A Green Economy in the Context of Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication; Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development; and Establishing an International Specialized Institution for Environment Key issues and recommendation arising from the Expert Segment of the Africa Regional Preparatory Conference for Rio+20 Dr. Charles Mutai, Kenya 24 October 2011

Introduction Experts deliberations on these issues were informed by presentation on the same drawn from reports tabled before the experts 2

1. A Green Economy in the Context of Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication 3

Green Economy (GE) presentation: Defined GE as one that results in increased human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities It explored how the GE can contribute to sustainable development; Outlined how a GE can contribute to sustainable development and poverty eradication in Africa; Presented the pathways to the GE in Africa, the necessary regulatory environment; Outlined Africa success stories and which could be scaled up in the context of GE, these include: South Africa – Green economy plan Egypt– Wind energy development Kenya – Ecosystem restoration Uganda – Sustainable agriculture Namibia – Income from protected areas Ghana – Reforming fossil fuel subsidies 4

Key policy messages from GE presentation Government regulations and standards will be needed to provide the overall policy framework to encourage a transition to a green economy; African nations are recipients of technology in many areas, therefore effective international cooperation is a critical enabling factor; African nations will clearly need additional financing, through internal and external public and private investments; There is no comprehensive assessment of the costs of a green economy transition for Africa. Recent estimates of the cost of putting Africa on a low ‐ carbon growth pathway are about US$9– 12 billion per year by 2015 while the incremental cost of adaptation in Africa is estimated between US$13 – US$19 billion, if proper actions are not taken now (AfDB, 2011). 5

GE Key issues and recommendations Green economy is still a new concept that required solid principles and policy space; Social equity issues related to green growth need to addressed; Issues relating to gender and vulnerable groups including children and people with disabilities should be dealt with; The roles of various sectors in the transition to a green economy should be identified and clearly defined; Need to carefully reconsider implications of Africa’s transition to green economy; The United Nations 10-year Framework on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) should form the basis for the transition to green economy. 6

2. Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development (IFSD) 7

IFSD presentation: Highlighted institutions at regional, sub-regional and national levels. These include: AU organs (such as AUC, specialized technical committees, NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency); African Development Bank; Sub-regional Economic Communities; National Councils for Sustainable Development and other national institutions; UN agencies with a special focus on the regional entities –UNECA, UNDP, UNEP. Outlined the roles, achievements and challenges of these institutions in fostering sustainable development; Highlighted key strategic frameworks at the various levels in the context of promoting the balanced integration of the social, economic and environmental dimensions; Addressed the need for good sustainable development Governance at all levels. 8

IFSD conclusion and recommendations /1 Africa has responded to the need for a balanced integration of the three pillars of sustainable development with varying degrees of success; To a large extent, multi-stakeholder participation has been promoted and institutional and programmatic linkages established; The common problem across all levels is the difficulty of balanced integration of the social, economic and environmental pillars of sustainable development in planning, budgeting and implementation of projects and programmes; Limited financing is a persistent constraint in the integration of the three pillars in a balanced manner in the development plans and programmes at the subregional, national and local levels; At the regional level, governance should be strengthened by leveraging upon the comparative advantages of existing institutions to ensure effective vertical linkages; 9

IFSD conclusion and recommendations /2 African governments should demonstrate ownership by budgeting for and exploring alternative sources of funding for NEPAD programmes; AfDB should increase funding and capacity building support for sustainable development; The leading role of the UN Regional Commissions in coordinating regional and subregional activities towards sustainable development, in accordance with chapter 38 of Agenda 21, must be preserved and strengthened to foster balanced integration; UNEP’s Regional Offices should be further strengthened to support the growing number of regional-based intergovernmental plans of actions; Countries should be supported to develop and implement National Strategies for Sustainable Development or other integrated strategies; AUC should also scale up its coordination function, establish effective outreach and communication channels with the RECs; 10

IFSD Conclusion and Recommendations / 3 Finance, Planning and Environment Ministries should provide leadership in planning, integration and implementation of sustainable development at the national level; Governance reform had to take into account the global dimension and international cooperation within the framework of Agenda 21; Important to ensure that Africa’s economic growth was not achieved at the expense of social inequality; Rio+20 should reactivate and reinvigorate the National Councils for Sustainable Development, to follow up UNCSD

3. International Environmental Governance (IEG) [Establishing an International Specialized Institution for Environment] 12

Presentation: Highlighted that current institutional structures do not address Africa’s needs in matters of the environment and sustainable development. Recalled the Malabo Decision where the African Heads of State and Government decided to “take into consideration the need to strengthen, consolidate and transform UNEP into an international specialized institution for the environment based in Nairobi, Kenya.” Also recalled the outcome of 4th Special Session of AMCEN where African Environment Ministers affirmed that any such specialized institution, whatever its form, should comply with the [9] characteristics specified in the outcome document. Outlined the two routes to a “strengthened, consolidated and transformed UNEP”  As a specialized Environment Institution  As a Subsidiary Organ of the UN General Assembly 13

Key Issues and Recommendations There should be equal emphasis on all the three pillars of sustainable development: environmental, economic and social; However, environment pillar being the weakest of the three not only in Africa but also globally needed to be strengthened 14

Thank You 15