Sustainable development and RIO+20 process

Tomislav Tomašević

Concept of sustainable development - genesis

1945. 1971. 1972. 1987. 1992. 2002. 2012.

- UN

- UNCSD / Rio+20 in Rio

- WSSD / Rio+10 in Johannesburg

- Earth Summit / UNCED in Rio- WCED/ Brundtland Commission

- UNCHE in Stockholm

- Rome Club

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

Brutland Commission

World Commission on Environment and Development, formed in 1983, 21 members – Janez Stanovnik

1987 – Our Common Future Defined sustainable development

Definition of sustainable development

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”

3 pillars of sustainable development

So Ec En

En So Ec

Nested system of sustainable development

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)

Earth Summit (1992) - results

Agenda 21 (40 chapters) Rio Declaration (27 principles) UNFCCC (154 countries signed) UNCBD (168 countries signed) UNCCD (1994 completed) Forrest Management Principles

(15) GEF + Capacity 21 UNCSD

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

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

Future we want – the bad 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)

Future we want – the good 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)

Future we want – 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)

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