Justice--the heart of sustainability: "talking points" on the World Summit on Sustainable Development: an introduction.

Robra, Martin

We share a common future ... The neglect of longer-term concerns today will sow the seeds of future suffering, conflict and poverty. (1)

The United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) will take place 26 August-4 September 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa, ten years after the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held 1992 in Rio de Janeiro. "Justice--the Heart of Sustainability" was chosen by the ecumenical team as a title for its contribution to the debate on the political declaration of the world summit. The ecumenical team which is accompanying the preparatory process on behalf of the World Council of Churches (WCC) includes WCC delegates, representatives of member churches, world communions, ecumenical organizations and Roman Catholic orders as well as members from other faith communities. It is recognized for its inclusiveness, diversity, and strong focus on the ethical dimension of the issues at stake from a faith-based perspective.

Clarity, critique, alternatives

For more than twenty years the WCC has been engaged in efforts within its own worldwide constituency to build a faith-based understanding of the integral interrelationship between social justice, human development and protection of the environment. Taking stock ten years after the Rio summit in 1992, the ecumenical community approaches the Johannesburg summit with deep concern that, once again, hopes are being raised only to be dashed by unfulfilled promises.

In the ten years since Rio the concept of "sustainable development", combining the need for development with the concept of sustainability, has been undermined by the inexorable march of corporate-driven economic forces and their global outreach. The underlying development paradigm, with its strong emphasis on economic growth and market expansion, has served, first and foremost, the interests of the powerful economic players. It has further marginalized the poor sectors of society, simultaneously undermining their basic security in terms of access to land, water, food, employment, other basic services and a healthy environment. Unfortunately international trade, financial investments and private-public partnerships (which are high on the agenda of G8 countries for the Johannesburg summit) are still operating within the framework of this same development paradigm.

The WCC wants to bring clarity, critique and alternatives--a "CCA-approach"--to the WSSD negotiations and the debate on sustainable development:

--clarity on how unsustainable economic practices and policies undermine lives and livelihoods, especially of poor and marginalized peoples;

--critique of the underlying economic paradigm, and the destruction of the environment, based first on the churches' experience in light of their involvement in several decades of development work, and second on spiritual values for just and sustainable communities;

--alternatives which emerge among communities struggling for life in the globalizing economy.

The spiritual dimension

The South African Council of Churches and the WCC see it as their responsibility to accompany the summit with worship and prayer. It is an important coincidence that the middle of the summit is marked by Sunday, 1 September. The Ecumenical Patriarchate has called for celebrating I September, the beginning of the Orthodox church year, as Creation Day. The Patriarch himself has issued several messages for this day in recent years, focusing on the deep concern of the Orthodox church for creation. (2) The European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN) has echoed this call, inviting (together with the Conference of European Churches and the Roman Catholic Council of European Bishops Conferences) churches in Europe to observe Creation Day and to pray for the summit in Johannesburg. Following the ECEN impulse, the WCC has also shared this invitation with its own member churches.

The WCC, of course, is not an environmental non-governmental organization but a fellowship of member churches. The concern for creation is deeply rooted in the biblical witness and teachings of the early church. The spiritual basis for the WCC's engagement is reflected in the critique of the prevailing growth-oriented development paradigm, and the values which have guided the work of the ecumenical team.

Guiding values

The members of the team base their engagement in the WSSD process on the recognition of the sacred nature of creation and the spiritual inter-relationship of all its parts. They are committed to advocating for just and sustainable communities. In the words of the team, this notion

 embodies the vision of an economic system based on equitable sharing of
 resources; a decent quality of life for all in a healthy environment;
 people's empowerment to participate at every level in decisions affecting
 their lives; accountability by public and private institutions for the
 social and environmental consequences of their operations; and a harmonious
 and just relationship between humans and the rest of the natural world.
 From this standpoint, we insist that an ethical approach to the WSSD
 process requires the integration of social justice and ecological
 sustainability, and includes:

 --respect for diversity--recognizing and embracing the complementarity of,
 for example, cultures, species, religious traditions;

 --equity--sharing both the benefits of and responsibility for preserving
 the global commons for future generations;

 --full and meaningful participation--acknowledging and making space in
 decision-making for all stakeholders, especially the vulnerable and those
 most affected;

 --mutual accountability--ensuring full disclosure, monitoring, verification
and compliance;

 --solidarity--rebuilding relationships and standing in particular with
 those who have been disempowered, marginalized and made voiceless;

 --sufficiency--meeting needs before wants and not allowing greed and abuse
 to outstrip the availability of resources;

 --subsidiarity--appropriately assessing roles and responsibilities at the
 level closest to where they are required, from local to global. (3)

These values orient the ongoing work of the ecumenical team, for example in its analysis of negotiating texts, public statements and position papers.

During the last two sessions of the preparatory committee for the WSSD, the high expectations of many who wanted to see decisive steps for the eradication of poverty, a social and environmental framework for the global economy, and new initiatives for the protection of the environment, were deeply disappointed by the strong pressure brought by Northern governments for a corporate-driven agenda.

The ecumenical team, together with a growing number of other concerned environmental groups and social movements, is challenging this trend in the negotiations. The following text is an example of the team's "Talking Points" for WSSD. These have developed from the analysis of the preparatory process, and reflection on the objectives and guiding values of the team itself. Such "Talking Points" help strengthen the team's self-understanding and inner coherence for its advocacy work, but also serve as a public document for the team's involvement in negotiations. This version, which developed from a longer and more comprehensive paper prepared for the third session of the preparatory committee, concentrates especially on the most contentious issues at the fourth session of the preparatory committee in Bali, 27 May-7 June 2002.

Talking Points of the Ecumenical Team

World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) Fourth Preparatory Committee Session, 27 May-7 June 2002

In our recommendations, we are guided by our vision of the sacred nature of all creation.

This understanding is foundational for our critique of the concept of sustainable development and our emphasis on political, social and economic conditions for just and sustainable communities to flourish. This implies a just and moral economy, where:

--people are at the centre of all decisions that affect their lives;

--public and private institutions and enterprises are accountable and held responsible for the social and environmental impacts and consequences of their operations;

--the earth and the whole created order is nurtured with utmost respect and reverence rather than exploited and degraded.

1. It's all about power

As the negotiations here at the fourth preparatory committee to the World Summit on Sustainable Development (PrepCom4 WSSD) proceed, one issue takes centre stage: the consolidation and expansion of political and corporate power. It is time to acknowledge it.

The consequences of economic globalization on the daily lives of people have brought them to protest on the streets throughout the world, most recently in Argentina. This is a movement for justice and an outcry of indignation because of the violence inflicted on people by the impact of globalization on the political and socio-economic structures in their countries. These protests are motivated by a clear sense that the very fabric of social life is threatened and the values guarding social cohesion and ensuring future life of the community are undermined. These values reflect and resonate with convictions that faith communities nurture and support.

2. The consolidation of political power

"Good governance" is a phrase that appears like a mantra in speeches in meeting rooms and halls of the UN. It reminds us of the teachings of good leaders who care for justice. It is hard to disengage oneself from this seductive rhetoric. Speaking with delegates, however, from countries that do not belong to the centres of power, we hear their concerns as to how a concept which is imposed on them limits even further the sovereignty of their states. We are witnessing the tightening of the screws--the further consolidation of political power.

Regarding governance, the ecumenical team recommends:

--government policies to specifically address the root causes of impoverishment and environmental destruction, focusing on the rights, needs and concerns of those most affected;

--fair and sustainable distribution of social and public goods such as water, land and other resources necessary for a decent quality of life for all;

--recognition and guarantee of the rights of Indigenous Peoples;

--full participation those concerned in decision-making processes and public accountability;

--ratification and implementation by all countries of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and its optional protocol:

--UN system-wide efforts to maintain a gender perspective and ensure regular gender impact assessments with regard to sustainable development:

--concerted efforts to promote synergy among the bodies created as a result of the Rio agreements (climate change, biodiversity, desertification, etc.) as well as with the international financial institutions, the UN Environment Programme, the UN Development Programme and the Commission on Sustainable Development:

--legislation building on the existing human-rights instruments so that people have legal redress if their environment is destroyed or threatened.

3. The role of military power

Lack of acknowledgment of the destructive effects of war and military activities on the environment and, of course, on communities leaves one of the worst sources of environmental destruction unchallenged. From another perspective, environmental stress, such us water scarcity, can become a source of conflict. The question of control of access to water resources, for example, is a major cause for Israel's presence in the occupied Palestinian territories and a potential source of war in the Middle East and other places.

A reduction of 5 percent in military spending worldwide and the redirection of the resources towards the development goals of the Millennium Declaration would result in a healthy planet, economically, socially and environmentally. Sustainability requires both justice and peace.

Regarding military power the ecumenical team recommends:

--reduction of 5 percent in military spending worldwide and channelling these financial means to ensure food sovereignty and provide for health, education and other goals of the Millennium Declaration;

--appropriate actions by the UN to prevent the escalation of conflicts due to water scarcity.

4. The expansion of corporate power

The WSSD process is heavy with the rhetoric of partnership, a concept that is of value within the lives of families and communities. True partnership is a relationship between equals. The first day of the multi-stakeholder dialogue in Bali saw the confrontation between those who promote privatization of services and social and public goods, such as water, and others opposing it. The latter pointed to exclusion and marginalization as detrimental consequences of privatization. And they oppose the expansion of corporate power into even more vital areas of their life.

Accountability to the public at large and regulatory frameworks for corporations are preconditions before genuine partnerships can be formed.

The ecumenical team recommends regarding Northern governments:

--a regulatory framework for transnational corporations as originally proposed in the vice-chairman's implementation text, including mandatory compliance of transnational corporations with principles of corporate social and environmental responsibility, operational transparency, accountability, allowing access to information, and conformity with enforceable codes of conduct;

--reinstitution of the UN Commission on Transnational Corporations.

5. Energy, an issue of power

Low cost energy and cheap access to resources are seen as fuelling economic development. Highly industrialized countries give special privileges to those providing energy and other essential resources of industrial production. Subsidies for fossil fuel and for nuclear research and power plants are an expression of that. Lessons learned about the waste of resources in neither cost-effective nor sustainable energy projects, such as nuclear plants and big dams, and the dangers of global warming and climate change are not seriously addressed in the negotiations. Necessary measures such as the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol are questioned by delegations. In this context, the proposal of "energy for all" ignores the need to move away from the carbon and nuclear based development path.

Regarding energy the Ecumenical Team recommends:

--a global moratorium on exploration for new oil and coal deposits;

--phasing out of nuclear energy plants everywhere in the world;

--adopting and implementing the recommendations of the World Commission on Dams with regard to hydro-power projects involving large-scale dams;

--ratification of the Kyoto Protocol by the time of the Johannesburg summit and implementation immediately thereafter;

--initiation at the earliest possible date of a new round of negotiations on the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions;

--giving priority to the generation and use of energy for appropriate, affordable, ecologically-sustainable and accessible energy for the world's poorest people, reaching a level of at least 10 percent of sustainable renewables in 2010 and 25 percent in 2012;

--ensuring Indigenous Peoples' communities access to and control of their land, territories and resources, including the repeal or reform of unjust mining policies and laws, and a moratorium on new applications for large-scale extraction activities and land acquisition in Indigenous Peoples' territories.

6. Trade, an engine of economic global power

There is a strong interest to push for trade liberalization and call for support of the results of the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Doha round. The emphasis on trade as a key source of development financing and wealth for everybody has in reality not delivered. This has to be said in view of fragmenting national economies and deteriorating bases of local financing. Fundamental development priorities, such as food sovereignty and adequate nutrition for all are not met. Growth of some sectors is achieved at the expense of vital functions of the economy for communities and the health of the environment.

All aspects of trade should embody the concept of "fair trade". Free but unfair trade has a negative impact on food security, human rights, access to education and basic health services, environmental health and income distribution. Trade liberalization as a fundamental policy exposes developing countries to exploitation and unfair competition. At the same time, trade liberalization has rarely been implemented in countries which promote it.

Regarding trade, the ecumenical team recommends:

--reordering of the international institutions, especially the WTO, before trade can contribute meaningfully to economic development and justice;

--giving precedence to compliance with international environmental agreements over compliance with international trade agreements;

--tariff- and quota-free market access for all LDC exports without delay;

--revocation or prohibition of quotas on products from developing countries such as agriculture, textiles and apparel: this has to be complemented by ending trade distorting subsidies;

--a moratorium on the further implementation and widening of intellectual property rights regimes in order to first guarantee the rights of people and communities, in particular the rights of Indigenous Peoples;

--the creation and adoption of international agreements and legislation to protect traditional knowledge and genetic resources and prevent their commercialization;

--any further privatization of local, regional and global public goods through the negotiations on the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) must cease.

7. Financial power, the driving force of economic globalization

Poverty prevents peoples and nations from participating fully in the global agenda for sustainable development. Economic inequity is the push factor for uprootedness, ecological destruction and civil conflict where the majority of victims are women and children.

The accumulation of foreign debt and the impact of recent financial crises has dramatically worsened the social environment for peoples lives. The number of those living in poverty is increasing instead of reducing as called for by the UN Millennium Summit. Financing sustainable development must focus sharply on the urgent task of eradicating the conditions that foster poverty.

Regarding financial issues, the ecumenical team recommends:

--immediate cancellation of the debt of the poorest developing countries and establishment of a debt arbitration mechanism to substantially reduce the debt burden of other developing countries;

--repudiation of illegitimate and odious debts;

--identification and quantification of the historical social and ecological debts due to the peoples and countries of the South, not only in money terms or political economy terms, but in terms of the contamination and destruction of the sources of life and sustenance of affected communities;

--creation of new and innovative sources of financing, such as currency transaction taxes (CTT) and carbon taxes;

--open and transparent lending policies on the part of the IFIs and elimination of any conditionality;

--new, strong measures against corruption and tax evasion;

--realization as soon as possible of the commitment of 0.7 percent of the gross national product of industrialized countries as official development assistance to developing countries.

8. Health, education, water and the corporate agenda

To halt and reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS along with malaria and other major diseases is included in the Millennium Development Goals. Health is a central concern to development. It is both a contributor to and an indicator of sustainable development. Many of the key determinants of health and disease are impacted by the corporate agenda. This agenda is manifested in WSSD, the GATS negotiations of the WTO, as well as the conditionalities imposed through structural adjustment programmes and poverty reduction strategy papers by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Privatization of health, education, water and other social and public goods is imposed on countries in the global South. This agenda overshadows the vital elements of health services, education, sanitation and fresh water that are essential to sustainability.

This version of the "Talking Points" focuses on some key issues related to economic globalization, the debate on sustainable development, and the expansion of corporate power. Other issues were addressed by the team in the "Talking Points" to session 3 of the preparatory committee, and in a background document entitled "Grounded in Justice". These can be found on the WCC website at: http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/ jpc/wssd.html

NOTES

(1) UN Secretary General's report: Implementing Agenda 21.

(2) Cf. also the Common Declaration of 10 June 2002 by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and Pope John Paul II.

(3) Cf. also David Wellman, Sustainable Communities, WCC, New York/Geneva, 2001.

Martin Robra is programme executive for ethics and ecology in the WCC's Justice, Peace and Creation team.