President's Council on Sustainable Development
Overview




The President's Council on Sustainable Development (PCSD) was established on June 29, 1993 by Executive Order 12852. The Council adopted the definition of sustainable development as stated in the original Brundtland Commission report: development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The Council is a ground breaking partnership drawing leaders from industry; government; and environmental, labor, and civil rights organizations. Its charge is to develop bold, new approaches to integrate economic and environmental policies.

President Clinton appointed Jonathan Lash, President of World Resources Institute, and David Buzzelli, Vice President and Corporate Director of Environment, Health and Safety and Public Affairs at The Dow Chemical Company as Co-chairs of the Council.

The Council's mission is to advise the President on sustainable development.

Activities--Phase I

Pursuant to its mission, the Council established eight task forces focusing on:

The Council and its task forces met for two years and the work culminated in the report, Sustainable America: A New Consensus for Prosperity, Opportunity, and a Healthy Environment for the Future.

Activities--Phase II

Upon receipt of the report in March, 1996, President Clinton asked the Council to continue its work in order to begin implementing the recommendations made in the report. This implementation phase is currently underway. Its objectives are to:

Implementation of the Council's recommendations was handled by three new task forces:

Finally, working groups have been formed to:

Next Steps

The President has extended the Council through 1998. Stay tuned for further details.


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