Parallel and Side Events Contents Page

Energy and sustainable development in Africa

Presented by the Energy and Development Research Centre (EDRC), the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at the University of California, and the Kumasi Institute of Technology and Environment (KITE)

Abdoulie Janneh, UNDP, underscored the need to address access to energy in fighting poverty, and called for increased investment in the field.

Jayant Sathaye, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, addressed the challenge of sustainable energy, and advocated a move towards higher energy efficiency. He called for policies that: create an enabling environment; mobilize additional investment; and develop human and organizational capacity.

Ogunlade Davidson, University of Cape Town, noted that while Africa is rich in both renewable and non-renewable energy sources, only 17% of Africans have access to electricity. He called for up- to-date technologies to avoid pollution, and stressed the importance of subsidized energy in rural areas.

Njeri Wamukonya, UNEP, criticized the fact that most models for power sector reform advocate privatization without addressing access to electricity, and said that most investment in the energy sector is controlled by private companies and is export oriented. She stressed that renewable energy technologies must contribute to poverty reduction.

Youba Sokona, Environmental Development Action in the Third World (ENDA), called for: scaling up best practices; reducing time lags between policy conceptualization and implementation; widening access to cleaner fossil fuels; energizing rural areas; mobilizing energy investment; and strengthening government and energy institutions.

Abeeku Brew-Hammond, KITE, presented a knowledge network for energy in Africa which: identifies knowledge gaps and available resources; increases knowledge exchange; and makes data on energy in Africa available to decision makers.

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, South African Minister of Minerals and Energy, supported the development of hydropower dams, and stated that women's energy needs should be addressed.

Discussion: Participants discussed, inter alia: armed conflict as an obstacle to sustainable development; hydropower development; liberalization of electricity sectors; climate change; governance in the energy sector; and energizing rural areas.

Volunteering and sustainable development

Presented by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (the Red Cross)

At this event, participants discussed the importance of volunteering and shared personal volunteering experiences.

Zola Skweyiya, South African Minister of Social Development, commended the role of volunteers and of the Red Cross in promoting sustainable development. He called for greater recognition of volunteers, and highlighted their contribution to the WSSD. He reiterated his government's commitment to promoting volunteerism and stressed that volunteers are important in contributing to Africa's development.

Najma Heptulla, Inter-Parliamentary Council, outlined the resolution of the Inter-Parliamentary Union on the promotion of volunteerism, and recommended that parliaments worldwide: educate and involve their constituencies in volunteering; inspire volunteer activities in all sectors of society; and incorporate volunteerism in their planning activities. She stressed that even small-scale volunteerism can make a difference.

Juan Manuel Suárez del Toro, the Red Cross, highlighted community disaster preparedness and AIDS-related activities as key areas for volunteerism, stressing the need to work at the community level. He described a global Red Cross volunteer network and said that volunteers can play a critical role in improving the life of vulnerable communities. He also emphasized the need for volunteer training, government's partnerships with volunteer organizations, and concrete actions to promote and encourage volunteerism.

Jane Nelson, International Business Leaders Forum, explained the growing contribution of the private sector in supporting and encouraging volunteering, and recommended that businesses contribute to the promotion of volunteer actions by: sharing their knowledge and skills; donating products; conducting social marketing campaigns; and channeling a percentage of their profits to the communities in which they operate.

Robert Leigh, UNV, noted a UN resolution that underscores political commitment to promoting volunteerism as central to sustainable development. He highlighted the successes of the International Year of Volunteers 2001, including: greater recognition of the importance of volunteerism; increased research; improved legislation; cross-sectoral volunteer networks and partnerships among international organizations; popularity of online volunteerism; and heightened private sector volunteerism. Leigh stressed the need for: increased awareness; information on volunteering opportunities; integration of volunteerism in national development plans; and promotion of volunteering, in particular amongst the youth.

Building capacity for negotiation and implementing international sustainable development regimes

Presented by the Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development (FIELD)

Tony Gross, FIELD, highlighted FIELD's capacity-building activities for implementing and negotiating environmental regimes. He said that capacity building should: be a long term investment; aim at strengthening institutions, including governments, universities, and NGOs; involve a broad range of stakeholders; strengthen cooperation at the regional level; use an integrated approach across multiple sectors and institutions; and focus on both process and substance.

Jürgen Lefevere, FIELD, presented FIELD's capacity-building activities on climate change negotiations for AOSIS countries. He explained that FIELD: provides briefing documents to delegates prior to meetings; offers assistance during negotiations; and prepares submissions to international bodies. He noted the need to: enhance understanding of complicated issues; encourage long term involvement of delegates;coordinate international and national, as well as negotiating and implementing processes; and establish issue linkages, including between biodiversity and climate change.

Beatrice Chaytor, FIELD, explained that in the field of trade, investment, and sustainable development, FIELD submits legal briefs to specific dispute settlement mechanisms, and provides technical assistance to least developed countries in the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment. She highlighted benefits gained from a joint project with UNCTAD on building capacity of developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, which aims at: improving understanding of trade and environment issues; enhancing policy-making and negotiation skills; and promoting participation, primarily in the WTO.

René Vossenaar, UNCTAD, further described the phases of the FIELD-UNCTAD project and noted first successes. He identified possible shortcomings of capacity building, including frequent change of government officials, and lack of dissemination, follow up, and in-depth analysis of issues.

Raúl Garrido, Cuba, explained Cuba's participation in the FIELD-UNCTAD project and its benefits, including clarification of concepts and issues, and strengthening of negotiation positions for the 2001 Doha meeting.

Carolina Lasén Diaz, FIELD, outlined FIELD's capacity-building work on biodiversity issues, including publications, and highlighted work undertaken on access to genetic resources and benefit sharing (ABS) in the Pacific Islands region. She said that similar projects on ABS and biosafety are underway in other regions.

Discussion: Participants discussed various issues, including: capacity building for politicians and diplomats; demand-driven capacity building; funding for capacity-building activities; and relations between negotiators and those in charge of implementation.

International law for sustainable development: principles, practices and prospects

Presented by the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL)

Nicolas Schrijver, International Law Association (ILA), said that poverty eradication, environmental conservation and human rights are the inter-connected pillars of sustainable development. He introduced the ILA's New Delhi Declaration on Sustainable Development, which aims to clarify and develop the concept of sustainable development.

François Joubert, EnviroLaw Solutions, presented the EnviroLaw Solutions initiative aimed at strengthening domestic legislative, implementing and enforcement capacities related to sustainable development law, by training legal actors, raising awareness, and developing and codifying law. He recommended that the UN system strengthen cooperation with all stakeholders through partnerships, and further study the rights-based approach to sustainable development.

Parvez Hassan, IUCN, identified implementation and poverty alleviation as the main challenges facing the WSSD.

Charles Di Leva, the World Bank, highlighted elements of the Bank's operational policies governing project funding, including public consultation and participation, and the sustainable use of natural resources. He stressed: the Bank's green financing approach; the law and justice reform initiative; anti-corruption measures; and work on corporate social responsibility.

Pía Ximena Rodríguez, International Development Law Institute, stressed the role of lawyers in promoting sustainable development. She expressed regret over the lack of adequate training, knowledge and skills in developing countries, and over insufficient academic interest in sustainable development-related issues.

Philippe Roch, Switzerland, shared domestic experience on developing sustainable development laws, which includes greater involvement of the economic sector.

Brian Emmett, Canada, explained the shift in perceptions regarding the relationship between environmental and economic issues. He highlighted the need for: an appropriate institutional and legal framework; governance; and capacity building.

Ashfaq Khalfan, CISDL, presented the International Jurists Mandate on Sustainable Development opened for signature in June 2002.

Discussion: Participants addressed various issues, including: the common but differentiated responsibility and precautionary principles; the role of francophone international lawyers in developing international sustainable development law; the concept of common heritage of humankind; cooperation between all sectors of society; and capacity building.

Sustainable tourism and its contribution to poverty alleviation

Presented by the World Tourism Organization (WTO)

At this event, the publication "Tourism and poverty alleviation" was presented, and experiences and potentials of sustainable tourism were discussed. Francesco Frangialli, Secretary General of the WTO, noted the significant growth of the tourist industry in recent decades, and advocated tourism as a part of countries' poverty alleviation strategies. He underscored tourism as a means to reducing countries' debt and dependence on raw material exports, and called for planned and sustainable tourism.

Dawid de Villiers, WTO, stated that tourism can make a substantial contribution to poverty alleviation and noted the potential for tourism development in less developed countries and rural areas. He highlighted the tourism sector's contribution to: income-generation in many developing countries; restoration of world heritage sites; and job creation.

Geoffrey Lipman, WTO, introduced the Sustainable Tourism - Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP) initiative, and noted its components: an international foundation to attract financing for tourism projects; a research base to identify principles and model applications; and an operating framework, which promotes good practices among companies, consumers and communities.

Rubens Ricupero, Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Environment, stressed sustainable tourism as an important tool for environmental protection and employment generation. He stated that many countries fail to recognize the potential of tourism for economic development, and underscored tourism's catalytic role for the development of the service sector. Ricupero highlighted increased tourism as a positive result of globalization.

Taleb Rifai, Jordanian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, stated that promotion of tourism requires governments to: invest in infrastructure; develop tourism sites; and forge public-private partnerships. Rifai noted that the tourism sector is vulnerable to crises, and advocated the adoption of "safety nets".

Sereyvuth Veng, Cambodian Minister of Tourism, noted the importance of country stability to tourism development. He underscored tourism as a catalyst for developing infrastructure and providing electricity in rural areas, and highlighted the critical role of governments in promoting tourism development.

Nandcoomar Bodha, Mauritian Minister of Tourism, emphasized the importance of positive interactions between tourists and local communities, underscored social responsibility of the tourism industry, and called for community involvement.

Zakia Hamdani Meghji, Tanzanian Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, underscored: the involvement of local people, sharing tourism benefits between government and local communities; and cultural tourism.

Sarah Timpson, the GEF, stated that tourism often leads to economic exclusion rather than inclusion, and that uneven distribution of benefits causes social distortions. She advocated community initiative and ownership, and stated that low-impact tourism provides the greatest benefits for local communities.

> Also read “The Cape Town Declaration: Responsible Tourism in Destinations”.