2. Background
The Republic of Botswana participated in the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED or Earth Summit) held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and adopted the recommendations for global sustainable development known as Agenda 21, in addition to signing (and later ratifying) the Conventions on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Climate Change (UNFCC).
->Agenda 21 or the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development is the joint statement approved by the 172 participating countries, which consists of 27 Principles these countries agreed to strive for.
These Principles were developed in 40 chapters around 4 parts (1) Social & Economic Dimensions: international trade, poverty, consumption patterns, population, human health, human settlements; (2) Conservation & Management of Resources: atmosphere, land, deforestation, desertification & drought, mountains, agriculture & rural development, biological diversity, biotechnology, oceans, freshwater, toxic chemicals, hazardous wastes, solid wastes & sewage, radioactive wastes; (3) the Role of Major Groups: women, children & youth, indigenous people, NGOs, local authorities, workers & trade unions, business & industry, scientists & technologists, farmers ; (4) Means of Implementation: financing, technology transfer, science, education, training & public awareness, capacity building, organisational structures, international law, information for decision-making. |
Although no national strategy has since been established to implement Agenda 21 in Botswana, progress was made in several areas of Agenda 21, through initiatives from Government, civil society, the private sector and international donors.
Within the country’s preparations for the coming World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), to be held in Johannesburg in August-September 2002, the Government of Botswana (GoB) and Civil Society have been involved in a large number of national and international consultations.
| -> “Our Common Future”, the 1987 Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development defines Sustainable Development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. |
Civil Society has established a WSSD steering committee, which decided to produce the current document as a complement to the Government of Botswana’s National Report on the Implementation of Agenda 21. In September 2001, a Civil Society workshop was organised to raise awareness on the WSSD and Civil Society’s involvement, to select a participating delegation for the WSSD and to collect and synthesise information for the current paper and the attached case studies, which are meant to provide samples of what has been achieved in various areas.
The aim of this document therefore is to provide Civil Society’s views on the achievements made in Botswana since Rio, assess priorities for the country and make suggestions for the way forward. Although the format adopted is based on that provided by the Earth Council (EC) Guidelines for country assessments, this document is not part of the ECs Network for Environment and Sustainable Development in Africa.
| -> During the Botswana Civil Society WSSD Workshop, it was agreed that “Civil Society” would include: Environmental NGOs; Developmental NGOs, Youth Organisations, CBOs, Media Institutions, Farmers Association, Special Interest Groups, Women Issues, Churches, Health Organisations, and the Private Sector. |
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