Eco-equity
Eco´s Veredict

We began the WSSD with a brown cloud hanging over Asia, massive flooding in parts of Europe and China, and severe drought in Southern Africa. Governments at the Summit had a chance to make a real difference on these global issues - finding a way to tackle poverty and environmental degradation.
But what have we accomplished? Governments have now agreed a Plan of Implementation that is the equivalent of putting a bandaid over a gaping wound. Where is the vision? Where is the leadership? Where is the creativity and innovation? The deal struck here provides little value-added and in fact has moved us backwards in some instances. With regard to some of the Rio Principles, for instance (precautionary principle, common but differentiated responsibilities), the Rio text was opened for debate. This signals an active agenda by some countries to eliminate or water down existing commitments.
Eco feels that Joburg signifies a missed opportunity to address key global challenges, for instance:
_ Reorienting global economic polices towards sustainable development - but short-term economic interests have once again taken primacy over sustainable development;
_ Corporate accountability—agreeing to a global legally binding framework;
_ Shielding international environmental agreements from WTO rules.
Heads of State over the past two days have made visionary statements and grand pronouncements on issues from renewable energy to making globalization work for sustainable development. There is a huge disconnect between their words and the deals struck by their negotiators and Ministers.
The Eco-Equity coalition believe in the multilateral system - it’s not the system that’s broken. The problem is that countries have acted in their own shortterm national economic interests rather than genuinely working together to forge a sustainable development path for the future.
The coalition hopes that progressive countries will now work together to match their rhetoric with action by working both globally and domestically, and to ultimately lift the bar within the UN. We cannot allow the laggards in the international community (you know who they are!) to continue this race to the bottom.