Ahem!

The Unsustainable Rip-Off: The blatant price-gouging that is going on in Johannesburg has at least stirred the conscience of one South African. In a letter to a local newspaper, he says that the "summit rip-offs should put us all to shame". "I am talking about residents in and around Johannesburg who are out to cash in big on the delegates attending the summit". He points out that some of the delegates will be paying between 200 and 3,000 dollars a day to rent houses. "These home owners are painting a harsh and crippling economic picture of South Africa by telling the delegates -- and the world -- that we South Africans are unscrupulous, narcissistic mercenaries who are using the World Summit to accomplish our own short-term economic ends." Clearly, he says, these South Africans are also not thinking in sustainable terms. Certainly not, considering the fact that no country hosting a U.N. conference has ripped off its visitors as has South Africa. We were wondering whether the United Nations will ever agree to another talk-fest in South Africa judging by the current experience. Even a rip-off may be sustainable, but not this one.

Spotted at the IUCN jamboree in Sandton: A glossy brochure from Northumbrian Water preening about its support for biodiversity. Northumbrian is a major water company, closely allied to the big daddy of water companies called Suez. Activists say its support of biodiversity is great; now if they could see the same action on sustainable development. The water multinationals are of course highly criticised for their user-fee and cut-off provisions most everywhere they do business.

The E.U. green MPs and ministers at Johannesburg have complained that they were completely cut out of a pre-emptive trade for good governance deal cut between the United States and European Commission on the eve of the world summit. And they thought they were in power!