Sustainable Developmental Roots

Transcription

1 Sustainable Developmental Roots Background Information on Rio+20: How the Past 30+ Years Have Shaped Today Introduction: In order to truly understand the upcoming Rio+20 Conference of June 2012, a holistic background on the historic events throughout the world which have led towards today is provided here. As preparation for the Rio+20 Conference, this information will serve as a brief background framework for the evolution of ideas around sustainable development from Key highlights to look to include: the World Conservation Strategy (1980), followed by the first Rio Earth Summit (1992), and Rio+10 (2002) subsequent United Nations Conference. Collectively these show the many historical events that have modeled and shaped the current conversations on sustainable development. Essential Historical Timeline: Conference on Ecological Aspects of International Development, in Washington, DC 1 Recognized as the first real international meeting on environmental problems specifically, recognizing their growing importance and global nature United Nations Biosphere Conference, in Paris 3 Organized by UNESCO, the 'Biosphere Conference', was actively attended by the United Nations, FAO, and WHO. It serves as the starting point for the international use of the term biosphere United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, in Stockholm Generally viewed as the first key international community meeting on the global environment and developmental needs. This conference led to the successful establishment of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and The Stockholm Declaration and Action Plan. These helped to define doctrines for the preservation and enhancement of the natural environment, and highlighted the need to support all throughout this process Symposium on Patterns of Resource Use, Environment, and Development Strategies, in Cocoyoc 6 Joint conference by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Commission on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

2 1976 Habitat: United Nations Conference on Human Settlements, in Vancouver 7 This Conference produced the Vancouver Declaration on Human Settlements and worked to establish the model of human settlements as consisting of various different features, previously viewed as distinct from one another. These included housing, building, planning and the relationship of these and such other activities with environmental change and development Brant Report published by the Independent Commission on International Development Issues 8 This report was chaired by the former German Chancellor Willy Brandt, and worked as a review of international development primarily focusing on North-South global wealth and poverty divide International Union for the Conservation of Natural Resources (IUCN) publishes the World Conservation Strategy (WCS) 9 This key document paved the way for dialogue on sustainable development for the first time. And helped to serve as an independent voice in the arena, which differed from the global institutions of the United Nations and World Bank. Viewed positively globally, the World Conservation Strategy report significantly contributes to dialogue linking environment and human development The World Conservation Strategy (WCS) initiative culminates with the approval of the World Charter for Nature 10 Adopted by the United Nations, the Charter proclaims five Principles of Conservation and serves to achieve a more harmonious and sustainable relationship between humanity and rest of the biosphere World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) forms 12 Informally known as the Brundtland Commission, as the Secretary General at the time employed the former Prime Minister of Norway, Gro Harlem Brundtland to chair the commission. Their overall goal was to unite the international community on increased attention to sustainable development, as a primary emphasis for the future Political Aspects of Ecologically Sustainable Development paper publishes A text written by Lynton Caldwell in the Environmental Conservation journal in , which provides an academic foundation for the articulation of a global recognition on ecological sustainable development. This work is one of the stepping stones between the first murmurings of sustainable development around the 1968 Conferences heading for the popularizing of the term in 1987, and beyond, toward the initial Rio Earth Summit of 1992.

3 The Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer takes place, in Vienna 14 Acts as an initial framework and protocol for the international community to follow on practices to preserve the ozone layer. At the Vienna Convention, states agreed to cooperate in relevant research and scientific assessment of the ozone problem WCED produces its culminating report: 'Our Common Future' (also known as the Brundtland Report) popularising the term 'sustainable development' 16 After the Brundtland Report is released, the Commission officially disbands, then members successfully form The Centre for Our Common Future in Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer 17 takes place in Montreal As a follow up to the Vienna Convention, Montreal was primarily attended by the scientific international community, after scientific observations startlingly demonstrated the stratospheric ozone layer thinning World Conference on the Changing Atmosphere: Implications for Global Security, occurs in Toronto 19 Sponsored by the UNEP and WMO the Toronto Conference primarily serves as a meeting place for prestigious experts to create an entirely scientific report on the Earth s atmosphere. The report steadfastly declared emissions must be down to 20% below the present level in 1988 by 2005 (which did not happen) Earth Summit 20 : United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) 21, in Rio de Janeiro 22 successfully takes place and significantly produces: Rio Declaration on Environment and Development 23 Agenda Convention on Biological Diversity 25 United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) 26 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 27 o Created the Conferences of the Parties (COP) which have met regularly thereafter, notably: 1995 Conference of the Parties (COP 1), Berlin 28 ; Kyoto Protocol 29 formally adopted, (COP3); 2001 Marrakesh Accords (COP7); 2005 First meeting of the Parties (MOP) to the Kyoto Protocol, in Montreal; Bali Road Map (COP13); Copenhagen Accord drafted (COP15); The Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (COP17) 1994 United Nations International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD,) 30 in Cairo 31 Here, member countries adopted the ICPD Programme of Action, which is also referred to as the Cairo Consensus. 32 This document was vital in the formation of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

4 1993 Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) forms A key follow-up on the implementation of Agenda CSD holds Rio+5 34 A review, in the form of a United Nations General Assembly Special Session, 5 years after the first Earth Summit in Rio, primarily to refresh and further apply Agenda Millennium Summit adopts the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) James B. Quilligan, updates Brandt Report Report Entitled: 'The Brandt Equation - 21st Century Blueprint for the New Global Economy' Rio+10 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) Occurs 10 years after initial Earth Summit and produces the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI) UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) launches The increased necessity of education for sustainable development is articulated by Secretary General Kofi Annan stating: "Our biggest challenge in this new century is to take an idea that seems abstract sustainable development and turn it into a reality for all the world s people." 39 Looking toward the future - Rio+20: 2012 Rio+20: United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development 40 : Since the United Nation s inception in 1945, the world has grown increasingly interconnected: the realities of climate change and the overwhelming need for realistic measures of sustainability are more and more apparent. The long history of advances, hard work, and targeted efforts in the direction of increased measures of sustainability all point toward the urgent need for the upcoming Rio+20 Conference in June to produce substantive results. Whether governments can deliver results that will truly resonate for many years to come remains to be seen. As this summary shows, there is a rich history of past efforts, many successful, on which Rio is built.

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