PCSD Members and Task Forces

The following are the members of the 1993 President’s Council on Sustainable Development, first incarnation.

Council Co-Chairmen:

David T. Buzzelli, Vice President, Dow Chemical
Jonathan Lash, President, World Resources Institute

Environmental Group Representation

Jonathan Lash, World Resources Institute
John H. Adams, Natural Resources Defense Council
Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., Environmental Justice, NAACP
Dianne Dillon-Ridgley, Citizens’ Network for SD
Judith Espinosa, (former) NM Sec. of Environment
Jay D. Hair, National Wildlife Federation
Fred D. Krupp, Environmental Defense Fund
Michele Perrault, Sierra Club
John C. Sawhill, The Nature Conservancy
Ted Strong, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish

Corporate Representation

David T. Buzzelli, Dow Chemical
Richard Barth, Ciba-Geigy Corporation
Richard Clarke, Pacific Gas & Electric
A.D. Correll, Georgia-Pacific
Kenneth T. Derr, Chevron Corporation
William Hogland, General Motors
Samuel C. Johnson, S.C Johnson and Son, Inc.
Ken Lay, Enron Corp.
William Ruckelshaus, Browning-Ferris Industries, Inc.
Thomas Donohue, AFL-CIO

Government Representation

Bruce Babbitt, Dept of Interior
Ron Brown, Dept of Commerce
Carol Browner, EPA
Hazel O’Leary, Dept of Energy
D. James Baker, NOAA
Madeleine Kunin, Dept of Ed
Richard Rominger, Dept of Ag
Tim Wirth, State Dept. Global Affairs

Staff:

Molly Harriss Olson, Executive Director
Katie McGinty, Director of Environmental Policy

Task Force

Purpose

Eco-Efficiency

Eco-Efficiency refers to the delivery of competitively priced goods and services through processes and systems which continuously reduce environmental impact and resource intensity while contributing to social well-being. The purpose of the Eco-Efficiency Task Force is to develop and recommend to the Council a strategy for making eco-efficiency and sustainable development standard business practice in American industry. The Task Force is exploring how changes in economic, regulatory, statutory and other policies will result in a transition to an economy in which the constituents provide for their needs and those of future generations through efficient and environmentally responsible practices.

Energy and Transportation

The Energy and Transportation Task Force is developing both short- and long-term policy recommendations and complementary implementation strategies to help guide the nation towards a more sustainable energy and transportation future.

** Under Method (of achieving the goals)

Progress toward the energy goal is measured against provisional quantitative targets for increased energy efficiency, a greater share of renewable energy, and increased efficiency of electricity generated from fossil fueled facilities. Transportation performance measures are shown through increasing national and economic security, and reduced dependence on oil imports, reduced greenhouse emissions from the transportation sector, reduced traffic congestion in urban areas, decreased per capita vehicle-miles traveled, and levels of ride sharing as an alternative to personal motor vehicles.

Natural Resources

The Natural Resources Task Force is developing an integrated vision of what constitutes sustainability for domestic natural resources, considering biodiversity, ecosystems, and watersheds with a focus on issues in the areas of wetlands, fisheries, agriculture, coastal resources, and forestry. The Task Force will recommend goals and actions that corporations, communities, individuals, and government at federal, state, and local, and tribal levels can take to move our nation toward protection, conservation, and sustainable management of our natural resources.

Population and Consumption

The Population and Consumption Task Force seeks to identify the factors influencing U.S. demographic and waste generation trends and recommend actions to address these issues.

** Policy Development

• Development of goals
• Roundtables focusing on
  1. fertility and migration,
  2. consumption and energy, and
  3. policy recommendations
• Symposium on Cairo Conference follow-up

Principles, Goals and Definitions

The Principles, Goals and Definitions Task Force was formed to play an advisory role for the Council in establishing principles, goals, and definitions of sustainable development. The Task Force also aids in integrating all of the Council’s initiatives into a single national action strategy for sustainable development. In addition, the Task Force advises the Council of public responses to its various work products.

Public Linkage, Dialogue and Education

An educated public is our most powerful resource to meet the challenges created by increasing environmental, economic and social demands. Recognizing the importance of education, the Council created the Public Linkage, Dialogue, and Education Task Force to serve as the vehicle through which the work of the Council is accessible to the public for information, review and comment. In addition, the Task Force promotes dialogue and outreach between the PCSD and community networks.

** Policy Development  (emphasis added)

The Education Working Group of the Task Force lead the policy formulation efforts by developing policies on formal and non-formal education and outreach at a forum, hosted by GREEN, in Ann Arbor, MI. The document was disseminated to Task Force members as well as educators, businesses, government leaders, NGOs, and religious and labor organizations for review and comment. The document and comments will be reviewed and discussed at a second policy forum sponsored by S.C. Johnson and Son in March 1995. The final policy recommendations will be presented to the Council at the meeting in San Francisco, and discussed during a national sustainable development education teleconference. Members of the Task Force also participated in a forum, hosted by Second Nature to formulate principles for higher education on sustainable development. Bibliography references on sustainable development and model university-level programs were identified, collected, and compiled for future dissemination.

Sustainable Agriculture

Agriculture is an integral part of American life. America’s farms and ranches provide food, feed, and fiber to people worldwide. Culturally, agriculture plays a key role in our national identity and character. Agriculture continues to define and sustain a thriving and distinctive rural culture in America. For these reasons, agriculture is critically important to sustainable development in local, regional, national, and international contexts.

The Sustainable Agriculture Task Force is developing an integrated vision of sustainable agriculture, focusing on sustainable production practices and systems. The Task Force will recommend goals and actions in the areas of agriculture-related research and education, technology, and farming practices and systems to the Council for the National Action Strategy.

Sustainable Communities

Flourishing communities are the foundation of a healthy society. The Sustainable Communities Task Force was established to articulate and emphasize the leadership role of communities in developing integrated approaches to address critical social, economic and environmental issues while creating opportunities for legitimate public participation. The Task Force is drawing constructive guidance from actual community experience to develop policy recommendations that, when implemented, will invigorate our communities to be more livable in the broadest sense — environmentally, economically and socially.

** Integrated Scope of Issues

• Economic Development and Jobs
• Making It Happen (financing, planning and participation)
• Environmental Justice
• Social Infrastructure
• Housing and Land Use
• Transportation and Infrastructure

** Goals (emphasis added)

The Sustainable Communities Task Force has compiled 13 draft goals. The goals support the Task Force’s vision of communities which are successfully creating vibrant local economies, and environmentally and socially healthy environments with the meaningful participation of its residents. The Task Force draft goals are organized in the following categories: economic development and jobs; education and training; technology; sustainable community design; full cost accounting and valuation; secure and healthy communities – natural environment and environmental justice; public safety; support for individuals and families; and community involvement and decision-making.

Green = Environmental Group or Interest
Peach = Corporate
Gray = Government

*  Co-Chairman