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USTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION ADOPTS POLICY OPTIONS, ‘SHARED VISION’ DOCUMENT
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May 26th, 2009 - 13:07:04 |
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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION ADOPTS POLICY OPTIONS, ‘SHARED VISION’ DOCUMENT
STRESSING URGENT NEED FOR BOLD, DETERMINED, INNOVATIVE RESPONSE TO WORLD CRISES
Chair Says Consensus Caps ‘Two Tough, Remarkable’ Weeks of Work;
Delegations Have ‘Planted the Seeds for a Green Revolution to Become a Reality’
(Issued on 18 May 2009.)
Convinced of the
urgent need for a “bold, determined and innovative response” to the
serious parallel crises affecting the world today, the Commission on
Sustainable Development concluded its seventeenth session this evening,
adopting a set of policy options to speed up agricultural development,
along with practical measures to address drought, desertification, land
use, rural development and lasting development in Africa.
“The dream has come
true! We have found consensus and adopted a final outcome document and
finalized a ‘Shared vision’ –- two documents [that] can set the scene
for change,” said Gerda Verburg, Chairperson of the Commission and the
Netherlands’ Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, who
prepared both texts. In her closing remarks, she said the Commission,
which had been meeting in New York since 5 May, had just completed “two
tough, remarkable” weeks of work.
While it had been
vital for the 53-member body to adopt a set of policy options on its
priority themes -– agriculture, rural development, land, drought,
desertification, and Africa –- which would help drive action on the
ground, she was certain that the energy and dedication shown by
delegations throughout the session would make sustainable agriculture
and rural development a reality on the ground.
Indeed, she said,
Commission delegations had placed agriculture and rural development at
the heart of the sustainable development agenda. By approving the
policy document they had also acknowledged the notion that a paradigm
shift was required to ensure lasting development for all. Now,
delegations and other relevant stakeholders must evince the
credibility, cooperation and commitment to guide implementation of the
decisions they had taken tonight. That would take dedicated
leadership, and “there is no time to waste,” she said, adding:
“Tonight, you have planted the seeds for a green revolution to become a
reality.”
Among other things,
the Commission expressed its deep concern at the impact of the current
financial crisis and global economic downturn and that developing
countries and transition economies risked suffering serious setbacks to
their development objectives, including achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals. Delegations pledged to that end their determination
to craft a response “that protected development gains of past decades
and which accelerated progress towards lasting development for all.”
Emphasizing the urgent
need to increase food security and agricultural development, the
Commission stressed that agriculture lay at the centre of sustainable
development and farmers must be at the heart of a global “green
revolution”. Governments and other relevant stakeholders must,
therefore, mobilize the political will to revitalize agricultural
sectors in developing countries. To that end, delegations called for
enhancing agricultural production, productivity, and sustainability,
through, among other ways, employing science-based approaches and local
indigenous knowledge; expanding investment incentives, in particular
for small farmers; and encouraging and supporting safe integrated pest
management.
On rural development,
the Commission noted that rural communities in developing countries
still faced challenges regarding access to basic services and economic
opportunities. Investments in environmental protection,
infrastructure, and health and education were critical to sustainable
rural development and could enhance national well-being. Therefore,
success depended on developing and implementing comprehensive
strategies that addressed climate change, drought, desertification, and
natural disasters. Delegations pledged to promote equitable access to
land, water and technologies by rural women, indigenous people and
other vulnerable groups; strengthen the human capacities of rural
people, by, among other ways, training and increasing the number of
health professionals and educators in rural communities, and
stimulating the creation of new jobs.
By the text, the
Commission underlined the crucial role land played in achieving poverty
eradication, food security and sustainable development, and the
multiple benefits of sustainable land management, such as, among other
things, providing ecosystems services, sequestering carbon and
contributing to climate regulation. Actions were thus needed to
promote sustainable and integrated land use planning and management
practices; reduce land degradation and rehabilitate degraded land;
promote policies to manage water and land resources in an integrated
manner; and promote equitable access to land and clear and secure land
tenure, in particular for women, indigenous peoples and other
vulnerable groups.
Noting that drought
continued to threaten the livelihoods of millions of people as well as
the heightened drought risk posed by climate change, the Commission
called for action aimed at creating a robust enabling environment for
drought preparedness and mitigation, strengthening the knowledge-base
and information-sharing on drought, water stress and drought risk
management, and enhancing the resilience of communities to drought.
This required, among other measures, the mobilization of funding for
research and development of drought-tolerant seed varieties, the
promotion of technical solutions and practices in combination with
traditional knowledge for drought forecasting, impact assessment, and
early warning systems.
Emphasizing the need
for a global response to the global problems of desertification and
land degradation through concerted efforts recognized by the United
Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, the Commission called for
actions to strengthen the institutional framework for policy
implementation and to take practical measures in those efforts. It
called on Governments to use the Global Environment Facility (GEF),
among other multilateral organizations, to integrate desertification
and land degradation into national sustainable development plans.
Further actions were needed to promote scientific research on
desertification and drought, strengthen existing disaster management
capacities, and encourage developed countries to provide, in the fifth
replenishment of the GEF, adequate, timely and predictable financing
for those efforts.
Underlining strong
economic performance in Africa as a necessary enabling environment for
sustainable development, the Commission called for a green revolution
on the continent to help boost agricultural productivity and food
security in ways that supported ecosystem functions. To this end,
action was required at local, national and global levels to revitalize
agriculture as a basis for rural development and integrate African
farmers and local entrepreneurs into agricultural supply chains.
Further steps were needed to promote an environment conducive to
sustainable development, ensure Africa’s integration into world trade
and continue the reduction of its debt burden. Development aid to the
continent should be increased, as should domestic and foreign
investment. Action was also needed to improve income distribution and
promote social development, especially of rural communities and women,
and to promote, enable and support climate change adaptation mechanisms.
Among the follow-up
measures included in the text, Commission delegations called on Member
States to strengthen the capacities of the Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development
(IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP), within their mandates, to
provide increased assistance to developing countries, especially
Africa, on sustainable agriculture and rural development and food
security. The Commission also decided to devote, in 2012 and 2016, and
without prejudice to its organization of work, a separate segment at
its review sessions to monitor and follow-up implementation of its
decisions on Africa taken at its current session.
Earlier in the day,
Ms. Verburg presented a wide-ranging summary statement on the future of
sustainable development –- her “Shared vision” -- compiled from the
discussions held among the various delegations participating in the
session. It touched on the Commission’s priority themes and recognized
that today’s multifaceted challenges, from climate change to food
insecurity and economic recession, required an integrated response.
The response must address short-term emergencies while developing
long-term strategies within the sustainable development framework. She
encouraged delegations to comment on the text, which would have the
status of a “Chair’s Summary.”
“Nothing less is
needed than a revolution in ideas and a revolution in technologies,
supported by a revolution in trade policies and market access and the
financial means to implement,” she said, underscoring the urgency and
sense of cooperation that Ministers had exhibited to bring about a
paradigm shift and realize a truly sustainable green revolution that
would reverse widespread trends of declining agricultural productivity
and incomes. The Commission had, thus, underlined the centrality of
agriculture, as understood in a broad sense to include husbandry,
agroforestry and mixed systems, to sustainable development.
The shared vision
formed by delegations revealed that sustainable farms, food, feed,
fuel, and funds were all needed to chart a sustainable path to the
future. But, she said, the most important ingredients in the recipe
are farmers, especially women farmers, and rural communities, whose
empowerment is the key to poverty eradication and to sustainable
development. With the world on the cusp of a potential agricultural
and rural revival, it was her hope that delegations would all be guided
in their endeavours towards sustainable development “by a shared vision
–- one of shared well-being for all people and of common stewardship of
this planet which we all share and which sustains us”.
Turning to other
business, the Commission adopted a resolution on “preparations for the
high-level meeting to review progress made in addressing the
vulnerabilities of small island developing States through the
implementation of the Mauritius Strategy for Implementation” (document
E/CN.17/2009/L.3). By that text, introduced earlier by the
representative of Grenada on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island
States (AOSIS), the Commission decided to use the Small Island
Developing States Day at its eighteenth session as a preparatory
committee meeting for the high-level review.
Also today, the
co-Chairpersons of the parallel interactive round tables that took
place during the Commission’s High-Level segment presented summaries of
those discussions. Oliver Dulić, Minister of Environment and Spatial
Planning of Serbia, and Alexander Müller, Assistant Director-General of
the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), provided their summaries
of the panel on “Responding to the food crisis through sustainable
development”. (Please see Press Release ENV/DEV/1048.)
Netumbo
Nandi-Ndaitwah, Minister of Environment and Tourism of Namibia, and
Matthew Wyatt, Assistant President, External Affairs, International
Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), summed up the round table on
“Realizing a sustainable green revolution in Africa”; Louis Alberto
Ferrate, Minister of Environment and Natural resources of Guatemala,
and His Royal Highness Willem Alexander, Prince of Orange, in his
capacity as Chairman of the Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Water
and Sanitation, provided their summaries of the round table on
“Integrated management of land and resources for sustainable
agriculture and rural development”. (Please see Press Release ENV/DEV/1050.)
Next, a representative
of farmers’ organizations presented a brief summary of a dialogue held
between the major civil society groups and heads of United Nations
agencies and programmes on “implementing sustainable development”. A
representative of scientific and technological organizations next
provided a summary of a round table held on the same topic, but which
included among its participants representatives of the international
policy research community.
Before
wrapping up its work, the Commission also approved the provisional
agenda for its eighteenth session (E/CN.17/2009/L.4). According to the
agenda, the thematic cluster for the implementation cycle 2010-2011
review session would include matters related to transport; chemicals;
waste management; and mining. Delegations also decided that the
eighteenth session would be held from 3 to 14 May 2010. In 2011, the
Commission’s Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting would be held from
21 to 25 February, while its nineteenth policy session would take place
from 2 to 13 May.
The Commission also
took note of the draft programme of work for the biennium 2010-2011 for
the Division for Sustainable Development (A/CN.17/2009/11). Finally,
the Commission adopted the draft report of its current session
(E/CN.17/2009/L.2), introduced by its Rapporteur, Tania Valerie Raguz (
Croatia).
According to its
tradition, the Commission briefly opened its eighteenth session to
elect the Chairperson and Bureau that would guide its work for 2010.
Alberto Ferrate, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources of
Guatemala was elected to Chair the Commission, and Hilario Davide (
Philippines) and Mohamed Alahraf ( Libya) were elected as two of its
four Vice-Chairs. The remaining Vice-Chairpersons, from the Group of
Eastern European States and the Group of Western European and Other
States, will be elected at a later date.
Background
The Commission on
Sustainable Development met this morning to conclude the high-level
segment of its seventeenth session, focusing on the priority themes:
agriculture, rural development, land, drought, desertification and
Africa. Today’s programme is expected to include summary presentations
on the session’s parallel interactive round tables and its ministerial
dialogues, presentation of the Chairperson’s summary “Shared vision”,
and action on the session’s final report. Action was also expected on
a draft text entitled “Preparations for the high-level meeting to
review progress made in addressing the vulnerabilities of small island
developing States through the implementation of the Mauritius Strategy
for Implementation” (document E/CN.17/2009/L.3).
For more information, please see press release ENV/DEV/1041 of 4 May 2009.
Presentation of the Chairperson’s “Shared vision” summary
Presenting her summary, Commission Chairperson GERDA VERBURG, Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality of the Netherlands,
said the various delegations to the current session had presented a
shared vision on the future of sustainable development across the
priority themes of agriculture, rural development, land, drought,
desertification and Africa. That vision recognized that the multiple
challenges the world was facing –- among them, climate change,
ecosystem degradation, food insecurity, financial meltdown and economic
recession –- required an integrated response. That response needed to
address short-term emergencies, while developing long-term strategies
within the sustainable development framework.
She stressed that, to
feed a growing population adequately and improve nutrition under
conditions of growing water scarcity, climate change, soil depletion
and ecosystem degradation, business as usual would not suffice.
Indeed, a revolutionary paradigm shift was required. In that, the
Commission had recognized the centrality of agriculture to sustainable
development. Indeed, farmers were central in building a resilient and
sustainable agricultural sector. The Commission had also reiterated
the importance of sharing experiences, innovative technologies,
training and education frameworks, and other agricultural practices.
It had further stressed the need for increased investment in the
agricultural sector and rural infrastructure; the challenge of biofuel
production; the need for a successful conclusion of the Doha Round of
trade negotiations, particularly in its development dimensions; and the
role of integrated water and land resource management in achieving
sustainable development and food security.
As
delegations prepared to return home, they had the daunting task of
discussing those issues and implementing the agreed measures. She
hoped that they would all be guided by a shared vision of the
well-being of all people and a common stewardship of the planet, which
all humanity shared and which sustained it.
Following the presentation, Ms. Verburg opened the floor for comments.
The representative of the United States
appreciated the Chair’s text, but believed that it should have included
more emphasis on ways to manage the long-term ecological potential of
land; ensuring that research was carried out in tandem with, and
responsive to, the needs of farmers; and improved opportunities for
organic agriculture in the African Green revolution, such as organic
pest management. He also said that the document should include some
mention of the Global Bioenergy Partnership, which many delegations
during discussions had mentioned as a key actor in the field.
The representative of the Czech Republic,
speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the discussions had been
well-structured and had provided helpful information. He highlighted
key issues of importance for his delegation, including agricultural
development and climate change, and stressed that the shared vision
provided “very good guidelines for responsible people and responsible
States”.
Guyana’s
representative said that, while there was some mention in the Chair’s
“Shared vision” of the impacts of climate change, the text should more
strongly demand tackling the phenomenon in all its aspects, especially
to help developing countries and small island developing States
strengthen mitigation measures. He also wondered why there was no
mention of the Barbados Programme of Action, which had this year turned
fifteen, but which still needed reinforced political will if it was to
be fully implemented. He also called for more emphasis on
trade-related issues.
The representative of Lebanon
said rural development and the challenges facing rural farmers were
repeatedly raised during the Commission’s discussions, but had not been
adequately highlighted in the Chairman’s text. That was cause for
concern, since all the issues on the agenda of the Commission affected
small-scale farmers in some way.
Italy’s
representative joined the United States in calling for a mention in the
Chair’s text of the Global Bioenergy Partnership, which was the main
worldwide entity working to join bioenergy production and consumption
practices with the environmental sustainability agenda.
The representative of Brazil
appreciated Ms. Verburg’s efforts to translate the discussions that
took place over the past two weeks into a shared vision. The call that
should be made was for the elimination, rather than only a reduction,
of agricultural subsidies, if Doha was to have any meaning for
developing countries. She also called for introducing a reference to
the Global Bioenergy Partnership.
India’s
representative said that, as he understood it, the “Shared vision”
would not be adopted as an official outcome of the Commission and that
his delegation planned only to highlight some issues it found important
to the overall discussion, including the need to step up global efforts
to eradicate poverty, and the need for a more integrated approach to
climate change. India also believed that every nation should be
allowed the necessary policy space to elaborate, adopt and implement
its own development programmes. Prescriptive measures and “one size
fits all” plans should be avoided. Above all, he said, an enabling
international environment for sustainable development must be created,
including through strengthening capacity-building and market access.
Next, the representative of Cameroon
said that, in all its efforts, the Commission must press for more
emphasis on research and access to technology, especially to help
developing countries cope with climate change..
Argentina’s
representative said too much time was being spent discussing documents
and prescriptions, rather than means of implementation. The work had
become “documents, documents and more documents”, while implementation
time frames went all but ignored. At the same time, more attention
should be paid to costs and research, especially when discussions
turned to adaptation and mitigation of climate change.
The representative of the Republic of Korea
said that his delegation “fully supported” the summaries and the
“Shared vision”. Nevertheless, he called for more emphasis on water
issues, which required “immediate attention”, as water, as well as the
sustainability and integrated management of water sources, impacted
every aspect of the Commission’s agenda for the current session.
Pakistan’s
representative said one more notion that could be added to the Chair’s
“Shared vision” regarded the nexus between climate, trade, technology
and finance. That convergence, and the manner in which the respective
issues were dealt with, directly impacted the well-being of billions of
people. The issues were especially important, as the international
community sought to craft poverty eradication measures. He added that
the decisions taken by the Commission at this session should be seen as
important building blocks in the run-up to the climate change talks in
Copenhagen this coming December.
Israel’s
delegate said that inclusive policies and development management should
be strengthened to promote sustainable agriculture and rural
infrastructure. Thoughtful use of technologies, research and
development was critical in providing sustainable solutions. Efforts
to increase food production should focus on small farmers. Policies
and action plans to address the global water crisis should be
strengthened. The private sector should be better integrated into the
development process.
The representative of Sweden
said more investments in agriculture and rural infrastructure were
needed. Coordination was also needed to combat climate change and food
insecurity, and ensure development. Adaptation and mitigation measures
should go hand-in-hand with development and that work should take place
on different levels and in multiple regions. Water management needed
more attention on national and regional levels. Stable legal and
political systems could aid development. Globally, more trade was
needed. Work on bioenergy should continue, in parallel with efforts to
ensure food security.
A representative of business and industry
said sustainable agriculture was a continuous journey. Best practices
should be studied and refined, as they were implemented. It was
imperative to tackle the challenges of sustainable development through
a mosaic of solutions. Knowledge should be the cornerstone of
sustainable agriculture. She called for improved extension services
and cooperation among farmers, who needed access to a wide array of
technology and knowledge.
A representative of workers and trade unions
said it had been made clear that the food, fuel and financial crises
reinforced one another to the detriment of the world’s poor and
marginalized. The benefits of growth had been unevenly distributed
around the world and investments and trade must be re-regulated at the
national and international level to promote decent work and eradicate
child labour. Social protection systems should be adapted to the lives
of seasonal workers. The right of access to land must be part of an
ambitious strategy for sustainable development. Organized workers
could undoubtedly contribute to the shared vision for future
sustainable development.
A representative of local authorities
said the issue of urban food security was too invisible. Cities
occupied 2 per cent of the world’s land, but consumed over 70 per cent
of its resources, and it was necessary to understand the impact and
import of increasing urbanization. That knowledge should be shared
through South-South and triangular cooperation. Regional and
subregional networks should be created to scale up potential solutions
to food insecurity and the problems facing small-scale farmers. He
urged the Commission to agree on a text that would encourage concrete
steps towards sustainable development.
The representative of Grenada,
on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), then
introduced the draft resolution entitled “Preparations for the
high-level meeting to review progress made in addressing the
vulnerabilities of small island developing States through the
implementation of the Mauritius Strategy for Implementation” (document
E/CN.17/2009/L.3).
Speaking ahead of action on the resolution on implementation of the Mauritius Strategy, the representative of Venezuela
reiterated his delegation’s well known position on references in the
Mauritius Plan of Action to the United Nations Convention on the Law of
the Sea. He also raised that issue ahead of the Commission’s adoption
of its draft report on the seventeenth session.
Making
comments on the text were representatives of Sudan (on behalf of the
Group of 77 and China), Czech Republic (on behalf of the European
Union), United States, Russian Federation, United Republic of Tanzania,
Switzerland, France and Brazil.
The Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine also commented.
Also
speaking were representatives of major groups: women, children and
youth; indigenous peoples; non-governmental organizations; local
authorities; workers and trade unions; business and industry; and
scientific and technological communities.
Following a request
from the Czech Republic on behalf of the European Union that the dates
for 2011 be coordinated within the United Nations system, particularly
to ensure that there was no conflict with the meeting of the governing
council session of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the
Secretariat assured him that would be done.
Commenting earlier on
the Chair’s “Shared vision” were the representatives of the United
States, Czech Republic (on behalf of the European Union), Guyana,
Lebanon, Italy, Brazil, India, Cameroon, Argentina, Republic of Korea,
Pakistan, Israel and Sweden.
Also speaking were representatives of business and industry, local authorities, and workers and trade unions.
Esther AgbarakweAfrican Youth Representative.
United Nations Commission on Sustianable Development (UN CSD 17)Project Manager Earth Charter Youth Special Project--Nigeria
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