Parallel and Side Events Contents Page

Community action, global impact: Launching UNDP partnership initiatives

Presented by UNDP

This event explored the role of communities in contributing to sustainable development, and launched a series of new UNDP-led strategic partnerships to implement the WSSD's framework on Water, Energy, Health, Agriculture and Biodiversity (WEHAB).

Zephrin Diabre, UNDP, explained that UNDP created "Capacity 21" and other local initiatives to implement capacity building in developing countries, and that it launched the new "Capacity 2015" programme to continue supporting national efforts for sustainable development. He underlined that one of UNDP's key strategies for tackling global sustainable development has been the fostering of cross-cutting partnerships. Diabre noted that UNDP is coordinating global and national efforts to achieve the Millennium Declaration Goals and explained that the new WEHAB partnership initiatives are key to implementing them.

Alvaro Umãna, UNDP, highlighted that UNDP has developed an integrated package of partnership initiatives to create enabling conditions and capacities at local and national levels to reduce poverty, protect the environment and achieve sustainable development. He underscored the importance of replicating successful activities established under these initiatives.

Nadine Gordimer, UNDP Goodwill Ambassador, said that politics and economics are equally important in achieving development and stressed the need for political empowerment of communities.

Panelists from countries taking part in UNDP partnership initiatives presented initiatives and highlighted their contribution to implementing the WEHAB framework.

Sunia Delaijagi, Fiji, presented an initiative on a locally managed marine area network. He explained that the initiative promotes community empowerment, restores fish stocks, manages fresh water, and increases access to clean drinking water.

Nalini Burn, Mauritius, introduced an initiative that provides electricity and pumping water to poor households in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Senegal. She noted that access to energy and water allows women and children to engage in decision-making, agriculture, education, and crafts, and releases them from heavy and non-remunerated manual labor.

Siima Bakengesa, Tanzania, presented a soil conservation initiative which replenishes soils in arid areas by, amongst others, employing bioforestry technologies, and planting native trees.

Will Maheia, Belize, presented a project facilitated by the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment. He explained that the project enabled a local community to participate in the management of a marine reserve, resulting in a shift from unsustainable fishing practices to sustainable ones, and in an increase of fish stocks, tourism, and income.

Launch of a type II Partnership to strengthen science-based decision-making

Presented by the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and the US National Academies

This event launched a type II Partnership between the EPA and the US National Academies, aimed at strengthening science-based decision-making.

Twig Johnson, the National Academies, explained that the Partnership aimed at: mobilizing the scientific community; improving the involvement of science in the decision making process; and increasing the responsiveness of science to decision makers' needs.

Sherwood Rowland, 1995 Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry, described the role of scientists in the process that led to the adoption of the Montreal Protocol on the Protection of the Ozone Layer.

Richard Benedick, US, recalled that scientists had deliberately been strongly involved in the negotiating process of the Montreal Protocol. He stressed that assessment panels had been establsihed under the Protocol in order to make it an agreement responsive to advancements in scientific knowledge. He emphasized the importance of linking science and negotiation.

Linda Fisher, US EPA, said that successful environmental policies involve science in decision-making. She stressed that it is impossible to identify environmental threats and develop appropriate responses without scientific data. Fisher recommended that policy makers be involved in setting the scientific agenda, and stressed the need to improve and increase the frequency of dialogues between scientists and decision makers.

Samuel Smolik, Dow Chemical/American Chemistry Council, underscored the importance of dialogue between policy makers and scientists, and expressed commitment to the Partnership.

Thomas Lovejoy, H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment, gave examples of successful science-policy interactions, including one related to the hydrological cycle of the Amazon Basin.

Eduardo Krieger, Brazil, stressed the importance of academia in contributing to a successful partnership, and of better decision making.

Yves Quéré, France, noted the usefulness of engaging academics in science-policy dialogues, stressing their independence, quality of work and long-term employment.

South-South cooperation for sustainable development

Presented by the governments of Bhutan, Benin, Costa Rica and the Netherlands

At this event, a new partnership for sustainable development was launched.

Nim Dorji, Bhutan, said that the partnership is a follow-up to the bilateral sustainable development agreements (SDAs) between the Netherlands, and, respectively, Bhutan, Benin and Costa Rica. He explained that SDAs are concrete partnerships, in which recipient countries and their civil societies are key players.

Luc-M.C. Gnacadja, Minister of the Environment, Housing and Urbanism of Benin, and Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Costa Rican Minister for Environment, welcomed the unique opportunity to establish new south-south cooperation; thanked the Netherlands for including "debt for nature" swaps, electrification in rural areas, and biodiversity preservation. Rinchhen stressed that the new agreement will allow Benin, Costa Rica and Bhutan to support each other in contributing to sustainable development. He invited new partners to join the SDA framework.

Pieter van Geel, Netherlands Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, explained that under previous bilateral SDAs the cooperation between partner countries remained minimal, and expressed hope that the new partnerships would contribute to greater cooperation in implementing the WSSD outcomes.

The Ministers signed the agreement on south-south cooperation for sustainable development, which is open for new, interested partners.

The participants were presented with a documentary that illustrated the experiences and lessons learned from implementing SDAs in the four partner countries.

Pan-European east-west environmental partnership for sustainable development: A new environmental partnership for new Europe

Presented by the governments of Denmark, Georgia, the Netherlands, and the Ukraine

Jan Pronk, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for the WSSD, explained that this event would launch the Pan-European East-West Environmental Partnership for Sustainable Development.

Libor Ambrozek, Czech Minister of the Environment, stated that the new partnership aims at developing and implementing environmental initiatives in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA). He stressed the need for greater synergies among national environmental strategies and coordinated implementation of international agreements. Ambrozek expressed the Czech Republic's commitment to cooperation at the governmental, civil society, and private sector levels.

Irakli Menagarishvili, Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that the new partnership would facilitate the pan-european integration process, and highlighted the joint efforts of Georgia and the Ukraine to promote an environmental strategy for EECCA. He recommended that sustainable development initiatives in the region have clear timeframes and indicators, and address critical issues, including environmental protection, energy, water supply, sanitation, poverty eradication, and conflict prevention.

Serhii Kurykin, Ukrainian Minister of the Environment, invited contribution to the preparatory process of the 5th "Environment for Europe" Ministerial Conference to be held in Kiev. The Conference would strengthen the legislative basis for environmental protection in the region by further elaborating the EU water and energy sector initiatives and developing two regional mountain conventions.

Dan Nielsen, Denmark, underscored Denmark's commitment to political, technical, and financial support to EECCA and assured Denmark's assistance to the Environment for Europe Conference. He stressed the importance of issues pertaining to water and energy sectors, and highlighted a new EU water partnership initiative.

Pieter van Geel, Norwegian Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment of the Netherlands, said that the development of a new Europe requires close cooperation with EECCA countries. He highlighted the need to: deal with poverty eradication, environmental disasters, and transboundary problems; ensure pollution prevention and control; harmonize environmental policies and legislation; and increase civil society’s participation. He called for increased financial support to the region.

Discussion: Representatives of EECCA governments, civil society, intergovernmental organizations and donor agencies stressed that the new environmental partnership is a timely undertaking of global importance, and expressed their commitment to political and financial support to the partnership.

New partnerships, institutions and networks of the future

Presented by IUCN

Kader Asmal, South African Minister of Education, welcomed the WSSD’s philosophical and political will to improve partnerships and stressed that partnership are an invitation for dialogue and solidarity, and a basis for collecting world-wide knowledge on practical experience. Asmal identified the importance of funding systems that do not impose conditions on recipient countries as central for successful partnerships.

Andrew Hewett, Oxfam, highlighted that Oxfam’s activities are built on promoting partnerships at all levels. He recommended that Type II Partnerships: have a clear link with Type I commitments; fit into a regulatory framework; and supplement public activities. He stressed the importance of monitoring and reporting systems for promoting accountability and transparency in Type II Partnerships, and highlighted the need to incorporate equity and increase participation in partnerships.

Simon Upton, OECD, said the quality of multi-stakeholders’ participation must improve. He stressed the need for implementing WSSD outcomes, and the importance of avoiding domination of one or few countries in multilateral funding processes.

Shahida Jamil, Pakistani Minister for Environment, Local Government and Rural Development, said that Pakistan supports partnerships and has promoted them during the WSSD process. She noted that partnerships should be practical, relevant and effective.

José María Figueres, World Economic Forum (WEF), noted that globalization results in economic and political exclusion within and between countries and recommended that the Breton Woods institutions be reformed in order to fulfill WSSD goals. Figueres emphasized the need for regulatory frameworks for global markets, and noted the danger of a “market dictatorship” over democracy. He explained that WEF focuses on fostering partnerships on economics, human development and environment.

Mountain sustainable development: international partnership

Presented by the Government of Switzerland

Jean-François Giovannini, Switzerland, recalled that 2002 is the International Year of Mountains. He presented a Partnership on Mountain Sustainable Development, an umbrella alliance designed for the sustainable development of mountain regions, and called for high level political commitment to the partnership.

Klaus Töpfer, UNEP Executive Secretary, envisaged the Partnership to be the best type II outcome of the WSSD, and confirmed UNEP's commitment to it and other partnerships including those related to water and oceans. He said that cooperation between FAO and UNEP had been enhanced by the Year of Mountains.

Jacques Paul Eckebil, FAO, reaffirmed FAO's commitment to the Partnership and highlighted FAO's role as the manager of Agenda 21’s Chapter 13. He commended the high level of participation from developing countries in activities run during the Year of Mountains, and their efforts in developing and implementing domestic strategic plans for enacting mountain policies and laws.

Douglas McGuire, FAO, described the Partnership. He highlighted that the Partnership is novel in being an umbrella alliance for sub-regional thematic and/or geographic sub-partnerships, and underscored the Partnership’s evolving and voluntary nature, contribution to the implementation of Agenda 21’s Chapter 13, and cooperative nature.

Andrei Iatsenia, UNEP, expressed hope that the Partnership would bring positive changes in national implementation and stressed the importance of partnerships with the private sector. He highlighted the benefits of linking upper with down stream watersheds and of involving all countries in cooperative actions.

Emphasizing the importance of mountain ecosystems for local communities and countries worldwide, representatives from Kyrgyzstan, Italy, Peru, Uganda, Lesotho, Bhutan, and the countries of the Hindu Kush region presented domestic experiences and projects in mountain ecosystem management for sustainable development and confirmed their commitment to the Partnership.