ABSTRACT
The view from the South regarding sustainability must always be taken as one of hope and confidence, regardless of the obstacles to be faced in the process. The South represents about two-thirds of all nations, an extremely diversified set of economic and social circumstances, but also most of the poor people and the unstable institutions on Earth. The conservation of ocean resources seems to be more pressing every day in anticipation of the International Year scheduled for 1998. Economic development is clearly an essential factor in sustainability for most countries. Market-driven capital flows have emphasised the importance of direct private investment, compared to the traditional overseas development assistance programmes. An auspicious novelty of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development process is the role of non-governmental organizations, a generic acronym that encompasses a great variety of spontaneous associations focusing on environmental, human rights, major group representation and other issues.
