Brussels, 06/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - As opposed to the European Union (which expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the Second World Sustainable Development Summit, see yesterday's Europe, p.12), environmental and consumer NGOs are disappointed and feel that governments missed a unique opportunity to give a real impulse to sustainable development.
For Greenpeace International, in the words of Remi Parmentier, Greenpeace political director (in a press release): "This is a betrayal and a sellout to the people who currently have no access to basic energy services that this summit is supposed to provide. These culprit countries have effectively wrecked the lives of the world's two billion poorest people who will suffer most from the impact of man-made climate change", going on: "The Plan is completely devoid of the vision required to address development and environmental destruction because throughout the two-year negotiations, those trying to move in the right direction were in damage control mode against the US-led constant attacks against the Rio agreements".
Friends of the Earth Europe share his opinion: "The EU's goal to reach an action-oriented outcome with clear targets and timetables could not be reached due to resistance form the US, Japan, Canada, Australia and the OPEC countries". The final text of the "programme of implementation" includes just two new and specific targets: to have by 2015 the proportion of people who do not have access to basic sanitation; and elimination of destructive fishing practices and establishing of marine protected areas by 2012.
Slamming the lack of target figures for renewable energy, FoE hailed the EU's initiative to create an alliance of countries willing to change, but "other targets on access to drinking water, biodiversity, chemicals and official development assistance are simply reaffirmed, watered down or trashed altogether".
FoE feels that the EU's role at the Earth Summit as "mixed": "The EU fought hard by unsuccessfully for key targets and a 10-year sustainable consumption and production programme" but "the EU has disappointed many civil society groups on the issues of globalisation, trade and corporate accountability".
Moreover, the FoE criticises the EU for not fully supporting the attempts to prevent an unprecedented statement that would have made all commitments to environment and development subservient to WTO rules, adding that: "The EU also is partly responsible that the relationship between multilateral environment agreements and world trade rules will still be left to the WTO to decide".
The European Consumers' Organisation (BEUC) had great expectations that the sustainable development package would meet consumer concerns over recycling, government practices to encourage ecological products and considerations for product lifecycles, but was disappointed that the final text contained no target figures or dates. BEUC commented that the text only encourages and promotes regional and national programmes so concrete action will heavily depend on the European Union which is described as a leader in this field. Consumers will have to play a key role in achieving sustainable development, but not simply by paying a higher price for products or a more sustainable lifestyle. Consumers need responsible industries selling resource efficient products, proving transparent and non-deceptive information to enable us to made good choices, added BEUC.