Brussels, 26/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - In Geneva, Ministers of all countries in the UN/ECE region (United Nations' Economic Commission for Europe) who met up on Tuesday in order to prepare for the World Summit for Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, September 2002) agreed on key policy issues and priorities for the Summit. The themes identified in the ministerial declaration (poverty eradication, sustainable management and conservation of natural resources, making globalisation work for sustainable development, improving governance at all levels, financing for sustainable development and education, science and technology and technology for decision-making) largely correspond to the proposal put forward by the European Summit of Gothenburg for the EU's future sustainable development strategy. The final declaration called on Ministers to deepen dialogue for an enduring global understanding and reference is made to the European Union's initiative to achieve a global deal in Johannesburg on the way developed countries will support the development of poorer regions of the world while committing all countries to work together to protect the global environment. The declaration mentions the need for further efforts to integrate environmental and health issues, de-coupling economic growth from environmental pressure and ensuring that pressures on renewable and non-renewable resources do not exceed the carrying capacity of the environment. Not all countries were able to agree on the question of future levels of overseas development assistance.
The Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström welcomed the final declaration. In a press release on Tuesday she says, "I am happy that all countries in Europe and North America have agreed on a platform for the World Summit on Sustainable Development next year … This gives us a good basis to continue the preparations for a Summit that will yield results".