World Leaders Except India, China Boycott Rio+20 UNCSD Meet

Delegates attending informal consultations in the days leading up to the much-anticipated Rio+20 conference have managed to reach consensus on the sensitive language contained in a proposed outcome document for the summit. The document, entitled The Future We Want, is now being forwarded to leaders for approval, as the 20-22 June United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) begins in earnest.

Still, Brazil’s facilitators were praised by delegates for their ability to find common ground on a text that, only days earlier, had parties unwilling to commit to a majority of issues. But despite the optimism expressed by several delegates, many critics have panned the document for having purposefully weak language in a desperate effort to reach consensus.

Civil society organisations have similarly lambasted the level of ambition in the final outcome text. Some groups expressed frustration that particular areas that they had hoped would produce tangible outcomes received remarkably weak language and lack reference to key issues. Agriculture and forests, for example, have countries committing to only “reaffirm” previously made commitments and “highlight” uncontroversial needs.

Today’s launch of the meeting marks 20 years since the world gathered in Rio and agreed to an ambitious plan of action to tackle human impacts on the environment (Agenda 21), a strong declaration on environment and development, and a set of principles aimed at managing the planet’s forests. The 1992 meeting is also notable for opening the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for signature. But despite being billed as a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity, this year’s meeting is likely to be far more humble in its outcomes.

Trade concerns and the green economy

Trade issues have played a significant role in shaping the Rio discussions. This was most notably seen in the framing of the green economy debate, which has provoked a negative response from some developing countries. Rio+20 regional preparatory meetings as early as October 2011 saw several developing countries lash out at the plans to establish a robust global green economy as a measure that could impede development.

Much of the strong language has been dropped from earlier texts after several developing countries expressed their concerns that a green economy would effectively exclude them from trade opportunities by increasing the cost of manufacturing and transportation. Technologically advanced countries would be at a clear advantage under such a scheme, they argued.

The profile and language of the green economy has thus been lowered in the current text and specific references to trade have been reduced to two paragraphs - down from nine. The two paragraphs, which fall under the Means of Implementation section of the document, reaffirm the importance of trade as an “engine for development and sustained economic growth” and spell out a message to WTO members to “redouble their efforts to achieve an ambitious, balanced and development-oriented conclusion to the Doha Development Agenda.”

SDGs on track

As expected, the text being forwarded to leaders contains language supporting the development of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of measurable targets based on an initiative proposed by Colombia and Guatemala that are aimed at promoting sustainable development around the world. Gro Harlem Bruntland, who was instrumental in launching the first Rio Earth Summit, called the section on SDGs the most important section of the document.

While the current text does not identify the specific targets that would make up the SDGs, several broad objectives - such as food security, renewable energy, livelihoods, employment, and women’s empowerment - have been suggested by various forums. Officials say the specifics of the SDGs could take up to 18 months to be agreed to.

Other issues to watch

A range of other issues are outlined in the 49-page document, with some more likely to produce a tangible outcome than others.  Many observers have noted the language used section aimed at boosting the role of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in managing the world’s environmental issues as promising. The draft says countries are committed to making UNEP the world’s “leading global environmental authority” for setting the global environmental agenda. It establishes a set of eight recommendations for strengthening the UN body and calls on the UN General Assembly to adopt a resolution supporting the initiative.

The text again noted the need to account for the potential impacts on developing countries, stating that “appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the WTO fisheries subsidies negotiation.”

Overall, the text looks carefully at the role of oceans, with countries noting with “concern” the health of oceans and marine biodiversity. It also calls the need to return ocean stocks to sustainable levels “urgent” and calls on countries to develop and implement science based management plans, including by “reducing or suspending fishing catch and effort commensurate with the status of the stock.”