Sustainable development and RIO+20 process

1. Sustainable development and RIO+20 process Tomislav Tomašević

2. Conceptofsustainabledevelopment - genesis • 1945. • 1971. • 1972. • 1987. • 1992. • 2002. • 2012. - UN - Rome Club - UNCHE in Stockholm - WCED/ Brundtland Commission - Earth Summit / UNCED in Rio - WSSD / Rio+10 in Johannesburg - UNCSD / Rio+20 in Rio

3. Stockholm Conference • UN Conference on the Human Environment, 1972 • Environment among UN priorities, but development needed to improve environmental protection • Representatives of 113 countries, • World leaders attending – Olof Palme, Indira Gandhi • UNEP established

4. Brutland Commission • World Commission on Environment and Development, formed in 1983, 21 members – Janez Stanovnik • 1987 – Our Common Future • Defined sustainable development

5. Definitionofsustainabledevelopment Brutland Commission: “Concept of development that satisfies or meets the needs of present generations without compromising the needs of future generations to meet their needs”

6. 3 pillars of sustainable development So Ec En

8. Nested system of sustainable development So Ec En

9. Earth Summit (1992) • UNCED – United Nations Conference on Environment and Development – Earth Summit, 1992 Rio de Janeiro • 179 countries delegations, 80 world leaders • Global NGO Forum - 4 000 (10000 in total)

10. Earth Summit (1992) - results • Agenda 21 (40 chapters) • Rio Declaration (27 principles) • UNFCCC (154 countriessigned) • UNCBD (168 countriessigned) • UNCCD (1994 completed) • Forrest Management Principles (15) • GEF + Capacity 21 • UNCSD

11. UN WSSD • UN World Summit on Sustainable Development, Rio+10, Johannesburg • 100 heads of state and government • Probably around 60 000 participants in total • 2 new targets on biodiversity loss and marine protected areas

12. Rio+20 • 13 -22 June 2012, Rio de Janeiro • 57 Heads of State and 31 Heads of Government • Estimates of 350,000 participants in Peoples Summit

14. Future wewant – thebad • the term "economic growth" appears 20 times, "environmental protection" only 3 times and there is no single mention of any "limits" in the document • “We encourage existing and new partnerships, including public-private partnerships, to mobilize public financing complemented by the private sector, taking into account the interests of local and indigenous communities when appropriate” (UN, 2012, 13). • Taken out from Future we want "ensuring universal, equitable and affordable access to sustainable energy services to all by the next decade" (UN, 2012, 81 • Taken out from Future we want "international financial transaction tax whose proceeds might contribute to a fund for green jobs and green technology" (UN, 2012, 85)

15. Future wewant – thegood • governments "acknowledge" the role of cooperatives and microenterprises in contributing to social inclusion and poverty reduction (UN, 2012, 13) • "there is no one-size-fits-all formula that will guarantee development effectiveness" (UN, 2012, 48). • “intrinsic value of biological diversity” (UN, 2012, 37)

16. Future wewant – energy • Access to sustinable energy contributes to poverty alleviation (para 125) • Need to mobilize financing for access to sustinable energy for the poor (para 126) • Using appropriate energy mix to meet development needs (para 127) • Priority on energy efficiency and renewable sources of energy (para 128) • “Sustainable energy to all” UN SG initiative (para 129)

17. Rio+20 - conclusions • No new targets • Good is 10-year programme of SCP and seeking alternatives to GDP indicator • Climate change avoided • Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies left out • Green economy concept which was heavily influenced by neoliberal paradigm rejected • UNEP strengthened • Sustainable Development Goals to be adopted by 2015