all States Parties to disarmament,=
 safeguards
and peaceful nuclear co-operation. Allies confirm their commitments made at=
 the
NPT Review Conference and will contribute to carrying forward the=
 conclusions
reached there.=20
        55. At the Washington Summit, NATO leaders committed the Alliance to
consider options for confidence and security building measures,=
 verification,
non-proliferation and arms control and disarmament, in the light of overall
strategic developments and the reduced salience of nuclear weapons. At the
December 1999 Ministerial meeting, we set this process in train. Today we
received a progress report on the consultations that are taking place in the
responsible NATO bodies, and welcome the fact that a comprehensive and
integrated review is well underway. We look forward to receiving a=
 substantive
report for Ministerial consideration in December 2000. We have instructed=
 the
Council in Permanent Session to task the Senior Political Committee
(Reinforced) to oversee and integrate the work on the process by=
 establishing,
as the next step, the framework for this report. NATO's decision to set in
train this process further demonstrates Allied commitment to promoting arms
control and disarmament and to strengthening the international
non-proliferation regime.=20
        57.The proliferation of nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC)=
 weapons
and their means of delivery can pose a direct military threat to Allies'
populations, territory and forces and therefore continues to be a matter of
serious concern for the Alliance. The principal non-proliferation goal of=
 the
Alliance and its members is to prevent proliferation from occurring, or,=
 should
it occur, to reverse it through diplomatic means. In this context, we place
great importance on arms control and the non-proliferation and export=
 control
regimes as means to prevent proliferation.=20

Felicity Hill, Director, United Nations Office <mailto:[e-mail]>
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
web: www.wilpf.int.ch or www.reachingcriticalwill.org


______________________________________________________________

*   Peace Through Reason - http://prop1.org - Convert the War Machines!  *
        Online Petition - http://www.PetitionOnline.com/prop1/petition.html
            NucNews - Today and Archives -
http://prop1.org/nucnews/briefslv.htm
______________________________________________________________

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 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2000 16:46:23 -0500
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) [Fwd: VIRUS ALERT]

Sally,
  I don't believe that is possible. The only way an e-mail message can
give you a computer
virus, as far as I know, is via an attachment or hyperlink. Never open
an attachment from
someone you don't know and trust. Even then, after downloading an
apparently trustworthy attachment,
run your virus checker on it before you open it.
- ---Frank

Sally Light wrote:
>
> Dear Friends,
>
> I do not how reliable this information is, but thought I should pass it
> on right away just in case.
>
> Sally Light
> Executive Director
> Nevada Desert Experience
>
>   ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Subject: VIRUS ALERT
> Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2000 16:24:56 EST
> From: Jeoflin D Roh <[e-mail]>
> To: [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
>      [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
>      [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
>      [e-mail], [e-mail],
>      [e-mail], [e-mail],
>      [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
>      [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
>      [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]
>
> Subject: Alert not a joke
>
> PASS THIS ON TO ANYONE FOR WHOM YOU HAVE AN E-MAIL ADDRESS
> IF YOU RECEIVE AN E-MAIL TITLED "LET'S WATCH TV" DO NOT OPEN IT.
>
> IT WILL ERASE EVERYTHING ON YOUR HARD DRIVE. THIS INFORMATION WAS
> ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY MORNING FROM IBM; AOL STATES THAT "KALI" IS A VERY
> DANGEROUS VIRUS, MUCH WORSE THAN "MELISSA," AND THAT THERE IS NO REMEDY
> FOR IT AT THIS TIME. SOME VERY SICK INDIVIDUAL HAS SUCCEEDED IN USING THE
> REFORMAT FUNCTION FROM NORTON UTILITIES CAUSING IT TO COMPLETELY ERASE
> ALL DOCUMENTS ON THE HARD DRIVE.
>
> IT HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO WORK WITH NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR AND MICROSOFT
> INTERNET EXPLORER. ITDESTROYS MACINTOSH AND IBM COMPATIBLE COMPUTERS.
>
> THIS IS A NEW, VERY MALICIOUS VIRUS AND NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT.
>
> PASS THIS WARNING ALONG TO EVERYONE IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK AND PLEASE SHARE
> IT WITH ALL YOUR ONLINE FRIENDS ASAP SO THAT THIS THREAT MAY BE STOPPED.
>
> FORWARD THIS WARNING TO EVERYONE THAT MIGHT ACCESS THE INTERNET.
>
> be good to self&others,
> Jeoflin
>
> ________________________________________________________________
> YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!
> Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!
> Try it today - there's no risk!  For your FREE software, visit:
> http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagh.

- -
 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
 For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
 "help" to the same address.  Do not use quotes in your message.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2000 16:59:22 -0500
From: ASlater <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) Fwd: Meeting with US delegation to UN CSD on Energy & Atmosphere

>Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2000 18:08:28 -0500
>Subject: Meeting with US delegation to UN CSD on Energy & Atmosphere  =20
>To: [e-mail], [e-mail],
[e-mail], [e-mail],
[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],=
 [e-mail],
[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]
>Cc: [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]
>From: "[e-mail]" <[e-mail]>
>
>Dear Colleagues
>
>I am sending a report on the September 29 citizens consultation meeting
>with
>members of the US delegation organized to prepare for the February/March
>and
>April 2001 sessions of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.
>
>The primary topics this year for the CSD concern the need for sustainable
>energy and transportation systems that can promote economic development
>without contributing to local and regional pollution, global climate
>change,
>or social inequities.
>
>The next step is to draft short (2 page) briefing papers, which will be
>circulated to the government officials preparing US position papers and
>discussed at subsequent meetings with delegation members.
>
>Regarding energy, the key issues that have been identified so far include:
>promotion of energy efficiency, greater use of renewables, and cleaner use
>of conventional fossil fuels; elimination of subsidies for fossil fuels and
>use of market policies to support sustainable energy technologies; full
>cost
>accounting for all energy sources; rejection of nuclear power as a form of
>"sustainable energy" because of health and environmental risks; and
>adoption
>of a mix of regulatory and voluntary approaches to change the direction of
>currently unsustainable energy policies.   On transportation, in addition
>to
>use of cleaner fuels, recommendations included increased emphasis on
>development of non-combustion engines; support for public transportation
>and
>land use designs that reduce reliance on private vehicles; and
>revitalization of walkable urban centers.
>
>I would be happy to get your thoughts on any of these issues, or otherwise
>get you involved in the CSD preparation process.
>
>Best regards,
>
>Gail Karlsson
>CitNet Working Group on Energy and Climate Change
>258 Broadway 5A, New York, NY 10007
>[phone]  Fax [phone]
>[e-mail]
>
>
>REPORT ON CITIZENS CONSULTATION MEETING ON
>ENERGY, ATMOSPHERE, TRANSPORTATION, AND
>INFORMATION FOR DECISION-MAKING
>
>September 29, 2000 Washington, DC
>
>A public discussion with members of the US Delegation to the
>Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), in preparation
>for the CSD's 9th Session and Rio+10
>
>Prepared by the US Citizens Network for Sustainable Development
>
>
>On Friday, September 29, the US Citizens Network for Sustainable
>Development
>hosted the first of a new cycle of citizen consultation meetings with the
>US
>Delegation to the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD).  (For
>more
>information about the CSD, see http://www.un.org\esa\sustdev.htm) These
>meetings offer an opportunity for NGOs and citizen organizations to discuss
>with government representatives their follow-up plans and actions in
>implementing the Agenda 21 Program of Action agreed to at the 1992 Earth
>Summit in Rio.  This consultation meeting was held to discuss US and
>preparations for the upcoming 9th Session of the CSD, to be held in April
>2001.  The CSD9 session will address the issues of energy, atmosphere,
>transportation and information for decision-making.
>
>Approximately thirty representatives of citizen organizations and US
>government agencies gathered at the Center for Respect of Life and
>Environment conference room in Washington, DC discussing priorities for
>CSD9
>and preparations for Rio+10 UN General Assembly=92s ten year review of
>progress on sustainable development since the Earth Summit.
>
>The meeting was moderated by Gail Karlsson, coordinator of the Citizen
>Network=92s Working Group on Energy and Climate Change.  NGOs in attendance
>gave several presentations, following up on a list of key points submitted
>to the U.S. Delegation to CSD earlier that week.
>(The list of points will be posted on the internet at www.citnet.org ).
>
>After the welcome and introductions, Jonathan Margolis, from the Bureau of
>Oceans, Environmental and Scientific Affairs at the Department of State and
>head of the US Delegation to CSD, discussed how the delegation (still in
>formation) is viewing CSD9 and preparatory processes for Rio+10.  Since
>their positions have not yet been formulated, they stressed their immediate
>interest in hearing US NGO priorities and recommendations.  While the
>contact persons for each of the CSD9 issue areas have not yet been
>designated, the delegation will let us know as soon as possible.  Jonathan
>made a point that in addition to emphasizing the importance of sustainable
>development issues, the Delegation is making a strong priority of
>protecting
>the role of Major Groups in this process and opposing any efforts by any
>countries or other bodies to undermine civil society participation.
>Regarding Rio+10, he acknowledged that some of the same problems and issues
>that arose at the 1992 Earth Summit =AD substantive and procedural --=
 remain
>unresolved as we move towards Rio+10, especially regarding the positions of
>blocks of countries.  One major question will be how best to involve Major
>Groups in this international dialogue.
>
>NGO PRESENTATIONS
>
>ENERGY POLICY - John Dernbach, from Widener University Law School in
>Pennsylvania, began by emphasizing that we want to see the CSD =93generatin=
g
>work products that matter in the real world.=94  John pointed out that the
>benefits of sustainable energy policies, not just at the federal but also
>at
>the state level, go beyond the climate issues and include: reduction of air
>pollutants, job creation, technological innovation, protecting poor people
>from the impact of price fluctuations, and peace/security.  Linking these
>issues with the climate issues can then be mutually reinforcing and very
>powerful.  Concerning legal instruments, we should look further than just
>the Kyoto Protocol tools; the US Delegation should also encourage
>exploration of a wider range of legal instruments, which can open up
>greater
>opportunities for progress with other countries.  Most important is that
>the
>Delegation, in its preparations for CSD,  work to integrate domestic policy
>and connect domestic counterparts at EPA and elsewhere to the process.=20
>This
>can help avoid discrepancies between what is being said at the
>international
>level and what is being practiced domestically.
>
>ENERGY SUBSIDIES - Gawain Kripke, of Friends of the Earth (FOE), described
>FOE=92s Green Scissors campaign, highlighting their recent report Paying=
 for
>Pollution addressing US energy subsidies.  The federal government provides
>well over $4 billion a year in subsidies for fossil fuels and nuclear
>power,
>encouraging unsustainable energy options rather than establishing a level
>playing field for energy alternatives.  Globally, $235 billion a year is
>being devoted to subsidizing the fossil fuel industry.  Reducing these
>subsidies would reduce CO2 emissions by 18%.  Reducing our US subsidies
>would reduce our carbon emissions by 4%.  The good news is that, compared
>with other countries, US subsidies are moderate.  In developing countries,
>this is a more significant issue since artificially lower prices encourage
>consumption of fossil fuels rather than alternatives.  The US could play a
>leadership role by raising this issue and helping developing countries to
>redirect their resources onto a more sustainable energy track.  This can
>especially be addressed through our export credit agencies, as well as
>multilateral agencies, which now play a major role encouraging fossil fuel
>development rather than sustainable energy options in developing countries.
>
>COAL MINING IMPACTS - Mark Shelley and Dr. Harvard Ayers, of Appalachian
>Voices from Boone, North Carolina, described the harsh reality of
>mountain-top removal, one of the modern and unsustainable techniques of
>coal
>production, especially affecting the quality of life of communities in the
>Appalachian region.  Ayers highlighted the lack of consideration of
>externalities at the front end of the coal cycle.  Why is coal so cheap?
>Why
>are so many high electricity-using companies using coal? Because they are
>not paying the piper.  Recently, the head of the forestry division of the
>state of West Virginia resigned because he could not stand the mountain-top
>removal involved in coal production, a process which has removed more than
>400 square miles of southern West Virginia from productive capacity.  This
>amounts to $60 million a year in forest growth that is now lost.  This is
>another unsustainable subsidy, sacrificing those resources.  One power
>plant
>in North Carolina uses 180 train carloads a day of the mountains of West
>Virginia.  This is not sustainable.  Internationally, it=92s happening in
>Australia, India and other places.  Connecting domestic policy with
>international concerns is very important here, especially concerning the
>Administration=92s emphasis on coal while neglecting the impacts of
>mountain-top removal.
>
>LEADED GASOLINE & ENERGY EFFICIENCY - Jim Rochow, of the Alliance to End
>Childhood Lead Poisoning, reminded everyone that the global phase-out of
>leaded gasoline is not yet complete.  Certainly the US has been a leader in
>this globally, in large measure because it has been phased out
>domestically.
>The US can help achieve added benefits by continuing to advocate for this
>and other measures to prevent lead poisoning.  We don=92t need any more
>language =AD it=92s pervasive.  The question is how to implement this, how=
 to
>fulfill this priority.  This raises the big question of what the CSD=92s=
 role
>is and if the CSD can be hooked into implementation.  The starting point
>would be to move from the segmented format of annual meetings on changing
>topics toward some kind of continued attention over time to key issues.=20
>We=92
>d like to see environmental health become a core objective of these
>international deliberations.  Climate change should not be isolated as a
>separate issue but linked to other concerns about air pollution, leading to
>=93co-beneficial solutions.=94
>
>DEREGULATION OF ELECTRIC UTILITIES  - Jim Schulman, of Sustainable
>Community
>Initiatives suggested looking at some of these issues from a local
>perspective, in particular, at the local electric utility here in the
>nation
>=92s capital --  Pepco =AD which he said =93has the unenviable reputation=
 as
>having the lowest rate of renewable energy use in the country=94 =AD less=
 than
>one-half a percent.  As to the national energy policy of privatizing
>electric utilities, the auctioning off of Pepco=92s power plant to a=
 private
>conglomerate will leave the local communities of Washington, DC worse off
>than before as to the use of renewable energy sources.  This is typical of
>many jurisdictions throughout the US.  When the production portion of the
>electric utility is taken away, separating generation from distribution,
>you
>also take away local community control.  =93How is it this was rammed down
>our
>throat?=94 he asked.  Everyone was saying electric industry restructuring
>would have all these environmental benefits, but it is not really
>happening.
>Also, ironically, our rates are going up with restructuring.  The reality
>is
>that restructuring only makes sense to those with high electricity costs.
>Another part of the problem has to do not so much with the infrastructure,
>but with the overall way communities are designed, which currently
>encourage
>high energy consumption rather than more sustainable practices.
>
>VOLUNTARY INITIATIVES & THE OIL INDUSTRY - Hilary Hoffman, representing the
>Natural Heritage Institute in San Francisco, introduced everyone to the
>California Corporate Accountability Project, which has been focusing its
>attention on the oil and high technology industries in California and their
>impacts abroad.  Hilary also outlined the International Right to Know
>Campaign, a major grassroots initiative involving Amnesty International,
>the
>Sierra Club, and AFL-CIO, which is working to have IRTK legislation
>introduced in Congress January 2001.  NHI feels that the Multi-stakeholder
>Review of Voluntary Initiatives, which was initiated at the CSD in 1998, is
>another important piece in the effort to gain corporate accountability
>abroad.  As a result, NHI has a great interest in the US Delegation to CSD
>pressing for the next step to be taken with the Multi-stakeholder Review of
>Voluntary Initiatives.   While this review has provided an excellent
>framework to look at the many voluntary codes of conduct in existence,
>there
>needs to be a system in place to evaluate them to determine, for instance,
>which are legitimate and which are adopted superficially for public
>relations purposes.  NHI expressed their desire to work with the delegation
>to determine what this system should be, and then to see the delegation
>press for it at CSD9.
>
>TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES  - Nancy Jakowitsch informed us about the
>Surface Transportation Policy Project (STPP), representing over 200
>organizations around the country addressing federal transportation policy
>at
>the national and local levels and looking at ways improvements in
>transportation and energy policies can contribute to creating sustainable
>communities. The transportation sector is responsible for 32% of the CO2
>emissions in the US.  The continued expansion of motor vehicle use
>contributes not only to air quality and climate change problems but sprawl
>and congestion, undermining the livability of communities.   STPP places
>special attention on influencing transportation demand, producing demand
>for
>alternative choices  and for integrative transportation and land-use
>planning.
>
>NUCLEAR POWER  - The originally planned speaker on nuclear power was not
>able to come.  However, Gail Karlsson brought up the issue of the plans to
>include nuclear power in the Sustainable Energy Exhibition planned for
>CSD9.
>She pointed out the strong NGO opposition to this inclusion, which could
>threaten to sidetrack much of the discussion of sustainable energy issues
>at
>CSD9.  John Margolis explained some of the background of these discussions
>between the UN Secretariat, the Canadian and US governments.  He said the
>US
>feels this exhibit would be a good way of generating dialogue about the
>technology options that would not otherwise take place on the floor.  Gail
>conveyed concerns that protests might be organized if the UN and US were
>perceived as promoting nuclear power as a clean technology on the same
>level
>as renewables.  Because of the controversy involved, this has the potential
>for diverting attention away from any other topic.
>
>NEXT STEPS - For US NGOs engaged in this process, Gail Karlsson explained,
>some of our next steps include preparing a number of "briefing papers"
>directed to the specific topics of concern listed in the issues paper, in
>order to provide NGO input for the US positions being taken for CSD9 and
>Rio+10.  John Margolis pointed out that "you are ahead of us" on this,
>since
>they have not yet appointed the key people responsible for those position
>statements.  Tom Brennan explained the government process that will follow,
>with a number of interagency working group meetings -- probably a maximum
>of
>three meetings -- between now and the Intersessional meeting.  Another part
>of this process will be the UNEP Governing Meeting in January, which will
>involve almost all the same people for CSD and focused on many of the same
>issues.  So there will be two, perhaps three interagency working group
>meetings dealing with this as well.  They would like to see position papers
>from NGOs on the overlapping issues being discussed to see if and how NGOs'
>points can be integrated into the US government's position papers.  The
>major work will be done not in the larger working group meetings, but the
>smaller groups involving the lead agencies.  Thus, we will make sure that
>the people preparing the NGO briefing papers will be in touch with the
>government focal points of those lead agencies.
>
>As to preparations for Rio+10, Ann Stewart, the State Department's point
>person for Rio+10,  asked for people who had attended the first Earth
>Summit
>to give input on the Rio +10 process, to provide better insight into the
>issues still active today and how to better address them this next time
>around.
>
>VIDEO
>The meeting concluded with a video presentation by Appalachian Voices, a
>documentary showing the utter devastation to a community of West Virginia
>by
>mountain-top removal methods of coal mining.
>
>ATTENDANCE
>Peter Adriance, Nat=92l Spiritual Assembly of the Bahais of the U.S.
>Harvard Ayers, Appalachian Voices
>Tom Brennan, OES, Dept. of State
>Logan Brown, Appalachian State University
>Jeffrey Barber, Integrative Strategies Forum
>Ann Carey, US Department of Agriculture
>Susan Boyd, Concern & CitNet
>Jonathan Cohen, UN Association [in New York]
>Sarah Cohen, Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisioning
>Jenn Crawford, Integrative Strategies Forum
>John Dernbach, School of Law, Widener University
>Cindy Folkers, Nuclear Information and Resource Service
>Nika Greger, Heinrich Boll Foundation
>Hilary Hoffman, Natural Heritage Institute
>Gail Karlsson, UNA & CitNet Working Group on Energy & Climate Change
>Steve Keene, Dept of State
>Karen Knispel, Natural Resources Defense Council
>Gawain Kripke, Friends of the Earth
>Susan Lapis, South Wings
>Jonathan Margolis, Office of Policy Coordination and Initiatives, OES,
>      State Dept.
>Eston Perez, Friends of the Earth
>Jim Rochow, Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisoning
>Kim Sais, US Agency for International Development
>Rick Schwabacher, Cousteau Society
>Ann Stewart, Dept. of  State, point person for Rio+10
>Bill Mansfield, Alliance for UN Sustainable Development Programs & UNEP
>Jim Schulman, Sustainable Community Initiatives
>Jennifer Terrell, Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisoning.
>Maureen Walker, Dept of State
>
>In the weeks to come, we will be looking for US NGOs and civil society
>organizations to help put together this series of NGO position papers on
>energy, atmosphere, transportion and information for decision-making, as
>well as the future of the CSD and the promises of the Earth Summit.  We
>look
>forward to hearing from you in these next few weeks.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Jeffrey Barber
>CitNet National Coordinator
>
>Gail Karlsson
>CitNet Working Group on Energy & Climate Change
> =20

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