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RIO+20 OUTCOMES DOCUMENT: THE FUTURE WE WANT SUMMARY

Thematic areas and cross-sectoral issues:  

  • Poverty Eradication: poverty eradication should be given highest priority within UN agenda; recognize that social protection systems are essential for eradicating poverty and advancing MDGs and encourage initiatives aimed at enhancing social protection.
  • Food Security and Nutrition and Sustainable Agriculture: commitment of the right of everyone to have access to safe, sufficient and nutritious food, importance of sustainable agriculture and recognize importance of addressing access of rural communities – including credit, financial services, markets, land tenure, health care and social services.
  • Energy: critical role of energy in sustainable development – access to sustainable modern energy contributes to poverty eradication, saves lives and improves health, essential to social inclusion and gender equality.
  • Sustainable transport: importance of environmentally sound, safe and affordable transportation as a means to improve social equity and health. Support development of sustainable transport systems, notably public mass transportation systems. Acknowledge that developing countries need assistance.
  • Sustainable cities: well planned and integrated cities can be economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. Commit to promoting integrated approach to planning and building sustainable cities which support inclusive housing, safe and healthy living environment for all particularly the vulnerable, affordable and sustainable transport and energy, promotion and protection of safe and green urban spaces, water and sanitation, air quality, decent jobs and improved urban planning and slum upgrading. Recognize importance of mixed-use planning and non-motorized mobility – including by promoting pedestrian and cycling infrastructures.
  • Health and population: Health is a precondition for, an outcome of, and an indicator of all three dimensions of sustainable development. Sustainable development will not be achieved in presence of high burden on communicable/non communicable diseases.
    • Acknowledge that the global burden and threat of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) constitutes one of the major challenges for sustainable development in the twenty-first century.
    • Commit to strengthen health systems toward the provision of equitable, universal coverage and promote affordable access to prevention, treatment, care and support related to NCDs, especially cancers, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes.
    • Commit to establish or strengthen multi-sectoral national policies for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases.
    • Reaffirm the full right to use TRIPS provisions and Doha Declaration on TRIPs to promote access to medicines for all and encourage development assistance in this regard.
    • Call to strengthen health systems through increased financing and the recruitment/training/retention of health workers, improved distribution and access to meds and improving health infrastructure.
    • Commit and consider population trends in development policy, emphasize need for universal access to reproductive health including family planning and protection of human rights in this context
    • Commit to reducing maternal and child mortality, gender equality and protection human rights on matters related to sexuality and work to ensure health systems address sexual and reproductive health.
  • Promoting full and productive employment, decent work for all, and social protections: need full and productive employment and decent work for all. Recognize importance of job creation. Workers should have access to education, skills and healthcare including occupational health and safety.

 

Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development:  

  • Invite UNGA in 67th Session (2012) to adopt Resolution strengthening and upgrading UNEP by: establishing universal membership in it’s governing council; adequate and increased financing; strengthening coordination with other UN bodies; increase dissemination of environmental information and issues; provide capacity building to countries; consolidate departments and functions.
  • Decide to launch universal, intergovernmental negotiation process in UNGA to define form of high level forum: Aim to convene first meeting of high level political forum in 68th Session of GA.

 

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Process:  

  • The SDGs should be action-oriented, concise and easy to communicate, limited in number, aspirational, global in nature and universally applicable to all countries while taking into account different national realties and include targets and indicators.
  • Focused on priority areas for achievement of SD and driven by governments with involvement of all stakeholders
  • Commit to establishing inclusive and transparent intergovernmental process of SDGs open to all stakeholders with a view to development SDGs to be agreed by UNGA.
  • Open working group shall be established no later than opening of 67th Session of UNGA, comprising of 30 representatives (nominated by Member States through UN regional groups to achieve equitable geographical representation)
  • Open working group to decide on method of work and modalities to ensure full involvement of all relevant stakeholders and expertise from civil society, UN and scientists. Will submit report to 68th Session on UNGA (2013) containing a proposal for SDGs for consideration and appropriate action.
  • Commit to establishing an intergovernmental process under UNGA (technical support from UN system + in consultation with relevant stakeholders) to produce report proposing options on effective Sustainable Development Financing Strategy to facilitate mobilization of resources.
  • An intergovernmental committee consisting of 30 experts nominated by regional groups established to implement this process – to assess financing needs, consider effectiveness/consistency/synergies of existing instruments and frameworks and evaluate new initiatives.
  • Work must be concluded by 2014 and UNGA with be requested to consider report and take appropriate action.
  • Must be coordinated and coherent with post-2015 process.