The Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development reaffirms a commitment to advance the three ‘pillars’ of sustainable development – economic development, social development and environmental protection – at the local, national, regional and global levels.

The Declaration states:

Thirty years ago, in Stockholm, we agreed on the urgent need to respond to the problem of environmental deterioration. Ten years ago, at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, we agreed that the protection of the environment and social and economic development are fundamental to sustainable development, based on the Rio Principles. To achieve such development, we adopted the global programme entitled Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, to which we reaffirm our commitment.

The Rio Conference was a significant milestone that set a new agenda for sustainable development. Between Rio and Johannesburg, the world’s nations have met in several major conferences under the auspices of the United Nations, including the International Conference on Financing for Development, as well as the Doha Ministerial Conference. These conferences defined for the world a comprehensive vision for the future of humanity. (UN 2002)

The focus of the Johannesburg Summit was on “the indivisibility of human dignity” and emphasised establishing “targets, timetables and partnerships, to speedily increase access to such basic requirements as clean water, sanitation, adequate shelter, energy, health care, food security and the protection of biodiversity.” The Declaration also stressed collaboration towards all to “gain access to financial resources, benefit from the opening of markets, ensure capacity- building, use modern technology to bring about development and make sure that there is technology transfer, human resource development, education and training to banish underdevelopment forever.” (UN 2002)

The conference emphasised commitment to integrating “women’s empowerment, emancipation and gender equality” into the activities encompassed within Agenda 21, the Millennium Development Goals and the Plan of Implementation of the Summit, and established the Commission on Sustainable Development. (UN 2002)

 

Source: UN (2002) Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development http://www.un-documents.net/1993-207.htm