:: The 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development: Overview and Outcomes ::

Overview

Thousands of heads of State and Government, national delegates, and representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), businesses and other major groups came together between 26 August and 4 September 2002 for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg, South Africa. Ten years after the original Rio Conference, the Summit (also known informally as Rio +10) aimed to

  • rejuvenate the quest towards a more sustainable future,
  • assess the current state of progress,
  • review the obstacles preventing implementation of Agenda 21 (the blueprint for change that resulted from the Earth Summit in 1992),
  • adopt concrete commitments for the implementation of Agenda 21, in order to achieve sustainable development, and
  • be the foundation for non-negotiated partnerships and initiatives to implement Agenda 21 (Type 2 outcomes), allowing all stakeholders to be actively engaged in implementation.

Participants in the WSSD process were seeking to adopt time-sensitive measures for action, including institutional and financial requirements needed to overcome impediments to progress and to address issues that have emerged since the 1992 Earth Summit. Building on the targets identified in the Millennium Declaration, the United Nations identified some of these issues as the key challenges facing the world today:

  • the alleviation of poverty
  • improving the ability of all countries, particularly in the South, to meet the challenges of globalization
  • promoting responsible production and consumption
  • ensuring that all people have access to energy sources
  • reducing environmentally-related health problems
  • improving access to clean water

The Preparatory Process

Global preparations for the Summit took place under the auspices of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), which normally meets once a year to monitor and follow up on the Earth Summit agreements.

There were four meetings of the Preparatory Committee (PrepComs):

PrepCom I - April 31 to May 2, 2001 (New York City)
PrepCom II - January 28 to February 8, 2002 (New York City)
PrepCom III - March 25 to April 25, 2002 (New York City)
PrepCom IV - May 27 to June 7, 2002 (Bali, Indonesia)

Click here to find out more about PrepComs.

The major outcome of the preparatory process was the Chair's Text, which formed the basis for negotiation among various parties leading up to the Summit.

9 major groups were identified as the key stakeholders in the process. They are: Women, Youth, Indigenous People, Non-Governmental Organizations, Local Authorities, Workers and Trade Unions, Business and Industry, Science and Technology, and Farmers. Participants in the process were also working to include Education as the 10th major group. The PrepComs included special multi-stakeholder dialogue sessions to allow government officials to share views and exchange ideas with representatives of the 9 major groups.

For more information on the Johannesburg Summit 2002, and the preparatory process, visit our Links section.

Outcomes

As a result of the WSSD, there is a feeling of renewed committment to sustainable development. There were both "official" and "non-official" outcomes, the latter including increased capacity in the youth community to participate in international decision-making structures. In Canada, various youth and non-youth organizations followed up on the progress made at the WSSD by identifying priority areas for action. Below you will find various outcomes of the Johannesburg Summit.

Official Outcomes

  • In order to see the final approved Programme of Action and Political Declaration, click here to find the Final Report of the WSSD.
  • For a summary list of key outcomes and committments from the WSSD, click here.
  • To find out about the Partnerships Initiatives that were encouraged in order to implement Agenda 21, click here.
  • For other key documents, visit the Johannesburg Summit website.
  • For daily coverage of the Summit from the Earth Negotiations Bulletin, click here.

Canadian Follow-Up

  • To read the Final Report of the Post-WSSD Civil Society Workshop, click here.
  • To read the Final Report of the "Let's Get Crackin: post-WSSD action for Canadian youth" workshop, click here. For the Appendix, click here.
  • To read opinions from the YST about the official outcomes of the WSSD, click here.
  • To read the final Youth Agenda 2002 Post-WSSD Digest, click here.
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