Sustainable Development Summit Ends In Frustration At Global Inaction

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NEW YORK, New York, April 26, 2005 (ENS) - "Four days after the Commission on Sustainable Development closed its 13th meeting at UN Headquarters in New York, many participants are expressing a sense of frustration and concern that all the international discussions held since the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburgh might amount to very little progress. "There is even a serious risk that the international community turns its back on the agreed goals of Johannesburg, where it is vital that we agree to move forward," said Olav Kjorven, head of the Energy and Environment Division of the United Nations Development Programme.

The IUCN-World Conservation Union said the Commission on Sustainable Development "failed to make significant progress on the targets and policy options for water and sanitation as agreed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg three years ago." Held in New York from April 11 to 22, CSD-13 was the first policy setting session of the Commission since the 2002 World Summit. The goal of the meeting was to decide on policies and practical measures to accelerate progress towards achieving the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation targets and commitments on water, sanitation and human settlements.

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The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB), a publication of the International Institute for Sustainable Development based in Canada, reported that "some participants’ hopes and expectations for the session" were not met by the outcome. "Many were obviously disappointed, with the G-77/China going on record in the closing plenary with a statement that they were 'deeply disturbed' by the outcome, accusing developed countries of backtracking on previous agreements and pursuing a 'selfish' agenda,'" ENB reported.

The participation of Major Groups has been a unique feature of the CSD process. Nine Major Groups of civil society - women, children and youth, indigenous people, nongovernmental organizations, local authorities, workers and unions, business and industry, as well as the scientific and technological community - were supposed to have full participation in the CSD-13 meeting, but most were unhappy with the way they were treated during the talks. They complained that their involvement had been cut short, a feeling that was increased when representatives of major groups were not allowed into the room during some of the plenary sessions, "allegedly due to excessive zeal on the part of UN security," ENB reported."

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http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/apr2005/2005-04-26-03.asp