Brussels, 04/06/2002 (Agence Europe) - The international conference in Bali that began with the meeting of experts on 27 May is a last ditch attempt to prepare for the World Sustainable Development Summit in Johannesburg (26 August - 4 September). It has now entered its ministerial phase (4-7 June). The EU delegation is headed by Margot Wallström, Environment Commissioner, and Jaune Matas, President of the Council. The day before setting off, the Commissioner explained in a press release (published on Monday) the importance of the meeting and the need for the international community's decision-makers to achieve results.
Wallström said, "The results of the Bali meeting are critical for ensuring the success of the World Summit. The launching of the Doha Development Agenda and the successful outcome of the Monterrey Summit are important steps on the road to Johannesburg but a successful outcome of Johannesburg is not yet assured. The challenge of the coming weeks, and of the meeting in Bali, will be to prepare credible political commitments to sustainable development backed by precise targets and deliverables. Rio in 1992 as a breakthrough for sustainable development but many of the actions agreed there have still not been implemented. Johannesburg must move us form words to deeds…. My objective for the meeting is that we agree on ambitious but realistic political targets. I will also seek to rally partners around an agenda for change based on a series of initiatives on water, energy, health, sustainable patterns of consumption and production, globalisation and trade and governance." The areas are the priority areas identified by the Council for the Seville European Summit (see EUROPE of 1 June, p 10).