The first conference of parties for the Convention to Combat Desertification held in Rome took some important decisions to save the parts of the Earth that face increasing desertification. But the larger conflict of interests dominated the proceedings

•A review of the five years since Rio, Earth Summit II showed collective irresponsibility by nation states for the earth's future •The special session of the UN General Assembly was

Statements of the world leaders at the Summit

The Denver meet set the tenor of non cooperation among the countries meeting at UNGASS

Indian attempts at lobbying in UNGASS

The Indian negotiators spoke up in time to oppose the convention on forests

Some of the points agreed to at Earth Summit II

The forest convention was the most controversial issue at the Summit. However, the G 77, a strident opposer, failed to act as a united force

Issues concerning the earth s future took a backseat as unseemly politics ruled the day at the just concluded Earth Summit II SUPRIYA AKERKAR reports from New York

Kampuchea's logging concession to an Indonesian company - which covers nearly 19 per cent of the country's remaining forest - has raised the spectre of an environmental disaster in southeast

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