2002 United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development

2002 United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development
Name	2002 United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development
Location	Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Dates	26 August – 4 September 2002
Convened by	United Nations
Participants	Heads of State, government ministers, United Nations Secretary-General, civil society, private sector
Outcome	Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development; Plan of Implementation; partnerships

2002 United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development was an international conference convened in Johannesburg from 26 August to 4 September 2002 to review progress since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (the Earth Summit) in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and to set actions for the first decades of the 21st century. The Summit assembled delegations from member states of the United Nations, leaders from European Union institutions, representatives of World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and major civil society coalitions including Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, and the World Wide Fund for Nature. Hosted by the government of Thabo Mbeki, the Summit coincided with a period of heightened attention to Millennium Development Goals and debates around globalization, trade liberalization, and sustainable development.

Background and Preparation

Preparations drew on processes established by the United Nations General Assembly and the Commission on Sustainable Development, with negotiating texts shaped by inputs from United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Development Programme, World Health Organization, and regional organizations such as the African Union and European Commission. Major preparatory meetings included sessions of the Preparatory Committee at United Nations Headquarters in New York City and stakeholder consultations coordinated with Civil society organizations, Business Roundtable, and networks such as the Global Reporting Initiative. Financing and logistics involved the South African Government working with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and private sector partners including multinational firms and philanthropic entities like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Conference Proceedings and Agenda

The Summit agenda combined plenary meetings, ministerial roundtables, cluster dialogues, and public events in the Sandton Convention Centre and at outdoor venues in Soweto. Major thematic clusters addressed water and sanitation, energy, biodiversity, agriculture, and sustainable development of small island developing states involving delegations from Alliance of Small Island States and the Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities of Action. High-level segments featured addresses by the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Nelson Mandela, and representatives of the European Union Commission President and heads of state including Jacques Chirac, Tony Blair, and Vladimir Putin. Parallel processes included the Business and Industry Major Groups dialogues, youth forums with United Nations Youth Assembly participants, and NGO-hosted events by Amnesty International and Oxfam International.

Outcomes and Agreements (Johannesburg Declaration and Plan of Implementation)

The Summit produced the Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development and a negotiated Plan of Implementation that reaffirmed commitments to achieve internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. The Plan of Implementation included targets and timelines addressing access to potable water, sanitation, energy access, and biodiversity protection, and called for technology transfer, financial mechanisms involving Multilateral Development Banks such as the World Bank and regional development banks, and public–private partnerships like those promoted by the Global Compact. Texts also referenced commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Convention to Combat Desertification, while urging reform of international financial architecture and enhanced support from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development members.

Participation and Key Actors

Participants ranged from heads of state and government ministers to representatives of intergovernmental organizations and transnational corporations. Key state actors included delegations from United States, China, India, Brazil, South Africa, and members of the European Union. International organizations present included the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank Group, the International Monetary Fund, and specialized agencies like the Food and Agriculture Organization and the International Labour Organization. Civil society actors included World Wide Fund for Nature, Greenpeace International, Friends of the Earth International, indigenous representatives affiliated with the International Indian Treaty Council, and labor organizations linked to the International Trade Union Confederation. Major corporate participants included representatives from energy firms, mining companies, and global retailers who engaged in side events and partnership announcements.

Implementation, Follow-up, and Impact

Follow-up mechanisms relied on reporting to the Commission on Sustainable Development and integration with the Millennium Summit review processes and later United Nations General Assembly sessions. Some outcomes catalyzed initiatives such as the scaling of water and sanitation projects funded by the World Bank and bilateral agencies, as well as public–private partnerships announced under the Global Compact. The Summit influenced agenda-setting in forums including the G8 and regional bodies like the African Union and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation process, and informed later UN processes culminating in the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20). Implementation progress varied by sector and region, with measurable gains in some water and HIV/AIDS programs coordinated with UNAIDS and mixed results in biodiversity and climate mitigation commitments.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics from NGOs such as Friends of the Earth and Third World Network argued the Summit favored voluntary partnerships and market-based mechanisms promoted by the World Bank and multinational corporations over binding commitments, echoing earlier disputes at the World Trade Organization and International Financial Institutions debates. Controversies included disputes over language on trade liberalization, intellectual property as framed by World Trade Organization agreements, and perceived weakening of commitments compared to the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. Protests in Johannesburg and statements from scientists and activists highlighted tensions between development priorities advanced by the United Nations system and calls for stronger environmental safeguards championed by organizations such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Greenpeace International.

Category:United Nations conferences Category:2002 in South Africa Category:Sustainable development events