Sustainability must be integrated in the economic and financial framework. He noted the 1995 conference in Sophia to promote Rio goals in Central and Eastern Europe. Ernesto Guhl, Vice-Minister for the Environment, noted that Colombia's new constitution includes the principle of sustainable development. He welcomed the creation of the forest panel, but expressed concern about establishing a legally-binding instrument. The relationship between particular events and themes must be explained.
Political interest depends on media interest.
David Lascelles, Natural Resources Editor, Financial Times, London, said sustainable development must be explained in terms of its application to policy and business decision-making. Sustainable development is not yet an imperative, politically or legally. The CSD should avoid presenting the concept on an ethical basis. Scientific uncertainty is a significant barrier. Censorship, high level interference, and training inadequacies also create coverage problems.