Rio+20 The Role of Major Groups and Stakeholders

1. Rio+20The Role of Major Groups and Stakeholders by Alexander Juras Chief, Major Groups and Stakeholders Branch United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Consultation Meeting Europe Geneva 27 October 2010

2. “We know what we need to do. We know what works. The time for delay is over. The time for delivery is now.” UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon in view of the Rio+20 Conference, May 2010 Major Groups & Stakeholders Branch

3. Areas for Cooperation Useful Links Content • From 1992 to 2012 • Rio+20: An Important Turning Point? • UNEP’s role • The Role of Civil Society Major Groups & Stakeholders Branch

4. From 1992 to 2012 • 1992: UN Conference on Environment and Development – Earth Summit, in Rio de Janeiro • Rio Declaration on Environment and Development • Agenda 21 • Convention on Biological Diversity • Forest Principles • Framework Convention on Climate Change • 2002: World Summit on Sustainable Development – Johannesburg (Rio+10) • Johannesburg Declaration • 2012, May 14-16, UN Conference on Sustainable Development – Rio de Janeiro (Rio+20) • UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/64/236 - 24 December 2009: to hold the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) in 2012 - also referred to as 'Rio+20' or 'Rio 20' Major Groups & Stakeholders Branch

5. The Rio+20 Conference Two themes: • green economy within the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication • institutional framework for sustainable development Three objectives: • securing renewed political commitment to sustainable development • assessing the progress and implementation gaps in meeting already agreed commitments • addressing new and emerging challenges Major Groups & Stakeholders Branch

6. Rio+20: An Important Turning Point? • Less progress than expected since 1992 • Environmental challenges have increased and Environment has further deteriorated • Millennium Development Goals will most likely not be met • Sustainable Development has not been achieved but there is a wide consensus that there is a need for action now. • Many Governments have realized that sustainable development can only be achieved based on partnerships between governments, UN and other international organizations and Major Groups and Stakeholders. • The Earth Summit offers the opportunity to develop a collective vision for sustainable development, to foster cooperation around how this can be globally governed and pave the way for the transformation of our economies and societies to support the environment in which we live. Major Groups & Stakeholders Branch

7. UNEP’s Role • Focus on: • Green Economy • International Environmental Governance (contributing to International Governance for Sustainable Development) • Emerging issues • International Waters? • Access to Information, Public Participation, Access to Justice? • Contributing to the process by: • Keeping the Environment high on the agenda • Presenting the outcomes of the Geo 5 Assessment, thus delivering sound information base for decision making • Close cooperation with UN DESA and other UN Agencies • Assisting Major Group and Stakeholder involvement • Provision of information and guidance Major Groups & Stakeholders Branch

8. The Role of Civil Society • Civil Society / Major Groups and Stakeholders support to the conference objectives key to the success of the conference • Major Groups and Stakeholders opportunities to contribute and participate in the preparatory process: • Prepcoms • Regional Consultations organized by UN DESA • Consultations organized by UNEP and other UN Agencies • UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministers of Environment Forum and the Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum, February 2011 • Written input into the process • Lobbying with national and regional governments • Other national actions – role for National Committees (partnering with MGS)? • Raising Awareness among the general public • Presenting best practices and success stories • Getting into partnerships with Governments and UN institutions as well as among major groups • Participating in ongoing initiatives or development of new initiatives: • Participate in the event itself Major Groups & Stakeholders Branch

9. Areas for Cooperation with UNEP • Providing Policy input into the ongoing IEG and Green Economy discussions: • International Consultations IEG, GE, October 2010, Geneva • Regional Consultation Meetings - Oct-Dec 2010 • Governing Council • IEG Advisory Group • UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum 2011 and 2012 • Topical Consultations in 2010 • Giving input through Regional Offices and the Major Groups and Stakeholders Branch • Using UNEP to channel information to other Major Groups and Stakeholders Major Groups & Stakeholders Branch

10. Possible Activities in the Region • Join one of the existing Major Groups and Stakeholder Initiatives for Rio+20 and become an active contributor • Get organized on the regional and sub-regional level and provide input into the process • Partner up with UNEP to achieve common objectives Major Groups & Stakeholders Branch

11. Important Links • UNEP, Major Group and Stakeholder Branch http://www.unep.org/civil-society/Default.aspx • UNEP, Regional Office for Asia Pacific http://www.roap.unep.org/program/civil_reg_meeting10.cfm • UN DESA http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/rio20/ • Stakeholder Forum http://www.earthsummit2012.org/ • Brazilian NGO Forum http://www.fboms.org.br/capa.asp?idioma=eng Major Groups & Stakeholders Branch

12. Thank youfor your attention Meet us online at www.unep.org/civil_society Contact: civil.society@unep.org