Negotiators were upbeat today about the prospect of achieving further deals on tackling world poverty and the environment as heads of state prepared to join the Earth Summit in Johannesburg.

Seeking to demonstrate actions over words, the Earth Summit in South Africa today focused on public-private partnerships as a way to promote sustainable development.

THE contentious rich versus poor fight over globalisation plagued the UN summit yesterday as negotiators squabbled over water.

Delegates at the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa today focused on trying to get fresh water and sanitation to the world’s poor.