PLANNING FOR A SUSTAINABLE EUROPE? - TU Berlin

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directly focus on transport issues. Instead, the WSSD plenary sessions are organized
around the six topics “health,” “biodiversity/ecosystems,” “agriculture,” “cross-sectoral
issues” (e.g. trade, technology, consumptions patterns, education), “water/sanitation,” and
“energy.” In the end, both the various EU contributions and the overall agenda of the
WSSD once again demonstrate that, ten years after the Rio Earth Summit, the term
“sustainable development” has largely lost its environmental(ist) focus and is now used
as a stand-in for any type of “good” development.
Interestingly, on the new WSSD-related EU website, one also finds a section on
“Frequently Asked Questions about the EU and its position on the World Summit on
Sustainable Development.” After presenting a slightly modified Brundtland definition,
the first question, “What is sustainable development?” is answered as follows:
Sustainable development focuses on improving the quality of life for all citizens
without increasing the use of natural resources beyond the capacity of the environment
to supply them indefinitely. … It is about taking action, changing policy and practice
at all levels, from the individual to the international. Sustainable development is not a
new idea. Many cultures over the course of human history have recognised the need
for harmony between the environment, society and economy. It is the articulation of
these ideas in the context of a global industrial and information society that is new.
There is an important horizontal nature of the sustainable development challenge: it is
not something you can neatly put into boxes - economic, social, environmental - and
then deal with each box individually. The links between the three main pillars of
sustainable development must be addressed. 8
integration and coherence at the international level;” “adoption of environment and development targets;”
and “more effective action at national level and international monitoring,” see p.2) and four key issues
(“protecting the natural resources base of economic development;” “integrating environment and poverty
eradication;” “making globalization sustainable;” and “enhancing good governance and participation,” see
p.3). The second Communication (Commission of the European Communities 2002b), released a year
later, is organized around six themes: “harnessing globalization: trade for sustainable development,”
“fighting poverty and promoting social development,” “sustainable management of natural and
environmental resources,” “improving the coherence of European Union policies,” “better governance at all
levels,” and “financing sustainable development.”
8 See http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/wssd/qa_general_en.html#1, last accessed Aug. 16, 2002.