Tuesday, June 20, 2006

by the Green Hornet

Well, well, well … as my mother used to say whenever she caught me doing something I wasn’t supposed to. This comment was followed by a pregnant pause during which I usually turned red and blurted out my guilty secret.

I’m not sure that those involved in politics in these fair islands - or anywhere, for that matter - would respond guiltily when caught with their metaphorical hand somewhere it shouldn’t be. However, it would seem that, thanks to a Canadian reader who was responding to my column on Environmental Impact Assessments, I have discovered one such situation.

In September 2001, our then Minister of Environment - before he became Leader of Government Business (LOGB) - the Hon. McKeeva Bush was pictured with leaders from other British Overseas Territories and Baroness Amos at a photo-op following a signing ceremony in London.

The UK was mandated by the 1992 Rio Declaration on the Environment and Development to ensure that its Overseas Territories followed through on the requirements laid out in this declaration. It was an international agreement, and one which we, as a colony of the UK, are supposed to implement.

It was signed on our behalf, and as such we should be implementing it. Before I publish the contents of the agreement, just a word about signing things. In the real world, when you or I sign an agreement - whether it’s for a mortgage or an account at the local store - we do so knowing that the agreement is binding in law. If we break it, we might lose our home or be taken to court by the store to recover its money. Why shouldn’t politicians be bound the same way?

When McKeeva Bush was Environment Minister, his permanent secretary was our current Environment Minister, the Hon. Charles Clifford. Anyone who has watched the classic British TV series Yes, Minister knows perfectly well that the permanent secretary - chief civil servant in the relevant ministry - knows exactly what is going on with his or her minister.

So, if our current minister knows the content of the Environmental Charter, why is he not following its requirements?

The charter is as follows - and please check out paragraphs 4 and 5 of our commitments:

UK/Cayman Islands Environmental Charter

Guiding principles

Guiding principles for the UK government, for the government of the Cayman Islands and for the people of the Cayman Islands.

1. To recognise that all people need a healthy environment for their well-being and livelihoods and that all can help to conserve and sustain it.
2. To use our natural resources wisely, being fair to present and future generations.
3. To identify environmental opportunities, costs and risks in all policies and strategies.
4. To seek expert advice and consult openly with interested parties on decisions affecting the environment.
5. To aim for solutions which benefit both the environment and development.
6. To contribute towards the protection and improvement of the global environment.
7. To safeguard and restore native species, habitats and landscape features, and control or eradicate invasive species.
8. To encourage activities and technologies that benefit the environment.
9. To control pollution, with the polluter paying for prevention or remedies.
10. To study and celebrate our environmental heritage as a treasure to share with our children.

Commitments

The government of the UK will:

1. Help build capacity to support and implement integrated environmental management which is consistent with the Cayman Islands’ own plans for sustainable development.
2. Assist the Cayman Islands in reviewing and updating environmental legislation.
3. Facilitate the extension of the UK’s ratification of Multilateral Environmental Agreements of benefit to the Cayman Islands and which the Cayman Islands has the capacity to implement.
4. Keep the Cayman Islands informed regarding new developments in relevant Multilateral Environmental Agreements and invite the Cayman Islands to participate where appropriate in the UK’s delegation to international environmental negotiations and conferences.
5. Help the Cayman Islands to ensure it has the legislation, institutional capacity and mechanisms it needs to meet international obligations.
6. Promote better cooperation and the sharing of experience and expertise between the Cayman Islands, other Overseas Territories and small island states and communities which face similar environmental problems.
7. Use UK, regional and local expertise to give advice and improve knowledge of technical and scientific issues. This includes regular consultation with interested non-governmental organisations and networks.
8. Use the existing Environment Fund for Overseas Territories, and promote access to other sources of public funding, for projects of lasting benefit to the Cayman Islands’ environment.
9. Help the Cayman Islands identify further funding partners for environmental projects, such as donors, the private sector or non-governmental organisations.
10. Recognise the diversity of the challenges facing Overseas Territories in very different socioeconomic and geographical situations.
11. Abide by the principles set out in the Rio declaration on environment and development, and work towards meeting International Development Targets on the environment.

The government of the Cayman Islands will:

1. Bring together government departments, representatives of local industry and commerce, environment and heritage organisations, the Governor’s office, individual environmental champions and other community representatives in a forum to formulate a detailed strategy for action.
2. Ensure the protection and restoration of key habitats, species and landscape features through legislation and appropriate management structures and mechanisms, including a protected areas policy, and attempt the control and eradication of invasive species.
3. Ensure that environmental considerations are integrated within social and economic planning processes; promote sustainable patterns of production and consumption within the territory.
4. Undertake environmental impact assessments before approving major projects and while developing our growth management strategy.
5. Commit to open and consultative decision-making on developments and plans which may affect the environment; ensure that environmental impact assessments include consultation with stakeholders.
6. Implement effectively obligations under the Multilateral Environmental Agreements already extended to the Cayman Islands and work towards the extension of other relevant agreements.
7. Review the range, quality and availability of baseline data for natural resources and biodiversity.
8. Ensure that legislation and policies reflect the principle that the polluter should pay for prevention or remedies; establish effective monitoring and enforcement mechanisms.
9. Encourage teaching within schools to promote the value of our local environment (natural and built) and to explain its role within the regional and global environment.
10. Promote publications that spread awareness of the special features of the environment in the Cayman Islands; promote within the territory the guiding principles set out above.
11. Abide by the principles set out in the Rio declaration on environment and development, and work towards meeting International Development Targets on the environment.

Just how much have we done?

Shortly before signing the charter, Baroness Amos stated: “The adoption of this Charter … is a powerful indication of the importance we attach to the environment both locally and globally. It represents our shared commitment to working together for the future of our environment.

“The environment is … critical to the future prosperity, well-being and even survival of many of the Overseas Territories and their communities. Both global and local actions are needed.”

Fine words, indeed.

Well, well, well … we sure made a bunch of promises, didn’t we? And have we actually carried through on any of them? Well, we did sign an Endangered Species Law, and started to buy up Barkers for a National Park. We spent some money helping the National Trust buy a portion of the Brac’s Parrot Preserve.

But I can’t actually think of anything else we are doing - at least in a formal, professional manner. There’s a bit of environmental education in our schools, but it’s not formalized in the curriculum.

The UK has put a bunch of money into various projects such as the Blue Iguana Recovery program and the Darwin Initiative. Should we be sending that money back because we haven’t really lived up to our end of the bargain?

As I said before, when you or I sign an agreement it means that we commit to doing something. If we don’t, there is usually some form of punishment. The UDP government was punished - i.e., thrown out of office - for (amongst other things) not keeping a lot of promises, and the PPM said it would remedy that situation. As far as the Environmental Charter is concerned, we’re still waiting.

If you wish to contact the Green Hornet directly, you can e-mail me at: caymanhornet@yahoo.com. All messages will be treated confidentially.

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