Dichiarazione
di Johannesburg sullo sviluppo sostenibile
Il documento politico concertato alla conclusione
del vertice
4 September 2002
The Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable
Development
From our Origins to the Future
1. We, the representatives of the peoples of
the world, assembled at the World Summit on Sustainable Development
in Johannesburg, South Africa from 2-4 September 2002, reaffirm
our commitment to sustainable development.
2. We commit ourselves to build a humane, equitable and caring global
society cognizant of the need for human dignity for all.
3. At the beginning of this Summit, the children of the world spoke
to us in a simple yet clear voice that the future belongs to them,
and accordingly challenged all of us to ensure that through our
actions they will inherit a world free of the indignity and indecency
occasioned by poverty, environmental degradation and patterns of
unsustainable development.
4. As part of our response to these children, who represent our
collective future, all of us, coming from every corner of the world,
informed by different life experiences, are united and moved by
a deeply-felt sense that we urgently need to create a new and brighter
world of hope.
5. Accordingly, we assume a collective responsibility to advance
and strengthen the interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars
of sustainable development – economic development, social
development and environmental protection – at local, national,
regional and global levels.
6. From this Continent, the Cradle of Humanity we declare, through
the Plan of Implementation and this Declaration, our responsibility
to one another, to the greater community of life and to our children.
7. Recognizing that humankind is at a crossroad, we have united
in a common resolve to make a determined effort to respond positively
to the need to produce a practical and visible plan that should
bring about poverty eradication and human development.
From Stockholm to Rio de Janeiro to Johannesburg
8. 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, Agenda 21, and the Rio Declaration,
to which we reaffirm our commitment. The Rio Summit was a significant
milestone that set a new agenda for sustainable development.
9. Between Rio and Johannesburg the world’s nations met in
several major conferences under the guidance of the United Nations,
including the Monterrey Conference on Finance for Development, as
well as the Doha Ministerial Conference. These conferences defined
for the world a comprehensive vision for the future of humanity.
10. At the Johannesburg Summit we achieved much in bringing together
a rich tapestry of peoples and views in a constructive search for
a common path, towards a world that respects and implements the
vision of sustainable development. Johannesburg also confirmed that
significant progress has been made towards achieving a global consensus
and partnership amongst all the people of our planet.
The Challenges we Face
11. We recognize that poverty eradication, changing consumption
and production patterns, and protecting and managing the natural
resource base for economic and social development are overarching
objectives of, and essential requirements for sustainable development.
12. The deep fault line that divides human society between the rich
and the poor and the ever-increasing gap between the developed and
developing worlds pose a major threat to global prosperity, security
and stability.
13. The global environment continues to suffer. Loss of biodiversity
continues, fish stocks continue to be depleted, desertification
claims more and more fertile land, the adverse effects of climate
change are already evident, natural disasters are more frequent
and more devastating and developing countries more vulnerable, and
air, water and marine pollution continue to rob millions of a decent
life.
14. Globalization has added a new dimension to these challenges.
The rapid integration of markets, mobility of capital and significant
increases in investment flows around the world have opened new challenges
and opportunities for the pursuit of sustainable development. But
the benefits and costs of globalization are unevenly distributed,
with developing countries facing special difficulties in meeting
this challenge.
15. We risk the entrenchment of these global disparities and unless
we act in a manner that fundamentally changes their lives, the poor
of the world may lose confidence in their representatives and the
democratic systems to which we remain committed, seeing their representatives
as nothing more than sounding brass or tinkling cymbals.
Our Commitment to Sustainable Development
16. We are determined to ensure that our rich diversity, which is
our collective strength, will be used for constructive partnership
for change and for the achievement of the common goal of sustainable
development.
17. Recognizing the importance of building human solidarity, we
urge the promotion of dialogue and cooperation among the world’s
civilizations and peoples, irrespective of race, disabilities, religion,
language, culture and tradition.
18. We welcome the Johannesburg Summit focus on the indivisibility
of human dignity and are resolved through decisions on targets,
timetables and partnerships to speedily increase access to basic
requirements such as clean water, sanitation, adequate shelter,
energy, health care, food security and the protection of bio-diversity.
At the same time, we will work together to assist one another to
have 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 forever
underdevelopment.
19. We reaffirm our pledge to place particular focus on, and give
priority attention to, the fight against the worldwide conditions
that pose severe threats to the sustainable development of our people.
Among these conditions are: chronic hunger; malnutrition; foreign
occupation; armed conflicts; illicit drug problems; organized crime;
corruption; natural disasters; illicit arms trafficking; trafficking
in persons; terrorism; intolerance and incitement to racial, ethnic,
religious and other hatreds; xenophobia; and endemic, communicable
and chronic diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.
20. We are committed to ensure that women’s empowerment and
emancipation, and gender equality are integrated in all activities
encompassed within Agenda 21, the Millennium Development Goals and
the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.
21. We recognize the reality that global society has the means and
is endowed with the resources to address the challenges of poverty
eradication and sustainable development confronting all humanity.
Together we will take extra steps to ensure that these available
resources are used to the benefit of humanity.
22. In this regard, to contribute to the achievement of our development
goals and targets, we urge developed countries that have not done
so to make concrete efforts towards the internationally agreed levels
of Official Development Assistance.
23. We welcome and support the emergence of stronger regional groupings
and alliances, such as the New Partnership for Africa’s Development
(NEPAD), to promote regional cooperation, improved international
co-operation and promote sustainable development.
24. We shall continue to pay special attention to the developmental
needs of Small Island Developing States and the Least Developed
Countries.
25. We reaffirm the vital role of the indigenous peoples in sustainable
development.
26. We recognize sustainable development requires a long-term perspective
and broad-based participation in policy formulation, decision-making
and implementation at all levels. As social partners we will continue
to work for stable partnerships with all major groups respecting
the independent, important roles of each of these.
27. We agree that in pursuit of their legitimate activities the
private sector, both large and small companies, have a duty to contribute
to the evolution of equitable and sustainable communities and societies.
28. We also agree to provide assistance to increase income generating
employment opportunities, taking into account the International
Labour Organization (ILO) Declaration of Fundamental Principles
and Rights at Work.
29. We agree that there is a need for private sector corporations
to enforce corporate accountability. This should take place within
a transparent and stable regulatory environment.
30. We undertake to strengthen and improve governance at all levels,
for the effective implementation of Agenda 21, the Millennium Development
Goals and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.
Multilateralism is the Future
31. To achieve our goals of sustainable development, we need more
effective, democratic and accountable international and multilateral
institutions.
32. We reaffirm our commitment to the principles and purposes of
the UN Charter and international law as well as the strengthening
of multi-lateralism. We support the leadership role of the United
Nations as the most universal and representative organization in
the world, which is best placed to promote sustainable development.
33. We further commit ourselves to monitor progress at regular intervals
towards the achievement of our sustainable development goals and
objectives.
Making it Happen!
34. We are in agreement that this must be an inclusive process,
involving all the major groups and governments that participated
in the historic Johannesburg Summit.
35. We commit ourselves to act together, united by a common determination
to save our planet, promote human development and achieve universal
prosperity and peace.
36. We commit ourselves to the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
and to expedite the achievement of the time-bound, socio-economic
and environmental targets contained therein.
37. From the African continent, the Cradle of Humankind, we solemnly
pledge to the peoples of the world, and the generations that will
surely inherit this earth, that we are determined to ensure that
our collective hope for sustainable development is realized.
We express our deepest gratitude to the people and the Government
of South Africa for their generous hospitality and excellent arrangements
made for the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
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