WORLD SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TO BEGIN ON AUGUST 26
SUCCESS
DEPENDS ON THE ATTITUDE OF DEVELOPED NATIONS SAYS INDIA
With the World Summit on Sustainable
Development (WSSD) to begin in Johannesburg later this month,
India has made it clear that industrialised countries have to
mend their ways for realising the goal of sustainable development
which is indivisible among nations. India's expectations from
the Summit were outlined by Shri P.V.Jayakrishnan, Secretary,
Ministry of Environment and Forests at a media workshop on 'Global
Environmental Negotiations' organised by the Centre for Science
and Environment here today.
Shri Jayakrishnan said that the developing
countries are opposed to the efforts of the developed ones towards
diluting their commitments under the agreed upon multilateral
mechanism for international cooperation. He said that the failure
of the industrialised countries to contribute 0.7 per cent of
GNP towards ODA assistance is coming in the way of implementing
sustainable development strategies by the developing nations.
Stating that Sustainable Development goes beyond environmental
protection, he said that developing countries should facilitate
new and additional sources of finance for implementing the agenda
agreed upon at the Rio Earth Summit (Agenda-21) in 1992.
Shri Jayakrishnan underscored the
need for an international financial mechanism for transferring
resources to developing nations to realise the objectives of Agenda-21.
He said that the developing countries should not aim at diluting
their commitments in the guise of promoting partnerships at non-governmental
level.
India is also opposed to reopening
the implementation agenda as agreed at Rio Earth Summit and social
issues shall not be brought in trade matters, Shri Jayakrishnan
said. Stating that poverty eradication and containing over consumption
are essential ingredients of sustainability agenda, India would
like a clear targeted commitment from the industrialised world
towards reducing their consumption of natural resources, he observed.
The 10-day World Summit on Sustainable
Development will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa from
August 26 to September 4 this year. This Summit will act as a
ten year follow up review of the historic United Nations Conference
on Environment and Development (UNCED) process started in Rio
de Janeiro in 1992. It will identify major achievements and obstacles
in implementing Agenda-21 for sustainable development.
Shri T.R.Baalu, Minister of Environment
and Forests will attend the high level segment of the Summit from
2nd to 4th of September.
