THE BOELL FOUNDATION TOWARDS THE WSSD

From August 26 - September 4, 2002 the international community will commemorate the tenth anniversary of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, which took place in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, with a World Summit on Sustainable Development. The Summit will examine the implementation to date of Agenda 21 and will pass resolutions to address current challenges. It is already becoming apparent that the event will become a central point of reference in the efforts of civil societal organisations. This is a powerful reason to liven up the public debate, to articulate political perspectives, and to attempt to gain influence over processes of negotiation.

The Heinrich Böll Foundation believes that WSSD is a strategic opportunity to

+ get the issues of environment and development back at the top of the international agenda

+ to involve governments and parliaments as a whole, beyond the routine participation of environmental experts in a range of international negotiations

+ to transcend transatlantic and North-South conflicts, e.g. on Kyoto, genetic resources, trade and environment, that stifle progress in most ongoing international negotiating processes by creating a package deal that includes environmental, developmental, and financial interests, as well as concerns connected to globalisation processes.

As a result, we have made the World Summit a high priority that encompasses the work of both our domestic and international divisions. In accordance with our organisational culture, our approach toward the World Summit will be shaped by the independent initiatives and self-defined activities of various Foundation departments, not by a centrally prescribed concept. The Heinrich Boell Foundation also tries to initiate and/or facilitate civil society activities throughout the world.

The Heinrich Boell Foundation is involved in the preparatory process on different levels by supporting regional civil society processes in e.g. Africa or Asia, inviting key actors of civil society to discuss relevant issues in web based discussion forums or facilitating think tanks to develop inputs for the WSSD such as the memorandum group.