This article by Shiney Varghese was published on October 4, 2002 by FIVAS/Foreningen for Internasjonale Vannstudier

The beginning of this article poses the question: What will the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) do for those living in the shadow of nuclear plants, those being displaced by large dams, those affected by food insecurity?

Little was accomplished. The WSSD did not have the political will to commit funds for renewable energy, or for achieving sustainable consumption and production in agriculture or industry. It did not think it necessary to rein in the trade and economic agenda promoted by the neo-liberal forces to ensure that social and environmental justice issues were addressed.

There has been no clear multilateral agreement to commit funds for these new agreements. Instead, developed country governments have shown their reluctance to establish multilateral funding mechanisms for any action in the interest of sustainable development at a global level.

In off-the-record conversations, both EU and U.S. delegation members said effectively: 'why would our government fund an initiative where we will not have complete control?'.

It has been decided the funding will come from "innovative partnerships". It is these funding initiatives that are examined in this article.