The host country is preparing its positions on key issues
Mail & Guardian reporter
The slogan for the World Summit on Sustainable Development is “people, planet and prosperity”. It captures the emphasis of the summit’s themes.
South Africa is developing draft position papers on the key issues likely to be discussed at World Summit 2002. These include:
International environmental governance: Though there has been a proliferation of environmental agreements in the past quarter of a century to strengthen the management of the global environment, they lack coordination. The sheer number of agreements affects the capacity of smaller and developing countries to implement, monitor and enforce agreements.
South Africa recognises that unless international environmental governance is strengthened, the natural resource base on which economic and social development depend will continue to deteriorate.
Atmosphere: The expected impacts of climate change due to global warming are a serious concern to developing countries, whose populations bear the brunt of natural disasters, food shortages, drought and health threats associated with climate change.
One of the most important factors, not only in terms of the atmosphere but all other areas of sustainable development, is the assistance required by developing countries, and Africa in particular, to ensure implementation of conventions, measures and actions. Continued access to financial support, capacity building and technology transfer is of increasing importance.
Food security and agriculture: Agriculture is the dominant sector in most countries in Africa and many other developing countries. It makes an important contribution to gross domestic product (often between 20% and 40%) and to employment (often as much as 75%).
The use of food as an instrument of economic or political pressure and exclusion is morally unacceptable and must be rejected unconditionally. The Southern African Development Community has adopted a regional food security strategy.
Fresh Water: An integrated approach to freshwater management offers the best means of reconciling competing demands with dwindling supplies.
Water has been identified as a pivotal resource in the national Integrated Rural Development Strategy, aimed at uplifting underdeveloped rural areas. Identifying appropriate and effective financial and costing structures is a high priority.
Trade: Efforts by developing countries to become full participants in an increasingly interdependent global economy have been hindered by biases in the trading system. Developing-country exporters have struggled to gain access to markets.
Finance: Between 1992 and 1997 total offshore development aid (ODA) from the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) development assistance committee member countries to developing countries and multilateral institutions declined steadily to 0,22% of the donor countries’ gross national product. There have also been changes in the sectoral allocation of ODA, in particular to critical areas of sustainable development.
South Africa supports increased levels of ODA to Africa and supports the United Nations target level of 0,7% of GNP, as well as the untying of aid so that developing countries are better able to take ownership of their development programmes.
Energy: Energy-sector provision, consumption and use are central to achieving the goals of sustainable development.
Transport: Developing countries need transportation systems that are safe, efficient, reliable, affordable and environmentally friendly. The following trends are being addressed in the “Moving South Africa Strategy”: liberalisation and deregulation, increased awareness of safety and environmental consequences; increased competition in maritime transport; increasing importance of information technology, globalisation of carriers and global sourcing in manufacturing.
Mining: Because of rising public expectations, regulatory requirements and market pressures at national and international levels, the mining industry needs to reassess its strategic goals and operational practices so that it makes the greatest contribution possible to the global transition to sustainable development.
Health: Good healthcare is a prerequisite for sustainable social and economic development. Diseases thrive in conditions of poverty.
Health is a global issue and should thus be considered an essential component of globalisation. The impact of HIV/Aids on every sphere of life should be taken into consideration if the relationship between health and sustainable development is to be addressed properly.
Human settlements: In responding to the major themes of the “Habitat Agenda” adequate shelter for all and the development of sustainable human settlements in an urbanising world a conflict has emerged in South Africa. In the context of limited resources, the housing programme, which has delivered more than 1,3-million new houses, has been criticised for failing to develop sustainable human settlements.
The increased costs of integrated and environmentally sound development on well-located land have proven to be prohibitive.
Disaster management: Natural disasters have had a serious impact on development in some areas, especially on vulnerable poor communities. The new approach to disaster management, reflected in the White Paper on Disaster Management, focuses on risk reduction and adequate response preparedness.