Breaking new ground, sector by sector

Sector by sector, new ground has been broken.

Water

Major new partnerships which will help reach the water and sanitation targets were announced. The European Union Water Initiative will help millions in Africa gain access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities.

Energy

Energy has for the first time in a major summit been raised as a central concern of the global community. A link to the Millennium Development Goals will mean global action co-ordinated by the United Nations. Countries collectively agreed to focus on developing renewable sources of energy, including promoting technology transfer and financing projects in developing countries.

Agriculture and food security

There is a new focus on food security as a global challenge. It addresses in an integrated way blockages of trade, vulnerabilities arising from climatic change and interventions to enable greater productivity. The World Summit on Sustainable Development has sharpened attention to the poorest areas where the vulnerabilities are even greater.

Health

Important goals and targets from previous conventions and summits are strengthened. The WTO/TRIPS agreement on intellectual property rights has been confirmed facilitating access to affordable drugs for major health problems, including tuberculosis, malaria and HIV-Aids.

The implementation plan brings new focus on children and takes into account fundamental freedoms, including those of women. The Summit prompted the formation of a new global partnership joining role-players from all sectors in action to promote healthy environments for children to grow up in.

Housing

As part of the response to rapid urbanisation in developing countries, the Summit fostered an integrated approach to sustainable urbanisation with the emphasis on improving the quality of life of slum dwellers through informal settlement upgrading programmes.

Biodiversity

Agreements on biodiversity will bring great benefits to developing countries. Targets were achieved despite strong opposition from some developed countries and biodiversity protection will be extended to the oceans, it was agreed.

Trade

In a far-reaching agreement clarity has been reached on the relationship between the WTO rules on trade and the system of global environmental governance as two systems of equal status.