Remarks welcoming the audience at the Hawaii Earth Day event (2000)

"THE GREEN CENTURY"

Robert P. Watson

Aloha! The health of the planet will surely be one of the leading concerns for governments and citizens worldwide in the coming years of this new century. Like no other issue, with the exception of perhaps nuclear war, the quality of the natural environment stands as a single issue capable of dominating the public agenda, unifying opposing interests, or threatening the very health and security of humanity. 

The twentieth century has been given many labels, from the "American century" to the world's bloodiest century. But, it can also safely be called the "environmental century," for better or for worse. No other century in human history witnessed anything close to the rate of human population growth and both the rate and sheer magnitude of loss of wetlands, forests, topsoil, agricultural lands, and species of flora and fauna. Advances in technology made possible the wholesale destruction of nature on a scale heretofore unimaginable, as human activity has been linked to global warming and the melting of the polar ice caps, gaping holes in the protective ozone layer, and declining fish populations in the great oceans. 

At the same time, scientific progress has helped unlock many of the deepest mysteries of the Earth and its varied ecosystems and habitats. Armed with this knowledge, we are now better equipped to understand, prevent, and repair damage to our natural world. But, perhaps most importantly, the previous century gave birth to an awakened environmental consciousness, which was spread across the continents with the assistance of global communication technologies. 

The previous century saw environmental education promoted in the classroom and placed at the forefront of the public policy agenda. By the close of the century, an awareness of the extent of damage done to the planet resulted from a new scientific understanding of ecosystems and bio-diversity. This gave rise to exciting new ideas such as Earth-centered philosophies, eco-friendly consumerism and commerce, and the greening of politics. 

Such environmentally-based philosophies, attitudes toward shopping, and behavior at the polls, more so than advances in scientific understanding and technology, must figure centrally in any effort to protect and restore the natural environment in the new century. Indeed, environmental problems and the public, political, and personal responses to them are at a crossroads. 

The path humanity will choose is uncertain, but most agree that we cannot continue as we have in the past. Relentless development and unmitigated growth are luxuries we can no longer afford. All this makes the already complex calculus of environmental politics even more complex and more important. 

Poised at a crossroads, we have two dramatically different paths before us. We know the ultimate and frightening end to one of those paths, that of continuing the status quo, even if we still debate some of the specifics regarding the rate and extent of devastation. As to the other path, it will not be easy and will take political courage on an order rarely seen of late. It will also require personal conviction and a change from a lifestyle, attitude, and culture that have embraced consumption, material possession, and commercialization over diversity, humility, and conservation. Of the latter and preferred course of action, I am nonetheless optimistic about our ability to change. We are already seeing progress, and our children now exhibit a knowledge and appreciation of environmentalism far beyond that of their parents and grandparents. 

However, I am not so optimistic about the former matter – the need for political courage. Look around at what now passes for political leadership and I believe you will concede the point. Tragically, a politics of personal enrichment and advancement, a zero-sum approach to politics, and an arrogance of power have replaced a politics of personal responsibility and service, a sense of community, and a genuine respect before those being served.

While each and every one of us must endeavor to live in harmony with nature, we must also change our elected leaders in order to achieve the change we desire and the change the planet so desperately needs. If we succeed, this century will be the green century. Yet, if we fail, the coming years will see environmental issues brought even further to the public fore, but in an unthinkably different manner.