Global Environment Outlook 3 (GEO 3)

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INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT: 1972–2002

Firemen trying to extinguish a burning oil rig in Kuwait in 1991 Source: UNEP, Abdel Saurad-Mali, Kuwait, Topham PicturePoint

of crude oil — is reported to have killed 15 000-30 000 sea birds. In addition, about 20 per cent of mangroves in the Persian Gulf were contaminated and 50 per cent of coral reefs affected (Island Press 1999). The atmosphere was not spared either: about 67 million tonnes of oil were burnt, producing about 2.1 million tonnes of soot and 2 million tonnes of sulphur dioxide (Bennett 1995). Elsewhere, while technical progress was transforming industrialized society, few in the

developing world were benefiting. The death toll from infectious diseases (such as AIDS, malaria, respiratory diseases and diarrhoea) was 160 times greater than the number killed in 1999 from natural disasters, including earthquakes in Turkey, floods in Venezuela and cyclones in India (IFRC 2000). The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies reported that a 1995 survey of 53 countries showed a 15 per cent decline in health spending per person following economic structural adjustment.

implementation of Agenda 21

ISO 14 000 created for environmental management systems in industry

United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), Istanbul, Turkey World Food Summit, Rome, Italy

Kyoto Protocol adopted

Rio + 5 Summit reviews

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

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