February 4, 2002
Secretary General of the Johannesburg Summit, Nitin Desai has called on major corporations around the world to dramatically increase their involvement in sustainable development initiatives. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in New York, Desai said companies were increasingly beginning to appreciate that sustainable development made good business sense.
"Some environmentalists and industrialists still do not see that environmental protection and sustainable economic growth are compatible goals," said Nitin Desai. "Yet enlightened businesses are increasingly recognizing that they will benefit from sustainable development, and are seeking ways to integrate their profit-oriented 'bottom line' with broader social and environmental considerations. "The need now is to greatly expand these endeavours, for the world's major conglomerates to fulfil their role as global citizens, and for governments and advocates to work together with business in achieving the goals of sustainable development."
Mr. Desai's remarks were made during a WEF session held to examine progress made since the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, and discuss goals for the upcoming Johannesburg Summit (26 August - 4 September 2002).
Acknowledging the efforts of Business Action for Sustainable Development (BASD), Desai said there had been increasing corporate awareness of the importance of sustainable development. A number of major industry-wide institutions, such as the International Chamber of Commerce and the World Business Council on Sustainable Development, which counts many major corporations among its members, have embraced the issue, he said.
"Business has an immense impact upon the world's natural resources, and a unique influence with its consumers and employees," noted Nitin Desai. "It is critical for governments around the world to recognize the importance of the corporate sector as a prime ally in efforts to implement and expand sustainable development, and to engage in private-public partnerships wherever possible to help accelerate this process."
The Johannesburg Summit will focus on accelerating global implementation of Agenda 21, the blueprint for action on sustainable development. According to the UN, the basic social, environmental and economic needs of the world's people are great. Currently, 2 billion people lack access to commercial energy, one fifth of the world's population must survive on less than one dollar a day, and over 800 million people are undernourished, the UN said.
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