Environment and Development

Abstract

It is a tale simply told. How Maurice Strong, with the help of his golden group of economists and writer friends, enlisted the leaders of developing countries for his environment crusade. How they were recruited with sympathetic words about the problems of poverty in their own countries, and encouraged by the leaders of industrialized countries to believe that the crusade will bring them extra assistance in their primary struggle away from poverty. How, on the whole, they marched off in step with the white knights from the rich polluted lands under the Stockholm banners. So far is simple. But what happens next is uncertain. Will the rich lands make good their declarations at Stockholm and provide increased financial and technical assistance? If they don't, will the poor countries turn sour on this broken promise, break ranks with the crusaders, and return to their own lands to mess them up in the ancient name of progress? Does everyone, in fact, really believe with Barbara Ward that this is Only One Earth?