*EPF407 08/22/2002
Dobriansky Calls for Action-Oriented Approach in Johannesburg
(Says summit offers opportunity for countries to work together) (700)

By Jim Fuller
Washington File Science Writer

Washington -- U.S. Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky says the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg offers an opportunity for both developed and developing countries to work together on a shared vision for reducing and eradicating poverty and fostering sustainable development.

Dobriansky told reporters at the State Department Foreign Press Center August 21 that this vision is predicated on a commitment to domestic good governance, sound economic policies and an investment in people.

Dobriansky said the United States views the Johannesburg summit as the continuation of a process that started with the Doha Trade Ministerial and the discussion on financing for development that took place in Monterrey, Mexico, earlier this year.

"The discussion that took place in Monterrey ?was historic," she said. "An historic compact was embraced by the global community, which basically called upon developed countries to provide assistance, but at the same time to ensure that there is co-accountability, co-responsibility by developing countries to come forward and provide a foundation for that assistance ?to have that assistance go to its targeted need and use."

In this context, Dobriansky said, developing countries would provide a commitment for domestic good governance, "ensuring that there is transparency, rule of law and accountability on the ground so that the resources coming in are, in fact, invested in people. This is what the Johannesburg summit is about ?it's about people."

Dobriansky said the U.S. approach in Johannesburg will be action oriented ?one that focuses on working to unite governments, the private sector and civil society in partnership to mobilize development resources more effectively.

"There are a number of areas where we need to step forward and ensure that action is taken by governments and by the private sector," she said. These areas include water, forests, and energy ?and providing access to energy.

"There are other initiatives that ?we have attached a great deal of importance to," she said. "In particular, combating infectious diseases, and education ?ensuring that those sectors of the population that don't have access to education are in fact educated, and provided with the facilities and training and equipment toward that end."

In response to a question about possible criticism of the United States at the summit for its rejection to the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, Dobriansky said that the summit is not solely about climate change issues. She said that climate change is only one of the issues that will be discussed as part of the summit's environmental package of issues.

"This summit is about sustainable development," she said. "That means we're talking about economic reforms, environmental stewardship and a social agenda ?issues relevant to quality of life, education and health."

She added that the United States has set a goal that calls for an overall reduction of greenhouse gas concentrations. "We opted not to follow the path of the Kyoto Protocol ?the reason being that we don't see it as being fair, or as being affordable. We have a national plan that we believe balances environmental goals and objectives with economic goals and objectives here in this country."

Earlier this year, international negotiators reached agreement on the Kyoto Protocol, which would require about 40 industrialized countries to meet mandatory targets for reducing heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions. The Bush administration opposes the treaty, saying it would harm the U.S. economy while exempting developing countries from mandatory emissions targets.

(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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