Posted on the official web site of the Jo'burg Summit on 15/8/02 3:13 PM Less than two weeks ahead of a world summit on the environment, rich and poor nations remain deeply divided over how to develop the planet sustainable basis, Environment Minister Valli Moosa said on Tuesday. Four preparatory meetings have failed to produce consensus on a draft declaration to be adopted at the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. Moosa told a media briefing that while there "had been some movement", there was still disagreement about the degree of responsibility developed and developing nations should take for conserving the environment, and who should pay for it. While countries had agreed to goals such as halving the number of people who lack clean water by 2015, there was no unanimity on proposals to set similar targets for access to proper sanitation, or to commit countries to using renewable energy sources, he said. Countries also disagreed on whether the summit should address the issues of market access and distorting subsidies, and whether development should be linked to good governance. Government negotiators hoped to reach an acceptable compromise during informal negotiations scheduled for two days before the actual summit begins on August 24. Moosa was optimistic about a favourable outcome, saying he was unaware of a single country that planned to boycott the summit. "I think countries can find each other. "What we want the summit to achieve is to emerge with an implementation plan and programme" to conserve the environment, Moosa said. UN agencies and other organisations have released a series of reports warning that the earth's resources are being eroded, and detailing how billions of people lack clean water, sanitation and other basic services. -- Sapa-AFP To follow the proceedings, visit the official web site of the Jo'burg Summit at www.josummit.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~