Saving the earth need not cost the earth.

That was the message spelled out by world leaders gathering in Johannesburg for the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said action, not words, was necessary if the planet was not to suffer permanent damage that put human life at risk.

"The focus from now on must be on implementing the many agreements that have been reached,'' he said in an address to the opening session Monday.

Annan stressed that "the richest countries must lead the way because they have the wealth, they have the technology, and they contribute disproportionately to global environmental problems.''

Leaders from more than 100 countries are attending the three-day session.

Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji is scheduled to address the conference Tuesday and will also participate in the round table discussions themed "Making it Happen'', to take place later.

A Programme of Implementation is expected to sum up the results of the summit before being passed by the end of the event.

A UN news release said consensus has already been reached on a wide range of issues including commitments to improve access to clean water, proper sanitation and modern and clean energy.

Countries have also agreed on provisions and funding to improve agricultural productivity, combating desertification and reducing health risks from pollution and water-borne diseases.

But breakthroughs are yet to be made in such tough areas as the targets for expanding access to sanitation, achieving a certain level of renewable energy, subsidies and a provision urging the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

This is the second time that a leaders' summit has been held by the United Nations on the issue of sustainable development.

In 1992, the summit in Rio de Janeiro adopted the Rio Principles and the Agenda 21, which have been regarded as the guidelines towards sustainable development.

But the global environment has deteriorated over the past decade despite a record number of international agreements drafted and signed.

Leaders said too much had been said but not a great deal had been done to reverse the trend.

"Let us face an uncomfortable truth: the model of development we are accustomed to has been fruitful for the few, but flawed for the many,'' said Annan.

"A path to prosperity that ravages the environment and leaves a majority of humankind behind in squalor will soon prove to be a dead-end road for everyone.''

Apart from government efforts, Annan stressed the role of the civil society groups and commercial enterprises in achieving sustainable development.

He dismissed the excuse of technological barriers when striving for a better environment, saying that "the policies, the science and the green technologies at our disposal today can begin to do the job.''

Han Seung-soo, President of the 56th session of the UN General Assembly, stressed the role of the UN system in efforts towards sustainable development.

He suggested using high-level dialogue in the General Assembly for hitting upon effective ways and means to achieve the various international development goals and sustainable development.

Both Annan and Han believed efforts should particularly be enhanced on the five areas, namely water, energy, health, agriculture and biodiversity.

Expectations are high for this week's meeting of leaders.

Non-governmental organizations from all over the world have come to Johannesburg, voicing their concern over the deteriorating global environment and urging governments to do more.

Pressure has also come from the younger generation.

Three children -- 11-year-old Justin Friesen from Canada, 14-year-old Analiz Vergara from Ecuador and 11-year-old Liao Mingyu from China -- presented a list of challenges to leaders Monday, asking for more concrete efforts to improve the environment.

These challenges were inspired, written and voted on by some 400 children from 80 countries and represent their hopes and fears for the future of the planet.

On behalf of the leaders, president of host country South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, pledged action Monday.

"We have every possibility to establish the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development as a defining moment that will live forever as the midwife that brought into our world the child that humanity conceived at Stockholm and Rio de Janeiro, and brought up during a period of gestation that has encompassed the UN Millennium Summit and other important international conferences held since 1992,'' he said.

(China Daily, September 3, 2002 )