Earth Summit 2002
Encyclopedia
The World Summit on Sustainable Development, WSSD or Earth Summit 2002 took place in Johannesburg
, South Africa
, from 26 August to 4 September 2002. It was convened to discuss sustainable development
by the United Nations
. WSSD gathered a number of leaders from business and non-governmental organization
s, 10 years after the first Earth Summit
in Rio de Janeiro. (It was therefore also informally nicknamed "Rio+10".)
was the main outcome of the Summit; however, there were several other international agreements.
http://www.johannesburgsummit.org/
It laid out the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation as an action plan. http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/documents/WSSD_POI_PD/English/POIToc.htm
, as opposed to Type I Parnerships which are the more classic outcome of international treaties. These were to be the key means to achieve the Millennium Development Goals
. These are kept in a database of Partnerships for Sustainable Development. http://webapps01.un.org/dsd/partnerships/public/welcome.do
boycotted the summit and did not attend. Except for a brief appearance by Colin Powell
, who hurriedly addressed the closing stages of the conference while his airplane taxied on the run-way of Johannesburg International, the US government did not send a delegation, earning Bush praise in a letter from conservative, corporate-sponsored organizations such as Americans for Tax Reform
, American Enterprise Institute
, and Competitive Enterprise Institute
.
, Sweden
, in June 1972, and marked the emergence of international environmental law. The Declaration on the Human Environment also known as the Stockholm Declaration set out the principles for various international environmental issues, including human rights, natural resource management, pollution prevention and the relationship between the environment and development. The conference also led to the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme
.
The Brundtland Commission
set up by Gro Harlem Brundtland
, the pioneer of sustainable development
, provided the momentum for first Earth Summit
1992 – the United Nations Conference on Environmental Development (UNCED), that was also headed by Maurice Strong, who had been a prominent member of the Brundtland Commission – and also for Agenda 21
.
South Africa's first National Conference on Environment and Development
entitled, "Ecologise Politics, Politicise Ecology" was held at the University of the Western Cape
in conjunction with the Cape Town Ecology Group
and the Western Cape Branch of the World Conference on Religion and Peace in 1991. Prominent persons involved in this conference were Ebrahim Rasool
, Cheryl Carolus
, Faried Esack, and Julia Martin.
The initial informal discussions on a possible new Summit in 2002 were held in February 1998 and hosted by Derek Osborn who co-chaired the preparatory meetings for Rio+5 and Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future
. A set of 10 governments started working informally to start putting together the possible agenda for a Summit. the non papers produced in 1998 and 1999 ensured that when the UN Commission met in 2000 it could agree to host another Summit in 2002.
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, from 26 August to 4 September 2002. It was convened to discuss sustainable development
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. WSSD gathered a number of leaders from business and non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
s, 10 years after the first Earth Summit
Earth Summit
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , also known as the Rio Summit, Rio Conference, Earth Summit was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 June to 14 June 1992.-Overview:...
in Rio de Janeiro. (It was therefore also informally nicknamed "Rio+10".)
Declarations
The Johannesburg DeclarationJohannesburg Declaration
The Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development was adopted at the World Summit on Sustainable Development , sometimes referred to as Earth Summit 2002, at which the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development was also agreed upon.The Johannesburg Declaration...
was the main outcome of the Summit; however, there were several other international agreements.
http://www.johannesburgsummit.org/
It laid out the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation as an action plan. http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/documents/WSSD_POI_PD/English/POIToc.htm
Agreements
Johannesburg, 27 August: agreement was made to restore the world's depleted fisheries for 2015. It was agreed to by negotiators at the World Summit.Partnership Initiatives
Instead of new agreements between governments, the Earth Summit was organized mostly around almost 300 "partnership initiatives" known as Type IIType II Partnerships
Type II partnerships were developed at the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002. Arising in opposition to the state-centred eco-governmentality of previous approaches to sustainable development policy, the partnerships facilitate the inclusion of private and civil actors...
, as opposed to Type I Parnerships which are the more classic outcome of international treaties. These were to be the key means to achieve the Millennium Development Goals
Millennium Development Goals
The Millennium Development Goals are eight international development goals that all 193 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations have agreed to achieve by the year 2015...
. These are kept in a database of Partnerships for Sustainable Development. http://webapps01.un.org/dsd/partnerships/public/welcome.do
U.S. Participation
The absence of the United States rendered the summit partially impotent. George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
boycotted the summit and did not attend. Except for a brief appearance by Colin Powell
Colin Powell
Colin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position. During his military...
, who hurriedly addressed the closing stages of the conference while his airplane taxied on the run-way of Johannesburg International, the US government did not send a delegation, earning Bush praise in a letter from conservative, corporate-sponsored organizations such as Americans for Tax Reform
Americans for Tax Reform
Americans for Tax Reform is an advocacy group and taxpayer group whose stated goal is "a system in which taxes are simpler, flatter, more visible, and lower than they are today. The government's power to control one's life derives from its power to tax...
, American Enterprise Institute
American Enterprise Institute
The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research is a conservative think tank founded in 1943. Its stated mission is "to defend the principles and improve the institutions of American freedom and democratic capitalism—limited government, private enterprise, individual liberty and...
, and Competitive Enterprise Institute
Competitive Enterprise Institute
The Competitive Enterprise Institute is a non-profit think tank founded on March 9, 1984 in Washington, D.C. by lobbyist Fred L. Smith, Jr to advance economic liberty and fight over-regulation by big government...
.
History
The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, was first held in StockholmStockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, in June 1972, and marked the emergence of international environmental law. The Declaration on the Human Environment also known as the Stockholm Declaration set out the principles for various international environmental issues, including human rights, natural resource management, pollution prevention and the relationship between the environment and development. The conference also led to the creation of the United Nations Environment Programme
United Nations Environment Programme
The United Nations Environment Programme coordinates United Nations environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices. It was founded as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in June 1972 and has its...
.
The Brundtland Commission
Brundtland Commission
The Brundtland Commission, formally the World Commission on Environment and Development , known by the name of its Chair Gro Harlem Brundtland, was convened by the United Nations in 1983...
set up by Gro Harlem Brundtland
Gro Harlem Brundtland
Gro Harlem Brundtland is a Norwegian Social democratic politician, diplomat, and physician, and an international leader in sustainable development and public health. She served three terms as Prime Minister of Norway , and has served as the Director General of the World Health Organization...
, the pioneer of sustainable development
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
, provided the momentum for first Earth Summit
Earth Summit
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , also known as the Rio Summit, Rio Conference, Earth Summit was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 June to 14 June 1992.-Overview:...
1992 – the United Nations Conference on Environmental Development (UNCED), that was also headed by Maurice Strong, who had been a prominent member of the Brundtland Commission – and also for Agenda 21
Agenda 21
Agenda 21 is an action plan of the United Nations related to sustainable development and was an outcome of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992...
.
South Africa's first National Conference on Environment and Development
South African National Conference on Environment and Development
The first National Conference on Environment and Development in South Africa was held at the University of the Western Cape during June/July 1991 . It saw at least 231 representatives from a wide range of organisations discussing the links between environmental degradation and the political...
entitled, "Ecologise Politics, Politicise Ecology" was held at the University of the Western Cape
University of the Western Cape
The University of the Western Cape is a public university located in the Bellville suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. It was established in 1960 by the South African government as a university for Coloured people only...
in conjunction with the Cape Town Ecology Group
Cape Town Ecology Group
The Cape Town Ecology Group is a South African based radical environmental group, founded in 1987, as a "child of Koeberg Alert", and active until the early 1990s. It espoused a more political-orientated green ideology as opposed to the apartheid-based conservation groups of the time...
and the Western Cape Branch of the World Conference on Religion and Peace in 1991. Prominent persons involved in this conference were Ebrahim Rasool
Ebrahim Rasool
Ebrahim Rasool was the Premier of the Western Cape province in South Africa. He is a member of the African National Congress.Anti-Apartheid Struggle Activist:...
, Cheryl Carolus
Cheryl Carolus
Cheryl Carolus is a South African politician. She was born in Silvertown, on the Cape Flats, Cape Town. Carolus became involved in politics while still at school and became an activist after joining the United Democratic Front in 1983...
, Faried Esack, and Julia Martin.
The initial informal discussions on a possible new Summit in 2002 were held in February 1998 and hosted by Derek Osborn who co-chaired the preparatory meetings for Rio+5 and Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future
Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future
Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future is an international multi-stakeholder organization which exists at the interface of civil society and the UN...
. A set of 10 governments started working informally to start putting together the possible agenda for a Summit. the non papers produced in 1998 and 1999 ensured that when the UN Commission met in 2000 it could agree to host another Summit in 2002.
See also
- Energy developmentEnergy developmentEnergy development is the effort to provide sufficient primary energy sources and secondary energy forms for supply, cost, impact on air pollution and water pollution, mitigation of climate change with renewable energy....
- Green energy
- Johannesburg Renewable Energy CoalitionJohannesburg Renewable Energy CoalitionThe Johannesburg Renewable Energy Coalition, also known as JREC, is the group of countries supporting the Declaration on The Way Forward on Renewable Energy , made at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, in September 2002....
- SustainabilitySustainabilitySustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
- United Nations Environment ProgrammeUnited Nations Environment ProgrammeThe United Nations Environment Programme coordinates United Nations environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices. It was founded as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in June 1972 and has its...
- GVEP InternationalGVEP InternationalGVEP International is a worldwide non profit organisation working to reduce poverty by accelerating access to affordable and sustainable energy services....
- Global MapGlobal MapGlobal Map is a set of digital maps which accurately cover the whole globe to express the status of global environment. It is developed through the cooperation of National Mapping Organizations in the world...