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WSSD progress report - two years on

This report marks the second anniversary of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg in 2002. Published in September 2004 the report summarises progress against the WSSD commitments made by the UK Government and international community, detailed in Annex A. Annex B gives an update on the progress of the partnership initiatives involving the UK which were launched at the Summit.

From words to action - getting the right structures

Progress internationally - the overarching processes

Progress against the specific main commitments

Shift to more sustainable patterns of consumption and production (SCP)

Reduce significantly the current rate of loss of biodiversity by 2010

Build more sustainable fisheries

Oceans: establish marine protected areas

Move to sustainable agriculture

Better production and use of chemicals

Halve by 2015 the number of people without access to basic sanitation and water

Integrate environmental issues into poverty reduction

Recommitment to Monterrey Consensus

Increase the global share of renewable energysources

Encourage Corporate Social Responsibility

Integrate international trade into the wider sustainable development agenda

Improve Governance

Progress on specific Partnerships

Summary

International momentum has continued, with UK Ministers taking a leading role in a number of United Nations meetings. The Twelfth Meeting of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD12) in April and the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum in March both maintained a clear focus on implementation.

The Government's recently completed Spending Review 2004 has raised the profile of sustainable development across all Departments, with a number of WSSD-related targets set for the period up to 2008.

Work has continued across Government Departments on sectoral priorities. Highlights include:

The publication of interim WSSD delivery plans by Defra in May 2004 and the Government's Sustainable Consumption and Production Framework in September 2003;
A DFID paper and pilot studies on Integrating Environmental Issues into Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSs) and its new Water and Sanitation Action Plan;
DTI's development of a Strategy for International Corporate Responsibility and the launch of the CSR Academy ;
The publication in July 2004 of the Trade and Investment White Paper, continued CAP reforms in areas of interest to developing countries, and renewed progress on stalled WTO talks;
The UK 's ratification in June 2004 of the Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent;
European Commission proposals for a timber import Regulation as part of the EU's Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Action Plan; and the Commission's Environmental Technologies Action Plan;
Further progress on UK proposals for an International Finance Facility aimed at increasing aid flows.
The launch of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) in October 2003, which has since attracted more partner countries and organisations, including the USA .

A new UK Sustainable Development Strategy will be launched in 2005. It is intended to be one of the main follow-up vehicles for WSSD commitments. Over the coming months Government Departments will be considering how best to integrate international sustainable development into the new Strategy and its subsequent reporting, so that separate WSSD progress reports will no longer be necessary.

Also in 2005, the review of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy and the UN Review of the Millennium Declaration and other related summits present opportunities to keep up the pressure on our international partners to meet our and their international sustainable development goals. Next year's UK Presidencies of the G8 and EU put the UK in a unique position to drive international action.

From Words to Action - getting the right structures

Achieving the WSSD commitments requires a long-term approach: assigning lead departments, turning long-term aims into intermediate deliverables and incorporating these into the Government's main strategic and delivery processes. As outlined in HMG's Memorandum of Evidence to the Environment Audit Committee of February 2003, the review of the UK Strategy and Spending Review 2004 (SR04) are key opportunities.

Co-ordination and discussion has continued through an official-level interdepartmental working group and the Ministerial Sustainable Development Task Force (SDTF) (link to taskforce page C: Commitments and delivery - UK delivery) , which includes major stakeholders.

The 2004 Spending Review announced on 12 July 2004 set departmental spending plans and targets for the three years from 2005-06 to 2007-08. Sustainable Development was a cross-cutting theme for the review and as part of this the Government revisited the WSSD commitments. As a result:

Defra has extended its Public Service Agreement (PSA) Targets to measure the UK 's progress towards delivering WSSD commitments on sustainable consumption and production, marine biodiversity, fisheries, agriculture, international biodiversity and chemicals management.
FCO has a new PSA objective and target on “Sustainable development, underpinned by democracy, good governance and human rights” to complement its existing PSA target on sustainable development.
DFID's aims to reduce global poverty are focussed on meeting the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals, which include environmental sustainability.
DTI, Defra and DfT's revised PSA's include a shared commitment to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases through measures including renewable energy and energy efficiency.
DTI also has a shared commitment with DFID on improving trade opportunities for developing countries.

Progress internationally - the overarching processes

International commitments cannot be delivered by the UK alone. This section highlights the UK 's involvement with the international community to follow-up WSSD. HMG is committed to mainstreaming sustainable development into the UN system and ensuring co-ordinated follow-up of the major international sustainable development commitments through strong international sustainable development governance.

In April 2004, the Twelfth Meeting of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD12), attended by over 100 Ministers and heads of UN agencies, raised the political profile of commitments on water, sanitation and human settlements and identified obstacles to their implementation. Next year's CSD will agree remedial action to help overcome these barriers.
Discussion at CSD12 reinforced the need for co-ordinated follow up of WSSD and the MDGs, as well as for close co-operation between UN organisations, including the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP); International Financial Institutions; Governments and other stakeholders. In April 2003, UNEP became a member of the UN Development Group (UNDG), which should further assist in improving cooperation with international agencies.
The UNEP Governing Council meeting in February also focused on implementation, not least in agreeing an omnibus Decision on strengthening international environmental governance, laying the foundation for further negotiations on reform in 2005, to include developing an intergovernmental Strategic Plan on Technology Support and Capacity Building in the environmental field.
UN General Assembly negotiations led to an extended mandate for the 2005 UN review of the Millennium Declaration, to cover other relevant summits, including WSSD and the 2002 Monterrey Conference of Financing for Development.
UK held a successful meeting with UNEP and UNDP in April 2004 to discuss closer inter-agency working.
The UK continues to be the largest donor to UNEP's Environment Fund. The first Annual Review meeting between UK officials and UNEP directors took place in July 2004 to discuss UNEP's strategic priorities.
March 2004 saw tough negotiations on the future of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's horizontal work programme on sustainable development. Agreement on maintaining the programme was in a large part due to UK Environment Minister Elliot Morley's intervention and a UK proposal that all new projects should meet criteria to ensure they were complementary to other international sustainable development work and played to OECD strengths. This approach has been subsequently endorsed by OECD Ministers.
Within the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), Margaret Beckett chaired the Regional Implementation Forum which prepared this region's input to the CSD12 meeting. This highlighted challenges which are specific to our region such as sustainable consumption and production in the west and the serious environmental problems faced by most countries in Eastern Europe , Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA).
The UK has supported follow-up to the Kiev Environment for Europe conference (May 2003), in particular through the new Environment for Europe fund (which has supported over 35 small projects since its launch in 2003 as well as contributing to larger multi-lateral programmes run by OECD, the UNECE and the Regional Environment Centres); the development of a UNECE-wide strategy for Education for Sustainable Development, which is expected to be launched next year; and preparatory work on a public-private partnership initiative aimed at increasing UK assistance to the EECCA countries.
At EU Level, Environment Council Conclusions of March 2004 request the European Commission's review of the EU's Sustainable Development Strategy (EUSDS) to better integrate internal and global dimensions. In particular, that the Strategy incorporate the external dimensions of sustainable development to contribute to the achievement of the MDGs and implement the commitments made in Doha , Monterrey and Johannesburg . The Commission launched their consultation on the EUSDS in July 2004 and aim to issue a revised Strategy in 2005.

Progress Against the Specific Main Commitments

Shift to more sustainable patterns of consumption and production (SCP), de-linking economic growth and environmental degradation, bring development within the carrying capacity of ecosystems, reverse trend in natural resource loss.

Publication in September 2003 of Changing Patterns the UK framework for Sustainable Consumption and Production, together with a consultation paper on SCP indicators. The Framework is the first major statement by a national Government since the World Summit and outlines how the Government will continue to develop and implement SCP policy further, including as part of the present review of UK Sustainable Development Strategy.
Developing the debate on Sustainable Consumption. HMG is supporting a Round Table on sustainable consumption which is jointly chaired by the Sustainable Development Commission and National Consumer Council; funded research on motivating sustainable consumptive behaviour .
From November 2003, requiring all new central government department contracts to apply the minimum environmental standards when purchasing certain types of product, covering aspects such as energy efficiency, recycled content and biodegradability.
Establishing collaborative projects with particular sectors or product chains as pilots to explore practical application of the SCP approach. The first of these is a collaboration between DTI and British Glass with a report on the initial phase to be published in late summer 2004.
Publishing in August 2004 Sustainable Consumption and Production: Business Support Review; a review of Government sponsored programmes which aim to deliver resource efficiency in business. The review makes a number of recommendations which will help to shape future support initiatives.
Publishing in December 2003 an Innovation Report (PDF) which sets out a strategy for innovation with direct measures in seven key areas where Government can most effectively act to raise the rate of innovation, including in support of the Government's SCP objectives.
The UK is an active and influential supporter of and participant in the Marrakech Process which is jointly led by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs and UNEP and taking forward the WSSD SCP commitments. The process was launched at an international experts meeting in Marrakech in 2003 and a further meeting will be hosted by Costs Rica in September 2005. Regional experts meetings support the process with a European meeting to take place in Belgium in November 2004. Working closely with the European Commission and Nordic and other colleagues, the UK is taking the lead country role on the EU contribution to the Marrakech Process.
The UK is also actively engaged in a number of inter-related EU initiatives including the development of thematic strategies under the 6th Environmental Action programme, Integrated Product Policy, the Environmental Technology Action plan and review of the EU SD Strategy.

Reduce significantly the current rate of loss of biodiversity by 2010.

An HMG-sponsored International Conference in London in May 2003 laid the foundations for agreement at the 7th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity (COP 7) in February 2004 on assessing progress toward the 2010 target. These include a definition of biodiversity loss, a set of trial indicators and provisional subsidiary targets. COP7 also developed a framework for national level indicators and monitoring.
The UK Delivery Plan “Beyond Johannesburg: Delivering our International Biodiversity Commitments” was published on 24 May 2004 .
A “One year on” report on October 2002's England Biodiversity Strategy was published with a set of biodiversity indicators. In December 2003 “Measuring Progress: baseline assessment” reported that of the eight headline indicators, four had a positive trend, two had no change or an uncertain trend and two had no trend data or the indicator had not been developed.
The UK Government has played a significant role in taking forwards the May 2003 EU Action Plan on Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT), aimed at tackling illegal logging and its associated trade. In July 2004 the European Commission published proposals for a timber import Regulation and negotiating mandate to set up Voluntary Partnership Agreements between the EU and timber producing countries.

Build more sustainable fisheries

Building sustainable fisheries, with depleted stocks to be restored as a matter of urgency and no later than 2015; progressive implementation of an ecosystems-based approach; urgent action on Illegal Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) Fishing and overcapacity; work with the World Trade Organisation on subsidies contributing to overfishing; ensure the needs of transitional and developing countries are taken into account.

The EU ratified the UN Fishstocks Agreement (UNFA) in November 2003, and the UK has helped establish UNFA trust fund in December 2003 to help developing countries implement UNFA;
Overall limits on the size of EU fleets have entered into force as part of the wide-ranging CFP reforms agreed in December 2002 and EU subsidies for new vessels will be banned after 2004. EU measures to reduce the by-catch of small cetaceans were agreed in April 2004;
Recovery plans have been agreed for depleted stocks of cod and hake, with recovery plans for other stocks to follow over the coming months;
An OECD Ministerial Task force on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing was announced in December 2003. Led by Elliot Morley, this will investigate practical measures to combat IUU fishing. Their report is expected over the next 12-18 months. Following the European Commission action plan for the eradication of IUU fishing, there are plans for a data collection exercise to investigate the extent of the problem;
A new approach to EU third country fisheries agreements has been agreed, following Council Conclusions in July 2004 - increased transparency, sustainability and coherence with trade and development policies;
£11m investment has been made in international development of sustainable fisheries through bilaterally funded projects;
The UK Government is also developing a strategy for the long term sustainability of the UK fishing industry in response to the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit review. The recommendations are also relevant at the EU-level.

Oceans : establish marine protected areas

Oceans : establishment of networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) by 2012; new, regular Global Marine Assessment by 2004; application of ecosystem approach.

On oceans commitments, the last year can be characterised as steady progress on taking forward policies, measures and tools, including partnership work aimed at maintaining the productivity and biodiversity of marine and coastal areas, and promoting integrated marine management in the fisheries, energy, and shipping sectors. Highlights, which reflect actions at various levels, include;

The outcome of February 2004's Conference of the Parties Meeting (in Kuala Lumpur) to the CBD, which established a robust and detailed programme of work to implement networks of marine protected areas around the world, including on the high seas, and which set in hand action under the UN more generally to protect vulnerable high seas biodiversity such as seamounts and cold water corals.
The protection of the Darwin Mounds, and the continual development of a comprehensive and effective environmental protection regime for the management of the UK's offshore oil and gas activities.
The adoption at the London International Maritime Organisation Diplomatic Conference in March 2004 of a Convention on Ballast Water to address the problem of invasive species, i.e. the introduction of non-indigenous aquatic species through ships' ballast water and sediments. A Regional Ballast Water Management Strategy for the North Sea has been developed and the UK is proposing an internationally-funded scoping study to move this forward.
UK ratification (also extended to the British Antarctic Territory, Falkland Islands, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands) of the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, which requires the introduction of protective measures, and by supporting the implementation of the Food and Agricultural Organisation's (FAO) International Plan of Action on reducing incidental catch of sea birds from longline fisheries, also strengthens activity against illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing.
Strengthening of co-operation between Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and key fisheries organisations such as FAO and Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. This has been achieved by the development of Memorandum of Understanding and the closer involvement of CITES in the management of commercially traded marine species (such as sturgeons, sharks, coral seahorse and conch through their listing in Appendix II of CITES).
The launch and development of partnership work with countries, UN bodies and other stakeholders through the White Water to Blue Water (WW2BW) initiative for the wider Caribbean , UNEP's Global Programme of Action on Land Based Pollution and the International Coral Reef Initiative.
The completion of the Review of Marine Nature Conservation, a partnership between HMG, NGOs and industry, and the most far reaching review of its kind, which along with the parallel review of Marine and Coastal Development and Net Benefits sets the groundwork for the implementation of an integrated UK marine strategy to meet WSSD commitments.
The establishment of a new UN inter-agency mechanism for marine and coastal co-ordination.

Government needs to make further progress on identifying appropriate management measures to establish a network of marine protected areas under OSPAR (and where implementation of the Habitats and Birds Directives is also key) and more generally in integrating environmental issues into the reformed CFP. We are also disappointed that work on establishing a Global Marine Assessment, as agreed at WSSD, has slowed. On the broader international scale, we welcome the developing co-operation between the CBD and UN Law of the Sea (and others) in relation to growing pressures on high seas biodiversity and the need in this context for closer engagement with fisheries bodies in taking effective management action. The EU's Marine Thematic Strategy will be another UK priority over the next period.

Move to sustainable agriculture

Deliver Doha Development Agenda (DDA) commitments on agriculture subsidy reform; move to sustainable agriculture.

In August 2004 the WTO agreed a Framework establishing the guiding principles for a DDA agreement. For agriculture this included substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic support, substantial improvements in market access, and a commitment to eliminate all forms of export subsidy by a date to be agreed as part of the final DDA outcome. This means that WTO members now have a clear set of parameters within which to commence detailed negotiations.
In April 2004, the EU extended its major reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to cover cotton, tobacco, olive oil and hops and is currently negotiating on reform of the sugar sector. These reforms give the CAP a more market oriented focus, reduce environmental damage, promote wider rural development and reduce the trade distorting nature of the CAP.

Better production and use of chemicals

Target to use and produce chemicals in ways that lead to the minimisation of significant adverse effects of human health and the environment by 2020 and to help developing countries deal with the management of chemicals and hazardous wastes.

The review of the UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum and options for national action on chemicals of concern was launched in February 2004.
The UK ratified the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure in June 2004.
The EU adopted Regulation 850/2004 on Persistent Organic Pollutants in April 2004, which will allow all Member States to ratify the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutant (POPs).
Negotiations continued on the EU Chemicals Strategy (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) with a high level read-through.
The UK continued to engage with the European Community on chemicals management - action was taken on copper chrome arsenate, nonyl phenol, penta- and oct- brominated diphenyl ether.
At UN level, the first Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention has been organised for September 2004, and the second Preparatory Committee meeting to develop Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management will take place in October 2004.

Halve by 2015 the number of people without access to basic sanitation and water

New work programmes on access to water and sanitation ; targets to halve by 2015 the proportion of people without access to basic sanitation and water; integrated water management plans by 2005.

The UK has funded WaterAid and the Overseas Development Institute to look in detail at the reasons that water is often not reflected in PRSs or disregarded in the process of national budget preparation and execution and identify how the role of water and sanitation might be strengthened.
The UK published its Water Action Plan in March 2004 which sets out how we intend to take forward action at country, regional and international levels.
The UK has commissioned briefing papers on the links between water and sanitation and the MDGs for the CSD12 and is working with the World Bank on a 'Water Diagnostic' to improve the way in which evidence is included in policy processes.
HMG provides continued financial and technical support to a range of strategic multilateral initiatives including: Global Water Partnership (which played an important part in the preparation of the Camdessus report on water financing), World Bank Water & Sanitation Programme, Water Supply & Sanitation Collaborative Council, World Health Organisation/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme, the World Water Assessment Programme, the Nile Basin Initiative, Gender Water Alliance, World Bank Global Benchmarking Network, IUCN Economic Values Initiative, Building Partnerships for Development and the International Programme for Technology & Research in Irrigation & Drainage.
The environmental dimension of water and sanitation was also a key theme of the Ministerial discussion at the UNEP Governing Council in March 2004, where Ministers adopted the 'Jeju Initiative'. The UK Environment Minister, Elliot Morley, chaired a session on integrated water resource management.

Integrate environmental issues into poverty reduction

Continued integration of environmental issues into poverty reduction processes ; good environmental and natural resource management essential to creating sustainable livelihoods and achieving the MDGs.

Studies by the World Bank and others reveal that progress has been made on integrating some immediate environmental concerns, but long-term sustainability is not being adequately addressed.
DFID is working with four developing countries ( Ghana , Honduras , Uganda , and Vietnam ) to address poor environmental information available to the PRS process, and a limited involvement of stakeholders who depend most upon the environment. The pilot studies will be published in November 2004 and provide the basis for HMG's future work.
DFID staff have noted the contrast between the results of Participatory Poverty Assessments (PPAs, undertaken as part of the PRS analysis process) and the contents of the same country's PRS. PPAs frequently identify water, sanitation, access to forests, etc, as key problems identified by the poor. This observation has encouraged DFID to take a lead in improving PRSs' consideration of poor people's environmental needs, for example in the new Water Action Plan.
In the spirit of the PRS - 'owned' and led by developing countries - we aim to improve the opportunity for PRSs to take good account of environmental needs, but do not prescribe the outcome. Wherever possible, we are working with other donors to maximise coherence and lesson learning.

Joint action to provide access to modern energy services to underpin efforts to reduce poverty.

The EU Energy Initiative (EUEI) has attracted the interest and support of several member countries and the UK is working closely with them and the EU DG Development, to strengthen its implementation capacity. Austria , France , Germany , Netherlands and Sweden are our main partners, with whom we meet regularly. A major regional ministerial conference was held in Nairobi in November 2003, with representatives from 30 countries, including several ministers. This agreed that through the EUEI, dialogue would take place with countries to help them address their energy access problems, in support of their poverty reduction and development objectives. Progress has been made towards setting up an EUEI Dialogue Facility, directly funded by Member States, including the UK . Ways of using European Development Funds in support of capital investment are being considered.
The Global Village Energy Partnership (GVEP) received a further £200,000 during the past year, bringing the total funding support to £500,000 since 2002, together with the secondment of a full time Senior Energy Adviser.
The UK is also working with the World Bank, including through the Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme (ESMAP), which is multi-donor and UK funded, to improve access to energy services in developing countries.

Recommitment to Monterrey Consensus

Deliver commitments on aid volume; Further untying of aid; Focus on Africa; Lever in more private finance , Improve access and developmental benefits for remittances.

Since January 2003 HM Treasury and DfID have been pursuing proposals for an International Finance Facility (IFF) - designed to "frontload" aid to help meet the internationally agreed MDGs. It has been widely discussed within the G8 group of leading industrialised nations and at international meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank. An interim report produced by the IMF and World Bank at the Spring Meetings in April 2004 concluded that frontloading aid held considerable attractions, and that the IFF was technically feasible.
The UK is the 5th largest contributor to the Global Environment Facility (GEF) committing £332.6 million since inception. The GEF helps developing countries fund projects to protect the global environment.
A new UK Overseas Territories Environment Programme, providing a total of £3million to 2006/07 was launched in 2003/4 to help facilitate implementation of the Overseas Territories Environment Charters, and environmental management more generally in the UK 's Overseas Territories .
HMG is working with the UK private sector on facilitating the movement of remittances from the UK to developing countries. HMG is shaping domestic and international policy including through: a seminal conference held with the World Bank in October 2003, attended by 100 policymakers and experts; UK engagement with a G8 Action Plan on remittances; a report on informal remittances from the UK ; a Migration and Remittances workshop, and other activities.
DFID has initiated a high level dialogue with the financial sector to promote the attractiveness of the remittances market and engender better access and lower costs for poor migrants wishing to send remittances home.
The UK currently chairs the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), a multi-donor microfinance unit housed in the World Bank. CGAP has been highly effective in promoting good practice microfinance, supporting innovations and policy reform, and expanding the scale and quality of microfinance globally.
The UK supports promising innovations in financial services through the Financial Deepening Challenge Fund, and through pilot agricultural credit initiatives (jointly with ICGAP and the FORD Foundation). DFID has also initiated a study on the investment needs of agriculture in Africa .
DFID's CDC and Private Sector Infrastructure Department are also carrying out relevant and innovative work on private sector financing. As one very recent example, building from DFID's extensive work on public-private infrastructure financing, DFID and others have identified a potential need for a funding facility to assist Small Scale Infrastructure Providers - those with investment needs of less than US $5m. DFID is currently funding an investigation into the potential for such a "Mini-Infrastructure Apex Programme".

Increase the global share of renewable energy sources

Urgently and substantially increase the global share of renewable energy sources, to develop more diverse, advanced, cleaner, affordable and more efficient energy technologies and, where appropriate, to phase out energy subsidies which inhibit sustainable development.

The Government published in April 2004 an Energy Efficiency Action Plan setting out how it would achieve its energy efficiency commitments as outlined in the March 2003 Energy White Paper together with review of the Fuel Poverty strategy and a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) strategy.
In August 2004 the Government announced the proposed terms of reference for a review of the Renewables Obligation: its main vehicle for increasing the use of renewable energy as foreseen in the Energy White Paper (2003). Under the Obligation energy suppliers have to source a certain percentage of the power they sell. The level of the Obligation currently stands at 4.9$ for 2004/05, and will be increased from 10.4$ in 2010 to 15.4$ by 2015/16. The review will look at Obligation levels beyond 2015.
A renewables obligation will be introduced in Northern Ireland in April 2005, and powers have been taken in the Energy Act 2004 to allow mutual recognition of the Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) in Northern Ireland and Great Britain , thereby effectively establishing a single UK market in certificates.
Round 2 of the UK 's offshore wind farm development is part of the largest programme of offshore wind development anywhere in the world. The Energy Act 2004 will provide the legal framework in which this development can proceed.
The European Marine Energy Test Centre has been opened in Orkney. The first of its kind anywhere in the world, it will assist in the development of recognised standards for the testing, rating and certification of marine power generation devices (wave and tidal stream).
The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency partnership (REEEP) was launched in October 2003. An International Secretariat has been established and number of partners has increased. REEEP has also funded its first projects. REEEP continues to develop close relations with complementary initiatives such as the Johannesburg Renewable Energy Coalition (JREC).
The Prime Minister recorded a video speech for the World Renewable Energy Conference in Bonn in June 2004. There were three key outcomes of the conference including an International Action Programme setting out how countries would promote renewable energy. REEEP was recognised as a prime delivery mechanism and the REEEP Programme of Work was submitted as part of the action plan.
Planning Policy guidance note 22, issued in August 2004, sets out positive planning policies to facilitate the development and expansion of all types of renewable energy resources. It includes guidance on the development of integrated renewable energy facilities in new developments.
UK is working to help the European Commission implement its Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP). The ETAP sets out a number of actions designed to stimulate innovation and market penetration for resource efficient and clean energy technologies.
2004 Spring European Council agreed an ambitious EU programme on environmental technologies, and encouraged consideration of further action to address climate change, including possible medium and long-term emission reduction targets.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) should be actively encouraged and promoted.

The interim report by Chatham House (formally the Royal Institute of international Affairs) on options to take forward WSSD commitments was published in January 2004. Following further discussion with stakeholders the final report will be published later this summer.
Taking account of the RIIA study, a draft strategic framework for the UK Government on international CSR was published for consultation March 2004. A multi-stakeholder conference will be held in October with a view to finalising the framework by end 2004.
Following a successful conference bringing together stakeholders in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in June 2003, this project has moved from policy to implementation. Azerbaijan , Ghana , the Kyrgyz Republic , and Nigeria are implementing EITI and at least a further 6 countries are expected to begin implementation in 2004. A follow up summit will be held in March 2005.
As part of its commitment to the UN Global Compact, the UK was one of the countries sponsoring an impact assessment to help determine the future direction for the Compact. Stephen Timms, Minister for CSR attended the Leaders' Summit in June 2004 when the UNGC adopted a tenth principle on combating corruption and the UK will host the Conference of Global Compact Local Networks in November 2004.
Having hosted an event to mark the launch of the report A Fair Globalisation of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalisation in February 2004, the UK actively participated in discussions about follow-up and will continue to do so.
Following a successful workshop in May 2003 hosted by HM Treasury and the Corporation of London, there has been considerable international interest in the London Principles which examine the role of UK financial services in supporting sustainable development. They have already been used as an international benchmark in Australia and Africa . A progress report is expected soon to review progress by the signatories two years on and options to take the work forward are being explored.
The Second Carbon Disclosure Project Report was launched globally in May and June 2004. Signatories have increased from 35 to 95 and represent over $10 trillion in assets - more than double last year's total. Responses from the FTSE 500 Global Index have also risen from 47$ to 59$.
In July 2004 the UK launched the CSR Academy to encourage the development of the skills for CSR as part of mainstream business practice.
In May 2004 draft regulations for a statutory Operating and Financial Review (OFR) were published for consultation. The OFR will play a key role in putting the financial statements into the context of a broader discussion and analysis of the business. Companies will need to report on matters such as employees, the environment and social and community issues, where these are necessary for an understanding of the business.
UK Government published a summary report on CSR which is available on its new CSR website. Both report and website provide information on CSR progress and priorities for Government.

Integration of international trade into the wider sustainable development agenda

Integration of international trade into the wider sustainable development agenda reinforcing the need to deliver the Doha Development Agenda, particularly commitments on market access and subsidies to make international trade rules fairer for developing countries; reinforced commitment to ensuring that multilateral trading system and Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) are mutually supportive; recognition that globalisation offers both opportunities and challenges, and understanding of the conditions necessary to help ensure that its benefits are maximised for all, particularly the poorest.

WTO negotiations have continued in all of these areas; an important success was achieved in end July 2004 when framework agreement was concluded by all 147 WTO Members. This followed the collapse of talks at the WTO Ministerial in Cancun in September 2003 and now puts the Doha Development Agenda back on track. The next WTO Ministerial is scheduled in Hong Kong for December 2005.
On the interface between trade and sustainable development, negotiations continue in the WTO Committee on Trade & Environment including on the commitment to mutual supportiveness between the WTO and MEAs and identifying environmental goods and services for liberalisation.
The EU has begun an in-depth review of the methodology used in its Sustainability Impact Assessments (SIAs). SIAs are an important tool to ensure that trade liberalisation maximises benefits across all three pillars of sustainable development.
The UK published in July 2004 its White Paper on Trade and Investment. This sets out our vision for free and fair trade and recognises the Government's commitment to sustainable development.
The UK undertakes a broad range of activities to support the capacity of developing countries to participate more effectively in the multilateral trading system both bilaterally and through multilateral partners such as the UN, World Bank, WTO, International Trade Centre and the Commonwealth Secretariat. The UK Government White Paper, Eliminating World Poverty: Making Globalisation Work for the Poor commits the government to a trade-related capacity building target of £45 million. Our commitment is currently £174 million.

Improve Governance

Our approach to human rights and the environment continues to focus on the promotion of improved governance . That is, ensuring the sound management of natural resources and promoting the practical implementation of existing human rights agreements, what we term a rights-based approach . A key aspect of this approach is the promotion of public participation in decision-making on environmental issues and ensuring that all members of society are able to voice their concerns or support to relevant policy choices.

Mr Rammell MP launched the UK 's commitments to Partnership for Principle 10, a multi-stakeholder partnership that promotes implementation of Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration, concerning public participation, access to justice and access to information on environmental matters, at a meeting of the partners in Washington , June 2004.
FCO and DFID conducted a review of joint working on environmental governance issues at their country posts and offices in February 2004, with the aim of promoting further collaboration.

Progress on specific partnerships

Progress on specific Partnerships is set out in Annex B. In addition,

The UK 's Partnership on Water and Sanitation (PAWS) took part in CSD12's Partnerships Fair, aimed at sharing good practice between partnerships.
The UK worked closely with the Italian Government in preparations for the Rome Forum on International Partnerships for Sustainable Development, with Elliot Morley chairing a plenary session on The Added Value of Partnerships in the Global Strategy of SD: Equal Opportunities, equal responsibilities.

Internal links

Delivering SD at international level
WSSD delivery plans

External links

Johannesburg WSSD
Millennium Development Goals
Doha Development Agenda
Monterrey Conference: Financing for Development

useful links

Updated: 1 March 2005

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