Johannesburg Plan of Implementation 

I. Introduction 

1.  The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992,[1] provided the fundamental principles and the programme of action for achieving sustainable development. We strongly reaffirm our commitment to the Rio principles,² the full implementation of Agenda 212 and the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21³. We also commit ourselves to achieving the internationally agreed development goals, including those contained in the United Nations Millennium Declaration⁴ and in the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and international agreements since 1992.

2.  The present plan of implementation will further build on the achievements made since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and expedite the realization of the remaining goals. To this end, we commit ourselves to undertaking concrete actions and measures at all levels and to enhancing international cooperation, taking into account the Rio principles, including, inter alia, the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities as set out in principle 7 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development.⁵ These efforts will also promote the integration of the three components of sustainable development ・economic development, social development and environmental protection ・as interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars. Poverty eradication, changing unsustainable patterns of production and consumption and protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development are overarching objectives of, and essential requirements for, sustainable development.

3.  We recognize that the implementation of the outcomes of the Summit should benefit all, particularly women, youth, children and vulnerable groups. Furthermore, the implementation should involve all relevant actors through partnerships, especially between Governments of the North and South, on the one hand, and between Governments and major groups, on the other, to achieve the widely shared goals of sustainable development. As reflected in the Monterrey Consensus,⁶ such partnerships are key to pursuing sustainable development in a globalizing world.

4.  Good governance within each country and at the international level is essential for sustainable development. At the domestic level, sound environmental, social and economic policies, democratic institutions responsive to the needs of the people, the rule of law, anti-corruption measures, gender equality and an enabling environment for investment are the basis for sustainable development. As a result of globalization, external factors have become critical in determining the success or failure of developing countries in their national efforts. The gap between developed and developing countries points to the continued need for a dynamic and enabling international economic environment supportive of international cooperation, particularly in the areas of finance, technology transfer, debt and trade and full and effective participation of developing countries in global decision-making, if the momentum for global progress towards sustainable development is to be maintained and increased.

5.  Peace, security, stability and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to development, as well as respect for cultural diversity, are essential for achieving sustainable development and ensuring that sustainable development benefits all.

6.  We acknowledge the importance of ethics for sustainable development and, therefore, emphasize the need to consider ethics in the implementation of Agenda 21.

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1   Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro,
3-14 June 1992 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda).
2   Ibid., vol. I: Resolutions Adopted by the Conference, resolution 1, annexes I and II.
3   General Assembly resolution S-19/2, annex.
4   General Assembly resolution 55/2.
5   Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro,
3-14 June 1992 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda), vol. I: Resolutions Adopted by the Conference, resolution 1, annex I.
6   Report of the International Conference on Financing for Development , Monterrey, Mexico,
18-22 March 2002 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.02.II.A.7), chap. I, resolution 1, annex.