EU to strive to make Earth Summit a success Author: Robin
Pomeroy Environment ministers from the EU and the bloc's
candidate countries ended a weekend of discussions to prepare
for next month's World Summit on Sustainable Development in
Johannesburg, which is likely to pit the EU against the United
States. "The EU has to play an active role, create confidence
and assume leadership with the aim to reach a global deal in
Johannesburg," the Danish environment ministry, which chaired
the meeting, said in a draft statement. But while Europe plans
to call for strong multilateral action, Washington is likely to
resist binding targets, which could leave developing states
critical of inaction by rich countries. Diplomats who have
attended the talks said a political declaration and action plan,
meant to show how the world can lift millions out of poverty
without destroying the environment, was still far from being
finalised. The Johannesburg meeting comes 10 years after the Rio
Earth Summit, which set out goals for env