Sustainable development

FIDIC helps the consulting engineering profession rise to the challenge of sustainable development

Introduction by Steven Gentry, President of FIDIC

It is my pleasure to introduce this special issue of the Independent Consulting Engineer being published in FIDIC's three official languages and devoted entirely to the environment - and in particular, the attainment of "sustainable development".

There can be no question that independent consulting engineers, as 'key players' in the applications of technology, have a pivotal part to play in the achievement of the goal of 'sustainable development', so succinctly defined in Our Common Future* as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'.

FIDIC, as the profession's international representative body, clearly has a definite role to play in moulding the thinking of the profession, its clients, and the public in a proper appreciation of the environmental consequences of activities in which consulting engineers are called upon to play a part. In today's critical phase of human development, FIDIC's mission must have strong environment overtones. The mandate is clearly present in FIDIC's Statutes to ensure in today's milieu:

• the enhancement of professional environmental services;
• the dissemination of environmental information;
• the formation of proper roles of professional conduct in environmental matters;
• a dialogue with other international organisations.

FIDIC thus has responsibilities for the independent consulting engineering profession in:

• environmental policy setting;
• ensuring awareness of environ mental matters within the profession;
• representation at international level on environmental policy issues;
• a ensuring the profession's views on environmental matters are properly understood by clients and the public at large.

Taking a lead

FIDIC firmly believes the independent consulting engineering profession is uniquely placed to lead in the process of achieving 'sustainable development'. We are very far from realising this goal, but the awareness process has gathered considerable momentum.

FIDIC's Environmental Task Committee, led by Knut Ekeberg, has been examining FIDIC's role in this area over the last two years. This issue of the Independent Consulting Engineer reports on the results of that examination to date.

Published herein for the first time is FIDIC's Environmental Policy Statement. The environmental issues for the profession emerging from this year's Oslo Conference are also reported herein, and will be used as inputs for next year's conference in Tokyo which will continue with the environmental theme.

Crossing borders

Thus FIDIC's activities in environmental matters are wide-ranging and on-going. Events are moving fast and international agreements reached, such as the Montreal Protocol on the regulation of ozone destroyers, give hope that transnational co-operation in environmental matters, so urgently needed, is possible.

FIDIC has a task to play in ensuring that the position of the independent consulting profession is understood at the international level and that the members of the profession are clear on what is expected of them, as professional leaders in environmental matters, in relation to the goal of 'sustainable development'.

I hope this issue of Independent Consulting Engineer provides you all with food for thought.

* Report by the World Commission on Environment and Development chaired by Norway's immediate past Prime Minister, Mrs Gro Harlem Brundtland.

| FIDIC 1990 |