Download CIDSE media brief on the state of the Rio 6-19

CIDSE media brief on the state of the Rio+20 negotiations
In this background briefing, the international alliance of Catholic development agencies CIDSE
analyses the ongoing Rio+20 negotiations on eight issues which are crucial to achieve an
agreement for a more sustainable and just world. This briefing refers to the consolidated text of
the negotiating document presented by the Brazilian Rio+20 Presidency on 17 June 2012.
For more information or interviews with CIDSE’ s policy experts and high-level delegation
members at the RioCentro please contact [email protected], +55 21 71852023,
www.cidse.org/rioplus20
1. Economy at the service of the common good
The negotiations
• Natural resources are limited; green economy integrates environmental and social costs into
economic decision-making (EU) and markets (US) for “ sustained, inclusive, equitable growth” .
Green economy is a constraint on sovereign use of natural resources, on countries’ ability to
grow and raise standards of living / reduce poverty; nothing should be prescribed. (G77)
• A process should be established to identify indicators to supplement GDP measurement, to be
used (EU) voluntarily (US) in policy making.
• Need to change unsustainable consumption and production patterns, with little detail (US); and
to decouple growth from natural resource use / improve efficiency (EU).
CIDSE believes that it is imperative to:
• change our lifestyles – away from materialism, towards respect for creation, simplicity
(sufficiency of consumption), solidarity, authentic human development and well-being.
• measure what matters beyond GDP growth – reducing poverty and inequality, creating
livelihoods, quality of environment and particularly the social fabric.
• regulate the market to serve the common good, regulatory frameworks should prioritize the
basic rights and needs of poor communities and countries.
2. Rights and human dignity as the basis for action
The negotiations
• Struggle to reference human rights such as the right to food, right to water (US, Canada), so as
to limit obligations for states). Divide over which rights take priority: political rights; e.g. right of
assembly (EU) or economic/social rights, e.g. right to development (G77).
CIDSE believes that rights are one of the most fundamental tools the poorest and their advocates
have to educate, mobilize, and bring about change to live in dignity and in harmony with the
environment. Promoting equality between women and men is at the heart of sustainable and just
development.
3. Common but differentiated responsibility
The negotiations
• The world has changed: emerging economies are part of the problem, with increasing natural
resource use and carbon emissions, and must be part of the solution, given their increased
economic means. A distinction needs to be made with least-developed countries. (North)
• Developed countries used a greater share of resources to develop, they have a historical
responsibility and should take the lead in changing consumption and production patterns, before
asking other countries to change, whose per capita consumption is still low. (G77)
CIDSE believes that common but differentiated responsibility should not be an excuse for inaction.
Developing countries also must change their economic models that are deepening inequalities
and destroying natural resources.
Northern countries have a greater obligation to change unsustainable and inequitable models of
economy and society, power and decision making structures, which they initiated.
4. Agriculture that serves food security, livelihoods, climate
The negotiations
• Future population increase requires increased food production (sustainable intensification).
Debate is over techniques (GMOs, external inputs e.g. fertilizers, machinery vs. agroecology), and
their ability to reduce agriculture’ s carbon emissions, including via carbon markets.
• Priority to markets, reducing trade barriers, (large-scale) private investment, economic viability.
• There is no mention of the Right to Food in the negotiating text .
• There is also no mention of public investments in agriculture, despite countries commitment to
dedicate 10% of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to agriculture (Maputo declaration)
According to CIDSE:
• agriculture must serve society, not primarily economic purposes and global markets. Food
speculation must be countered.
• local food production, family farmers and agroecology should be supported, to serve food
security, livelihoods and climate. Consumption and access to food must be addressed.
5. Climate – Urgent action for low-carbon models, adaptation finance
The negotiations
• Debate over acknowledging the gap between 2 degree increase and current mitigation efforts
(US), over who should make financial contributions to the Green Climate Fund, over an
“ appropriate” energy mix including fossil fuels and traditional energy sources (Canada).
CIDSE argues that public climate finance is urgent, particularly for adaptation that reduces
impacts on the most vulnerable, and is key to raising ambitions in the UNFCCC, to avoid worstcase scenarios. We need to move from extractive to low-carbon models (local energy /efficiency,
lifestyles).
6. Private sector that serves solidarity
The negotiations
• Green economy privileges private sector, markets, investments, public-private partnerships.
• Corporate responsibility should be voluntary e.g. UN Global Compact (US), or work towards
international standards e.g. UN Guiding Principles, and accountability, including in supply chains.
A process should be launched to develop a standard for corporate sustainability reporting (EU).
CIDSE believes that:
• adequate regulation for large corporations, and mandatory corporate reporting on
environmental, social, and human rights impacts, is crucial to change exploitative practices.
• social enterprise, small-scale and informal sectors that are a large part of the private sector and
provide incomes for poor people, must be supported.
7. Finance – Structural mechanisms for sustainable development
The negotiations
• Green economy imposes a burden on developing countries, that should be compensated with
finance and technology transfer (G77). Finance will have to come from private sources (North).
• Little discussion on specific mechanisms, remaining at the level of “ innovative finance” .
CIDSE argues that structural mechanisms like a Financial Transactions tax could penalize harmful
economic (speculative) behavior, while making a fair redistribution from sectors that have
benefited the most, to finance global challenges of climate and development / transition in
economic models .
8. A single global Sustainable Development Framework
The negotiations
• There has been debate over whether a convergence between future Sustainable Development
Goals, and the successor to the Millennium Development Goals, risks undermining MDG
achievement by 2015. The negotiating text currently talks about two separate processes.
CIDSE says that the interlinked challenges of human rights, poverty eradication, environmental
sustainability, economic inequalities, gender equity, climate change, resilience, and equitable
distribution of natural resources, require a single, integrated future framework.