Rio+20 and Regional Follow up Aneta Nikolova, D. ENG Environment and Development Division, ESCAP
Rio+20 highlights - SG Ban Ki Moon* Rio+20 was a success. It was an important victory for multilateralism after months of difficult negotiations. We saw the further evolution of an undeniable global movement for change. The world is watching and will hold us all accountable to the commitments made in Rio. It was not an end, but a new beginning a milestone on an essential journey. *Remarks made to the General Assembly, 28 June 2012
Outcome document highlights - SG Ban Ki Moon* Provides a firm foundation to build on, so that all of us can move toward the greater sustainability. Renewed and strengthened political commitment to sustainable development. Member States agreed to launch a process to establish universal sustainable development goals that will be an integral part of the post- 2015 development framework. Emphasizes the importance of gender equality and women s empowerment Emphasizes the importance of partnerships. Agreement to strengthen the architecture to support international actions for sustainable development. Adopted a ten-year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production. Recognized the right to food and the importance of food and nutrition security for all. It acknowledged that these can be achieved through sustainable agriculture and food systems. *Remarks made to the General Assembly, 28 June 2012
General Overview of Rio+20 Outcomes More than 120 political leaders attended the Rio+20 Summit; More than 50,000 participants government officials, civil society, private sector; The Future We Want adopted outcome document; 26 sectoral issues in the document; 719 voluntary commitments pledged; Decision to develop SDGs as a post-2015 development agenda SG forms an Expert Group including 3 Presidents to follow up on the Rio+20 commitments Recognition of the role of UN RCs in promotion of SD, new mandates for UN RCs to follow up on SD and green economy implementation, as well as for SDGs development (paras 68, 100, 185, 251)
Key Substantive Outcomes Recognition of the green economy as one of the important tools for achieving sustainable development ; Agreement to launch an inter-governmental process for the development of SDGs; Recognition of the significant role of UN Regional Commissions in promoting a balanced integration of the three dimensions of SD Adoption of 10 YFP on SCP Welcomed the cross-regional initiative Green Bridge Partnership SG s Initiative on Sustainable Energy for all was joined by 100 organizations, more than 50 countries, 50 billion USD;
Key Institutional Outcomes SD: High-Level Political Forum to replace the CSD; SDG: Open Working Group (30 representatives nominated by MS from five regional groups) - prepare report on SDGs to 68 session of GA, * High level panel for post MDGs (co-chairs): Indonesia, UK, Liberia * SG s Inter-agency UN Technical Support Team Intergovernmental Committee on Finance (30 experts nominated by regional groups) to report by 2014; Facilitation Mechanism to promote the development, transfer, and dissemination of clean and environmentally sound technologies;
Means of Implementation Finance: Need to mobilize resources; to establish intergovernmental process under the UN GA with technical support from UN system (para 254-255); Establish an intergovernmental committee 30 experts nominated by regional groupings, equitable geographic representation, to conclude work by 2014 (para 256) Role of IFIs, Breton Woods Institutions and private sector Technology: technology transfer to developing countries, provisions on technology transfer, finance, access to information and intellectual property rights as agreed in the JPOI (para 269); UN SG to identify options for a facilitation mechanism that promotes the development, transfer, and dissemination of clean and ESTs and make recommendations to the 67 th session of the GA (para 273);
Means of Implementation Capacity Building: Role of UN System enhance knowledge; develop capacity, sharing sustainable practices, North-South and South-South and triangular cooperation, promoting public-private partnerships (para 277-280) Trade: Trade an engine for development and sustained economic growth, focus on removing trade distorting subsidies and promotion of trade of environmental goods and services, role of WTO (para 281-282); Commitments - 719 commitments registered so far
The Future We Want the role of Regional Commissions Recognizes the central role of the UN for advancing the SD agenda Recognizes the significant role of UN RCs - in promoting an integrated and balanced approach to sustainable development (para 100) Invites the UN system to provide support for the implementation of green economy (para 66) and for coordinated regional actions (para 185) Invites UN RCs among others to support developing countries to achieve SD through green economy policies (para 68) and in the process of SDGs development (para 251)
ESCAP Overview Regional arm of UN in AP and AP Parliament for norm setting on economic/social development ESCAP s Green Growth initiatives: 2005, Green Growth declaration 2010, Astana Green Bridge Initiative Established in 1947, 62 Member States Largest of 5 UN regional commissions The first Parliament of Asia 5 sub-regions: North-East Asia, South-East Asia, South Asia, Central Asia and the Pacific Longest track record of any institution in identifying and analyzing economic and social trends in Asia and the Pacific Established the Asian Development Bank (ADB) (1966), Typhoon Committee(1968), the Mekong River Commission (1995),
Astana Green Bridge Initiative and Green Bridge Partnership Programme from MCED 6 to Rio+20 ECE, Geneva 2012 Astana, Kazakhstan 2011 2010 ESCAP, Bangkok RIO+20, Brazil 2013 11
ESCAP Follow Up Secretariat is focusing on supporting and serving requests from member states in effective follow up and implementation of Rio+20 Outcome Document.
Environment and Development Policy Policy-oriented analytical work Low Carbon Green Growth Roadmap Development of decision support toolkits on quality of growth economic modeling, GG Indicators E-learning facility on green growth backed up by national learning centers Seoul Initiative Network on green Growth (SINGG) Policy consultation forums Leadership programme Technical and financial support to pilot projects
Quality of growth Gap between what conventional economic development strategies can address & changing economic realities >>> shift from quantity to quality of growth Turning the vicious cycle of exploitation of human & natural capital into a virtuous cycle based on investment Short term perspectives >>> long-term perspectives (closing time & price gaps) Tradeoffs >> synergies between social, environmental & economic dimensions
Energy security and the sustainable use of energy Common challenge to establish linkages to SD goals Options for Integrating energy for SD Integrate energy into overall national development policy Integrate the 3 pillars into energy sector policy Secretariat efforts to promote regional cooperation on energy security APEF 2013 outcomes SE4ALL Widening access to energy services by 5P S-S cooperation for improving affordability of sustainable energy options GEE21 (economic instrument to improve EE) & database on EE policy
Water resources and sanitation Overarching, holistic and integrated water resources management is vital to Manage, connect, prioritize and optimize all water related sector, issues and challenges Enhance the management of water insecurity and all water challenges. Implementing the Commission Session Resolution 69/8 The Committee may want to give additional directive as to the implementation of Resolution 69/8 Joint sanitation project with UN Habitat to strengthen the capacity of policymakers in promoting policies and developing plans for improving wastewater treatment and re-use in SEA ESCAP is a member of UN-Water provides it an in depth understanding on issues related to global water challenges in turn provide ESCAP the support and network in developing capacity needs for the region
Sustainable Urban Development The secretariat is promoting inclusive and sustainable urban development through its operational and analytical work Technical assistance and regional knowledge sharing on key issues, including: Pro-poor and sustainable solid waste management, Community-based integrated water supply and wastewater treatment Pro-poor eco-settlements and alternative building materials Analytical and normative work: State of Asia-Pacific Cities Report 2014 Quick Guide for Policy Makers on Pro-Poor Urban Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Municipal governance and urban infrastructure development in Central Asia Analytical work on current practices of eco-city planning in the region
Outcomes of key regional dialogues
Asian and Pacific Energy Forum (APEF) Afghanistan Fiji Kyrgyzstan Nepal Sri Lanka Armenia India Lao PDR Pakistan Tajikistan Bangladesh Indonesia Maldives Palau Tonga Bhutan Iran Marshall Islands Philippines Tuvalu Cambodia Japan Myanmar South Korea USA China Kazakhstan Mongolia Russian Federation Vanuatu DPRK Kiribati Nauru Samoa Viet Nam
Outcomes of APEF I. Ministerial declaration on regional cooperation for enhanced energy security and the sustainable use of energy in Asia and the Pacific II. Plan of Action on regional cooperation for enhanced energy security and the sustainable use of energy in Asia and the Pacific, 2014-2018
Asian and Pacific Regional Implementation Meeting on Rio+20 Outcomes Convened by ESCAP in collaboration with UNEP and ADB in Bangkok from 22 to 24 April 2013 Need for a sustainable and equitable development agenda and urgent attention to poverty reduction were emphasized Support was expressed for a unified development agenda with a development agenda beyond 2015 centered on SD at its care Role of ESCAP as regional platform in promoting sustainable development was recognized A report (E/CN.17/2013/3/Add.1) with a Chair s summary was adopted
Second Asia-Pacific Water Summit - 2APWS 19-20 May 2013, Chiang Mai Thailand Hosted by the Thai Government and co-organized by APWF (Asia Pacific Water Forum) with the theme Water Security and Water-related Disaster Challenges: Leadership and Commitment. 2APWS provided the platform for Asia Pacific leaders to network and discussed on issues and challenges of and from water ESCAP is an inaugural member of APWF, launched in Mexico at the 4WWF in 2006, together with JWF (Japan Water Forum) and ADB A total of 10 Heads of States (HoS), including Thailand addressed the Leaders Forum. HoS from Tajikistan addressed the 2APWS on 19 May 2013 The outcome document, the Chiang Mai Declaration, acknowledged the importance of water resources management for human security, environment and economy Specific recommendations were outlined, which included prioritizing in national agendas: integrated water resources management (IWRM), water and sanitation, disaster risk reduction, post 2015 development agenda, enhancing regional and international cooperation and improving water efficiencies in agriculture
Asia-Pacific Ministerial Dialogue: From the Millennium Development Goals to the United Nations Development Agenda beyond 2015 Convened by Government of Thailand from 26-28 Aug, 2013 in Bangkok with support from ESCAP based on commission resolution 69/4 First regional ministerial-level event to discuss the post- 2015 development agenda following the release of the report of SG s High Level Panel of Eminent Persons on Post 2015 Development Agenda Collectively explored and identified the challenges in the region to be addressed by development agenda beyond 2015 Bangkok Declaration of the Asia-Pacific region on the United Nations Development Agenda beyond 2015 was adopted
Meeting of stakeholders of the Green Bridge Partnership Programme The Green Bridge Conference 2013 was organized by Government of Kazakhstan from 30 Sept to 1 Oct, 2013 in Astana, Kazakhstan with support from ESCAP based on commission resolution 69/9 First stakeholder meeting of Green Bridge Partnership Programme ( Future We Want para 102), interregional initiative for sustainable development Charter of the Green Bridge Partnership Program was signed by 8 Governments: Kazakhstan, Russian Federation, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Mongolia, Georgia, Germany, and Montenegro.
Regional agenda-setting for sustainable development
Regional agenda-setting for sustainable development Regional processes to contribute to HLPF GA launched a new HLPF process. Following an inaugural session in September 2013, Annual HLPF session will be convened under the auspices of the ECOSOC and would benefit from regional preparatory processes. The next meeting will take place in July 2014 GA decided that HLPF Annual Session invites regional commissions to contribute to the work of the forum, including through annual regional /subregional meetings The regional meeting should be inclusive/transparent and open for Majors Group and Other stakeholders, as well as other UN agencies. The First Asia Pacific Meeting for HLPF will be held in the first Quarter of 2014. The modality / timing / organizational details should be consulted with member states.
Regional agenda-setting for sustainable development Regional processes in support of 10YFP on SCP Outcomes of the Regional Meeting on the 10 th YFP on SCP to be brought to the attention of participants at the regional HLPF Reviving old mandates joint ESCAP-UNEP Regional Helpdesk on SCP Policy dialogues and forums focused on the economic modeling for SCP and SD; on financing and technology transfer Development of GGI/SCP indicators merging ESCAP and SCP framework Environmental satellite accounts and SEEA framework implementation
Thank you! For more information refer to: www.unescap.org/esd Contact e-mail: nikolova@un.org