Mr. Speaker, Wednesday, October 18 marked seven years since leaders from around the world met to discuss the United Nations report on our common future.
The report confirmed the global confrontation between human activities and the environment. It made an urgent plea for shifting to sustainable practices.
There has been much talk in those seven years. Some efficiencies have been gained in the way we do things. We are a little less wasteful and we recycle a whole lot more, but the basic patterns of our society remain unchanged and our long term well-being is seriously threatened.
Part of the problem lies with the lack of clarity of the term. People interpret it in different ways and as a result sustainable development is implemented in different ways.
A number of government initiatives currently under way must help clarify what is meant by the term in order to ensure a shift toward sustainability. We must ensure that the needs of our future generations are not compromised by our actions.