UN World Summit on Sustainable Development

Having already taken part in one prepcom, SHRG took an active part in Prepcom 4 (Bali) in preparation for the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, 2002.

The SHRG delegation to the World Summit comprised of consultants from Punjab, the U.K. and North America. The issues SHRG raised at the Summit and parallel events were:

• Religious perspectives on sustainable development
• Judicial activism in promoting sustainable development
• Water - with a focus on agriculture
• Sustainable Energy
• Migrants and Sustainable development

Positions were developed following consultation with groups active in the field of sustainable development. At the summit initial efforts to increase awareness of these issues and share approaches that other regions of the world could use to address these matters.

Water - The depletion of groundwater and overall decline in the quality of the soil are the central problems facing agriculture in the state of Punjab today. If these problems are not addressed, Punjab faces the prospects of stagnating, and possibly lowering its per capita income. Furthermore, resource degradation tends to affect the poorest the most, so that Punjab runs the risk of becoming a more unequal society if these problems are not addressed.

At the Implementation Conference, SHRG actively engaged in a discussion with representations of NGOs and corporations working on sustainable agriculture. SHRG made initial efforts to start a partnership with the producers of AgLearn, an IT technology that enhances the ability of extension workers to share sustainable agricultural practices with farmers.

SHRG also made a presentation at the Summit’s Water Dome, entitled ‘Low Cost Approaches to Irrigated Water Conservation’, discussing the water crisis in Punjab and proposing four project ideas, which would be designed and initiated by civil society itself.

Sustainable Energy - Energy cuts across a range of developments areas, and is a crucial piece in the sustainable development jigsaw. SHRG took an active part in the Implementation Conference energy group. As a result of this we have initiated a partnership with various NGOs and corporations to develop tools supporting Sustainable Energy projects. We are currently developing the proposal and hope to secure funding for this innovative project in the near future.

Religion - SHRG believes that Religion has a role to play in the arena of sustainable development. A conference on Religious Perspectives for Sustainable Development was held in Anandpur Sahib under the auspices of Sri Takht Keshgarh Sahib.

Lobbying - At the Summit, the group formed an industrial recycling caucus (perhaps the first ever at a UN summit) to highlight the overall neglect of this issue in the ‘Draft Plan of Implementation’ document. The group proposed a modified clause in this final draft to encourage greater investment in industrial recycling technologies in developed countries. The group subsequently began the process of lobbying for this clause and succeeded in obtaining the tentative support of a few countries. SHRG will attempt to push forward this clause in follow-up meetings to the Johannesburg Summit.

Upon learning that Cultural Diversity had recieved very little reference with in the ‘Draft Plan of Implementation’ SHRG also formed the Cultural Diveristy caucus, and coordinated the lobby for inclusion of text protecting Cultural Diversity.

Civil Society Forum - At this parallel event contacts were established with more than one hundred NGOs with interests in irrigation, agriculture or sustainable energy as well as donor agencies with interests in South Asia or these topic areas.

Other - SHRG delegates also took part in an Eco-City tour in Ivory Park (near Johannesburg) to understand how, at a local level, villagers can take part in recycling activities.