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IUCNs POSITION PAPER ON THE FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): Framework for Sustainable Development- October 2011

1

IUCNs POSITION ON THE INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENT FOR THE RIO 2012 CONFERENCE, June 2012

Effective Governance for Sustainable Development: Lessons from Nature

Nature is our life support system, benefiting all and vulnerable to the actions of all. Nature is local andglobal, requiring public participation in decision-making at all levels. Nature cuts across all sectors, yetmost decisions affecting nature are made in silos by stakeholders with limited knowledge of thecombined impact on nature. Governance of the three pillars of sustainable development (environment,economic, social) is still not integrated, four decades after the Rio Summit.

According to the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (2002) good governance within each countryand at the international level is essential for sustainable development. For the International Union forConservation of Nature (IUCN) , the concept of good governance includes not only clear direction,effective performance and accountability, but also rests on strong ethical components such asfundamental human rights and values, including fairness, equity and meaningful engagement in andcontribution to decision-making. Taking lessons from the interaction of nature and people, IUCNbelieves that governance for sustainable development should follow three principles:

a) Inclusive and integrated decision-making, giving civil society an effective role in decisions onenvironmental, social and economic sustainability;

b) A bottom-up / community-led approach, based on subsidiarityof decision-making and nestedgovernance, i.e. empowering decisions at the lowest appropriate level supported by effectivegovernance at higher levels; and

c) A rights-based approach to environmental governance, which protects the rights of the weakest andmost vulnerable and enforces responsibilities for sustainability.

1) Inclusive and integrated governance

Governance of natural resources and sustainable development is shaped by norms, institutions andprocesses that determine how power and responsibilities over the resource are exercised, howdecisions are taken, and how citizens men and women participate in development and themanagement of natural resources. The quality of these decision-making processes is one of the most

important determinants of sustainable development. Sharing power, responsibility and benefits innatural resource management, as well as strengthening governance arrangements, including legalentitlements, to make decisions more transparent, inclusive and equitable, are good for people, forbiodiversity and for sustainable development.

IUCN Position PaperIUCN Position Paper


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Coherence in national level decisions on the different dimensions of sustainability is an essentialprecondition for coherence at the regional and global levels, thus enabling global organizations tobecome relevant to local action. Overcoming fragmentation in the institutional framework and indecision-making is a prerequisite for sustainable development.

At the global level, there is still much to be done to strengthen linkages and to ensure coherenceamong organizations working to enhance sustainability. The World Trade Organisations Committee onTrade and Environment (CTE) provides a good example since it has contributed to identifying andpromoting the relationship between trade and the environment, with a view to promote sustainabledevelopment. While greater simplicity is needed in the international institutional framework, inter-agency coordination bodies and mechanisms, such as the UNs Environmental Management Group,can and should increase coherence in their deliberations.

IUCN calls on national and local governments to support efforts to address fragmentation and tostrengthen the global institutional framework for sustainable development among others through:

o Building the capacity of, and linkages between concrete programs for inclusive and integratedgovernance ;

o Promoting synergies between the Multilateral Environment Agreements (MEAs) at theinstitutional and programmatic levels by enhancing coordination between UN bodies andenvironmental treaties around specific issues or clusters;

o Facilitating the streamlining of MEA reporting requirements and scientific assessment needs ;o Rationalizing the meetings of MEAs and subsidiary bodies;o Enhancing the presence of the environment within the UN system; ando Promoting a strong, credible and accessible science base and policy interface, such as the

Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES),and securing sufficient funding for this purpose.

2) Subsidiarity and nested governance

IUCN emphasizes the need to empower and strengthen local governance systems, as they are closerto the ecosystems and the livelihoods of the people who depend on them. Global, regional and nationalstructures need to apply a bottom-up approach and respond to local needs. In line with the principle ofsubsidiarity, international governance structures can and should play a vital role in empowering localdecisions on sustainable development since they are part of an international network of governancelevels. At the national level, central governments must empower local governance structures includingthrough the provision of adequate financial and human resources, and by allowing for their meaningfulinvolvement in decision-making processes.

IUCN believes that such a model of nested governance, linking decision-making processes at multiplelevels, has proven to be most appropriate and effective. Governance institutions at all levels local,national, regional and global should be mutually reinforcing. As one moves from the local to theglobal, interests and agendas tend to get more aggregated. The challenge of nested governance is tomaintain the agendas at a level of relevance that is mutually reinforcing.

Still, decisions must be made at the right level, as in the case of transboundary biomes and bioregions,which require regional level governance to achieve effective management of natural resources.


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National governments should cooperate with neighboring countries in order to address environmentalissues that cannot be solved at the local and national level.

At the global levels, efforts should be focused on responding closely to regional, national and local

needs through, for example, capacity-building, the provision of scientific information, knowledgemanagement or facilitating the transfer of technology.

In the context of subsidiarity and nested governance for sustainability, IUCN calls on governmentsto:

o Decentralize to local and community levels whenever this is effective and feasible; ando Encourage and develop partnerships with neighboring countries to strengthen regional

cooperation and address transboundary issues.

3) A rights-based approach to good governance, placing civil society at the centre of the institutionalframework for sustainable development

Governance for sustainability is about people. It is essential to adopt rights-based approaches toconservation and natural resource management, including through the implementation of Principle 10of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (access to information, participation indecision-making and access to justice) to advance open, inclusive, transparent decision-making andpromote accountability at all levels.

Adopting a rights-based approach implies focusing on the need for civil society to exercise its right toaccess relevant information, to participate in decision-making processes and to have access to justice.Such an approach means taking into account the rights of those people whose human health andwellbeing can be affected by unsustainable development, such as forced resettlement, exclusions,economic and cultural impoverishments, impacts on livelihoods through contamination, droughts

resulting from climate change, unregulated extraction of natural resources, etc. The rights-basedapproach also acknowledges the particular vulnerability of women, indigenous peoples andmarginalized groups.

Underpinning the rights-based approach is the obligation of States, individuals and all actors of civic lifeto exercise their citizenship responsibly and sustainably. The sum of individual rights and obligationsconstitutes a system of accountability with human rights-related responsibilities of state as well as non-state actors, including the private sector, financial institutions, development banks, NGOs andenvironmental organizations.

In the context of accountability, corruption is a major challenge in the governance of sustainabledevelopment. Corruption is one of the main sources of unsustainable exploitation of natural resources,

unequal distribution of wealth and, simply, poverty. The need for transparency to fight corruption is ofparamount importance.

The rights-based approach (and Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration) includes rights, to ensure thatprocedures designed to provide access to information, public participation and administrativeproceedings are respected and properly implemented.


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This approach can also build capacity for self-organization and enhance the sense of ownership which,accompanied with the appropriate level of decentralization, will make societies more resilient toenvironmental degradation, climate change or other threats. IUCN is currently drafting a rights-basedapproach policy.

IUCN calls on national and local governments to:

o Implement the Bali guidelines on national legislation and to include Principle 10 of the RioDeclaration within their statutes, rules of procedures or regulations;

o Renew their commitment to regional conventions relating to the promotion of access toinformation, public participation and access to justice, such as the 1998 Aarhus Convention;

o Ensure the enforcement of rights and responsibilities, by inter alia:

Facilitating access to information, e.g. through the drafting or sharing of impactstatements to ensure accountability:

Developing international and/or national courts for environmental issues; and

Broadening the functions of existing courts to include environmental issues.


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IUCNs POSITION ON GREEN ECONOMY FOR THE RIO 2012 CONFERENCE

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): Position Paper on Green Economy- October 2011

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IUCNs POSITION ON GREEN ECONOMY FOR THE RIO 2012 CONFERENCE, June 2012

Transitioning to a Green Economy: Building on Nature

Nature-based Solutions for a More Balanced Global Economy

The global economy has grown and changed considerably since the 1992 Earth Summit. It has seen a

drastic rise in social inequalities and environmental degradation and has not helped societies achieve

sustainability. Today, as governments around the world struggle to address rising public debts andunemployment rates, it is becoming clear that economic growth driven by a ubiquitous pursuit of

efficiency gains and profits is no longer possible. The International Union for Conservation of Nature

(IUCN) believes that it is high time for countries to act collectively on the widely shared objective of

reforming the economy so that it supports and does not undermine poverty reduction, ecosystem

functions, and sustainable development.

In the face of climate change, growing water scarcities, rising prices for food and energy, accompanied

by an increasingly unstable and risk-laden global economy, the notion of transitioning to a Green

Economy has become increasingly relevant. These changes need to be ambitious and far-reaching,

and should be elaborated in consultation with civil society, through platforms such as IUCNs World

Conservation Congress.1

IUCN strongly urges allgovernments to engage in a global transition towards a Green Economy,by:

o Developing nationally-appropriate reforms to economic planning, accounting, finance, andinfrastructure development in order to eradicate poverty, sustain ecosystems, and deliversustainable development;

o Providing enabling conditions within which private sector leadership and innovation canflourish and which provide strong signals that favor small-medium sized green enterprisesand that marginalize wasteful, inequitable and unethical practices; and

o Making full use of the solutions that nature offers to tackle global challenges, such asclimate change, food insecurity, natural resource scarcities and biodiversity loss, recognizingthat investing in nature-based solutions will improve the resilience, equity, and overallsustainability of our global economy.

1The next World Conservation Congress will be held in Jeju, Republic of Korea, September 6-15, 2012

IUCN Position PaperIUCN Position Paper


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Resilience, Equity, and Natural Capital

In order to steer society towards sustainability, IUCN believes that urgent action is needed to make

governments, institutions, and markets more responsive and adaptive to economic, social and

environmental changes. In todays rapidly changing world, resilience stands out as a particularlyessential condition for sustaining economic development. The transition to a Green Economy needs to

ensure that our economic systems are not only striving for efficiency, but that they also aim to build

greater resilience into the social and ecological fabric that supports their sustainability.

A more resilient global economy needs to complement competitiveness with inclusiveness and

diversity. The growing inequalities and power imbalances of our economic systems are not only unjust,

but inherently unsustainable. A Green Economy transition must make economic development more

inclusive and equitable. Promoting greater equity should become an overriding principle of a Green

Economy transition. Hence, Green Economy policy frameworks must strengthen local-level capacities,

skills, and institutions and should support participatory governance systems based on multi-stakeholder

engagement, and particularly the engagement of women and vulnerable groups, as stated in IUCNsposition paper on institutional framework for sustainable development.

Resilience also highlights the socio-economic significance of sustainable ecosystem management by

underlining the strong dependency that humans have on natural resources and ecosystem services. A

truly resilient economy preserves and enhances its natural capital and invests in the restoration of

landscapes to support local as well as global livelihoods. Resilient economies enhance the quality of

life, and optimize the delivery of regulating ecosystem services (e.g. water filtration, carbon and

nutrient cycling, storm mitigation). A nature-based economy is one which thrives on these ecosystem

services by empowering those communities who depend directly on natural resources and processes.

Indigenous communities in general and women in particular, often play a central role in the

management of natural resources. A Green Economy needs to recognize and value their role as

stewards of our precious natural capital and biophysical systems.

IUCN urges governments to consider resilience, equity, and natural capital as three fundamentalpillars of the transition to a Green Economy.

Placing Nature at the Centre of a Green Economy Transition

There is no one-size-fits-all model for designing an effective Green Economy. In todays globalized and

highly interdependent economy, solutions require systems-based approaches to improving

sustainability. This means going beyond a sectoral approach and single-mindset solutions, but rather

developing solutions that embrace the complexity and interconnectedness of the global economic

system. Current discussions have tended to place a strong emphasis on one specific aspect of theproblem: reducing our carbon footprint.

While the focus on low-carbon development and resource efficiency is critical, and ongoing efforts to

develop low-carbon action plans are a major step forward, they do not go far enough. Most importantly,

they do not address the more fundamental problem, which is the unsustainable way in which our

natural resources are managed. Water scarcity, food insecurity, energy dependency, biodiversity loss,

and climate change are all manifestations of the urgent need to improve societys appreciation of the


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value of our planets precious natural systems which cannot be extended beyond their limited carrying

capacity.

IUCN is committed to support the development and deployment of nature-based solutions2

Nature-based Solutions to Greening the Economy

togreening the economy, and strongly encourages governments and businesses to keep nature at thecentre of the debate to ensure that society can thrive on healthy ecosystems to achieve

sustainability.

The capacity that humans have to thrive on the ecosystems they depend upon for their well-being

represents a fundamental building block for strengthening socio-economic resilience. IUCN firmly

believes that any transition to a Green Economy must be squarely centered on maintaining the

biophysical processes that societies depend upon for their livelihoods. IUCN therefore urges

governments to apply nature-based solutions to their Green Economy policies and actions through two

main areas of intervention: 1) Mainstreaming environmental values into the economy, and 2) Investing

in ecosystem services as natural forms of infrastructure.

Mainstreaming Environmental ValuesIUCN joins those who recognize GDP as an inaccurate and insufficient indicator of human wellbeing,

and expresses its willingness to support governments, and others, in the development of alternative

measures of economic prosperity, building notably on efforts to go beyond GDP 3

. The recognition of

the inherent value of vital public goods, such as biodiversity and the ecosystem services it provides,

and the incorporation of these values into decision making, is absolutely essential to building a Green

Economy. Although there has been significant progress in strengthening the economic case of natural

capital, notably through the global study on The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB),

more work is needed in order to make sure that the main lessons learned are adequately integrated

into policy and practice. An important forthcoming challenge will be the effective integration of

ecosystem values in economic accounting systems. This is a commitment that several governmentshave already taken through Agenda 21 (Chapter 8, section D) Establishing Systems for Integrated

Environmental Accounting) and through the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity with its twenty Aichi

Targets adopted in 2010 in Nagoya by the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the

Convention on Biological Diversity.

IUCN believes that, by meeting Target 2 of the Biodiversity Strategic Plan, i.e. By 2020, at the latest,

biodiversity values have been integrated into national and local development and poverty

reduction strategies and planning processes and are being incorporated into national

accounting, as appropriate, and reporting systems; governments will make a considerable step

towards measuring the transition towards a Green Economy. The Global Partnership for Wealth

2IUCN considers that an intervention is a nature-based solution if it features the following principles: i) the intervention delivers an effective solution to a

major global challenge using nature; ii) it provides biodiversity benefits in terms of diverse, well-managed ecosystems; iii) it is cost effective relative to

other solutions; iv) the rationale behind the intervention can be easily and compellingly communicated; v) it can be measured, verified and replicated; vi) it

respects and reinforces communities rights over natural resources; and vii) it harnesses both public and private sources of funding.3Drawn from the work of the Stiglitz-Sen-Fitoussi Commission. For more information, please visit: http://www.stiglitz-sen-

fitoussi.fr/documents/Survey_of_Existing_Approaches_to_Measuring_Socio-Economic_Progress.pdf
http://www.stiglitz-sen-fitoussi.fr/documents/Survey_of_Existing_Approaches_to_Measuring_Socio-Economic_Progress.pdfhttp://www.stiglitz-sen-fitoussi.fr/documents/Survey_of_Existing_Approaches_to_Measuring_Socio-Economic_Progress.pdfhttp://www.stiglitz-sen-fitoussi.fr/documents/Survey_of_Existing_Approaches_to_Measuring_Socio-Economic_Progress.pdfhttp://www.stiglitz-sen-fitoussi.fr/documents/Survey_of_Existing_Approaches_to_Measuring_Socio-Economic_Progress.pdfhttp://www.stiglitz-sen-fitoussi.fr/documents/Survey_of_Existing_Approaches_to_Measuring_Socio-Economic_Progress.pdfhttp://www.stiglitz-sen-fitoussi.fr/documents/Survey_of_Existing_Approaches_to_Measuring_Socio-Economic_Progress.pdf


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Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services (WAVES)4

In order to go further in correcting markets and implementing the deep changes needed for an effective

transition to a Green Economy, governments must also comply with Target 3 of the Biodiversity

Strategic Plan, i.e. By 2020, at the latest, incentives, including subsidies, harmful to biodiversity

are eliminated, phased out or reformed in order to minimize or avoid negative impacts

Government support for destructive and inherently unsustainable enterprises, such as overfishing and

the extraction of fossil fuels, needs to be phased out and shifted towards activities which ensure a

utilization of natural resources that is sustainable and which generates employment (e.g. sustainable

energy, waste management and recycling, ecosystem restoration, sustainable agriculture and forestry,

etc.).

offers a strong foundation for further

strengthening this important area of work.

IUCN urges governments to take concrete measures to honour their commitment to implementingthe Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, and in particular targets 2 and 3, which are keyobjectives of the transition to a Green Economy.

IUCN urges governments to re-examine their economic indicators to identify those which can morefaithfully and rigorously reflect the status of human wellbeing, and to make sure that the full value ofbiodiversity and ecosystem services is reflected in national accounts and associated fiscal andplanning policies.

Investing in Ecosystem Services

The transition to a Green Economy needs to be built on a stronger appreciation of the role of healthy

ecosystems in supporting local livelihoods as well as providing investment opportunities for business.

Although their economic significance is commonly underappreciated, ecosystem services are essential

for achieving resilient and productive food, water and energy systems. They represent the direct and

indirect benefits that humans derive from biodiversity, such as the pollination of plants, the cycling of

nutrients, and the regulation of water flows. Maintaining the capacity that our surrounding environment

has to provide ecosystem services is particularly important for those communities and societies that are

most vulnerable to risks, such as those heavily affected by a changing climate (e.g. flooding, droughts,

sea-level rise, storm damage, etc.).

Biodiversity and ecosystems play a particularly critical role in supporting water infrastructure.

Conventional water investments, however, too often ignore the economic importance of water basins

and ecosystems as natural infrastructure. Natural infrastructure can be defined as the stock of

ecosystems providing services needed for the operation of the economy and society that complement,

augment or replace the services provided by engineered infrastructure. The traditional and cumulative

practices of building hard engineering structures to support failing slopes, prevent beach erosion or

contain river systems, are not necessarily improving the integrity of the ecosystem. In fact, they might

be impairing the ability of ecosystems to deliver critically needed services.

Our economies need to support the people who manage their resources sustainably. Addressing the

tragedy of hunger and malnutrition, which affects close to one billion people worldwide, will require the

deployment of economic systems based on productive and resilient food systems. Improving

4For more information, please visit:

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/ENVIRONMENT/0,,contentMDK:22877286~pagePK:210058~piPK:210062~theSitePK:244381,00.htm

l
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/ENVIRONMENT/0,,contentMDK:22877286~pagePK:210058~piPK:210062~theSitePK:244381,00.htmlhttp://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/ENVIRONMENT/0,,contentMDK:22877286~pagePK:210058~piPK:210062~theSitePK:244381,00.htmlhttp://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/ENVIRONMENT/0,,contentMDK:22877286~pagePK:210058~piPK:210062~theSitePK:244381,00.htmlhttp://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/ENVIRONMENT/0,,contentMDK:22877286~pagePK:210058~piPK:210062~theSitePK:244381,00.htmlhttp://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/ENVIRONMENT/0,,contentMDK:22877286~pagePK:210058~piPK:210062~theSitePK:244381,00.html


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agricultural support services for women, who play a central role in supporting food security, is one

example of the type of investment needed to strengthen the resilience of our socio-economic systems.

In relation toenergy, many of the solutions towards a low-carbon economy depend on coastal, river,

and forest ecosystems as sources of energy. IUCN urges governments to not only reduce the impact of

energy production on the environment, but also ensure they maintain natures ability to provide

sustainable and renewable sources of energy, for instance by conserving and restoring upstream

forest ecosystems that regulate water flows used for hydroelectric power.

Overall, investments in strengthening food, water, energy and human security need to recognize the

importance of using innovative solutions thinking to find the right balance between natural and built

infrastructure. Given the right policy frameworks, investments made in building resilience through

natural infrastructure are highly cost-effective, due notably to the multiple benefits (low maintenance

costs, alternate and diverse livelihood sources, carbon sequestration), its multi-functionality

(ecosystems respond to many needs i.e. water and energy supply, food security as well as

touristic/leisure-related activities, etc.) and the opportunity it provides for poverty reduction.

IUCN urges governments to support investments in natural infrastructure and ecological restorationand to facilitate the creation of jobs through the development of markets which value the regulatoryservices provided by ecosystems.

IUCN urges governments to meet Target 115

IUCN urges governments to adopt and implement the recommendations made following the mid-term review of the Hyogo Framework for Action

of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and to useprotected areas as a means of preserving the ecosystem services that are enjoyed in the broaderlandscapes and seascapes.

6

IUCN strongly encourages governments to develop appropriate economic tools, incentives, andpolicies, including Payments for Ecosystem Services, in order to fully account for the benefits ofecosystems and water/food/energy security for livelihoods and sustainable development.

notably ensuring that national developmentstrategies do not increase exposure to risks, using reconstruction and recovery following a disasteras catalysts for change promoting an integrated approach to development which jointly addressesclimate change adaptation and mitigation, disaster risk reduction, and ecosystem management and

restoration.

5Target 11: By 2020, at least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water, and 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular

importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, are conserved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and well

connected systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, and integrated into the wider landscapes and seascapes. 6http://www.preventionweb.net/english/professional/publications/v.php?id=18197
http://www.preventionweb.net/english/professional/publications/v.php?id=18197http://www.preventionweb.net/english/professional/publications/v.php?id=18197http://www.preventionweb.net/english/professional/publications/v.php?id=18197http://www.preventionweb.net/english/professional/publications/v.php?id=18197


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UNCSDRIO+20WWF INPUT

31 October 2011

SUMMARY

Vision

The UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in June 2012 presents world leaders with an

opportunity to deliver a new, internationally agreed vision that embeds social equity, economic and

environmental sustainability into our model of development. We urge Parties to seize this moment along

the following principle elements.

GreenEconomyintheContext of SustainableDevelopment andPovertyEradication

Manage natural capital sustainably: Ensure that national development strategies take fullaccount of the state of natural assets and ecosystems and their role in sustaining human well-being

and economic activity; actively invest in their conservation and enhancement to avoid a devastating

and irreversible global crisis;

Go beyond GDP: Develop a new standard indicator to measure environmental performancealongside GDP and use it, along with human development indices, to provide a more accurate

reading of the state of our economies and to incite preservation of the natural environment and

more equitable development;

Full-cost accounting: Devise rules whereby the full environmental costs of production andconsumption are internalised into accounting models in order to address the causes rather than

simply the symptoms of environmental loss;

Transparent certification schemes: Expand, support and standardise certification schemesthat are multi-stakeholder and science-based to move toward sustainable consumption and

production;

Set up an investment vehicle to facilitate the transition to and implementation of greeneconomies through upfront funding for leapfrogging technologies, technology cooperation, and

retrofitting programmes, notably using innovative finance.

Institutional Frameworks for SustainableDevelopment

Integration of the three pillars of sustainable development: WWF supports the creation of


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Strengthen the environmental pillar by upgrading UNEP to a Specialised Agency with amandate to support and ensure compliance of all MEAs;

Better embed sustainable development criteria in existing International FinancialInstitutions in order to promote genuinely sustainable investments.

1.INTRODUCTIONWWFs Living Planet Report shows that humanity is already using fifty percent more natural resources than

the earth can regenerate in a year. Furthermore, high income regions use five times the amount of natural

resources than those of the lowest income countries. We are living beyond the Earths means and are

distributing these unsustainable proceeds inequitably: the poorest countries and communities bear adisproportionate share of the negative effects of the growing global demand for resources while

industrialised nations enjoy most of the benefits. Future generations will face resource scarcities and

environmental degradation not of their making that will increasingly lead to conflict and insecurity. The

growing number of urban poor that will live in tomorrows cities adds additional urgency to finding

sustainable and equitable development paths.

The UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) 2012 presents world leaders with a stark

choice: they can tinker around the edges of global development as we know it today or they can lift our

ambitions by delivering a new, internationally agreed vision for development that catalyses fundamental

changes in our economies towards more social and economic equity and environmental sustainability where

humans live in harmony with nature. This vision will require deliberate choices and targeted public and

private investment not just to decouple development from increased natural resource use, but to actively

preserve, enhance, and effectively manage the worlds natural resource base and the ecosystem services on

which human wellbeing depends.

It will also require purposeful investment development that enhances the capacity of the poor to move out

of poverty and fulfil their rights and needs for access to resources, financial assets, energy, water, food,

housing, health, and education.

Solutions towards sustainable economies should be founded on a number of key principles:

Managing natural capital in equitable ways by rewarding those who provide ecosystem services andprotect biodiversity;

Setting up appropriate frameworks to achieve food, water and energy security for a growing globalpopulation and ensure that consumption patterns and production systems are within planetary

boundaries;

Providing economic incentives to foster environmentally and socially responsible development,notably through full cost accounting and an indicator that goes beyond GDP;

Fostering effective governance built on inclusive processes and broad participation and with


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Investing in human and natural capital, especially in developing countries and rural communitiesand promoting reform to secure equitable access to natural resources and sustainable use.

2.GREENECONOMYWWF seeks to promote green economies which value and effectively govern natural resources to safeguard

the natural world while promoting pro-poor growth and employment. WWF believes that more equitable

greener socio-economic models and instruments would promote human wellbeing, distribute the worlds

wealth and natural resources more equitably within planetary boundaries and provide people with clean

water, energy and food for present and futures generations.

2.1 Food, Water andEnergy Security for all

The poor management and regulation of natural assets and ecosystems leads to increasingly frequent and

severe regional and global crises and is a major factor behind food, water and energy insecurity and

threatens global, regional and local stability. Rio+20 comes at the right moment to deliver a new framework

to address the interlinkages between these common challenges.

2.1.1 Managingnatural capital

Long-term food, water and energy security are contingent on the sustainable and equitable

management and conservation of the worlds natural capital: forests, wetlands, grasslands,

savannas, oceans and coasts, freshwater systems, biodiversity, mineral resources. To better secure the rights

to natural resources for future generations and ensure adequate security for all, Rio+20 Parties should:

Significantly strengthen and invest in government processes responsible for theallocation and sustainable management of resources, for example by land-, sea- and

water-useplanning within and between countries, as well as on the high seas;

Encourage investment in restoring the ecological and natural resource base of oureconomies, for example eroded soils, degraded water bodies, degraded forests and savannas,

overexploited fish stocks and degraded lands;

Preserve and protect ecosystems that provide key ecosystem services necessary toachieve food, water and energy security;

Prioritise the rehabilitation of degraded, abandoned or underperforming lands ratherthan farming in new areas. This requires reversing erosion and degradation through the

construction of terraces and the planting of trees and grasses, rehabilitating waterways and

cleaning up pollution;

Halt and reverse forest loss: preserving forests is a sound investment in order to sustainablyprovide goods (food, medicine, timber, construction materials, etc) and services (preserving

watersheds stabilising soil and preventing erosion etc) as well as significantly contributing to


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greenhouse gas emission reduction. Investing in the REDD+ mechanism under the

UNFCCC offers a unique opportunity towards greening the economy;

Promote sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystem services in industrial and other economicprocess, through research, appropriated knowledge, law and technology development;

Strengthen government planning and management of cities as urban context offers a still largelyuntapped potential for radically reducing the human footprint, given that three-quarters of

humanity is expected to live in cities by 2050.

A sustainable and equitable footprint necessitates promoting pro-poor conservation measures to

support the diversification of rural incomes,includingto:

Transform current unsustainable agricultural systemsby closing nutrient cycles, increasingresource efficiency and eliminating unsustainable practices that harm the environment and lead to

biodiversity loss;

Promote best management practices and knowledge transfer in order to reduce impactsand expand production knowledge that helps maintain and restore healthy ecosystems;

Invest in support to small sustainable farmers in developing countries for measuresthat maximise their potential contribution to food and water security, environmental

protection, and climate adaptation. Measures would include access to markets, knowledge

and information along with well-designed technological assistance to increase the productivity of

smallholders.

2.1.2Water Security

Freshwater is a vital natural resource in all areas of sustainable development and the functions and services

provided by freshwater ecosystems underpin food and energy security. As we get closer to the end of the

International Decade for Action 'Water for Life' 2005-2015 and start preparations for 2013 as the

International Year of Water Cooperation, the time is right to follow through with water-related

commitments and account for emerging priority areas for further action. To support and ensure water

availability in adequate quantity, quality and timing for people and nature,in an equitable and sustainable

manner and in the context of climate change and variability, Parties at Rio+20 should:

Govern and manage water on the basis of natural rather than political boundaries, and withinthe framework of integrated, participatory river basin management. Build responsible and

capable institutions and capacity for integrated water resources management and allocation

which includes consideration of the multi-level governance of freshwater resources, within and

between countries, including the conservation of critical catchment areas that often coincide with

high conservation value forests and wetlands;

Reiterate a commitment to sustainable and equitable transboundary watercooperation, on the basis of a comprehensive and solid system of international water

lawand adequate, well-fundedjoint management institutions, so as to enable the integrated,

system-wide management and sustainable use of rivers, lakes and aquifers shared by two or more


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Realise water-related commitments under the 2002 Johannesburg Plan ofImplementation, including the adoption of integrated water resources management and water

efficiency plans, paying special attention to water demand management, and the development and

employment of more efficient water supply technologies and infrastructure;

Fully incorporate water into the relevant national and international legislative,institutional and planning frameworks that are outside the water sector, but may have an

impact on freshwater resources;

Invest in integrated programming between freshwater conservation and WASH(water, sanitation and hygiene): Well-designed and implemented WASH projects contribute to

improved environmental conditions, just as the conservation and sustainable management of

freshwater provides for the maintenance of key ecosystem functions and services on which millions

depend for clean water supply, flood control, food, and numerous others;

Protect and restore freshwater ecosystems, including through the maintenance and/orrestoration of environmental flows and aquifer levels, so that such ecosystems can sustain

biodiversity and their functions and services that are vital for human health, livelihoods, well-being

and security;

Restore and safeguard ecosystems that provide essential services related to water,including along rivers, around lakes, in mountains and steep slopes and in coastal areas, such as

headwaters, floodplains, flooded forests, wetlands, aquifers recharge zones, riparian vegetation,

and mangroves, as per Target 14 of the CBD Strategic Plan;

Protect and responsibly manage forests: the world still loses 13 million hectares of forestsevery year, yet many of the world's largest cities rely on drinking water from protected and well

managed forests. Maintaining the benefits provided by forests for future generations requires

governments to take measures to reverse the ongoing trend of forest loss;

Mitigate cities water footprint, increase urban resilience to climate change andvariability, and reduce water risks in urban settings, including through the protection of

ecosystems upstream and their functions and services, such as water regulation and filtration.

In view of the vital role of water in climate change mitigation and adaptation, and that it isfundamentally through water that the effects of climate change are being and will be felt,

recognize water as a cross-cutting topic in UNFCCC negotiations and implementation;

Acknowledge the transboundary and global dimensions of climate change in relation to water. TheUN Watercourses Convention is the only MEA adopted as a follow-up to the Earth

summit 1992 that has not yet entered into force . This is increasingly problematic as water

crises become increasingly recognised as a crisis of water governance at all levels.

WWF therefore calls on all Rio+20 Parties to Join and effectively implement the UNConvention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses (UN

Watercourses Convention) as a global framework guiding and supporting transboundary


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Watercourses Convention is vital for enabling its integration with existing water-related MEAs,

thereby facilitating their implementation.

Manage inland water ecosystems so that water availability, flows, connectivity, and quality areadequate to sustain biodiversity and ecosystem services. In order to achieve this, leaders should

agree to the following objectives by 2020:

20% increase in total food supply-chain efficiency; reduce losses and waste from field to fork; 20% increase in water efficiency in agriculture; more nutrition and crop per drop; 20% increase in water use efficiency in energy production; more kWh per drop; 20% increase in the quantity of water reused; 20% decrease in water pollution.

2.1.3Foodsecurity

Ensuring food security requires the conservation of natural resources and biodiversity through

comprehensive and effective frameworks. Governments can advance global food security at Rio+20 by

setting up the following enabling conditions:

Increase efficiency in the food system by reducing waste in the production and distributionof food;

Address the inequitable distribution of natural resources by actively promoting changedconsumption patterns in high-income countries, including more balanced diets, which areless rich in meat, fish and dairy;

Help break the link between food prices and oil prices by encouraging more diversifiedproduction and consumption as well as reducing the use of synthetic fertilizers;

Provide greater protection and support for inland water fisheries and fisheries-dependent livelihoods and investing in sustainable fishing practices and policies to

prevent, control or reverse overexploitation;

Reduce the footprint of the agriculture sector by making sustainable food production centralto development and encouraging the treatment and re-use of wastewater for

agricultural purposes;

Take into account the food-water nexus, especially in a changing climate, with water availabilitybecoming increasingly unpredictable and extreme water events, such as floods and droughts, more

frequent and intense; reduce the pressure on land and water resources from agriculture;

Develop frameworks to limit urban sprawl and promote urban agriculture andsustainable waste water management to support peri-urban agriculture, thus increasing

urban food security and reducing waste of land, water and nutrients

Conserve natural habitats such as foreststhat harbor the genetic origins of many of todaysagricultural staples and commodities as a form of insurance against future disease resistance and


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2.1.4Renewableenergyfor all

Access to energy is a vital component of economic and human development. In order to deliver clean,

reliable and affordable energy to the greatest number, including in rural areas, renewable energy offers the

best solution for long-term development. To ensure access to reliable and affordable energy for all, at

Rio+20 leaders should:

Increase investment byat least US$ 35 billion worldwide in developing countries inrenewable energy capacity and international cooperation on the development, transfer and

dissemination of technologies designed to facilitate energy-efficient, resource-efficient, and low

carbon economic development that adhere to sustainability standards. Focus on supplying people

in rural areas with greater access to reliable, affordable and sustainable energy supplies;

With aid agencies and investors, commit to provide technical and financial support inrenewable energy systems and projects including community-owned ones; enhance

grid policies to link the urban poor with power supply from existing sources while focusing on

decentralised and mini-grid systems for the many rural poor and villages;

Commit to invest into sustainable biomass supply such as multi-purpose agroforestry, efficient andclean cookstoves, biogas digesters and solar thermal heat supply;

Adopt, enforce and comply with laws, regulations, policies and standards on sustainablehydropower, including with respect to biodiversity conservation, cross-sectoral integration, and

public participation in decision-making, and whether they apply to the siting, design and operation

of single plants, or as requirements or guidance for basin-wide planning;

Promote economy-wide national planning, to enable the integration of large mainstreaminvestment flows, rather than a project-by-project approach on the sidelines of core

development strategies and decisions.

At Rio+20, leaders should specifically commit to the following objectives by 2030: Secure access to sustainable and affordable modern energy services; Develop and implement national low and zero carbon action plans, including national specific

renewable energy and energy efficiency frameworks;

Reduce global energy intensity by 40%; Have at least 40% of renewable energies in the global energy mix.

2.2 Enablingconditions

A green economies approach embraces the management and governance of natural capital to maintain

ecosystem services as well as the equitable access to and sharing of resources within the sustainable limits

of the planetwithout compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. A green

economies approach should fit within and be coherent with the three pillars of sustainability. An emphasis

on green economies recognises that change needs to occur at the level of economic incentives.


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2.2.1 BeyondGDP

Gross Domestic Product has long been considered as a general indicator of progress for countries. Although

economic flows are an important facet of development, GDPfails to adequately capture a countrys

true performance and wealth flows as it does not take account of damage to or depletion of

ecosystems and natural resources or human wellbeing.

Rio+20 represents an opportunity for Parties to move toward a standard set of metrics foran indicator to measure environmental performance alongside those already existing

for the economy (GDP) and social (HDI) pillars of sustainable development;

Such an indicator of environmental performance would aim to measure annual changes in andflows of natural capital such as air, forests, freshwater and biodiversity. Rio+20 should

reach agreement on a deadline to endorse common methods and practices, with a

view to producing global standards so nationally defined indicators can be comparable at the

international level and with appropriate tools for monitoring and assessment;

This canbuild upon existing initiativessuch as UNEPs TEEB initiative (The Economics ofEcosystems and Biodiversity), the UNs System of Environmental-Economic Accounting

(SEEA), the World Banks Global Partnership for Wealth Accounting and the Valuation of

Ecosystem Services (WAVES) and the Living Planet Index as well as national programmes.

2.2.2 Fiscal, regulatoryandlegal policy

Through their fiscal, regulatory and legislative powers, governments create the rules within which market

forces operate and by which communities live. The recent financial crisis has shown that inadequate

regulation and misallocation of capital can have devastating impacts on human enterprise and well-being.

At Rio+20, governments have a particular opportunity to commit to making better use of the fiscal,

regulatory and legal tools at their disposal in order to better embed the three pillars of sustainability criteria

in market valuations. This will enable structural change that is inclusive, generates employment, enhances

wellbeing and reduces inequities. Governments should:

Eliminating all subsidies that undermine sustainable development, particularly thoseunderpinning fossil fuel use, unsustainable agriculture and fisheries, taking appropriate action to

offset this measures regressive impact. This process would include transparent, annual reporting

and review and result in elimination by 2020 at the latest:

Fossil fuels: Agree to phase out all subsidies to the fossil fuel industry in a planned agenda to2020, first aiming to eliminate all subsidies to production, then to consumption of fossil fuels.

Governments should also use this opportunity to earmark this significant saving toward

investments in clean renewable energy with access for all;

Agriculture: Agree to phase out of all subsidies that encourage unsustainable farming anddeforestation and agree to phase out subsidies to damaging ranching practices. The current

subsidy system should be transformed to provide incentives for the development of, and

transition to, environmentally sound agricultural practices and adequate compensation for


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Fisheries: Agree to put an end to all forms of subsidies that encourage destructive fishingpractices, growth in fishing fleet size and fishing effort, including fossil fuel subsidies for fishing

vessels and all vessels engaged in supporting fishing by 2017. By 2014, establish an institutional

framework using the redirected funds to effect innovative financing mechanisms that will payfor the transition from depleted to recovered fisheries, ensuring that overall fishing effort is

reduced to match sustainable fishing opportunity.

Mandate better integration of social and environmental externalities, includingenvironmental risk and the polluter pays principle, in standard accounting and reporting practices

for both business and governments, so that these costs can be reflected in market valuations and

environmental impact assessments;

Ensure that sustainability and footprint criteria guide public procurement ; Ensure the establishment and compliance with legal frameworks for the sustainable use

of natural resources;

Use tax measures to favour the sustainable production and sourcing of goods and commoditiesby industry, including food crops, dairy, beef, seafood, timber, pulp, cotton, biofuels, palm oil, and

soy;

Develop regulations that commit and support city governments to deliver and implementambitious plans to minimise urban areas food, water and energy footprint while improving access,

inclusion and needs satisfaction for the poor.

2.2.3 Certification

Empowering producers to produce sustainably and providing consumers sustainable products,

certification is a key component of sustainable development. Certification schemes assist with the

movement to green economies by protecting ecosystems. Governments can help transition to sustainable

production by:

Expanding support for certifications that use a multi-stakeholder, science-basedapproachand operate with a transparent system allowing for certification and trade of goods; and

further, commit to develop certifications based on these principles for goods that are currently not

covered;

Ensuring these mechanisms bring together governments, business and civil society inorder to foster certification criteria clearly grounded in science;

Ensuring that implementation, evaluation and monitoring of certification standards are open andtransparent, inclusive and democratic in a way consumers and producers can trust, and

develop and enforce mechanisms for supporting achievement of certification by sustainable

producers, including smallholders, in the developing world.


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2.3 Fundingfor transition

The financial payoffs of transitioning to green economies, though significant, sometimes lay in the medium-

and long-term and require upfront costs. Such upfront funding should be made available to help financeand implement the transition to green economies and be an integral part of Rio+20.

2.3.1NewInvestment Vehicle

Rio+20 can setup a public-private investment vehicle to finance projects to transition communities to green

economies. Such an investment vehicle would aim to:

Scale up and catalyse new and additional sources of funding, from both public and privatefundingwith a view to raise the capital necessary to transition to green economies;

Finance leapfrogging technologies and refitting programmeswith a view to capture theincreased returns inherent in economies that better address social and environmental concerns;

Invest in the food, water and energy nexus, particularly on technology cooperation.Rio+20 is also an opportunity to make significant progress on the establishment of the Green Climate Fund,

which could become a part of the new investment vehicle to fund the transition to green economies. The

following key principles should apply to both the Green Climate Fund and the new investment vehicle:

Streamline and harmonise the numerous existing funds building upon the Paris Aid EffectivenessDeclaration and setting up coordination platforms to better handle the fragmented financial

landscape by simplifying the application processes for funding;

Ensure a fair allocation of funding between sectors, countries and regions; Facilitate direct access to funding for National Implementing Entities, including by fostering

capacity-building for the accreditation of new Implementing Entities in the LDCs;

Set up a balanced governance system between donor and recipient countries, with the objective offunding priorities on the basis of country-led initiatives;

Ensure the effective engagement of stakeholders (governments, business, civil society); civil societyorganisations should be involved in decision-making process related to the selection of the Board,

the selection of funding priorities and projects, and through clear and transparent reporting;

Establish and use social and environmental safeguards for the implementation of projects, with aspecific attention to the vulnerabilities and needs of local communities, women and indigenous

people.

2.3.2Newinnovativesources of finance

Public sources of funding need to be updated and enhanced in order to help fund sustainable development.

Rio+20 can catalyse this by notably agreeing to:

Introduce a global Financial Transaction Tax (FTT), with revenues raised being earmarked forimplementing Rio+20:


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End the Chicago Agreementnot to tax aircraft fuel for international flights; Support the establishment and access to financial assets for rural and urban poor by means of

alternative schemes of financial services (micro-credit; credit unions, etc).

3.INSTITUTIONALFRAMEWORKS FORSUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENTThe reform of institutional arrangements for sustainable development should be promoted with renewed

emphasis on Principle 10 of the 1992 Rio Declaration. Transparency, access to information, public

participation in decision-making, accountability and access to justice are fundamental and necessary

elements for effective and legitimate governance. WWF encourages a process of wide and inclusive

consultation and promotes social inclusion with full participation of civil society, local communitiesincluding indigenous people and private sector that results on good understanding of local, national and

regional conditions upon which development scenarios can be built. Reform should also include principles

such as social inclusion, transparency, policy regulation and enforcement.

3.1. Governance

The objective of any reform to the intitutional frameworks for sustainable development should be to help

deliver green economies by ensuring adequate monitoring, review and implementation of sustainable

development measures. Any reform of institutional frameworks should address all level of governance:global, regional, national and local. WWF generally supports the following functions.

3.1.1CreatingaSustainableDevelopment Council (SDC)

At Rio+20 leaders should ensure the effective integration of the social, economic and environmental

pillars and coordinate synergies with the UN agencies with sustainable development mandates across the

UN system through the creation of a Sustainable Development Council (SDC). A SDC could be

created by upgrading the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and by strengthening the

Sustainable Development mandate of ECOSOC. The SDC would sit above and coordinate the existing

sustainable development structures. The creation of a SDC would not require amending the UNCharter and has a precedent in the establishment of the Human Rights Council.

The key functions of the SDC would include: Maintaining a global registry of commitments on sustainable development to oversee country

commitments contextual by country , review compliance and guide gradual increases in

commitments with active engagement of civil society;

Coordinating, consolidating and advancing sustainable development objectives across the UNsystem;

Ensuring integrated discussions between new and emerging issues such as economic security,water, security, climate security, energy security, food security and natural disasters. The SDC


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Integrating sustainable development principles in UN development policy-making andoperational activities;

Implementing previously made commitments on sustainable development by greater emphasison support, enforcement and monitoring of compliance through stronger accountability

mechanisms for the states concerned to respect their engagements;

Reviewing, monitoring and promoting enforcement and compliance of SustainableDevelopment Goals through strong accountability mechanisms for the states concerned to

respect their commitments;

Ensuring the creation of National Sustainable Development Councils as agreed at the Rio EarthSummit and raising their political profile through cross-sectoral ministerial representation

reporting to the Head of State/Government and active engagement of civil society and the

private sector;

Putting in place joint action plans, establishing multi-stakeholders committees (relevantgovernment sectors, national conventions focal points, private sector, indigenous and local

communities and civil society organisations) and supporting concrete pilot projects;

Building and sharing knowledge of inter-linkages and solutions to food, water and energyscarcity issues as well as disaster prevention and response.

An SDC would benefit from having: A decision-making process with an equal representation of major donors, recipient countries as

well as civil society represented on the governing body;

Country representation at the highest political level of the cross-sectoral ministerial committee; Membership of International Financial Institutions to increase UN system-wide coherence;

3.1.2UpgradingUNEP

Parties should support upgrading UNEP to a specialised agency (UN Environment

Organisation) reporting directly to the General Assembly. This enhanced structure would consolidate

existing institutions and strengthen the environmental pillar by giving it equal political weight to

social and economic pillars within the UN system (for example: ILO, WHO WMO).

Key functions of an upgraded UNEP would be to: Provide the UN authoritative voice on environment by developing, defining and driving

implementation of global environment priorities ;

Bring coherence to the proliferation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) bycreating synergies in governance approaches; put greater emphasis on enforcement and

monitoring of compliance to MEAs through stronger accountability mechanisms. This can be

done by clustering MEAs under an upgraded UNEP;

Make recommendations for financing priorities in particular for capacity building and


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Ensure strong environment expertise in the UN country offices to assist in the mainstreamingand implementation of environment issues in development, poverty reduction and economic

activities. Build national capacity by working with UNDP or other appropriate agencies to

employ country-based environment specialist staff;

Spot emerging trends and identify scenarios for multilateral and institutional response. To be most legitimate and credible, the upgraded UNEP should have:

Universal membership and civil society represented on the governing body; Stable and predictable funding through assessed contributions rather than voluntary donations

and convene processes to ensure that the policies and commitments are properly resourced so

the objectives can be met in the timeframe;

A decision-making process with a balanced representation of member states and civil society onthe governing body.

3.1.3 Greeningof Economic, TradeandFinancial bodies

Existing economic, trade and financial decision-making bodies should be mandated to:

Better incorporate sustainable development parameters in the existing International FinancialInstitutions, particularly in terms of funding, operations, strategic plans, objectives and

implementation;

Include representation of the SDC and upgraded UNEP on the governing body of each of theInternational Trade and Financial Institutions;

Grant the SDC and upgraded UNEP with trade-related mandates, objectives and obligations withpermanent observer status in all relevant economic and financial decision making bodies;

Increase funding levels and pursue further reforms to strengthen the efficiency of the GlobalEnvironment Facility.

3.1.4 OceanGovernance

Governments need to address the drivers behind the current decline in marine resources and habitats that if

left unchecked will seriously jeopardize food security: the lack of integrated governance arrangements of the

oceans and the lack of flag state responsibility to implement internationally negotiated treaties related to

the use of the oceans and their dwindling resources. Governments should address these by agreeing to:

Convening as a matter of urgency an intergovernmental conference under United Nationsauspices on strengthening high seas governance, with a clear and specific mandate to:

Agree to a comprehensive package of governance reforms that fulfils states commitmentsunder the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and other relevant international

agreements for the effective conservation and protection of the marine environment and

marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, on a precautionary and integrated

basis, including ensuring full and effective control of vessels, especially by flag states;


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Establish a mechanism that will deliver, by 2017, the identification, designation and effectivemanagement of a fully comprehensive, adequate and representative system of high seas marine

protected areas, including no-take reserves;

Agree to require periodic strategic environmental assessment for all sectoral uses in all regionsand to require prior environmental impact assessment for each user with a view to delivering

ecosystem-based integrated oceans management;

Ensure that a system is established for adequate assistance to enable developing states to fullyand equitably participate in and implement the elements above.

Merging the UNGA Oceans and the UNGA Fisheries Resolutions into one genuinelyomnibus Ocean Resolution, to ensure all maritime sectors are regulated through this one

overarching agreement with a view to avoiding sectoral isolation and to delivering integrated

oceans management. Initial discussions to this end could take place within the UNGA Open Ended

Working Group on Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.

Strengthening cooperation through INTERPOL with a view to ensuring civil and criminaloffences at sea, including environmental crime in all its forms, are effectively prevented and

prosecuted and, where necessary, agree to ensure relevant activities are regarded as sufficiently

serious offences to warrant INTERPOLs involvement in international pursuit of offenders. Of

particular concern is the need to recognise that: both the wildlife and pollution aspects of

environmental crime need to be broadened to explicitly include marine aspects; marine living

resources crimes are serious; the involvement of transnational organised crime is widespread; andpoor working and living conditions amount to the serious crime of trafficking in persons.

3.2 Sustainable Development Goals

It is essential to bring a robust and ambitious framework into force after the Millennium Development

Goals (MDGs) expire in 2015. A post-2015 framework needs to tackle the structural causes of inequality

within and between countries, and target poor governance, unfair trade systems, environmental

degradation, and climate change. The new framework should better capture the integrated development

challenges to the environment and should be benchmarked for all countries. The process to develop a newset of goals and targets should be a consultative process. For these reasons WWF supports:

The concept of Sustainable Development Goals, including linking ecosystem health (watermanagement, energy, food production, agriculture and ranching, marine and fisheries, footprint

reduction) to development objectives;

The principle thatSDGs are complementary to MDGs and bring added value to the work onpost-2015 framework for MDGs;

Any agreed set of SDGs should have universal targets, for both developing and developedcountries.


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UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

(RIO + 20)

Rio de Janeiro, 4-6 June 2012

Contribution by the European Union and its Member Statesto the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs


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I. GENERAL INTRODUCTION

The European Union (EU) and its Member States consider that the United NationsConference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), to be held in Rio de Janeiro on4-6 June 2012, offers a unique opportunity for our mutually interdependent world to securerenewed political commitment to sustainable development at all levels. The Conference will

also provide an opportunity to assess the progress made to date, identify remainingimplementation gaps and address new and emerging challenges since the UN Conference onEnvironment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and the World Summit onSustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002.

The EU and its Member States are putting forward the present contribution in response to theinvitation from the Second Preparatory Committee of Rio+20 to provide inputs andcontributions in writing by 1 November 2011 for inclusion in a compilation document toserve as a basis for the preparation of the "zero draft" of the outcome document. Ourcontribution focuses on the two main themes of Rio+20, i.e. green economy in the context ofsustainable development and poverty eradication (GESDPE) and the institutional framework

for sustainable development (IFSD), as means of achieving the objectives of the Conference.

While some progress has been made in advancing sustainable development over the lastdecades, around 1.4 billion people, mostly in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, still live inextreme poverty and one sixth of the worlds population is undernourished. Unsustainableeconomic growth has increased the stress on the earth's limited natural resources and on thecarrying capacity of ecosystems, with 60% of the world's natural resources already beingused unsustainably or at their limit. Many environmental problems have not been solved andhave become more acute, and economic, social and environmental problems are closelylinked.

Rio+20 should include democratic development and respect for human rights to achievesustainable development at every level and recognize democracy, the rule of law,transparency and accountability as means of meeting social, economic and environmentalchallenges, as well as the importance of gender equality and the vital role that women have inachieving sustainable development.

Rio+20 should focus on strengthening the coherence and enhancing the linkages between theenvironmental, economic and social dimensions of sustainable development and contribute tothe achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 and of otherrelevant internationally agreed goals in the context of major UN conferences, in particular

Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation. In this context, the two themes ofRio+20 offer promising ways to tackle remaining challenges.

Rio+20 should accelerate and broaden the world-wide transition towards a green economythat promotes sustainable development and contributes to poverty eradication around theworld. The EU and its Member States consider that a green economy offers win-winopportunities to all countries, regardless of the structure of their economy and their level ofdevelopment. Green economy is more than the sum of existing commitments: it has the

potential to lead us to a new development paradigm and a new business model where growth,development and environment are seen as mutually reinforcing each other. Increasing

resource efficiency, promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns, tacklingclimate change, protecting biodiversity, combating desertification, reducing pollution as wellas using and managing natural resources and ecosystems in a sustainable and socially


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responsible manner are both requirements and key vehicles in ensuring a just transition to agreen economy.

The EU and its Member States consider that strengthening international environmentalgovernance is central to the pursuance of sustainable development, and that the necessaryreform of the IFSD also requires a bottom-up perspective, drawing on lessons learned at all

levels.

The EU and its Member States support a forward-looking and focused political documentcapable of giving renewed impetus to sustainable development. In order to do that, Rio+20needs to agree on a shared vision for change, able to deliver results within agreed time frames.The EU and its Member States consider that the agreed political document should besupported by operational outcomes that should include a green economy roadmap withspecific goals, objectives and actions at international level as well as a package of reformswhich includes transforming the UNEP into a specialized UN agency for the environment,leading to a strengthened international environmental governance (IEG) as part of a more

balanced and effective IFSD.

In spite of implementation efforts by governments and non-State actors in all countries,implementation barriers such as low political priority for integrated decision-making, missingor conflicting targets and measures or insufficient coordination between ministries stillremain. In order to address implementation gaps, we need to promote integrated strategies,

public interest, awareness and participation, good governance and coordination andcooperation mechanisms between government departments and between government, localgovernment, civil society and the private sector. The key role of the private sector in thetransition to sustainable development needs to be recognized and made full use of.

The experience and solutions found among the largest generation of young people in history

will be important for Rio+20. The EU and its Member States therefore consider theinvolvement of young people as agents for change vital for a successful outcome of Rio+20and for the continued implementation process.

With a view to strengthening intergovernmental action, we propose to build a new alliancewith stakeholders through their enhanced participation in the decision-making,implementation and follow-up of Rio+20 outcome, as well as by launching sustainabledevelopment initiatives, networks and innovative partnerships at all levels.

We acknowledge that funding for the implementation of sustainable development policies and

actions will have to come from a variety of sources, both public and private. A joint approachby traditional donors, emerging economies, international financial institutions (IFIs) and theprivate sector is needed, addressing the 'silo' approach to channellng funds and ensuring amore effective identification and use of existing resoures, as well as mobilisation of availableand innovative sources of finance.

The EU and its Member States remain strongly committed to playing an active andconstructive role in the preparatory process of Rio+20 with a view to contributing to asuccessful outcome.

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II. GREEN ECONOMY IN THE CONTEXT OF SUSTAINABLE

DEVELOPMENT AND POVERTY ERADICATION

a. Introduction1. A just transition to a green economy will speed up the implementation of existing

sustainable development commitments and help address the implementation gaps, whilebeing fully committed to respect for human rights and gender equality and contributingsignificantly to eradicating poverty. It will improve environmental justice and reduceinequalities, environmental scarcities and the stress on ecosystems by investing in and

preserving natural capital, securing sustainable and efficient use of resources andaddressing social concerns, while maintaining competitiveness. Democracy,transparency, good governance and accountability are essential means of meeting social,economic and environmental challenges and protecting people's right to live in a healthyenvironment, in dignity, and free from hunger and from fear of violence, oppression andinjustice. A sustainable, green economy will provide goods and services to all andsupports access to food, energy and sanitation for all. Education for sustainabledevelopment, including awareness-raising and consumer information, is of primaryimportance in changing behavioural patterns.

2. The transition to a green economy has great potential to promote long-term sustainablegrowth, create decent jobs and hence eradicate poverty, focussing on inclusiveness andavoiding equity gaps. The need for a just transition to a sustainable system of productionand consumption that results in lower pressures on natural resources and theenvironment while improving the quality of life, prosperity and social well-being is nowwidely recognised. This requires that economic development be oriented to remainwithin the regenerative and absorptive capacity of the planet and contribute to

eradicating poverty by shifting consumption and production patterns onto a sustainablepath. Various green-economy tools and defining necessary measures will help allstakeholders to implement the policies and actions needed to achieve sustainabledevelopment. The transition to a green economy will be a global challenge, which bothdeveloped countries and developing countries should embark on with ambitious nationaland international action. A commitment to open markets is important. Thetransformation to a green economy should not be used to introduce new trade barriers.

3. To strengthen the linkages between social and economic areas, strategies at all levelsshould address all sectors in a horizontal way with a view to benefiting from cross-sectoral policy coherence while maintaining competitiveness. To this end, framework

conditions should be established, primarily at national and sub-national level, makinguse of policies and actions able to establish favourable regulatory frameworks and alevel playing field for green markets such as fiscal incentives, emissions trading, gradualelimination of subsidies that have considerable negative effects on the environment andare incompatible with sustainable development, green public procurement, the

promotion of eco-innovation and clean technology, green entrepreneurship, knowledge-building schemes, etc. Social policies to reconcile social goals with economic policiesare also necessary. These initiatives should build on good governance, a dynamic andinnovative private sector, efficient regulation, reduced bureaucracy and marketinstruments. Ratification of the relevant ILO conventions is of utmost importance toensure that growth is not only economically and ecologically sustainable, but also fair,

just and equitable, taking into account social issues and contributing to povertyeradication.


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4. The EU and its Member States emphasise the importance of improving resourceefficiency and sustainable material management through full implementation of life-cycle assessment and of management of Low Carbon Development Strategies as agreedin Cancun. It is important to reflect environmental externalities in prices for resourcesand services and apply negative incentives with regard to negative external costs anddiseconomies, and to encourage activities with positive external effects.

5. International action should be promoted and existing commitments reaffirmed in keysectors such as water, food and agriculture, fisheries, forestry, energy, the marineenvironment and chemicals, as well as in areas relating to the sustainable managementand restoration of natural resources and ecosystem services and the sustainablemanagement of waste along with both climate-change mitigation and adaptation

processes. The aim is to foster favourable framework conditions for sustainabledevelopment, preserving and - where necessary - restoring natural capital and securingthe functions of ecosystems, hence ensuring benefit to all and contributing to povertyeradication, social development and environmental integrity.

6. Special efforts are needed to enable poor people to participate in, contribute to, andbenefit from economic development. People who live in conditions of poverty and socialexclusion are more directly dependent on (local) natural resources and ecosystemservices. As key actors they should have a vital role in a green economy which promotesdecent work with effective respect for fundamental principles, rights at work, socialdevelopment, full freely chosen and productive employment for both women and menand combats child labour and forced labour by taking into account the implementation ofthe International Labour Standards and the ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a fairGlobalization with a view to integrating social development through global sustainabledevelopment. Improved water resource management and access to safe food, water,sustainable and affordable energy, shelter, basic sanitation, education, infrastructure,

health and jobs with decent working conditions for the poor are central issues forsustainable development, as these are fundamental rights for everyone. In this regard, thevital role of women in achieving sustainable development needs to be underlined.

b. A key role of the private sector7. Through (fair) trade, investment, public-private partnerships and research and

innovation, the private sector and civil society play key roles in delivering green growthand promoting sustainable consumption and production, inter alia through corporatesocial responsibility and technology diffusion. Private sector activities involving

promoting and adopting a sustainable business

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