Part 3: The Rio+20 Agenda

One Objective via Three elements : Secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development, Assess the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major SD Address new and emerging challenges

Two themes : a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication; the institutional framework for sustainable development;

Theme 1: the green economy

UNEP states that: Efforts to designate ‘planetary boundaries’, which are intended to define a ‘safe operating space’ for humanity with respect to Earth systems, have begun. The economy must be seen in this perspective

The nine planetary boundaries Climate change rate (exceeded) Biodiversity loss (terrestrial and marine) (exceeded) Interference with the nitrogen and phosphorous cycles (exceeded) Stratospheric ozone depletion Ocean acidification Global freshwater use Change in land use Chemical pollution Atmospheric aerosol loading

UNEP defines the green economy: A green economy is one that results in improved human well being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities

Green economy does not replace SD Achieving sustainability rest almost entirely on getting the economy right Present economic models have not substantially addressed social marginalisation and resource depletion

Green Economy- four ways have emerged among civil society Reduce, reuse and recycle, including making all production green De-growth or a critical approach to the system of economy, based on what is known as “strong sustainability” Distributive growth, looks at SCP in a ’frugal’ way Global transition – incremental change via strengthening key institutions – a market liberalistic view. Worst case: green-washing and greening greed

Theme 2: governance

Governance The term governance refers to the process or method by which society is governed, or the ‘condition of ordered rule’.

Minimum principles of good governance Participation Accountability Transparency Implementation

Institutional architecture applied at different levels Need to further develop and strengthen functions and systems within the UN and at national level on sustainable development

Subsidiarity – an overlooked element in governance Make sure that environmental issues are handled by knowledgeable elements of the UN, and allow the environmental institutions a stronger political authority, decision power over financial institutions, power of implementation etc.

A few possible outcomes from Rio plus 20

A possible Rio outcome - 1 Create a Council on Sustainable Development as a subsidiary body of the General Assembly (on par with the Council on Human Rights)

A possible Rio outcome - 2 Elevate UNEP to a specialised agency in order to add political clout and authority to environmental issues, instead of its present position in the UN hierarch as a ’programme’.

Outcome 3 Strengthen the governance system for sustainable development at all levels, local, national, regional and global

Identify and deal with emerging issues – A task for the CSD? Food security Climate security Energy security Water security Ecosystems security Other issues Design and develop a system which can handle emerging issues and which can actually strengthen the merging issues, e.g.,

Identify emerging issues in the institutional architecture Develop a basis for three new frameworks conventions at Rio plus 20 1 - Principle 10: access to information, participation and justice; (WRI)

Identify emerging issues in the institutional architecture 2 Advance Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, based on the ISO 26 000 outcome (Stakeholder Forum) 3 Develop the precautionary principle to a framework convention to include issues on emerging technologies, bio-engineering and nano-technology (The ETC Group)

Renewed political commitment Develop a new and visionary document on how the world should look like in 2030 complete with concepts visions, values, all elements that should be brought into the expressed political commitments for sustainable development

Sustainable Development Goals - SDGs A political initiative from G-77

Colombia - Guatemala Colombia and Guatemala propose a key outcome of the Rio + 20 process that can be the definition and agreement of a suite of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), similar and supportive of the MDGs. The governments of Colombia and Guatemala have developed a proposal as a contribution to the possible Rio outcomes – this proposal is receiving growing interest and support

Universality proposed from G 77 Defined internationally, the SDGs would serve both for comparing results as well as furthering opportunities for cooperation, including South-South cooperation.   The SDGs and the MDGs should be fully complementary. It is worth noting that while the MDGs applied only to developing countries, the SDGs would have universal application. These SDGs would focus the broad debate at a practical level, and enable the preparatory process to productively address key issues for which measurable progress would be welcome.

Concrete targets: Objectives agreed to internationally could eventually be underpinned by targets . They would thus be fully aligned with national contexts and could therefore be a useful tool for guiding public policies. The definition of the SDGs would contribute to focusing the preparatory process towards Rio+20, thus achieving more substantive and concrete results.

Protecting Agenda 21 The process would build upon the Johannesburg WSSD Plan of Implementation as well as Agenda 21.   The SDGs would be based on Agenda 21 given that it already maps our requirements for sustainable development. This would also avoid reopening debates as Agenda 21 does not need to be renegotiated.

The process should result in the definition of a small number of key Objectives that could be later elaborated through a suite of targets, much like the MDGs. The proposal is that a reasonable deliverable reached by June 2012 at Rio would be agreement on a suite of Objectives at a broad level.

This would mean prioritizing those themes and issues that are considered critical factors in moving forward the sustainable development agenda, inspired by Agenda 21. These could broadly include issues such as:

Changing Consumption Patterns Promoting Sustainable Human Settlement Development Biodiversity and Forests Combating Poverty Oceans Water Resources Advancing Food Security Energy, including from renewable sources

What have the others said about the Rio process so far? Just recently.....

S.G. Sha, Chair, said in Beijing (October) Employment creation is important to focus on A framework for SCP (sustainable consumption and production) can be a contribution to green economy transition

The High Level Panel on SD recently discussed The 9 planetary boundaries A council for SD Principles of equity A global SD economy Energy, a possible forum or council Non state actors

The zero document contributions Are on-line and contain about 14 000 pages

Too early to say something definite About the direction and outcome of the document – Governments will keep inputting until the very last possible moment in May - The formal informals, held every month January until May, will be important for the final document

In conclusion, to succeed.... Know Your Own Goals Know the Decision-making Process in Your Country Know When To Work at What Level Know the Decision-making Context Know the Tools at Your Disposal Know When To Make Your Position Know the Government Officials Know the Key UN Officials Know Your Allies Know Your Adversaries Know Your Limits Know Your Brackets and Terms

Remember…. It is too late to be a pessimist. Play to win! THANK YOU!

Thank you again, and yes, you can contact us: Jan-Gustav Strandenaes Mobile: +47 470 18 337 jg_str946@hotmail.com Don Edwards Mobile: +202-297-1603 don@justicesustainability.com Remember, its too late to be a pessimist. Thank you – and see you in Rio