|
WSSD: Agreement Reached on Majority
of Summit's Plan of Implementation
TUESDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 2002: Agreement has been reached
on virtually all of the World Summit on Sustainable
Development's Plan of Implementation, with the notable
exception of several key provisions on energy.
Among the provisions that were agreed upon in the ministerial
negotiating session last night (September 2nd) was a
commitment to set a goal for reducing by half the proportion
of people who lack access to proper sanitation by 2015.
Also agreed to were efforts to reduce the loss of biodiversity
as well as good governance, the promotion of corporate
responsibility, and the reaffirming of the Rio Principles,
including the precautionary principle and the principle
of common but differentiated responsibilities.
The remaining unresolved points involve energy issues,
including setting a target for achieving a certain level
of renewable energy use and whether countries should
establish programmes to improve access to reliable and
affordable energy services. There is also an outstanding
paragraph concerning health care services.
"The Summit has made some very significant advances,"
commented the South African Minister of Environmental
Affairs and Tourism, Valli Moosa. "In some areas,
it has made seminal advances."
Minister Moosa said the breakthroughs in the negotiations
came during three days of round-the-clock ministerial
meetings. He described the idea of ministers sitting
for days dealing with the "nitty-gritty" of
the issues involved, as a surprise. "It represents
the seriousness of which the WSSD is taken by developing
and developed countries."
The high-level negotiations (which have been taking
place this week) were necessary, he said, because the
remaining issues needed to be resolved at the political
-- not technical -- level.
Countries have agreed to establish a voluntary world
solidarity fund to eradicate poverty and to promote
social and human development that, without duplicating
existing UN funds, would encourage the role of the private
sector and individual citizens.
Also agreed to was a provision that encourages countries
to develop a 10-year framework of programmes to accelerate
the shift toward sustainable consumption and production
pattern. This essentially asks countries to live within
the means of the supporting ecosystems. Another provision
calls for policies to improve products and services
that reduce environmental and health impacts using approaches
such as life-cycle analysis.
On Kyoto, countries agreed that States that have ratified
the Kyoto Protocol "strongly urge States that have
not already done so to ratify the Kyoto Protocol in
a timely manner".
A target of 2010 was set for significantly reducing
the current rate of biodiversity loss, with an acknowledgement
that additional financial and technical resources would
be necessary.
Countries agreed to promote corporate responsibility
and accountability and exchange best practices through
multi-stakeholder dialogue such as in the Commission
on Sustainable Development, the UN body established
to pursue implementation of sustainable development.
Issued by the Ministry of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism
3 September 2002
|
