Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2003

Introduction

The DSDS series

Firm belief in the potential of cooperative decision-making fuels TERI’s zeal to organize various local, regional, and global forums on topical issues. DSDS (Delhi Sustainable Development Summit) 2003 will be the third in a series endorsed unanimously by the world leaders who attended TERI’s silver jubilee conferences (18–21 February 2000) and the subsequent DSDS 2001 (7–9 February 2001) and DSDS 2002 (8–11 February 2002). While DSDS 2001 dealt with Poverty: the global challenge for governments, industry, scientists, and civil society, the focus of DSDS 2002 was on Ensuring Sustainable Livelihoods: challenges for governments, corporates, and civil society at Rio + 10. Besides providing knowledge and directions to the Johannesburg WSSD (World Summit on Sustainable Development), DSDS 2002 was also able to recharge the political momentum and enthusiasm of all involved in the Rio + 10 process.

Possibly the sole forum on global issues taking place in the developing world, the DSDS strives to provide long-term solutions for the benefit of the global community by assembling the world’s most enlightened leaders and thinkers. With expressions of commendation from across the globe, the DSDS series is poised to emerge as a landmark event addressing issues pertinent to the future of humanity.

DSDS 2003

The Rio Earth Summit of 1992 underlined the imperative of integrating economic growth, social justice, and environmental concerns to satisfy the world without ravaging the earth. The awareness, unfortunately, has not been fully translated into action on the scale required to achieve true sustainability. Recognizing the need for action, the WSSD (World Summit on Sustainable Development) had set priorities for the same and resolved to make a concerted endeavour to realize the vision of a safe, just world that fulfils the needs of present and future generations. The deliberations at DSDS 2003 will essentially focus on translating these priorities into action. It will also add value to the WSSD process through many action-oriented suggestions for the global community to realize the goal of sustainable development.

TERI hopes to revitalize global commitment to sustainable development as a shared future goal. Nobel laureates, political leaders, leading decision-makers from governments, bilaterals, and multilaterals, heads of corporates, high-level functionaries from the diplomatic corps, scientists, mediapersons, researchers, and representatives of non-governmental organizations from across the world will attend DSDS 2003.