The UN is convening a World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in jhannesburg, South Africa, in September 2002. The Johannesburg Summit offers a major opportunity to develop understanding of these issues, and have a mature debate on practical ways to achieve progress. The Opinion Papers are a set of think pieces which aim to generate broad public interest in the issues at stake for the WSSD in 2002. They are published by IIED in collaboration with the Regional and International Networking Group (RING).

The papers (listed below) highlight key challenges for policymakers in particular areas:
1. Lessons from the Theatre: Should this be the Final Curtain Call for the convention to Combat Desertification? C. Toulmin
2. Environment and Human Rights: A New Approach to Sustainable Development.
M. Adebowale, C. Church, B. Nduta Kairie, B. Vasylkivsky and Y. Panina
3. Targeting Toxic Chemicals on the way to the Johannesburg Summit. C. Curtis and C. Palmer Olsen
4. Striving for Good Governance in Urban Areas: The Role of Local Agenda 21.G. McGranahan, L. Miranda, D. Satterthwaite, L.S. Velasquez
5. Strengthening Demand: A Framework for Financing Sustainable Development.T. Banuri and E. Spanger-Siegfried
6. Strategies for Sustainable Development: Meeting the Challenge. S. Bass and B. Dalal-Clayton
7. Striking a Balance for Trade and Sustainable Development. N. Borregaard and M. Halle
8. Ecological Debt: Balancing the Environmental Budget and Compensating Developing Countries. A. Simms
9. Poverty and Environment. D. Killeen and A. Atiq Rahman
10. The Chains of Agriculture. B. Vorley and J. Berdegue
11. Biological Diversity: More Debate than Action? B. Taneja and I Koziell
12. Pro-Poor Tourism: Harnessing the World's Largest Industry for the World's Poor D. Roe and P. Urquhart
13. What does the Feminisation of Labour Mean for Sustainable Livelihoods? N. Kanji and K. Menon-Sen
14. The Role of the Minerals Sector in the Transition to Sustainable Development L Danielson and G. Lagos
15. Private Sector Participation in the Water Sector: Can it Meet Social and Environmental Needs? J. Thompson
16. Health and Sustainable Development. D. Bradley, S. Cairncross, A. Haines and C. Stephens
17. The Climate Change Negotiations: A View from the South. S. Huq and Y. Sokona
18. The Links Between Migration Globalisation and Sustainable Development.C. Tacoli and D. Okali