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Lauren Inouye, a recent graduate of Stanford University in California, is representing American youth on the US delegation. This 21 year-old from Washington, DC, makes her environmental and social concerns a central part of her lifestyle. She talked to Global Youth Reporters about how she got involved with the environment and her views on American policy towards the Summit.
How did you get to be on the US delegation?
I interned at the State Department. last summer, and at that time was focusing on different issues, also on youth, and started getting all the information on how the US was preparing for the World Summit. I’ve been interested in sustainable development for a long time, and at that point decided I really wanted to get involved in the Summit… so I applied for the youth position on the delegation. After many months of waiting and frequent calls to the State Department to remind them that I existed, they let me know.
How did you get interested in Sustainable Development?
I think it partially came from growing up in California, a fairly environmental state. In my sophomore year of high school I moved to Minnesota which is actually a fairly progressive environmental state as well. But not in the sense of the general behaviour. There was not recycling everywhere like there was in California, there wasn’t an awareness of saving water and so on. And I think the shock of not seeing that kind of thing when it was so normal to me made me really more of an activist….
You mentioned earlier that you were environmental before you knew there was an environmental movement. Would you describe yourself currently as an environmental activist?
Yes, I would. But I don’t know if other people would, because I’m not the type person that tends to go to protests, which is how a lot of people like to define what an activist is...
Do you view your lifestyle as a model of how sustainable development can be achieved personally?
I don’t think I’m quite that good. I think I try and there are a lot of things I do that I don’t think a lot of people would tend to do. I think one of the reasons that I identify with sustainable development so much is because I don’t think it’s a radical movement, I don’t view myself as a radical person. Or maybe it’s just that I’m so convinced that I’m right that I don’t think that any person should have a problem doing the things that I do (laughter). I think coming from the United States it’s hard to feel you’re sustainable because our entire infrastructure is set up around a very unsustainable system. I mean we have a fossil fuel-based economy. That’s problem number one…
And you view the US infrastructure as limiting?
Very much so. I mean in that sense. In another sense it’s incredible because we have so much access to information and technology. We have a more or less democratic system to express our views. Those are remarkable tools. Those are things that most people in developing countries don’t have. We have so many resources. We do have the money to choose, even me as a recent graduate working at a non-profit group, I have enough money if I want to make other sacrifices, to say I will eat mostly local organic produce. I think most people don’t have that choice.
You said you are officially accredited on the US delegation. What officially is your role?
It’s something that hasn’t really been defined, which I thought was kind of confusing because in the past the US has had youth delegates at other UN events. But I see my role as basically connecting all American youth here, and to a certain extent international youth, to the US delegation and providing them with a link. And trying to be representative of American youth, to help the US understand their perspectives and what we want to see happen, and why we want to see it happen.
Does the rest of the delegation see that as your role?
I don’t really know, I think it’s too early to judge at this point… I’m pretty sure there are a number of people who are really glad I’m there. I know there are a larger portion who aren’t really sure why I’m there, and there are a few negotiators who would rather I not be there, because they know that I’m going to bother them.
As a youth do you have a feeling about what the US position is? Do you have a different opinion?
Yeah, on a number of things. I would like to see the US ratify Kyoto. That’s not going to happen. I mean, it’s disappointing, but I’m not sure there is anything we can do about it at this point. There are specific parts of the text, you know, 19e and 19b, basically the US has expressed a strong desire not to sign on to anything with targets and timetables and I have some problems there. That’s a kind of overarching ideological issue that I have. There are a lot of other specific points of the text that I have disapproval of. I basically feel that we are not taking a very well rounded approach to these negotiations, and I think it’s irresponsible. And I don’t think it’s generally what US youth want.
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Dan Jones
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