The UN conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), also known as Rio + 20 Conference was held in Rio de Janerio Brazil on June 20-22. This conference as it is held 20 years after the first earth Summit, which was held in 1992 in Rio de Janerio city of Brazil . The Earth Summit 1992 adopted’Agenda-21’, which became global framework for promoting sustainable development in subsequent years. The Agenda -21, so called because it provides a frame work for sustainable development in 21st century. It recommended the establishment of an institutional mechanism for effective follow-up to the Rio – conference as well as to enhance international effort for realizing its mandate. It also recommended to rationalize the inter-governmental decision-making capacity for the integration of environmental and development issues ad to examine the progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 at national , regional and international tends , Keeping this in view the UN General Assembly created in 1992 the UN Commission on sustainable Development as a functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The mandate of the commission was to review progress in the implementation of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. The Rio Summit 1992 was followed by the world Summit on sustainable development, which was held in 2002 in Johannesburg(South Africa) its purpose was to give further impetus to sustainable development programme at global level. It adopted Johannesburg Declaration and a Johannesburg plan of implementation.
IT was in this backdrop that the Rio+ 20 was in this backdrop that the Rio +20 was held in june 2012 at Rio de Janeirom with the following objectives:
1.Securing renewed political commitment for sustainable development.
2.Assessing the progress made since Rio Conference and remain gaps in implementation of the outcomes.
3.Addressing new and emerging challenges .
The Rio + 20 Conference pursued the two main themes:
1.Green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication;
2.Institutional framework for sustainable development.
Rio + 20 Zero Draft (Outcome Document) :
The final outcome document of Rio+20, also known as zero draft is the result of a series of preparatory meeting , organized by various countries for last few months to facilitates greater understanding and promote consensus building on the key issues involved in the two themes. In addition, five regional Preparatory meeting have also been held under the ages of ECOSOC. India has also shown keen interest in the preparatory process and organized Delhi Ministerial Dialogue in October 2011 which focused on the Green Economy and Inclusive Growth. Forty-one countries and a multilateral organizations participated in this Dialogue process.
The final outcome Document of Rio + 20 is titled as the future we want and is divided into five broad sections which are discussed below:
1.Preamble / Stage Setting
With an objective of eradication of poverty and hunger and economic stability and growth that benefit all, the leaders renewed their determination to pursue the green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication . They Further reaffirmed their resolve t strengthen the institution framework for sustainable development.
2.Renewing Political Commitment
This includes four points:
A.The leaders affirmed their commitment to advance progress in the implementation of the Rio Declaration on Environment, 1992, Agenda 21m the programme for further implementation of Agenda 21, the Johannesburg, Declaration on Sustainable Development and the plan of implementation of the World Summit on sustainable Development , The Barbados plan of Action and Mauritius Strategy for implementation. They also recognised the need to reinforce Sustainable Development globally through our collective and national efforts in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and the principle of sovereign right of states over their natural resources .
B.The leaders laid emphasis on the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major on Sustainable Development and addressing new and emerging challenges. Though there has been some progress and change since 1992 Rio Summit , Yet there have also been setbacks because of Multiple inter-related crises-financial, economic and volatile energy and food prices. New and emerging challenges include the further intensification of earlier problems calling for more urgent responses. The leader were deeply concerned that around 1.4 billion people still live in extreme poverty and one-fifth of world population is undernourished . Unsustainable development has increased the stress on earth’s limited resources and on the carrying capacity f the eco-systems.
C.Engaging Major Groups
They realized that a fundamental prerequisite for the achievement of sustainable development is the broad public participation in decision-making . Sustainable development requires major groups-women, children’s and youth , indigenous people , non-governmental organizations, local authorities, workers and trade unions, business and industry, scientific and technological community and farmers to play a meaningful role at all levels. They found it important to enable all members of civil society to be actively engaged in sustainable development by incorporating their specific knowledge and practical know-how into national and local policy-making .
D.Framework for Action
They expressed commitment to improve express commitment to improve governance and capacity at all level global, regional, national and local to promote coherence across institutions. They called for a global policy framework requiring all listed and large private companies to consider sustainability issues and to integrate sustainability information within the reporting cycle.
3.Green Economy in the Context of sustainable Development and poverty Eradication
This section of final outcome includes three parts:
A.Framing the context of green Economy, challenges and opportunities
The leaders were convinced that a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication should contribute to key goals-in particular the priorities of poverty eradication, food security sound water management , universal access to modern energy sources, sustainable cities, management of oceans and improving resilience and disaster preparedness as well as public health, human resource development and sustained inclusive and equitable growth that generates employment , including for youth thus , they viewed green economy as a means to achieve sustainable development , which must remain our overarching goal. They noted that the transformation to a green economy should be an opportunity to all countries and threat to none. Therefore, international efforts should be made to build a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication.
B. Tool kits and Experimental Sharing
The leaders laid emphasis on the fact that the countries, which are at the primary stage of building green economy may learn from each other experiences. They recognized that a mix of policy options include , inter alia, regulatory, economic and fiscal instruments, investment in green infrastructures, financial incentives, subsidy reform sustainable public procurement, information disclosure and voluntary partnerships. They supported the creation of an international knowledge-sharing platform to facilitate countries and implementation.
C.Framework for Action
Under the frame work for action realization the goal of green economy , the leaders recognised the value of having a set of differentiated strategies, tailored to the needs of different countries and different sectors. Each country is also required to develop her own green economies strategies through a transparent process of multi-stakeholder consultation. They demanded that the UN, in cooperation with other international of organisation should support develop their green economy strategies. They also encouraged business and industry to develop green economy road maps for their respective sectors with concrete goals and benchmark for progress.
4. Institutional Framework for sustainable Development
Evolving and appropriate framework for sustainable development has been one of the major theme of RIO + 20 conference. The conference recommended the following measures in this respect:
a.Strengthening the Three Pillars
The leaders recognised the need to strengthen and internet the three pillars of sustainable development at local, national and global level, which is critical for advancing sustainable development. The implementation of Agenda 21 should be consistent with the principles of universality , democracy, transparency, cost effectiveness and account ability keeping in mind the Rio principles, in particular common but differentiated responsibility. It also recommended enforcing coherence among agencies, funds and programmes of the UN system, including the international financial and trade institutions.
b.Central Role of G.A.ECOSOC CSD, SDC
The final outcome document affirmed the Central role of UN General Assembly as the highest policy-making body and call for it to further integrate sustainable development as the key element of the overarching framework for un activities.
The affirmed the role of Economic and Social (ECOSOC) as the central mechanism for the coordination of UN system and its specialized agencies, Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) as the highest Commission for Sustainable Development under the UN system and the Sustainable Development Council (SDC) as the authoritative high level body for consideration of matter related to interaction of three dimensions of sustainable development.
c.UNEP, Specialised Agencies on Environment Proposal, IFIs, United Nations Operational Activities at country level.
They agreed to strengthen the United Nations Environment programme to fulfil its mandate by establishing universal membership in its governing council and call for significantly increasing its financial base to deepen policy coordination and enhance means of implementation. Similarly, they laid emphasis on strengthening international financial institutions and operational activities of UN at country level.
d.Regional , National and Local
In this respect they affirmed that overarching sustainable development strategies should be incorporated in National development plan as key instrument for the implementation of sustainable development commitment at regional, national and sub-regional mechanisms, including the Regional Commissions, in providing the Sustainable Development through capacity-building , exchange of information and experiences and providing expertise.
5.Frame work of Action and Follow up
In order to achieve the goal of sustainable development , the document identified certain priority areas like food security, water , energy, cities, green jobs oceans and seas , climate change, forest, maintains, and so on. The document also discussed about the financial means to implement the recommen-dations.
The five aspects of Rio + 20 final outcome documents denote that the world community has taken serious note of the need of Sustain able Development in 21st century, which has emerged as the key global issue to our times.
Source: PRATIYOGITA DARPAN
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