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Society, Religion and Technology Project Church of Scotland Looking at the ethics of technology for a New Millennium

Mobile phone at Johannesburg 00 27 828 155 952; Email: srtp@srtp.org.uk

Scottish contact details: Tel. 0131-240 2250, Fax 0131-240 2239; http://www.srtp.org.uk

or Church of Scotland Press Office 0131- 240 2243

"The contrast is overwhelming," says Dr Bruce, "We went from the luxury hotels and plush conference facilities of the World Summit across to the next valley to Alexandra township where a population the size of Edinburgh lives in just 3 square miles of poverty." Christians from churches all over the world worshipped with local Christians in a local Alexandra church, in a building literally surrounded by a sardine tin mass of tiny shacks built of any waste materials people can lay their hands. "You walk straight out of the church door and there it is." How the other half lives.

The contrast reflects an impasse between two world views which underlies much of what is going on at the World Summit (WSSD). As delegates bargain over disputed texts which will, or will not, commit governments to taking forward through the 21^st century the Rio Earth Summit agreements of 10 years ago, the same story is repeated of two competing philosophies. One believes that development means free market economic growth, where you create the conditions and infrastructure to let the private sector to do its thing, create wealth and consumer goods. Eventually, the poor will do better too, and some of the profits can be used to clean up the environment. The other world view sees the reality of Alexandra and joins hands with the poor and cares for God's creation, and says to the growth model 'you've got it backwards.'

"I am encouraged that the UK and the EU generally are playing an important role in pressing for global targets for renewable energy, phasing out of hidden subsidies on fossil fuel pollution, for human rights clauses, for corporate accountability and debt relief." But real-politik means that all such things have to be negotiated and compromises made, which may dilute good intentions to the lowest common denominator. There are deep concerns among the civil society representatives in all sectors - like the churches, youth, women, NGO's, local authorities and trade unions - that in crucial areas WSSD may go backwards from the agreements made in Rio in 1992.

For example, governments of the world acknowledged the importance of the Precautionary Principle on issues like climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. The US delegation is seeking to have it removed or watered down so far that it has no binding force. UK Environment Minister Michael Meacher has stressed that the UK and EU are standing against any watering down, but the situation itself exists speaks volumes for the dichotomy between US views and the EU.

Yet there is hope. There are also orderly rows of simple but buildings and apartments which show that urban renewal is happening in "Alex". At the Summit there are exciting examples on show of all manner of initiatives and projects all over the world for sustainable and just living, energy, agriculture. Even the business community and Greenpeace made a historic joint statement about climate change. But as the summit enters the crucial phase of top level negotiation, the heads of governments need also to bury their differences, or no one will believe they care about the people of Alex or the planet their children will inherit. We are one city, whether we like it or not.

Dr Donald Bruce is Director of the Church of Scotland’s Society Religion and Technology Project, and a member of First Minister Jack McConnell's six person delegation representing Scottish civic society to the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. He represents Action of Churches Together in Scotland and overseas development organisations in Scotland.