Are
you losing sleep over Earth Summit II? I am. Maybe
that's because I have spent more hours researching,
reading and analyzing background materials preparing
for this PrepCom than for any other UN conference.
The
problem is simple--sustainable development is a gigantic
intellectual umbrella covering social issues like population,
human rights, poverty and gender as well as environmental
protection, rural development, globalization, world
trade--and even fish. It also encompasses technical
topics such as genetic engineering, HIV/AIDS and the
Convention on Biological Biodiversity. While stimulating
and rich in ideas, this vast range of subjects requires
a yeoman's stamina to prepare for the debates.
Still, I would not give up. Culling sources
from the Internet, the UN bookstore and my
own library, I gathered an abundant array of
Earth Summit II documents. I eventually reduced
my reading load to 1,000 pages. I also spent
hours jotting notes and tabbing the key points.
Would I have it any other way? Not a chance.
Although it may take weeks or even months to
catch up, I am determined to follow this path
through the wilderness all the way to Johannesburg.
If you want
to join me, here is my list of suggested
readings: The official UN conference
Web site: http://www.johannesburgsummit.org has a good "Overview" of Earth Summit
II and an introduction to the comprehensive,
60 page Report of the Secretary General on "Implementing
Agenda 21." The Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue
papers posted by the UN on subjects such as
women, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs),
local authorities, indigenous peoples, workers
and trade unions, and youth offer glimpses
into how major groups define the issues.
The paper on
scientific and technological communities
is particularly thoughtful. For
example, the authors argue that governments
must invest much more of their countries' GDP
in research and development because the economic
and social returns in higher productivity are
exceptionally high. For an overview of women's
issues, the "Women's Action Agenda for
a Healthy Planet" is a collective paper
covering issues such as the gender dimension
of sustainable cities and new information technologies.
The UNED Forum, run by NGOs, also has a briefing
paper on gender that provides a conceptual
framework and good data. To learn more about
how the corporate world sees related topics
such as economic recovery, global finances
and new information technologies, it is worth
peeping into the exclusive world of the World
Economic Forum. The documents for that summit
are available on its Internet site: http://www.weforum.org.
Do you think
you need more hard data? Try consulting the
World Bank's report "Making
Sustainable Commitments," which outlines
the bank's environmental strategy, and the
ambitious UNDP ³Human Development Report
2001.²
We may get
cross-eyed cramming through the night to
study these documents, but they will
help keep us on course. Besides, Emil Salim,
chairperson of the PrepCom for Earth Summit
II, reminds us that the summit is our golden
opportunity to see the Big Picture where the "three
pillars" of economic development, social
development and environment join together to
hold up sustainable development. Who could
nod off when a holistic view of our common
future may at last be in sight?
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