The Earth Summit ends today after 10 days of exhausting and, at times, tortuous negotiation. Here, Paul Brown examines the successes and failures in tackling problem areas.
WATER AND SANITATION:
Problems and hopes: The main battleground of the summit. Hopes for a healthy life for two billion people now without access to clean water rested on rich countries having the political will to agree targets and timetables to help install this basic amenity.
Result: Target of halving the number without basic sanitation (about 1.2 billion) by 2015 alongside plans to provide clean water for half those without it. Countries must produce water management and resource-efficiency plans by 2005.
Reaction: The EU was delighted at pushing the US into accepting a target which will drastically reduce the number of deaths from water-borne diseases.
POVERTY:
Problems and hopes: A third of the world's poorest people looked to the summit to help them escape hunger, poor health and lack of basic amenities and education.
Result: Recognition that poverty and environmental degradation are linked and that the cycle must be broken. Health and education of women promoted. Aim of halving the 1.2 billion who live on less than $1 a day adopted.
Reaction: Critics say results will be slow to emerge and depend on getting the other programmes working first.
ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE:
Problems and hopes: How to get electricity to two billion people without worsening global warming. Hope of boosting renewable energy technologies.
Result: No targets.
Reaction: Even upbeat EU delegates were disappointed. Environment and development groups thought this the greatest single failure of the summit.
Health
Problems and hopes: Overfishing and the destruction of a main protein source for poor coastal people. Controls on fishing fleets from developed countries needed.
Result: Commitment to restore fish stocks urgently, where possible by 2015, and focus on marine pollution, illegal fishing and the establishment of protected areas by 2012.
Reaction: The RSPB said that the targets were welcome but too distant. The idea of a maximum sustainable yield was thought hard to judge scientifically.
SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION:
Problems and hopes: The Holy Grail of the summit - a plan to produce the goods and services to make the world a more comfortable place for everyone without destroying the environment.
Result: Agreement to develop an action programme in 10 years, publish indicators to measure progress and give shoppers informative eco-labels.
Reaction: Green groups delighted to see the US defeated on a measure it thought might jeopardise its lifestyle.
BIODIVERSITY, NATURAL RESOURCES:
Problems and hopes: Concern about the destruction of the Earth's life support system.
Result: Aim to reduce loss of biodiversity significantly by 2010 and increase funding and technical resources to developing countries. Attempt to strengthen forest law and reduce illegal logging.
Reaction: Less good than the ministerial declaration at the Hague Biodiversity Convention meeting in April.
AFRICA:
Problems and hopes: Hope of new aid after 10 years of the world's worst progress in development and poverty eradication, exacerbated by AIDS and the current drought.
Result: There was agreement on land tenure, women's right to own and inherit land and food security plans as well as recognition that Africa needed special attention.
Reaction: African countries feel that help from the developed world is tied too closely to big business and may lead to further exploitation of resources rather than development help.
Others wonder if fine words will turn into action.
TRADE AND GLOBALISATION:
Problems and hopes: Hope of tackling destruction of natural resources in the name of free trade, unfair competition with local industries and poor environmental performance. Hope of some control over the World Trade Organisation.
Result: Environment ministers hugged each when words giving environment treaties equal standing with the WTO were agreed. The WTO will not be able to brush aside development and environment goals.
Reaction: Everyone agreed that recognition that trade and globalisation were not all good was a step forward. Disappointment at the lack of progress in reducing unfair production subsidies to agriculture in the EU and US.
HUMAN RIGHTS:
Problems and hopes: Corruption which leads to the misspending of aid and development money and lack of human rights and democratic institutions have hampered progress on sustainable development.
Result: Resistance from the G77 group of developing countries prevented stronger wording, but the relationship between human rights and the environment was recognised.
Reaction: EU disappointment that birth control and freedom from customs such as genital mutilation were removed from the text. The US and the Vatican resisted change. - (Guardian Service)