An opportunity to move forward
The Johannesburg Summit laid the groundwork and paved the way for action.
Some important new goals were set, such as: to halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without access to basic sanitation; to minimize, by 2020, the harm caused by the use and production of chemicals to human health and the environment; to maintain or restore depleted fish stocks to levels that can produce maximum and sustainable yields as a matter of urgency and, where possible, no later than 2015; and to achieve a significant reduction in current levels of fish stocks by 2010.
At the same time, the Johannesburg Summit, in particular in its structure and outcomes, was different from previous United Nations conferences in that it strongly influenced the international community’s approach to the various challenges ahead.
The Johannesburg Summit was undoubtedly of great interest. A total of 100 heads of state and government spoke, with 22,000 participants, 10,000 of whom were delegates, 8,000 from non-governmental organizations and civil society, and 4,000 from the press.
In Johannesburg, commitments – to improve access to water and sanitation, energy development, increased agricultural production, appropriate use of toxic chemicals, conservation of biodiversity, and better ecosystem management – were made not only by governments, but also by nongovernmental and intergovernmental organizations and businesses, which launched more than 300 voluntary initiatives.
In 2002, the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development adopted a Political Declaration and an Implementation Plan that includes provisions covering a set of actions and measures to be taken to achieve development that respects the environment.
On the final day of the Johannesburg Summit, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan told reporters, “I don’t think we should expect miracles from such conferences, and yet we believe that conferences like the one we are currently holding should help mobilize political commitment and communicate the energy needed to achieve the goals.
According to Mr. Annan, it will be possible to judge the success of the conference by the fulfillment of these commitments: “We have invited leaders from around the world to come here to pledge their commitment to sustainable development, to protecting our planet and maintaining the necessary balance, and then to take concrete action when they return home. The impact of our efforts on the ground will show how effective our efforts have been. At the same time, the groundwork is pretty good. But Johannesburg is just the beginning. I’m not saying that Johannesburg is the end. It’s just the beginning.