Ecosphere concentrates its work on five focal areas.

1. Governance for sustainable development. Developments at both UN and EU level are leading to a redefinition of the role of public authorities and the respective responsibilities of the public and private sectors in environmental management and policy-making which call for critical analysis. F or example, will the 'partnership'-model introduced at the World Summit on Sustainable Development truly strengthen the institutional framework for sustainable development? Or are we rather witnessing a privatisation of law and a weakening of the institutional framework for sustainable development?

2. Toxics. The EU has launched an ambitious reform of EU chemicals management legislation, in the face of strong opposition from industry and some national governments, in order to reduce human health and environmental risks of chemicals and strengthen producer responsibility (REACH). At the same time, two major UN conventions on toxic chemicals management are about to enter into force. The reduction of toxic risks in Europe and at the global level raises important governance issues including transparency and the role of the public in regulatory decisions.

3. Climate change and sustainable energy policies. The EU remains committed to full implementation of the Kyoto Protocol and intends to push for further greenhouse gas emission reductions at the international level. T o achieve the ultimate objective of stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere in a manner consistent with the sustainable development of developing countries (and enhanced access to energy for the poor) will necessitate innovative legal and institutional approaches.

4. Human rights and the environment. Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is essential for achieving sustainable development. Though the EU has adopted legislation to guarantee a number of procedural environmental rights, the debate on the draft Constitution on the Future of the Europe has revived discussions concerning the right to a healthy environment. Further legal and conceptual work is needed to operationalise a rights-based approach to environmental protection and sustainable development in Europe and in the world.

5. The aquatic environment and its uses. At the WSSD, governments committed to halve, by the year 2015, the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water or to basic sanitation; and the EU launched an international 'Water for Life' initiative to help partners to meet the goals set in Johannesburg. But little is known about the long-term consequences of measures designed to promote public-private partnerships in the management of water resources and the effectiveness of the new, integrated approaches to water management. Ecosphere will examine the challenging legal and policy questions arising in these efforts.