Our Ministers have recognised that OECD countries “bear a special responsibility for leadership on sustainable development worldwide, historically and because of the weight they continue to have in the global economy and environment”. It was agreed in Johannesburg that now is the time to move from words to action. The priorities for action are clear: We need to achieve more sustainable consumption and production patterns, to increasingly decouple environmental pressure from economic growth, to ensure sustainable management of natural resources, and to work together in partnership to reduce poverty. But these are easier said than done. In some areas there are major obstacles ...