The Rio Earth Summit in 1992 was a watershed in the history of environmental diplomacy but not a turning point for unsustainable global production and consumption patterns. Will the World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD) in 2002, the ten-year review of the Earth Summit in South Africa, be any different? Or will the same voices, arguments and counter-arguments dominate? This will depend on how different parts of society mobilise to make this an event that matters. The future of the planet will depend upon it.

At WSSD, the Southern Business Challenge (SBC) will issue a set of practical and time-bound challenges to governments and decision-makers for changes required for development to be environmentally sustainable, socially equitable and economically beneficial. These challenges will be based on the SBC members' own analysis of their conditions: the impediments they face and the steps they propose to overcome them. Proposals could range from recommendations to remove high import tariffs on environmentally sustainable technologies and create sustainable trade promotion centres; or on taxation to favour tax breaks for socially and environmentally responsible entrepreneurs; or on investment to encourage financiers to take account of socio-environmental and ethical considerations in their investment decisions, etc.

These challenges will be accompanied by profiles showcasing the work of individual Southern Business Challenge members. SBC members will challenge governments through power of positive example. They will demonstrate that they are a powerful constituency demanding change for sustainable development, social justice and poverty eradication.

SBC members will also commit to engaging in domestic awareness-raising and advocacy to push the private sector and government decision-makers faster on the road to sustainability.