One month before the beginning of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, the Worldwatch Institute hosted a half-day symposium with the Embassies of Brazil and South Africa in Washington, DC. The event provided a forum for discussion of developments since the Rio Earth Summit and of challenges the Johannesburg Summit will have to tackle.

With the Brazilian and South African Embassies conveniently located across the street from each other, the symposium mirrored the passing of the torch from Rio to Johannesburg that was celebrated in Rio de Janeiro in June. Embassy representatives, NGO and business leaders, government and international agency representatives as well as journalists who cover the Summit had the opportunity to engage in a discussion with senior officials from the U.S., South African and Brazilian governments.

Undersecretary-General of the WSSD, Nitin Desai gave a keynote speech and a panel of experts discussed priority areas of the Summit - water; energy; biodiversity and ecosystem management; trade, aid, and globalization; and agricultural productivity. At the conclusion of the symposium, the Embassy of South Africa hosted a reception.