Going nowhere fast
Weekend talks aimed at resolving 411 outstanding issues in the summit鈥檚 final text settled just 10. Half the unresolved issues concern world trade, aid and international debt, with the world鈥檚 rich and poor at loggerheads.
Transatlantic tiff
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The British government says it is still trying to persuade the US to drop its veto on firm, timetabled targets being set at the summit, covering issues such as providing sewer systems, boosting renewable energy and halting biodiversity loss.
Trickledown?
UN cities chief Anna Tibaijuka said that in most African cities 鈥渢he poor pay 5 to 10 times more than the rich for water鈥�.The rich are connected to subsidised public supplies, while the poor have to buy from street vendors.
Joining hands
One idea to emerge from the summit is that of formal partnerships between industry, government and citizens鈥� groups to meet summit targets. UN officials are said to have lined up almost 200 partnership projects in everything from city water supplies to saving great apes. The plans have been fiercely attacked by critics who claim the conditions attached favour big business.
Concerned capitalists
A group of top industrialists calling themselves Business Action for Sustainable Development said they were in favour of national laws to make them more accountable. 鈥淚t is a myth that we want a Wild West lawless society,鈥� said Lord Holme of the International Chamber of Commerce.
Spot the delegate
Fearing bad publicity, the British government is keeping the size and composition of its delegation a secret, even from its own delegates, say insiders. One observer likened the system to the cell network of a terrorist group. Many of the delegates have also been gagged. 鈥淚 am only allowed to talk to you about things the British delegation is not interested in 鈥� like football,鈥� said one.
