---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 12:38:39 -0400 (EDT) From: Robert Pollard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: UN Community <> Subject: [partners] fwd: Year 2000 Crisis Q&A Roundtable, 16 September *** apologies for duplicate postings *** From: Bob Bogen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Worldwide Year 2000 Computer Date Crisis: Question & Answer Roundtable Worldwide Year 2000 Computer Date Crisis For United Nations & Civil Society Organizations Action Question & Answer Roundtable Wednesday, 16 September, 1998 at 7 PM One UN Plaza, [1st Avenue north of 44th Street] Executive Dining Room, Third Floor Sponsored by the Communications Coordination Committee for the United Nations Welcome by Dr. Wally N'Dow Secretary General, Habitat II Special Advisor to the Administrator of UNDP Opening Remarks by Ambassador Ahmad Kamal Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations Chairman of the United Nations Working Group on Informatics ============================================================== The potential disruption of local and global functions due to Year 2000 [Y2K] computer date problems demands the most urgent and highest priority in business, industry and government at all levels as well as action by Civil Society and the United Nations. Many computers and embedded microprocessors in equipment around the world are expected to malfunction or crash as they tick over from midnight on the 31st of December, 1999 to January 1st, 2000 due to programming which did not provide for use in the next century. Scope of the Problem: Activities which are vulnerable to widespread or even global Y2K disruption include financial transactions, infrastructure services including electricity, heating, transportation, communications, water as well as food production and distribution, health care, government safety net payments, emergency services and all major economic activity. Scale of the Problem: History offers no example of a parallel threat on a global, national or even local scale. To "wait and see" invites disaster. Only the long term threats of global warming, oxygen loss, exhaustion of other basic resources in the oceans and continents as well as the eventual possibility of an earth-asteroid collision demand worldwide action on a similar scale. And none of those problems present us with the Y2K date- positive threat, just months away. Chain Reaction Disruptions Likely: Experts agree that the current widespread use of computers for our complex communications and control networks can result in a cascading, avalanche of breakdowns. This can occur even to those systems which have been repaired to eliminate any internal Y2K errors. They, too, can be shut down by electronic contact with outside computers which have not been completely converted to Year 2000 compliance. Massive Prevention Effort Essential: Although there has been an acceleration in media reporting on this issue, including tabloid panic headlines, action around the world has been gravely inadequate, even in the largest industrial nations. Only in some large financial institutions and isolated governmental agencies has adequate funding and staff been put in place. It is essential that Civil Society leaders make immediate efforts to gain a basic understanding of this issue. We can act to generate, as well as vigorously support, emergency action by public and private organizations in their nations and communities. Emergency Preparations Start Now: More prevention, so-called "remediation" efforts are essential if society is to function at an acceptable level. However, it is now clear that it is too late to avoid all disruptions. Civil Society leaders must not only take responsibility to generate and support massive remediation efforts but must also work on preparations, so-called "contingency planning" for many of the various disruptions which may occur. Both private disaster and relief organizations as well as all public service agencies must be engaged in this effort. Preparations at neighborhood and family level will also be necessary. Denial, Secrecy, and Panic: Petersen, Wheatly, and Kellner-Rogers write " Even where there is some recognition of the potential disruptions or chaos that Y2K might create, there's a powerful dynamic of secrecy preventing us from engaging in these conversations. Leaders don't want to panic their citizens. Employees don't want to panic their bosses. Corporations don't want to panic investors. Lawyers don't want their clients to confess to anything."* Douglass Carmichael writes, "Those who want to hush the problem are having three effects. First they are preventing a more rigorous investigation of the extent of the problem. Second, they are slowing down the awareness of the urgency of solutions. Third, they are making almost certain a higher degree of ultimate panic, in anger, under conditions of shock."* Positive Potential of Crisis: Ralph Szygenda, General Motors' Chief Information Officer says Y2K is the cruelest trick ever played on us by Technology, but that it also represents a great opportunity for change.* Petersen et al add, "What we know about people in crisis is: 1) Shared purpose and meaning brings people together. 2) People display unparalleled levels of creativity and resourcefulness, 3) People want to help others, individual agendas fade immediately, 4) People learn instantly and respond at lightning speed, 5) The more information people get, the smarter their responses, 6) Leadership behaviors (not roles) appear everywhere, as needed, and 7) People experiment constantly to find what works."* Role of the United Nations With Civil Society Stimulation: It would also be extraordinarily significant if we can help build a United Nations role as the world clearinghouse and support agency to meet this crisis. A worldwide strategic mobilization for Y2K contingency priorities similar to the effort required by World War II must be developed in the weeks ahead. Education of Public and Leaders Overdue: Civil Society leaders are encouraged to review the speech on Global Implications of Y2K by Ambassador Ahmad Kamal of Pakistan, Chairman of the UN Working Group on Informatics. For additional information on this problem, remediation and contingency planning, various internet sites are the most convenient and comprehensive source. Several useful sites with links to additional sites are as follows: War & Peace Foundation (includes quotes given above)* http://www.interport.net/~warpeace/y2k.html Year 2000 Transition - United Nations web site http://www.un.org/members/yr2000 Global Economic Implications of Y2K Problem - Ambassador Kamal http://www.undp.org/missions/pakistan/16980320.htm The Year 2000: Social Chaos or Social Transformation? http://www.wfs.org/wfs/year2k.htm International Year 2000 Links http://www.itpolicy.gsa.gov/mks/yr2000/g7yr2000.htm Selected Papers on the Year 2000 Problem http://www.itpolicy.gsa.gov/mks/yr2000/y2kconf/papers.htm Global Millennial Foundation http://www.globalmf.org Everything 2000 - Resources for Year 2000 & the New Millennium http://www.everything2000.com Public Technology, Inc. - Year 2000 & Local Governments http://www.pti.org "Millennium Tragedy in Urbanville" by Martyn Emery http://www.itpolicy.gsa.gov/mks/yr2000/y2kconf/paper14.htm Year 2000 Problem and the Danger of Accidental Nuclear War http://www.fas.org/2000/y2k/analysis.htm Information Portal on the Year 2000 Problem http://www.y2k.com Gary North's Y2K Links and Forums http://www.garynorth.com/y2k/search_.cfm Ed Yourdon's Web site - Author of "Time Bomb 2000" http://www.yourdon.com Center for Cyber Economics - Edward Yardeni http://www.yardeni.com/cyber.html Year 2000 Information Center - Peter de Jager http://www.year2000.com Cassandra Project - Grassroots preparations for Y2K http://www.millennia-bcs.com Washington DC Y2K User Group http://www.wdcy2k.org U.S. Federal Government Gateway for Year 2000 Information http://www.itpolicy.gsa.gov/mks/yr2000/y2khome.htm U.S. Government Accounting Office - Year 2000 Computing Crisis http://www.gao.gov/y2kr.htm ==================================== For additional information, contact: Bob Bogen at 212.972.3869 or 212.286.5700, Fax 212.297.0438 E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]