Opinion on the outcome of the Earth Summit in Johannesburg could not vary more widely. Although NGOs are deeply disappointed at the lack of tangible results, at least the Summit brought together all the players concerned (the States, corporations and NGOs) to assess the situation 10 years after Rio and reaffirm their commitment to sustainable development. For ten days, therefore, the spotlight was squarely on sustainable development.
Johannesburg’s political declarations nevertheless remain modest. The Action Plan and the Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development (
TARGET="_blank">http://www.johannesburgsummit.org) are regrettably short on concrete measures, in particular specific targets comprising deadlines and commitments on the means to be implemented.
On the whole, the many companies that travelled to Johannesburg expressed satisfaction at the event through the WBCSD. Numerous partnerships were concluded with governments and NGOs during the Summit. Indeed, over 300 new partnerships were announced. The Summit also witnessed a historic handshake between Greenpeace and the WBCSD, which launched a joint appeal for governments to fight climate change. The two organizations call on governments to establish the political framework needed to innovate and apply the measures required to deal with the risks of climate upheaval.
The Summit will therefore have served essentially to renew the debate on a large scale. A specific international political and legal framework is nevertheless still missing.
