In 1992, the first Earth Summit In Rio de Janeiro/Brasil raised international awareness for the need to reverse the unsustainable patterns of production and consumption in the world. 10 years later, Rio the second Earth Summit in Johannesburg is supposed to review the progress made towards this aim and to agree on new initiatives to tackle the world’s major problems. In fact, the UNEP Global Environmental Outlook N° 3 catalogues rather disastrous results: the state of the world is worse then ever. More people than ever are suffering from poverty, hunger, environmental devastation, war and repression.

In Johannesburg, the Earth Summit will bring together political leaders and representatives from citizen groups, business and other sectors of society from all over the world.

Much is at stake. There is a risk that because of the lack of government commitments, in particular from industrialised countries, the concrete results of the Summit will be as weak as the Monterrey and the Bali Conferences on financing development and that the trade agenda takes the lead over the development and environment agenda. Multinational corporations are making major efforts to ensure that the proposals for action to be decided in Johannesburg mainly reflect their own economic interests. Once again, corporate power intends to overthrow democratic decision making and control. We firmly reject the attempts to make sustainability a business issue. We do not want Rio + 10 to result in a Rio - 10. A failure in Johannesburg will also be a failure in the battle for a safe and fair world for all. The world will also win the battle for peace by winning the fight for sustainable development, health and a decent future for all. That is another reason why the results in Johannesburg will be so decisive.

Therefore we, members of the World Parliamentary Forum, propose

10 demands for Rio + 10
which we will defend and support in our parliamentary work. The aim of sustainable development is not economic growth as such although it can contribute to achieve such a goal. The aim is human progress, human dignity, the improvement of the quality of life for all, social inclusion and the protection of the environment. Therefore, we need a clear vision and clear objectives, targets and timetables In order to reach this aim it is necessary to

1. Stop the causes of impoverishment

The improvement of the conditions of life for all people in the world must be the overall aim of political and economic activities. As a full part of that aim, the right to education must be enhanced. In our parliaments, we oppose any initiative to privatise the commons. Free access to public goods must be guaranteed. Public services are not for sale and should be protected and promoted alongside social rights. Food security, which is incompatible with the privatisation of property rights for seeds, is a human right. A Tobin type tax on international transactions and other international taxes (the carbon tax on gas emissi ons, etc) must be implemented to raise funds to eradicate the most extreme forms of poverty and to allow access to public goods for all in a sustainable way in developing countries. There will be no sustainable globalisation without redistribution of wealth on a world scale.

2. Stop the causes of environmental devastation - Ratify and implement all international environmental and development agreements and commitments concluded since Rio

The growth logic, starting with irresponsible (ab)use of land and energy which has led to ever more man-made disasters must end. Uncontrolled logging, pesticide use and construction of houses and roads have put the survival of the planet at risk. The polluter pays principle and the precautionary principle must be the basis of all regulations.

It is high time that the treaties on climate change (Kyoto), biological diversity, biosafety and fisheries become effective. Therefore, we will contribute to put pressure on those governments which are reluctant to sign or withdraw their signature, such as the US. The Johannesburg summit must adopt the UN target of 0.7 % GDP for Official Development assistance (ODA) including a timetable for implementation.

3. End debt, undermine financial speculation

The yearly debt service of developing countries amounts to 200 billion US$. This is almost four times the official development aid. Thus, in reality, the South is financing the North. The present system of involving whole countries into a debt trap, with its totally perverse effects, has to be stopped, starting with debt cancellation for poor countries. Additionally, instruments like the Tobin tax and the suppression of tax heavens will also help to stop speculative capital flows.

4. Make companies accountable

We support the call for a legally binding international framework on corporate accountability and liability requiring private investors to comply with core labour and environmental standards defined in national legislation and international law and including independent verification mechanisms. A first step towards this should be mandatory reporting on social and environmental performance and the strengthening of existing guidelines for multi-national enterprises. Furthermore, all Multilateral Environmental Agreements should include provisions relating to natural resource use and investment controls. Voluntary codes are not enough to guarantee rights of citizens and communities and duties of corporations . Johannesburg should be the place to launch the negotiations of such an international framework agreement.

5. Shrink the WTO

Instead of giving new competences to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), its functioning needs an in-depth review and reform. The WTO should not be given the authority over new areas such as investment, government procurement, competition and public services, particularly health and education. The far too powerful Dispute Settlement Mechanism of the WTO should be subordinated to the decisions of other multilateral organisations in charge of social, environmental and human rights. There is a need for a new international framework and for the recognition of a new hierarchy of international rules under the control of the United Nations organisation, so that the WTO cannot override regulations of MEAs. Trade should serve social aims and respect environmental and health priorities of the international Community, and not the other way around. In no case living material should become a commodity.

6. Engender gender equality and minority rights

Equality among men and women is still far from being recognised. There is also a need for improvement of ethnic minority rights, this must be a full part of development policies. Gender impact assessments have to become mandatory in all international agreements in order to make sure that development contributes to close the gender gap.

7. End war and militarisation

The terrorist threat is a real one and must be fought. But the answer is not more militarisation and reduction of democratic liberties in the name of antiterrorism. There can only be sustainable development in regions torn by violent conflicts, if the conditions are put into place for sustainable peace, if inequalities are combated and democratic rights are strengthened. The logic of a” military globalisation” is not the adequate response to these essential aims. The international community has to give preference to the political resolution of conflicts, under the lead of the United Nations and respecting the resolutions of the Security Council. The right of interference to defend oppressed people should be limited and regulated by the International Criminal Court. The trade of weapons and military assistance should be limited as well.

8. Guarantee the right to culture and language

There is no access to self-development without the respect for all peoples to their own heritage and human respectability. As well as biodiversity, cultural and linguistic diversity must be preserved at planetary level. Today, about half of the 6,000 or so languages spoken in the world are under threat. Over the past three centuries, languages have died out and disappeared at a dramatic and steadily increasing pace, especially in the Americas and Australia. At least 3,000 tongues are seriously endangered or dying in many parts of the world.

9. Guarantee of free access to water

Access to fresh water is one of most basic human needs. However, this access is getting more and more precarious or expensive, not only in the South, where climatic conditions may be adverse, but also in the North, where the pollution of subterranean water reserves and rivers is increasing. Under these conditions, privatisation of water or water distribution has particularly damaging consequences for the peoples. Fresh water is a basic need and not a commercial value. Therefore it cannot be sold for profit. We oppose privatisation of water and water services.

10. Sustainable development cannot be privatised

The Public Private Partnerships or so called “Type II proposals” are not a solution to the problems of sustainable development. The Rio + 10 Summit should end with the firm commitment to political agreements with timetables and action plans amongst governments. This is the only way to guarantee our future. We need sustainable communities, not sustainable profits for corporations.

Alain ADRIAENS, MP for Brussels Parliament, Ecolo, Belgium
Francisco AGUNDIS ARIAS, MP, Greens, Mexico
Nuala AHERN, MEP, Greens/EFA, Ireland
Sylviane AINARDI, MEP, GUE/NGL, France
Alekos ALAVANOS, MEP, GUE/NGL, Greece
Venus ALBEIRO SILVA GOMEZ, MP, Polo Democrático, Colombia
Lorenzo ALMENDRA VELASCO; MP, Polo Democrático, Colombia
Salomé ALVAREZ BLANCO, MP Galicia, BNG, Spanish State
Bautista ALVAREZ DOMINGUEZ, MP Galicia, BNG, Spanish State
Nekane ALZELAI, MP Basque Parliament Euska Alkartasuna, Spanish State
Giorgos AMPATZOGLOU, MP, Synaspismos, Greece
Luis Elmer ARENAS, Senator, Vamos Colombia, Colombia
Pedro José ARENAS GARCIA, MP, Polo Democrático, Colombia
José AREVALO GONZALES, MP, Greens, Mexico
Danielle AUROI, MEP, Greens/EFA, France
Luis Carlos AVELLANEDA, Senator, Unidad Democrática, Colombia
Carlos AYMERICH CANO, MP, BNG, Spanish State
Carlos BAUTISTA, MEP Greens/EFA, Spanish State
Marie-Claude BEAUDEAU, Senator, GCRC, France
Marie-France BEAUFILS, Senator, GCRC, France
Xosé Manuel BEIRAS TORRADO, MP Galicia, BNG, Spanish State
Katia BELLILLO, MP, PdCI, Italy
Jesús BERNAL AMOROCHO, Senator, Frente por la Unidad del Pueblo,
Colombia
Fausto BERTINOTTI, MEP, GUE/NGL, Italy
Danielle BIDARD, Senator, GCRC, France
Marco BOATO, MP, Verdi, Italy
Alain BOCQUET, MP, PCF, France
Wilson BORJA DIAZ, MP, Frente Social y Político, Colombia
Nicole BORVO, Senator, GCRC, France
Yasmine BOUDJENAH, MEP, GUE/NGL, France
Roberto Saturnino BRAGA, MP, PT, Brasil
Esveida BRAVO MARTINEZ, MP, Greens, Mexico
Robert BRET, Senator, GCRC, France
Dieter BROSZ, MP, Greens, Austria
Udo
BULLMANN, MEP, PES, Germany
Javier CACERES LEAL, Senator, Nacional Sin Corrupción, Colombia
Valerio CALZOLARIO, MP, DS, Italy
María Teresa CAMPOY RUY, MP, Greens, Mexico
Carlos CARNERO GONZALEZ, MEP, PES, Spain
Sara CASTELLANOS CORTES, Senator, Greens, Mexico
Paolo CENTO, MP, Verdi, Italy
Jimmy CHAMORRO, Senator, C-4, Colombia
Victor CHIRINO, MP, MVR, Venezuela
Luci CHOINACKI, MP, PT, Brasil
Olga Patricia CHOZAS Y CHOZAS, MP, Greens, Mexico
Laura CIMA, MP, Verdi, Italy
Diego COBO TERRAZAS, MP, Greens, Mexico
Pierre COHEN, MP, PS, France
Tony COLMAN, MP, United Kingdom
Nicos CONSTANTOPOULOS, MP, Synaspismos, Greece
Yves COQUELLE, Senator, GCRC, France
Jean CORNIL, Senator, PS, Belgium
Rafael CORREA FLORES; MP, Presidente Parlamento Latinoamericano, MVR, Venezuela
Armando COSSUTTA, MEP, GUE/NGL, Italy
Maura COSSUTTA, MP, PdCI, Italy
Maria DAMANAKI, MP, Synaspismos, Greece
Martine DARDENNE, MP, Ecolo, Belgium
Annie DAVID, Senator, GCRC, France
Vincent DECROLY, MP, independent, Belgium
Jean-Maurice DEHOUSSE, MEP, PES
éronique DE KEYSER, MEP, PES, Belgium
Michelle DEMESSINE, Senator, GCRC, France
Harlem DESIR, MEP, PES, France
Xosé DIAZ DIAZ, MP Galicia, BNG, Spanish State
Evelyne DIDIER, Senator, GCRC, France
Javier DIEZ CANSECO, MP, Vicepresident of the Congress, Partido Democrático Descentralista, Perú
Giuseppe DI LELLO, MEP, GUE/NGL, Italy
Olivio DILIBERTO, MP, PdCI, Italy
Anna DONATI, MP, Verdi, Italy
Julien DRAY, MP, PS, France
Josy DUBIE, Senator, Ecolo, Belgium
Jaime DURAN BARRERA, MP, Polo Democrático, Colombia
Jaime DUSSAN CALDERON, Senator, PSOC, Colombia
Filinot DURAN C., MP, MVR, Venezuela
Marianne ERIKSSON, MEP, GUE/NGL, Sweden
Arturo ESCOBAR Y VEGA, MP, Greens, Mexico
Rudolfo ESCUDERO BARRERA, MP, Greens, Mexico
Edgar FANDINO CANTILLO, MP, Polo Democrático, Colombia
Orlando FANTAZZINI, MP, PT, Brasil
Olaia FERNANDEZ DAVILA, MP Galicia, BNG, Spanish State
Anne FERREIRA, MEP, PES, France
Xosé Francsco FERREIRO ABELLEIRA, MP Galicia, BNG, Spanish State
Christel FIEBIGER, MEP, GUE/NGL, Germany
Florisvaldo FIER (”Dr. Rosinha”), MP, PT, Brasil
Sara Guadalupe FIGUEROA CANEDO, MP, Greens, Mexico
Ilda FIGUEIREDO, MEP, GUE/NGL, Portugal
Guy FISCHER, Senator, GCRC, France
Hélène FLAUTRE, MEP, Greens/EFA, France
Henrique FONTANA, MP, PT, Brasil
Thierry FOUCAUD, Senator, GCRC, France
Pernille FRAHM, MEP, GUE/NGL, Denmark
Monica FRASSONI, MEP, Greens/EFA, Italy
Nicasia GARCIA DOMINGUEZ, MP, Greens, Mexico
María Pilar GARCIA NEGRO, MP
Galicia, BNG, Spanish State
Alejandro GARCIA SAINZ ARENA, MP, Greens, Mexico
Miroslava GARCIA SUAREZ, MP, PRD, Mexico
Bernardo de la GARZA HERRERA, MP, Greens, Mexico
Carlos GAVIRIA DIAZ, Senator, Frente Social y Político; Colombia
Muriel GERKENS, MP, Ecolo, Belgium
Luis Alberto Gil, Senator, Convergencia Ciudadana, Colombia
Gerard GOBERT, MP, Ecolo, Belgium
Emilia Patricia GOMEZ BRAVO, Member of Senate Greens, Mexico
Laura GONZALEZ ALVAREZ, GUE/NGL, Spain
Jorge Emilio GONZALEZ MARTINEZ, Senator, Greens, Mexico
Loao GRANDAO, MP, PT, Brasil
Eduardo GUTIERREZ FERNANDEZ, MP Galicia, BNG, Spanish State
Heidi HAUTALA, MEP, Greens/EFA, Finland
Adeline HAZAN, MEP, PES, France
José Manuel HERRERA CELY, MP, Polo Democrático, Colombia
Evelyne HUYTEBROECK, MP for Brussels Parliament, Ecolo, Belgium
Marianne ISLER-BEGUIN, MEP Greens/EFA, France
Lambert JAEGERS, MP Rat Eupen, Ecolo, Belgium
Pierre JONCKHEER, MEP, Greens/EFA, Belgium
Gerardo JUMY, Senator, Fuerza Independiente, Colombia
Armand JUNG, MP, PS, France
Teresa KOK, MP, Seputeh, Malaysia
Fotis KOUVELIS, MP, Synaspismos, Greece
Alain KRIVINE, MEP, GUE/NGL, France
Len LAENENS, MP, Agalev, Belgium
Panagiotis LAFAZANIS, MP, Synaspismos, Greece
Begona LASAGABASTER, MP, Eusko Alkartasuna Cortes/Madrid, Spanish State
Paul LANNOYE, MEP, Greens/EFA, Belgium
Gloria LAVARA MEJIA, Senator, Greens, Mexico
Gérard LE CAM, Senator, GCRC, France
Alain LIPIETZ, MEP, Greens/ALE, France
Bieito LOBEIRA DOMINGEUZ, MP Galicia, BNG, Spanish State
Ursula LOETZER, MP, PDS, Germany
Alexander LOPEZ MAYA, MP, Polo Democrático, Colombia
Emilio LOPEZ PEREZ, MP Galicia, BNG, Spanish State
Hélène LUC, Senator, GCRC, France
Caroline LUCAS, MEP, Greens/EFA, UK
Ulrike LUNACEK, MP, Greens, Austria
Gaspar LLAMAZARES TRIGO, MP, Spanish State
Gilmar MACHADO, MP, PT, Brasil
Nelly MAES, MEP, Greens/EFA, Belgium
Luigi MALABARBA, Senator and PRC senate group president, Italy
Giorgio MALENTACHI, Senator, PRC, Italy
Noel MAMERE, MP, Greens, France
Lucio MANISCO, MEP, GUE/NGL, Italy
Luigi MARINO, Senator, PdCI, Italy
Helmut MARKOV, MEP, GUE/NGL, Germany
Pedro MARSET CAMPOS, MEP, GUE/NGL, Spain
Carlos MARTINEZ, Senator,
Movimiento Popular Unido, Colombia
Francesco MARTONE, Senator, Greens, Italy
Josiane MATHON, Senator, GCRC, France
Mikel MAYOL, MEP, Greens/EFA, France
Erik MEIJER, MEP, GUE/NGL
Domingos MERINO, MP Galicia, BNG, Spanish State
Joaquim MIRANDA, MEP, GUE/NGL, Portugal
Carlos MORENO DE CARO, Senator, Dejen Jugar al Moreno, Colombia
Samuel MORENO ROJAS, Senator, ANAPO, Colombia
Luisa MORGANTINI, MEP, GUE/NGL, Italy
Gabriela MOSER, MP, Greens, Austria
María Cristina
MOCTEZUMA LULE, MP, Greens, Mexico
Henri MUKATSHUNG MWAMBU, FLNC, R.D.C.
Roland MUZEAU, Senator, GCRC, France
Angelo MUZIO, Senator, PdCI, Italy
Marie NAGY, Senator, Ecolo, Belgium
ANTONIO NAVARRO, Senator, Fuerza Independiente, Colombia
Carlos Germán NAVAS TALERO, MP, Polo Democrático, Colombia
Nerio NESI, MP, PdCI, Italy
Camilo NOGUEIRA, MEP, Greens/EFA - BNG, Spanish State
Tereixa NOVO ARROJO, MP Galicia, BNG, Spanish State
Joao Batista OLIVEIRA DE ARAUJO (”Babá”), MP, PT, Brasil
Saúl ORTEGA, MP, MVR, Venezuela
Gianfranco PAGLIARULO, Senator, PdCI, Italy
Mihail PAPAYANNAKIS, MEP, GUE/NGL, Greece
Gustavo PETRO URREGO; MP, Polo Democrático, Colombia
Jesús EnriquePINACUE, Senator, ASI, Colombia
Walter PINHEIRO, MP, PT, Brasil
Norexa PINTO G., MP, MVR, Venezuela
Gabriella PISTONE, MP, PdCI, Italy
Adao
PRETTO, MP, PT, Brasil
Julieta PRIETO FUHRKEN, MP, Greens, Mexico
Anxo QUINTANA, Senator, BNG, Spanish State
Jack RALITE, Senator, GCRC,
France
Ivan RENAR, Senator, GCRC, France
Jonas RINGQVIST; MP Vanster, Sweden
Natale RIPAMONTI, MP, Verdi, Italy
Marco RIZZO, MP, DS, Italy
Svend J. ROBINSON, MP, New Democratic Party, Canada
Jorge Enrique ROBLEDO, Senator, MOIR, Colombia
Didier-Claude ROD, MEP, Greens/EFA, France
Marcela RODRIGUEZ, MP, ARI, Argentina
Alberte Xullo RODRIGUEZ FEIXOO, MP Galicia, BNG, Spanish State
Xosé Henrique
RODRIGUEZ PENA, MP Galicia, BNG, Spanish State
Francisco RODRIGUEZ SANCHEZ; MP, BNG, Spanish State
Francisco ROJAS BIRRY, Senator, Visió Etnica, Colombia
Loretta Anne P. ROSALES, MP, Akbayan, Congress, Philippines
Martine ROURE, MEP, PES, France
Concepción SALAZAR GONZALEZ, MP, Greens, Mexico
Francisca SAUQUILLO, MEP, PES, Spain
Gilles SAVARY, MEP, PES, France
Herman SCHMID, MEP, GUE/NGL, Sweden
Inger SCHÖRLING, MEP, Greens/EFA, Sweden
Cosimo Giuseppe SGOBIO, MP, PdCI, Italy
Luiz Alberto SILVA DOS SANTOS, MP, PT, Brasil
Herminsul SINISTERRA SANTANA, MP, Polo Democrático, Colombia
Jonas SJÖSTEDT, MEP, GUE/NGL, Sweden
Dany SMEETS, Vice president Wallon Parliament, Greens, Belgium
Mario SOARES, MEP, PES, Portugal
Tommaso SODANO, Senator, PRC, Italy
Erika Elizabeth SPEZIA MALDONADO, MP, Greens, Mexico
Bart STAES, MEP, Greens/EFA, Belgium
Alfredo SUAREZ CANAL, MP Galicia, BNG, Spanish State
Fode SYLLA, MEP, GUE/NGL, France
Efren Felix TARAPUEZ, Senator, AICO, Colombia
Odette TERRADE, Senator, GCRC, France
May-Britt THEORIN, MEP, PES,
Sweden
Anne-Françoise THEYNISSEN, MP, Brussels Parliament, Ecolo, Belgium
Francisco TRIGO DURAN, MP Galicia, BNG, Spanish State
Claude TURMES, MEP, Greens/EFA, Luxemburg
Feleknas UKA, MEP, GUE/NGL, Germany
Serge URBANY, MP, Dei Lenk/La Gauche, Luxembourg
Roseline VACHETTA, MEP, GUE/NGL, France
Alexander VAN DER BELLEN, MP, Greens, Austria
Dirk VAN DER MAELEN, MP, PS, Belgium
Anne VAN LANCKER, MEP, PES, Belgium
Guillerme VAZQUEZ VAZQUEZ; MP, BNG, Spanish State
Xesús VEGA BUXAN, MP Galicia, BNG, Spanish State
Verónica VELASCO RODRIGUEZ, Senator, Greens, Mexico
Walter VELTRONI, MEP, PES, Italy
Paul VERGES, Senateur, GCRC, Réunion/France
Luigi VINCI, MEP, GUE/NGL, Italy
Dariio VIVAS, MP, MVR, Venezuela
Detlev VON LARCHER, MP, SPD, Germany
Francis WURTZ, MEP, GUE/NGL, France
Asimina XIROTIRI, MP, Synaspismos, Greece
Giampaolo ZANCAN, Senator, Verdi, Italy
Hugo Ernesto ZARATE OSORIO, MP, Polo Democrático, Colombia
Luciano ZICA, MP, PT, Brasil
Tarcisio ZIMMERMANN, MP, PT, Brasil
Olga ZRIHEN, MEP, PES, Belgium

Abbreviations:

MP - Member of Parliament
MEP - Member of the European Parliament

Groups in the European Parliament:
Greens/EFA - Greens/European Free Alliance
GUE/NGL - Gauche unitaire européenne (European United Left)/Nordic Green Left
PES - Party of the European Socialists

National Parties and parliamentary groups:
ARI - Alternativa para una República de Iguales, Argentina
BNG - Bloque Nacionalista Galego, Spain
GCRC - Groupe communiste républicain et citoyen, Senate, France
MVR -
Movimiento Quinta República, Venezuela
PdCI...-...Partito di Comunisti italiani, Italy
PRD - Partido de la Revolución Democrática, México
PRC - Partito da Rifundazione Comunista, Italy
PS - Parti socialiste (France, Belgium)
PT - Partido dos Trabalhadores, Brasil
Verdi - Greens, Italy