Sustainable development after Johannesburg and Iraq: The global situation and the cases of Slovenia and Croatia

The global problems facing the future of sustainable development after the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in September 2002 were at the center of attention at the Club of Rome Meeting in Ankara in October 2002. Here we discuss some of the scenarios presented at the Ankara Meeting, taking into account the situation after the recent Iraq crisis. The development of South East European countries and some of their neighbours is presented through several socio-economic indicators. The second part of the contribution is connected with the implications of the above development indicators for Croatia and Slovenia. The time dependence of some of these indicators for these two countries is presented and discussed. Countries in general face a combined problem of assuring simultaneously economic development and sustainability. All these processes have their scientific and technological, but also a political dimension, and it is frequently through the political dimension that different interests and conflicts hinder sustainable development. Comprehensive sustainable development requires research and technological development and an appropriate educational system establishing thereby a knowledge-based society.