SUMMIT SEGMENT AT THE JOHANNESBURG CONFERENCE
BEGINS TODAY
MINISTERIAL PLENARY RESOLVES
SEVERAL CONTENTIOUS ISSUES
The Heads of States and Governments
have begun to address the issues that were unresolved in the ministerial
meeting on contentious issues from today at the ongoing World
Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) at Johannesburg in South
Africa. The plenary of environment ministers that resolved six
contentious issues put up to them by official negotiators concluded
yesterday. The Environment and Forests Minister, Shri T.R.Baalu,
who led the Indian delegation for the first six days of the conference
returned to India today. The plenary of environment ministers
succeeded in arriving at an agreement of contentious issues like
biodiversity water and sanitation, management of natural resources,
changing the present unsustainable patterns of production and
consumption, climate change, labour standards etc.
The ministerial plenary of the summit
has agreed on involving an international regime to ensure fair
and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from use of genetic
resources within the framework of the Convention on Bio-diversity.
The plenary has also agreed to ensure more efficient and coherent
implementation of conservation and sustainable use of biological
diversity. It was also agreed that new and additional financial
and technical resources will be provided to developing countries,
in particular to the countries of origin to achieve significant
reductions in the current loss of Bio-diversity by 2010. It was
also agreed that current trend in natural resource degradation
will be reversed as soon as possible by implementing strategies
in tune with the targets adopted at the national level to protect
eco-system and to achieve integrated management of land, water
and living resources, while strengthening regional, national and
local capacities.
Water and sanitation issues, a bone
of contention among official negotiators were resolved by the
environment ministers with the plenary agreeing on reducing by
half, by 2015, the proportion of people without access to safe
drinking water and basic sanitation facilities.
The developed countries have been
prevailed upon to agree to take lead in encouraging and promoting
the development of a ten year framework of programmes in support
of regional and national initiatives to accelerate the shift towards
sustainable consumption and production. Issues such as eco-labelling
were not included in the text due to livelihood its misuse as
a disguised trade value.
Recognising the gravity of consequences
of Climate Change, the plenary agreed on enabling economic development
to proceed in a sustainable manner in accordance with the principle
of common but differentiated responsibilities and capabilities.
Countries that have ratified Kyoto Protocol have strongly urged
the state that have not done so to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on
emission of greenhouse gases in a time bound manner.
It was agreed that assistance will
be provided to increase income generating employment opportunities
taking into account the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles
and Rights at Work. Reference to ILO core labour standards were
deleted from the text in view of the possible misuse against developing
countries.
Incentives will be provided for investment
in cleaner production and eco-efficiency for small and medium
size companies. International cooperation will be enhanced to
combat illicit cultivation of narcotic plants. Global Environment
Facility (GEF) will be designated as financing institution for
land degradation with desertification and deforestation as focal
areas.
On energy related issues, which are
to be addressed at the summit level, the proposal circulated by
G-77 which incorporates India’s concerns has been accepted in
the plenary as the basic document for further negotiations. This
proposal recognises that access to energy facilitates eradication
of poverty.
Shri Baalu has held extensive discussions
with his counterparts from the key members of G-77 including Brazil,
Argentina, Indonesia, South Africa etc. in an effort to formulate
and effectively articulate the concerns and expectations of the
developing countries during the negotiations in the plenary. He
also held talks with the leaders of delegations of United Kingdom,
Japan etc. to convey India’s concerns about achieving the goals
of Agenda 21 in accordance with Rio Principles that were agreed
to in 1992.
The three day Summit of Heads of
States and Governments will address the issues of energy, governance
and means of implementation including trade and finance.
