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Its purpose was to gauge stakeholder thinking on Earth Summit 2002 and what they hope this Summit will achieve. Respondents were asked to indicate support for ideas which were suggested on possible issues and organisational structure, but it was also a platform for stakeholders to put forward their own recommendations.
Due to the fact that this report is based on the responses to this questionnaire, the opinions expressed herein are those of the respondents to whom they are attributed and are not necessarily those of UNED-UK.
REPRESENTATIVENESS
For reference, Appendix 2 lists all 45 responding organisations and illustrates the major groups that they represent (dictated in their answer to question 1f). Each of the major groups relevant to sustainable development is represented by at least 5 different organisations.
Appendix 2 also illustrates the spread of responses geographically. The final columns illustrate the organisation=s location (question 1a) and their reach (question 1c). 29 respondents are based in developed countries and 16 in developing/transitional countries. These were spread over 6 continents: Europe (18), North America (9), South America (5), Asia (5), Africa (4), Oceania (2) and Eurasia (2).
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
As relevant to this report, it is answers
to questions 2, 3, and 4 that are relevant. Respectively, these questions
referred to:
1. Issues
1.1. The top ranking issues for Earth
Summit 2002 to address are:
1.1.2. Consumption and Production (2)
1.1.3. Access to Information (3)
1.1.4. Freshwater (4)
1.1.5. Climate & Energy (5=)
1.1.6. Health & Environment (5=)
1.2.2. Land Use (6=)
1.2.3. Finance, Aid & Debt (7)
1.2.4. Gender Issues (8)
1.2.5. Forests (9)
2.2. Many statements are organisation specific, however some underlying themes recur in many of them. These are:
2.2.2. The need for governments to re-commit to the principles and ideals expressed in 1992, and for the sustainable development agenda to be reinvigorated.
2.2.3. The need for action, indicators and targets for progress after 2002.
2.2.4. Facilitation of linking sustainable policies and strategies internationally.
2.2.5. For developed countries to commit to helping developing/transitional economies in the sustainable development sphere.
2.2.6. To create mechanisms for meaningful stakeholder engagement in sustainable development planning/implementation.
3.1.2. The CSD in 2002 should review Agenda 21 and the Summit should be forward looking.
3.1.3. The dialogue process of the CSD should be integrated into the Summit preparatory meetings and the Summit itself.
3.3. Key themes apparent from the respondents= comments in this section are:
3.3.2. The need to make the Summit and sustainable development regime more accessible to developing and transitional country participants.
3.3.3. Existing institutional mechanisms need to be reworked to maximise potential sustainable development co-operation, co-ordination and implementation.
3.3.4. Institutional reform is important but should not crowd out discussion of the policy issues at Earth Summit 2002.
In question 2 respondents were asked to indicate the importance that their organisation attributed to the following issues, which may be highlighted at Earth Summit 2002.
Respondents ranked each issue 1 - 5, where: 5 = very important
4 = important
3 = neutral
2 = unimportant
1 = very unimportant
Based on 43 responses to this question, the possible maximum score for an issue is 215. Table 1 ranks the suggested issues in cumulative score order.
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| 1 | 203 | Poverty |
| 2 | 188 | Consumption & Production |
| 3 | 185 | Access to Information |
| 4 | 182 | Freshwater |
| 5= | 178 | Climate & Energy |
| 5= | 178 | Health & Environment |
| 6= | 176 | Education |
| 6= | 176 | Land Use |
| 7 | 173 | Finance, Aid & Debt |
| 8 | 171 | Gender Issues |
| 9 | 170 | Forests |
| 10 | 169 | Agriculture |
| 11 | 166 | Urban Issues |
| 12= | 165 | TNCs |
| 12= | 165 | Trade & Investment |
| 13 | 155 | WEO |
| 14 | 154 | Desertification |
| 15= | 151 | Environmental Refugees |
| 15= | 151 | Fisheries |
| 15= | 151 | Technology |
| 16 | 150 | Biotechnology |
| 17 | 148 | Transport |
| 18 | 147 | Chemical |
| 19 | 144 | AIDS & HIV |
| 20 | 139 | Tourism |
| 21 | 129 | Military Issues |
Appendix 3 tabulates the individual responses and calculation of this ranking.
Many respondents made specific comments regarding the issues to be addressed at Earth Summit 2002. These were (in no specific order):
MAMA-86 listed the following as desirable other issues: globalisation and localisation; integrated approaches to sustainable development policy decision making at the local, national and international levels; public participation in decision making; and multi-sectoral approaches in policy making.
UNA-UK listed disarmament, human rights, refugees and culture of peace as desirable inclusions.
Citizen=s Network for Sustainable Development also listed the issues of corporate accountability, participation, sustainable community, and sustainable livelihoods.
The Earth Society Foundation=s favoured issues are: fisheries and global marine ecology/biology, forestry, World Environment Organisation and the environmental impact of GE/GM foods and plants.
The Women=s Environment & Development Organisation wants to see discussion of smoking and environmental smoke.
Question 3 asked respondents to briefly state what their organisations hopes Earth Summit 2002 will achieve. The responses given to this question are quoted in Table 2 below (in no specific order).
| WaterAid |
| We would like
freshwater issues to be addressed, specifically pick up what comes out
of the World Water Forum - prioritising water for basic human requirements.
Promote equitable access to freshwater resources for poor people, focus on domestic water, sanitation and hygiene promotion. |
| Consumer Unity & Trust Society |
| Our organisation
hopes to see that poverty as an inalienable and embedded issue in sustainable
consumption and production is addressed.
Also we hope to see a clear and issue wise report card of progress in the last decade being presented which should provide pointers for future work. Finally the Summit should address the possibility and suggest means to tie together sustainability policies between countries, regions and peoples. |
| Arab Office for Youth & Environment |
| To discuss the full implementation of Rio and Rio+5 Recommendations and Agenda 21, with more practical dialogues between the North and the South, with higher commitment of developed countries to developing countries in the issue of environment and development. |
| ECO-Accord |
| We expect that
Earth Summit-2002 give a strong impulse to transition to sustainable development
world-wide.
We think that priority attention should be given to economic issues, changing world economic order and life style as key factors of unsustainability. |
| MAMA-86 |
| Elaboration of basic international agreements of the integrated approach to the sustainable development policy implementation (possibly legally binding). |
| Indian Social Institute |
| Education for
all
Food for all Guidelines for judicious land use planning Sustainable development planning Diversion of funds from military expenses to poverty alleviation Development on equity basis No gender discrimination |
| Farnborough College of Technology |
| Recognition that education is a powerful tool to implement and bring about a sustainable society - policy is not enough! |
| The Poverty Alliance |
| Recommitment to the principles of Agenda 21. |
| LEAD International |
| Real concrete action! On at least three issues: poverty eradication, debt reduction and health advances. |
| Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic Inc. |
| A recognition that the health of the humans depends on the health of our common air, water and soil...a healthy planet for all. That surpluses be well used and not only accumulated. That the media be used to celebrate what money can=t buy. |
| Environment Liaison Centre International |
| A review of what succeeded, what didn't at UNCED (at CSD if needed, but very high profile). On the basis of this, much more targeted agreements/action plans on poverty & environment, freshwater and access to information. |
| Greenpeace International |
| Review/reaffirmation of existing commitments; action plan for integration of major groups at all levels of policy-making and implementation. |
| International Confederation of Free Trade Unions |
| Obtain broader agreement about the role of workers and trade unions as instruments of workplace changes. |
| ANPED |
| A political commitment at the highest level to achieve integration of policy measures, to set priorities between economy, ecology and society, to renew commitment to the implementation of Agenda 21, to recognise the accountability of all actors in society to society, a commitment to fight economic and environmental injustice. |
| EQUATIONS |
| Not much if the Rio Summit is to be evaluated by us as not very successful, other than putting additional burdens on poor countries, people and communities. |
| European Baha=i Business Forum |
| A movement
forward on the Rio 1992 commitments.
We would like to see the inclusion of partners who were invited to Habitat II plus Education as one sector. |
| Community Lands Access Network |
| - Co-ordinated
networking amongst environmental groups and social change.
- Groups where all of our resources are shared. - Rollback of patents of plants and animals by TNC's. - Greater education and world-wide redistribution of resources for the re-greening of once-arable-regions-but-now-arid areas throughout the world. - Assistance for groups who are 'buying back the forests' and creating sustainable communities. - Education of farmers for sensible & sustainable water use, especially freshwater supplies. |
| World Federalist Movement |
| Focus on institutional reforms needed to democratise and strengthen existing sustainable development and trade and finance institutions. |
| Helio International |
| The 2002 Earth
Summit should see the achievement of the work started at the 1st
Summit, i.e. ratification of all the conventions and protocols (especially
Kyoto).
Governments should take the commitment to have Sustainable Development Cabinets, where all ministries would have to give account of how they are leading their countries towards a better kind of development: ecological, economically and technologically sustainable, equitable. TNC, MLB, ECAs and all government agencies should commit to have all multi-stakeholders meaningfully represented on their Board. |
| Friend of the Oldman River |
| Focus attention on getting action on fixing the environmental mess we are in/heading for. |
| SCAN |
| Realistic progress on social justice, environmental action, global climate change. |
| Institute for Global Futures |
| - A re-invigorated
re-commitment to Agenda 21 by national governments.
- Good analysis and critique of progress to date, highlighting good and poor performance by national governments as well as other stakeholders. - Further development of Agenda 21. - Release of CSD's Sustainable Indicators. - Timetable for countries to achieve minimum indicator targets. |
| Environmental Broadcast Circle |
| - report of
what has happened 10 years after Rio
- success stories - best practises - models - modules - training kits - RICE (research, information, communication and education) - radio, TV, video, movie, theatre productions - formation of more councils for sustainable development (national/regional/international) - structural designs - management and accounting funding - gains - failures - achievements - plans for the future - reporting mechanisms for each member country processes by all stakeholders |
| GEMS |
| Consolidation of Rio Agenda, institutional change, action. |
| Earth Society Foundation |
| - Greater solidarity
with peer NGOs.
- More co-operation with NGOs with like concerns. - >To clarify and prioritise actions= for sustainable development. |
| Citizen=s Network for Sustainable Development |
| Recommitment
to the full implementation of agreements of Rio and establishment of participatory
and transparent processes of monitoring and accountability in implementation
of these agreements.
Movement towards creation of international mechanisms and institutions that will make sustainable development the shaping influence in economic and security policymaking and implementation. |
| UNA-UK |
| A timetable for action towards achieving good targets. |
| Centro de Estudios Ambientales |
| Forceful follow-up to Rio. Deepen analysis and debate on environment and development taking into account issues that were tangentially touched upon in 1992 or that have experienced a radical change since then (trade, globalisation, etc.). |
| Women=s Environment & Development Organisation |
| Reassessment of progress to date and goals and commitments for the next decade. |
| Philippine Institute of Alternative Futures |
| A forestry convention; adoption of the People=s Earth Charter; clearer agreements on the issues of land use; capacity building of developing countries. |
| Friends of the Earth Scotland |
| Restatement
of the critical importance of environment as the limiting aspect of economic
and social development.
A dynamic promotion of agendas to tackle poverty, quality of life and employment needs through environmentally sound initiatives in e.g. energy, transport, agriculture. Governmental recognition of the scale of change necessary for sustainable development and an undertaking to set targets (not just indicators) for change. An acknowledgement of environmental injustice - north and south and a commitment to tackle this as a matter of priority. |
| Women's International League for Peace & Freedom |
| - Address the
impact of military activities on environmental security and on the environment.
- Stronger mechanisms of implementation. - Financial commitments primarily achieved through transfer of military expenditures to environmental security. |
| Friends of the Siberian Forests |
| To contribute to creation of an appropriate mechanism to protect the world=s forests, especially natural old-growth forests. |
| Global Education Associates |
| Set out targets and timetables. |
| Country Women Association of Nigeria |
| Empowerment of women and eradication of poverty which will lead to global peaceful coexistence. |
| CSD NGO Education Caucus |
| The inauguration
and launch of EDUCATION 21 B
a global action program for education for sustainable development.
The declaration of the Education Community as a major group. |
3 - ORGANISATION
Question 4 asked respondents to indicate agreement, if relevant, to 8 ideas on organisation and process for Earth Summit 2002.
Table 3 summarises the level of support for each idea B totals are cumulative (whereby a positive indication scored 1, and no response scored 0) and ranked against a possible maximum of 44 (the total number of organisations who answered this question).
Options 2, 7 and 8 scored affirmative with over 75% of respondents.
All other options scored affirmative with 50% - 74% of respondents.
| Organisational Suggestion |
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| 1. Earth Summit 2002 should be at Heads of State level |
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| 2. There should be regional Preparatory Meetings for Earth Summit 2002 |
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| 3. The Summit should be held in a developing country |
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| 4. There should be a separate Secretariat set up for organising the Summit |
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| 5. There should be a Secretary General for the Summit |
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| 6. The Summit should be used to set up the new UN machinery for sustainable development in the 21st Century |
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| 7. The CSD in 2002 should review Agenda 21 and the Summit should be forward looking |
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| 8. The Dialogue process of the CSD should be integrated into the Summit preparatory meetings and the Summit itself |
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Each of these suggestions provoked
comments, both positive and negative, which are quoted below:
1) Earth Summit 2002 should be at
Heads of State level
b) Yes, but with participation from the three pillars of sustainable development B government, business and the civil society, with special focus also on the media and academia (Environmental Broadcast Circle).
c) Only if they want to come. That they be invited but that they show by their attendance that they care. (Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic).
d) Heads of state representing national consensus that includes community positions and recommendations B suggest country delegations include NGOs and people=s organisations (Philippine Institute of Alternative Futures).
b) ABSOLUTELY (Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic).
c) Yes, if broad participation (ENDA-RUP).
d) If properly resourced for NGO participation (SCAN).
b) It doesn=t matter where but maybe we should consider a country where sustainable development is already a success so that everybody will get all the inspiration they need to adopt it (Environmental Broadcast Circle).
c) Do not end up in Samoa or Rwanda. Try Philippines or UK (well organised) (Earth Society Foundation).
d) The Summit should be located outside UN headquarters, at a venue easily accessible to participants from developing countries and there should be provision of funding to enable the participation of NGOs and indigenous peoples from developing countries and economies in transition (WWF International).
b) Yes, if it will be held in a different place other than the UN (Environmental Broadcast Circle).
c) The CSD should probably do it (SCAN).
b) If it helps the organising, yes. (Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic).
c) Yes, but should be from South (EQUATIONS).
b) That could be done later if the way can be cleared for all participating parties (Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic).
c) The Summit should ensure future efficient and co-ordinated development and implementation of all UN initiatives, and maximum co-ordination with other institutions (WWF International).
d) Yshould be used to set up improved UN machineryY (UNED-UK).
e) How about getting existing UN machinery de-corrupted, operational and well funded (SCAN).
f) Possibly - depends on i) whether we will spend the whole Summit arguing about it, ii) whether it will be a sufficient counterpoise to the UN machinery for unsustainable development (Friends of the Earth Scotland).
b) Yes, this is critical (EQUATIONS).
c) Yes, although the questions of monitoring and compliance with agreements will still need to be addressed (WWF International).
d) There should be a serious and non-self-congratulatory review of A21 and LA21. If the Summit ignores the failures of Agenda 21 and ploughs ahead regardless it will suffer serious lack of respect (SCAN).
f) Yes, but must start in 2001 if it is to have an impact (CSD NGO Education Caucus).
b) Yes, but the dialogue process should be more transparent and involve more stakeholders and NGOs (WaterAid).
c) Yes, the Summit should build on the ongoing work of CSD rather than becoming a parallel process (WWF International).
d) I think yes at this stage - this would give more meaning to the dialogues and better preparation (Friends of the Earth Scotland).
Community Lands Access Network
The new UN that comes as a result of the Summit will have a budget, a space (not New York) and an assembly that hears of
* logging operations contrary to International sustainable lines,
* mining operations,
* economic development by organisations like World Bank and IMF that are ecologically and socially damaging to the local population.
On the positive side, create agencies that e.g. help opportunities for sustainable development for indigenous people that do not compromise their traditional ways of life; or take part in forest and nature regeneration in desertified areas.
Citizen=s Network for Sustainable Development
- The Summit should enable greater civil society participation than previously possible or encouraged (including funding for citizen participation).
- There should be a greater public education and outreach effort for the Summit than has been previously implemented.
Institute for Global Futures
Should have parallel summits for:
- Heads of State, ministers, bureaucrats.
- NGOs, religious leaders and religious NGOs, science/academia.
- Business, technology, military.
These three summits should also participate equally in a fourth parallel summit. The combined parallel summit should consist of informal workshops and roundtable discussions to brainstorm ideas for further on going development (i.e. for further development of Agenda 21 in the phases to Earth Summit 2007 and 2012).
Environmental Broadcast Circle
Funding for the substantial participation of stakeholders.
MAMA-86
The input from NIC countries (countries in transition) has to be organised as visible and well integrated in to international policy.
Women's International League for Peace & Freedom
NGOs with valid and democratic constituencies should be represented.
NGOs should truly represent >the people= B not corporate or profit making interests.
Assistance should be given to NGOs to participate B especially NGOs that represent people of developing countries.
CSD NGO Education Caucus
Major groups must be reviewed. The education community must be designated as a Major Group.
An Education 21 programme must be inaugurated
and launched.