RIO +10: WHAT’S NEXT AFTER THE WSSD?

Which are the highlights the Johannesburg World Summit will be remembered by?

I think the most remarkable highlights are the following:

1. The concern:

a. For not wasting too much time in stating new principles,

b. to confirm the principles expressed in the Rio Declaration and the Recommendations of Agenda 21;

c. to consider it urgent and essential to put theory into concrete practice by means of partnership programmes between developed and developing countries, between their public and private sectors and with the different actors of  the civil society.

2. It is high time co-responsibility were assumed to promote and strengthen the three inseparable pillars in environmental protection:  social, economic and ecological development, both at the local and national levels, as well as at regional and world level.  The  idea  of “partnership” is crucial given it recognizes both similarities as well as differences in terms of the responsibilities of the parties, thus preventing the traditional imbalance between donors and beneficiaries.

3. The Summit and the attention of world media to the dramatic ecological situation of our planet, have no doubt contributed to the dissemination of the Sustainable Development concept and to the awareness in terms of the inter-dependence and equal importance of the social, economic and environmental pillars.

4. The issue of combating poverty –cause and effect of environmental degradation—was linked to the solution of other more pressing problems today, such as environmental deterioration and social and economic inequality existing within the countries and among them.

5. The need for Global Conventions of the United Nations and the environmental  Multilateral Agreements to have a vision that is holistic, with an ecosystem approach and synergy, in order to solve these issues.

In addition, I think that it is also important –at least as a source of inspiration for the future—to mention the Right to Development and the recognition of the importance of ethics as a Sustainable Development element and the implementation of Agenda 21.

How will developing countries benefit from the results of the Summit?

Developing countries may benefit:

- From the practical nature derived from decisions made,

- From the concrete measures resulting from the Summit, such as the implementation of partnership initiatives among those well-known high-priority sectors, namely:  agriculture and fishing, environment, energy, health and above all, water and combating poverty; 

- From the financial commitments of Monterrey,

- From a well-balanced application of the Doha Agreements,

- From new measures such as the World Solidarity Fund,

- From the contributions of the private sector,

- From the promised increase of GDP percentage from developed countries to favour cooperation for development,

- From a better quantitative and qualitative contribution from GEF (Global Environment Fund), whose coming General Assembly in Beijing would have to decide upon opening a “window” for UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification) to favour global programmes of greater ecosystem impact.

The Johannesburg Commitment is focused on the basic needs of human dignity, access to clean water and sanitation, energy, health care services, food security and bio-diversity.  Concurrently, the fundamental importance of technology, education and training and job creation, have also been recognized.  Of course, much of this depends not only on the political will of countries involved but also on a positive evolution of the global economic situation that would allow for some ambitious objectives of the Declaration of the Millennium, for example, to reduce by half the percentage of people living in poverty by the year 2015.

How do local development and environmental issues rank in the future agenda?

Item 149 of the Action Plan refers to the need to strengthen the role and capacity of Local Authorities in the implementation of Agenda 21 and the results of the Summit, and also to the need to increase support to local Agenda 21 programmes and initiatives and partnerships between local authorities and other governmental levels.  Urban sustainable development represents one of the main objectives in the Declaration of the Millennium, confirmed in the Action Plan approved in Johannesburg, as well as the need to develop urban sewage systems; the objective of reducing by 50% the proportion of world population with no access to potable water or health services (currently, world population living in cities represent 50% but estimations point to the fact that the figure will grow by 75% in the coming decades) and the support to “Cities without slums”, a Habitat Agenda programme.

Which specific issues discussed during the Summit should be included in the EMS future working agenda?

All subjects related to local Agenda 21, water resource management sectors, urban sanitation, transport, energy, communications, seem to me to be very relevant as they involve the private sector and strengthen the cooperation among cities in the American Hemisphere and Europe.

What future activities will follow from this Summit in our fields of interest?

 Most of it will depend on our creativity, dynamism and enthusiasm for initiatives.  As regards Italy, the recognition of the so-called Decentralized Cooperation by the Italian Cooperation has already been reflected in the Cooperation Agreements with local Italian Authorities.  This will create a very interesting opportunity for a triangular cooperation with the EMS, which we hope will also include the prominent role of partnership initiatives between local authorities in Italy and Latin America.