Luis Gómez-Echeverri
'The Negotiations Are Very Difficult'

The coordinator of the topics to be discussed at the Summit and organizer of the WEHAB conference -- on the central topics of water, energy, health, agriculture and biodiversity -- believes that the important agreements will be reached at the last minute.

By Néfer Muñoz

The coordinator of the five topics that are now being discussed in Johannesburg, Colombian Luis Gómez-Echeverri, believes that the important agreements of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) will only be reached at the last minute of this conference.

"The negotiations are very difficult," Gómez-Echeverri stated in an exclusive interview with Tierramérica. He also revealed that the most difficult topics being discussed have been agriculture and biodiversity.

Gómez-Echeverri, 52, a life-time politician, has been in charge of the 200 professionals that prepared the workbooks, which are now under discussion by government delegations from all over the world in South Africa.

In total, there are five workbooks, one for each of the main topics on the Summit agenda: water, energy, health, agriculture and biodiversity. Also known as the "WEHAB topics."

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan proposed the WEHAB initiative as his contribution to the preparations for this Summit.

"Here, there is a lot of interest from the developing nations in revisiting the issues of poverty, commerce and finances, while the industrialized nations are more interested in the environment," stated Gómez-Echeverri, who is also the local representative of the United Nations Development Program in Cuba.

The leader of the WEHAB Working Group maintains that these differences do not mean the delegations are faced with Tower of Babel. However, he admits that there is a divergence in the priorities of the North and the South.

TIERRAMERICA: What have been the major points of dispute during the negotiations?

GOMEZ-ECHEVERRI: Here there are a few major issues that are very difficult to resolve, in which there is no agreement between the rich and poor nations. There is a difference in focus among all countries. On the one hand, the G-77 (Group of 77 developing countries) is greatly interested in issues related to the international economic structure, commerce, globalization and finance. On the other, the countries from the North are more interested in the environment.

How has lobbying at this Summit progressed?

The most difficult issues have been left for the end. Presently the negotiations are very complicated, but I am optimistic.

What are the most popular issues among the developing nations?

There are many issues that have not been resolved that the developing countries want to discuss with the industrialized nations. There is a big problem in regards to the access to [the industrialized nations'] markets.

So you are saying that in this Summit there are two divergent focuses: poverty vs. the environment.

That's the challenge of this Summit. In the first place, the developing countries are asking for financial resources that are needed to make the changes that we all say are necessary to achieve sustainable development. Secondly, they are asking for more equality.

Who are the most influential countries in the negotiations?

The biggest blocs. The G-77, the United States, the European Union and then everybody else.

What is the level of subsidies on agriculture in the rich countries?

Right now the United States and the European Union's subsidies to their farmers is around one billion dollars per day.

What WEHAB topics have run into the most obstacles?

I would not talk about obstacles. I would talk about general consensus. The topic in which there is most consensus is water. Then health. Biodiversity and agriculture have been the ones with the least general consensus.

What has been the reaction to Brazil's proposal, that by 2010, ten percent of all energy produced should come from renewable sources?

That's still in negotiation. But it has been very well accepted. There is a lot of support for it. It's a goal that is realistically achievable. But again, we get into the issues of financing. In the rich nations, there are a lot of subsidies for energy, but for the conventional sources [fossil fuels], not for renewable sources. We all know that the conventional energy sources are not viable in the long run, but why do we wait until the last minute?

Do you think the world has improved its view of the environment since the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro?

I am not among those who think nothing has been accomplished in the last decade. The Rio Summit generated many changes. For example, in Latin America, departments and legislation specific to the environment have been established. On top of that, the agricultural, industrial and hydraulic sectors have changed their rules of the game. Fifteen years ago, private corporations acted alone and environmental issues were not even considered. In this last decade, industrial and commercial corporations have sat down [and discussed such issues] with governments and civil societies.

What end results coming out of the Summit would satisfy you?

A working plan involving the five WEHAB topics proposed by the UN Secretary General. For example, if we could solve the existing water problems, then other issues could be resolved as well. On the topic of energy, I would like it if we created a plan for the development of more renewable sources. This is because at this very moment, there are two billion people without electricity. I would also like a plan that would reduce agricultural subsidies and promote the opening of markets. Only with that, will we have progress and development. (END)