Four bridges to cross.

Dr. Mahbub ul Haq, former Minister of Finance and Planning in Pakistan, is interviewed for his perspective on follow-up steps to the Earth Summit. The Rio conference Earth Summit definitively established the link between development and environment, highlighting the fact that sustainable development is possible only with continuous growth and that development must accelerate especially in developing countries. While the Summit represents an important conceptual agreement, other hurdles must be overcome to translate increasing global concern for the environment into real action. To secure needed additional financial resources, the following are suggested: opening global markets, reducing arms spending, and taxing oil and coal internationally. Tradeable permits in carbon dioxide emissions are suggested to create a market in the environment. Finally, institutional follow-up to the Earth Summit and a World Summit in 1995 are recommended. Closing paragraphs recommend actions for poor countries to take to follow up on Agenda 21.