The Spirit of Rio.

Since the Earth Summit in 1992, tile "Spirit of Rio" lives on through the actions of Governments, international organizations, major groups, and individuals around the world.

The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) can justifiably be called the steward of the "Rio Spirit" and of sustainable development. CSD has not only managed to mobilize the interest and active involvement of Governments and the United Nations system, including the development banks, but has also captured the attention of non-governmental groups and the public-at-large.

The response to Agenda 21 and the work of the Commission has been encouraging with a multitude of public and private initiatives aimed at implementing the results of the Earth Summit. CSD has gotten this response because of the urgency of its subject matter and the open and transparent way it has conducted its business. The effort to be inclusive has generated support for the Commission and commitment to its work programme. The main issues facing countries in their development agendas are being urgently addressed by the Commission as it attempts to integrate economic, social and environmental concerns.

Inspired by the Earth Summit and encouraged by the work of the Commission, people and organizations all over the world have translated Agenda 21 into practical action in local communities. The following examples are illustrative of the range of action that has been undertaken.

In early 1994, the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries launched a "Clean, Green and Profitable" programme to assist selected industries in Zimbabwe in developing their managerial and technical capacity to improve environmental performance. The initial focus is on working with management to develop commitment and corporate strategies to improve performance, and on environmental and "housekeeping" audits to seek immediate opportunities to reduce inputs of materials, water and energy, and outputs of wastes.

In Metro Manila, Philippines, a quiet revolution is going on with the Metro Manila Resource Recovery Programme, which is supported by three groups: the Clean and Green Foundation, the Metro Manila Linis-Ganda, and the Department of Environment, River Rehabilitation Secretariat. They have organized junk shop owners into environmental cooperatives registered with the Cooperative Development Authority. There is an orderly system where eco-aides collect and buy materials and the junk shop owners sort out the material and sell it to factories and other buyers. This collection system helps to reduce the pressure on dump sites by 60 to 70 per cent. It is a local initiative run by local people with local resources.

In Namibia, women, youth and NGO groups are actively involved in national efforts to combat desertification in the country's three desert areas: the Namib, Kalahari and Karoo. Media coverage is expanding, villages are involved and drama group performances, workshops and newsletters try to educate the citizenry on this issue. Sociological surveys and rainfall mapping have been undertaken in 1993-1994 and the Directorates of Environmental Affairs and Resource Management, together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development, are responsible for national actions. The country faces many problems, but there is a national priority campaign to deal with the economic, social and environmental challenges of desertification.

In Nepal, the Community Forestry Project is engaged in the reafforestation of severely eroded areas of the country through the establishment of community managed forests. This community based effort is intended to reduce the demand for fuel wood by spreading knowledge on the construction and use of fuel efficient stoves.

Uruguay and the World Federation of Engineering Organizations have agreed to set up a regional centre for Latin America and the Caribbean to promote engineering for sustainable development. The Centre will gather and disseminate information to engineers, organize training course on sustainable development themes and promote the study of engineering projects in the region.

A coalition of 40 groups from 16 Latin American countries, supported by the Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO, USA) and backed by UN agencies, is helping local women to train others at the grass-roots level to promote environmental education and awareness of sustainable development issues. In Europe, North America and other industrialized countries, women are promoting consumer awareness of the environmental impact of products, especially toxic chemicals, pesticides and radiation. They have played a key role in recent intersessional meetings on changing consumer buying habits and patterns of production.