Cooperating for sustainable development

Partnerships with both the private sector and civil society are a powerful tool to advance the goal of sustainable development.

All sectors of society, including government, business, public interest groups and consumers have a role to play in contributing to sustainable development and business recognizes that these sectors need to work in partnership, bringing their values and experience to bear on the challenge. Sustainable development will best be achieved if each stakeholder fully plays its part, focusing on what each can do best. Through partnerships, local, national and global, society can build on the strengths of each group.

Close cooperation on research and development, education and training on Earth observation and related information technology will be the key to the success in developing global information networks and redressing current imbalances between North and South in the access to databases, information and decision support tools for managing the Earth resources and environment and ensuring sustainability.