United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development

GA Resolution 64/236 WHY? Renew political commitment, assess progress and gaps, address emerging challenges WHAT? Focused Political Document, with two thematic focuses: A Green Economy in the Context of Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication; and the Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development WHO? Highest level of participation, including Heads of State or Government HOW? Calendar of preparation, inputs from all entities WHERE? Rio de Janeiro WHEN? 2012, Most Likely Dates Mid-May

Policy Relevance of Themes UN System: GA (since 1997), UNEP-GC, inter-agency coordination mechanisms (IACSD, UN-Energy, UN- Water, UN-Oceans), IEG process Developing countries: NSDCs, NSDSs, LA21s: ROK, China, Brazil, AMC Developed Countries: Focus on policy coherence: – EU GSDS 2006 (rev 2009), Sweden PGS, US Presidential Decree (22 Sep 2010), Netherlands aid (WRR review) Major Groups: greeneconomyinitiative.com, greeneconomics.net, thegreeneconomy.com, newgreeneconomy.com, earthday.org, greeneconomynow.org, worldwatch.org, greeneconomycoalition.org, greenforall.org, etc

Preoparations Calendar

Secretary-General Ambassador Sha Zukang DESA RIO+20 Task Force Chair: Sha Zukang ASGs: Jomo, Stelzer, Mayanja ECs: TBD Directors of DESA Divisions Special Advisors to OCSG Secretary ECESA Cluster Leaders Secretary: Tariq Banuri EC-ESA PLUS Chair: Sha Zukang Members: UN System Principals Deputies: UNCSD Focal Points Secretary: Navid Hanif High-level Panel on Climate Change and Sustainable Development Kathleen Abdalla Cluster Leader Nikhil Chandavarkar Cluster Leader David O’Connor Cluster Leader Aslam Chaudhry Cluster Leader Andrew Yager OIC EXECUTIVE COORDINATORS To Be Appointed OFFICE OF Conference Secretary General Head of Office: Tariq Banuri Special Advisors: Adnan Amin, Nikhil Seth, Juwang Zhu Inter-Agency Relations: Federica Pietracci Sustainable Development Officer: TBD Secretary: Kanthi Jayawickrema Bureau Support Delegations Support AssessmentAnalysisNationalRegionalMajor Groups Media & Outreach LogisticsFundraising TL (P5): TL1 (P5): TL2: TBD TL (P5): TL (P5/4):TL (P5): Secretary (G5) P4 P3 P4 P3 P4 P3 P4 P3 P4 P3 P4 P3 P4 P3 P4 P3 P4 P3 P4 P3

What Can the UN System Do? UNCSD Dedicated Secretariat: Synthesize and coordinate UN System input All Entities: Provide technical inputs, assess lessons from experience, link with outcomes of their inter-governmental process, support national preparations, involve stakeholders RCs: Organize regional consultations in order to provide coordinated inputs Coordination Forums: Channel inter-agency coordination to develop concrete initiatives

A A Global PopulationB % With High HDIC Use of Sources/ Sinks Cumulative Impact O A C O O B P What is at Stake?

Stylized Facts of Development Examples of “Developing to Developed”: Japan, Mediterranean/ Scandinavian, NICS, and BRICS Drivers: – Industry: productivity/ sectoral growth, linkages – Energy: Contribution to growth, HD, SD – Trade: scale economy, incentives, transparency – Technology: Especially ICTs, Renewable Energy Challenges: – Social inequity, jobless growth, rural poverty – Environmental degradation, pollution, climate – Agricultural (even if not driver), food security

Poverty Pollution Global Limits

Role of Energy The Modern Industrial Age was based on a Big Push of Investment in Fossil Energy Sustainable Development may require a Big Push on Renewable Energy: – Bring about a rapid reduction in unit costs of RE – Enable poor countries and poor households to access modern energy services – Deploy energy to relieve pressure on renewable as well as non-renewable natural resources

LOW MIDDLE HIGH

From a Race Between Growth and Catastrophe … We cannot live without growth (Rich and Poor) – Welfare: Full employment, social services – Development: end to permanent global inequality – Peace, security, democracy, and human rights We cannot live long with current growth pattern contemporary history has become a race between growth and catastrophe

…Integration, yet dissonance Does SD include the Environment or is it a subset of Environment? Is SD responsibility of MoE or of all ministries and agencies? Economic and fiscal decisions unrelated Who will coordinate?

Three Complementary Strategies Strategies Win the Race! – Accelerate development and/or poverty efforts: food, water, health, etc Bend the Curve! – Internalize Externalities: taxes, subsidies, prices and valuation Build a New Path – Technology (green energy revolution, ICTs) – Infrastructure Debates Is there time? Growth vs poverty. More MDGs or ambitious MDG+s. Scaling up, challenges/ risks, development, other actions. What are the new drivers (leading sector)? What investments?

Green Economy Perspectives 4. GE as Transition 2. GE as Good Practice SCP, Integrated Strategies, CSR, TBL, disclosure 3. GE as Good Policies Prices, taxes, subsidies, public investment, education, R&D 1. GE as Economic Sector Forests, land, water, biodiversity, energy, sanitation 5. GE as Destination Practices universalized Policies mainstreamed Incentive compatibility ensured Economic structure supportive

Green Economy, Mark : Blueprint: “Economic underpinnings of SD and WCED. (a) non-declining wealth; (b) Internalize externalities; (b) assessment, valuation, discounting 2008: Crises/ Stimulus: GGND, GEI, Green Jobs, EMG, Success Stories. Mostly similar to Blueprint

Concerns and Criticisms Prepcom 1: Confusion over ambiguity – Request to DESA, UNEP and other relevant organizations prepare a study to assess the benefits, challenges, and risks associated with a green economy transition. Concerns on top down approach (1) privatization of nature, (2) protectionism, (3) conditionality, (3) straightjacket, (4) loss of competitiveness, (5) linkage with growth, (6) linkage with poverty Emerging consensus over bottom up approach: Green Economy as “Optimal National Strategy”

GE Mark 2: The KE Analogy Conceptual: Abstract concept, implementable vision, or just a new name? Scope: Economic paradigm or broader social vision? Elements: How related to other concepts? Rules/ Principles: How different from traditional ones? Relevance: All countries or only some? Regional? Action: How implemented? How to guide our actions? GE Mark 2: Instead of concept/ vision, seen as description of a central reality: Shift from industrial era to a new global economy—and a new calculus of profitability. What is the optimal growth strategy now? Will pioneers benefit? Will others follow?

Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development Scope: Environmental governance versus Sustainable Development institutional framework Challenge: Horizontal versus vertical coordination UNEP: Enhanced Role, relation to MEAs, other agencies and programmes, mechanisms CSD: Review Structure, Relation to GA, ECOSOC Other coordination mechanisms National: NSDCs? NSDS (vs PRSP, 5-yr Plans, others) Regional: Role, relationship to other processes

Make the old model obsolete Only One Earth Less Taste for Destruction Poverty!It adds up Here’s to the crazy ones! Spaceship Earth