World Summit on Sustainable Development - Ministry staff perspective 3 September 2002
We've more or less reached the end. Most of the contentious issues have been agreed – only health and human rights issues remain to be resolved. We expect that these will be agreed later today (Tues). Energy issues were finally agreed yesterday – the result was not as we wanted, but its important not to underestimate the fact that energy is on the agenda and a platform is now established to go forward on. China surprised many people by announcing they will ratify the Kyoto Protocol.
A breakthrough was achieved on the climate change text following a clever proposal by Japan. Norway had held out for a reference to ratification of the Kyoto Protocol that the US and Australia strongly resisted. The solution from Japan that brokered a deal includes wording to the effect that States that have ratified the Kyoto Protocol strongly urge States that have not already done so to ratify the Protocol in a timely manner.
The Minister left to return to NZ yesterday after an active few days around the table with other Ministers. She did well on energy issues and made several good interventions that drew a round of applause. She reminded other Ministers that NZ was seeking a level playing field in the energy sector and that the removal of subsidies for fossil fuels to put renewables on an even footing would help meet global concerns, not just the concerns of the oil producers. Norway reinforced this saying that as the fourth largest oil producer, it was already looking to develop energy sources and technologies for a post-fossil fuel world. However, the introduction of targets to have at least 15 percent of global total energy supply provided from renewable sources did not find sufficient support. The G77, US and Australia actively opposed it.
The difficult issues over the targets for water and sanitation (to halve by 2015 the proportion of people who are unable to reach or afford safe drinking water and who do not have access to basic sanitation) were resolved. Similarly, agreement was reached over consumption and production issues where the problem was to get agreement to a ten year programme of action in support of regional and national initiatives that made reference to particular measures such as life cycle analysis and labelling. These references are less explicit, but there is sufficient there to allow use of these approaches.
The references to precaution and the ecosystem approach in the natural resources and biodiversity chapter, and in the chapter on implementation are weaker than we wanted. We had sought to include references to environment and health, and to include approaches to precaution as expressed in "applicable international law". The US, Australia, and G77 preferred to restrict the reference to precaution to the wording of Rio Principle 15. In the end, this view prevailed. The references to precaution occur in relation to the management of chemicals and hazardous waste and to science based decision making, but the reference in the chapter on protection of the natural resource base was deleted.
We expect the revised text of the Johannesburg Plan of Action to be finalised late today or tomorrow following decision on the last two issues – health and human rights. Of the many side events, we have managed to get to one – the Waterdome. This is an enormous dome that houses around 100 exhibits and displays around the theme of sustainable use of water. Among the variety of demonstrations and information was a startlingly simple Heath Robinson contraption in the Kiwi number 8 wire tradition capable of raising water from 20 meters underground and made from plastic pipe, string, rubber washers, and a tricycle size wheel and costing only a few dollars to make. It was extremely effective and the sort of thing they adapted for kids to play on while doing something useful!
The past two days have included leaders statements – which have probably been reported in NZ, but our PM was notable in making the only reference to Zimbabwe and Mr Mugabe was notable in making an attack on Tony Blair and sounding the war drums. The Summit ends tomorrow (Wed) so this is probably our final instalment – more when we arrive back next week.
Brett & Graeme still (a)live in J'burg
3 Sept
Last updated: 17 September 2007
