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INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF FRESHWATER
2003
The Johannesburg
Declaration on Sustainable Development
4 September 2002
From our Origins
to the Future
1. We, the
representatives of the peoples of the world, assembled at the
World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South
Africa from 2-4 September 2002, reaffirm our commitment to
sustainable development.
2. We commit
ourselves to build a humane, equitable and caring global
society cognizant of the need for human dignity for all.
3. At the
beginning of this Summit, the children of the world spoke to
us in a simple yet clear voice that the future belongs to
them, and accordingly challenged all of us to ensure that
through our actions they will inherit a world free of the
indignity and indecency occasioned by poverty, environmental
degradation and patterns of unsustainable development.
4. As part
of our response to these children, who represent our
collective future, all of us, coming from every corner of the
world, informed by different life experiences, are united and
moved by a deeply-felt sense that we urgently need to create a
new and brighter world of hope.
5.
Accordingly, we assume a collective responsibility to advance
and strengthen the interdependent and mutually reinforcing
pillars of sustainable development – economic development,
social development and environmental protection – at local,
national, regional and global levels.
6. From this
Continent, the Cradle of Humanity we declare, through the Plan
of Implementation and this Declaration, our responsibility to
one another, to the greater community of life and to our
children.
7.
Recognizing that humankind is at a crossroad, we have united
in a common resolve to make a determined effort to respond
positively to the need to produce a practical and visible plan
that should bring about poverty eradication and human
development.
From Stockholm
to Rio de Janeiro to Johannesburg
8. Thirty
years ago, in Stockholm, we agreed on the urgent need to
respond to the problem of environmental deterioration. Ten
years ago, at the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, we agreed that the
protection of the environment, and social and economic
development are fundamental to sustainable development, based
on the Rio Principles. To achieve such development, we
adopted the global programme, Agenda 21, and the Rio
Declaration, to which we reaffirm our commitment. The Rio
Summit was a significant milestone that set a new agenda for
sustainable development.
9.
Between Rio and Johannesburg the world’s nations met in
several major conferences under the guidance of the United
Nations, including the Monterrey Conference on Finance for
Development, as well as the Doha Ministerial Conference.
These conferences defined for the world a comprehensive vision
for the future of humanity.
10. At the
Johannesburg Summit we achieved much in bringing together a
rich tapestry of peoples and views in a constructive search
for a common path, towards a world that respects and
implements the vision of sustainable development.
Johannesburg also confirmed that significant progress has been
made towards achieving a global consensus and partnership
amongst all the people of our planet.
The Challenges we
Face
11. We
recognize that poverty eradication, changing consumption and
production patterns, and protecting and managing the natural
resource base for economic and social development are
overarching objectives of, and essential requirements for
sustainable development.
12. The deep
fault line that divides human society between the rich and the
poor and the ever-increasing gap between the developed and
developing worlds pose a major threat to global prosperity,
security and stability.
13. The global
environment continues to suffer. Loss of biodiversity
continues, fish stocks continue to be depleted,
desertification claims more and more fertile land, the adverse
effects of climate change are already evident, natural
disasters are more frequent and more devastating and
developing countries more vulnerable, and air, water and
marine pollution continue to rob millions of a decent life.
14.
Globalization has added a new dimension to these challenges.
The rapid integration of markets, mobility of capital and
significant increases in investment flows around the world
have opened new challenges and opportunities for the pursuit
of sustainable development. But the benefits and costs of
globalization are unevenly distributed, with developing
countries facing special difficulties in meeting this
challenge.
15. We risk the
entrenchment of these global disparities and unless we act in
a manner that fundamentally changes their lives, the poor of
the world may lose confidence in their representatives and the
democratic systems to which we remain committed, seeing their
representatives as nothing more than sounding brass or
tinkling cymbals.
Our Commitment to
Sustainable Development
16. We are
determined to ensure that our rich diversity, which is our
collective strength, will be used for constructive partnership
for change and for the achievement of the common goal of
sustainable development.
17.
Recognizing the importance of building human solidarity, we
urge the promotion of dialogue and cooperation among the
world’s civilizations and peoples, irrespective of race,
disabilities, religion, language, culture and tradition.
18. We welcome
the Johannesburg Summit focus on the indivisibility of human
dignity and are resolved through decisions on targets,
timetables and partnerships to speedily increase access to
basic requirements such as clean water, sanitation, adequate
shelter, energy, health care, food security and the protection
of bio-diversity. At the same time, we will work together to
assist one another to have access to financial resources,
benefit from the opening of markets, ensure capacity building,
use modern technology to bring about development, and make
sure that there is technology transfer, human resource
development, education and training to banish forever
underdevelopment.
19. We
reaffirm our pledge to place particular focus on, and give
priority attention to, the fight against the worldwide
conditions that pose severe threats to the sustainable
development of our people. Among these conditions are:
chronic hunger; malnutrition; foreign occupation; armed
conflicts; illicit drug problems; organized crime; corruption;
natural disasters; illicit arms trafficking; trafficking in
persons; terrorism; intolerance and incitement to racial,
ethnic, religious and other hatreds; xenophobia; and endemic,
communicable and chronic diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS,
malaria and tuberculosis.
20. We are
committed to ensure that women’s empowerment and emancipation,
and gender equality are integrated in all activities
encompassed within Agenda 21, the Millennium Development Goals
and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.
21. We
recognize the reality that global society has the means and is
endowed with the resources to address the challenges of
poverty eradication and sustainable development confronting
all humanity. Together we will take extra steps to ensure that
these available resources are used to the benefit of humanity.
22. In this
regard, to contribute to the achievement of our development
goals and targets, we urge developed countries that have not
done so to make concrete efforts towards the internationally
agreed levels of Official Development Assistance.
23. We welcome
and support the emergence of stronger regional groupings and
alliances, such as the New Partnership for Africa’s
Development (NEPAD), to promote regional cooperation, improved
international co-operation and promote sustainable
development.
24. We shall
continue to pay special attention to the developmental needs
of Small Island Developing States and the Least Developed
Countries.
25 We
reaffirm the vital role of the indigenous peoples in
sustainable development.
26. We
recognize sustainable development requires a long-term
perspective and broad-based participation in policy
formulation, decision-making and implementation at all levels.
As social partners we will continue to work for stable
partnerships with all major groups respecting the independent,
important roles of each of these.
27. We agree
that in pursuit of their legitimate activities the private
sector, both large and small companies, have a duty to
contribute to the evolution of equitable and sustainable
communities and societies.
28. We also
agree to provide assistance to increase income generating
employment opportunities, taking into account the
International Labour Organization (ILO) Declaration of
Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.
29. We agree
that there is a need for private sector corporations to
enforce corporate accountability. This should take place
within a transparent and stable regulatory environment.
30. We
undertake to strengthen and improve governance at all levels,
for the effective implementation of Agenda 21, the Millennium
Development Goals and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.
Multilateralism is
the Future
31. To achieve
our goals of sustainable development, we need more effective,
democratic and accountable international and multilateral
institutions.
32. We
reaffirm our commitment to the principles and purposes of the
UN Charter and international law as well as the strengthening
of multi-lateralism. We support the leadership role of the
United Nations as the most universal and representative
organization in the world, which is best placed to promote
sustainable development.
33. We further
commit ourselves to monitor progress at regular intervals
towards the achievement of our sustainable development goals
and objectives.
Making it Happen!
34. We are in
agreement that this must be an inclusive process, involving
all the major groups and governments that participated in the
historic Johannesburg Summit.
35. We commit
ourselves to act together, united by a common determination to
save our planet, promote human development and achieve
universal prosperity and peace.
36. We commit
ourselves to the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and to
expedite the achievement of the time-bound, socio-economic and
environmental targets contained therein.
37. From the
African continent, the Cradle of Humankind, we solemnly pledge
to the peoples of the world, and the generations that will
surely inherit this earth, that we are determined to ensure
that our collective hope for sustainable development is
realized.
We express our deepest
gratitude to the people and the Government of South Africa for
their generous hospitality and excellent arrangements made for
the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
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