UN sees Earth Summit deal
UN sees Earth Summit deal
Reuters, Johannesburg
The United Nations' environment chief said he was confident an
action plan to reduce poverty without harming the planet would be
clinched at the upcoming Earth Summit in Johannesburg.
The last round of preparatory talks on the Indonesian resort
of Bali failed to agree on a draft action plan, with time-bound
commitments and ways of financing pledges among the main bones of
contention.
"I have come to the conclusion that there will be a very good
and concrete outcome (to the summit)," Klaus Toepfer, the head of
the UN Environment Program, told Reuters Monday.
"Yes, I think we will have (an agreement)," he said on the
sidelines of a symposium of judges discussing environmental law.
Environmental groups and others have warned that the summit's
action plan is in danger of being so watered down that it will be
meaningless.
Others believe that no plan will emerge, with the countries of
the affluent North and impoverished South divided over timeframes
and funding methods.
The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) -- dubbed
"Earth Summit II" -- will be held in Johannesburg from Aug. 26 to
Sept. 4. More than 40,000 delegates and over 60 heads of state
are expected to attend.
South African Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
told reporters in Johannesburg on Monday that informal talks had
narrowed the differences that existed in Bali but she did not
elaborate.
Toepfer said sustainable development -- a rather vague concept
that broadly refers to maintaining or kick-starting economic
growth without irreparably harming the environment -- was closely
linked to global security.
"Sustainable development is really at the center of a peaceful
world," he said.
"When we have ongoing tensions, ongoing differences between
the rich and the poor and this gap is even widening, then we
cannot expect (peace)," Toepfer added.
He said tension and conflict around the world would continue
to rise if no firm commitments were made by heads of state at
Johannesburg.
He added that the summit would benefit if U.S. President
George W. Bush were to attend.
Officials said last week Bush would skip the conference and
that Secretary of State Colin Powell will lead the U.S. team.
"It's always very helpful to have the most important players,"
Toepfer said.
The summit aims to draw up a broad action plan to fight
poverty and killer diseases like AIDS while providing clean water
and sanitation to billions of people in the developing world.
Its five main themes will be water and sanitation, food
security, energy, health and biodiversity.