Montenegro and Slovenia
Division for the Support to the National Council for Sustainable Development
Date: 7 May 2014
Industrialization and promoting equality among nations
Sustainable cities and human settlements
SI and MNE elements for 11th session of OWG SDGs
Focus area 9: Industrialization and promoting equality among nations
As we have pointed during the discussion on economic growth and employment, we
support actions on providing enabling environment for medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs).
Encouragement of industrial entrepreneurship and enterprise formation with inclusion
of SMEs is significant especially when taking into account decline in the share of
industry in GDP in recent years, as well as the fact the industrial sector is
characterized by lower productivity and competitiveness. Therefore encouragement
of industrial entrepreneurship and enterprise formation with inclusion of SMEs highly
contributes to the changes of the development concept of the manufacturing industry.
Improvement in this context is not possible without the increase in resource efficiency
of industry. Due to that we would support possible actions on increasing resource
efficiency, including water and energy, on one hand and decreasing waste and
intensity of carbon emissions on the other hand.
We support progress in moving towards resource productivity in a manner to
contribute to decoupling the resource utilization and environmental pollution with
economic development.
Also, taking into account the decreased share of the industry in the GDP, the need
for continuous application of the technical and technological innovations in the
production processes and innovations in management processes is evident.
We welcome possible target on reducing use of harmful chemicals; we believe that
this should be underpinned by promotion of their rational, informed and responsible
use. However, we believe that further attention should be also given to the
development of sustainable alternatives in the field of chemicals.
2
Focus Area 10: Sustainable cities and human settlements
We welcome co-chairs' approach to taking into consideration all three dimensions of
sustainable development in possible areas for action on sustainable cities and
human settlements.
As we have indicated at previous sessions we would support possible targets on
promoting integrated urban planning and management, in congruency with social
cohesion and safe public places.
Integrated and sustainable spatial planning is a precondition in enabling sustainable
development of cities and towns. At the same time we have to bear in mind
sustainable development of cities and towns is not possible without balanced
development of urban and rural areas.
With regard to the balanced territorial development we again emphasise the
importance of developing non-agricultural job opportunities in rural areas.
By supporting the proposal on integrated and sustainable spatial planning we would
especially like to point out the significance of application of the following points:
Firstly, spatial planning should be in accordance with the carrying capacity of the
environment; cumulative assessment of the pressures to the environment and
human health; need to preserve valuable landscapes, valuable and protected areas
of nature and cultural heritage. In this regard we welcome proposed targets on
reducing ecological footprints of cities, on enhancing adaptation and resilience to
climate change and natural disasters. We also support proposed target on protecting
cultural and natural heritage.
Secondly, we should strive towards achievement of a balanced ratio of green areas
and rural areas on one hand and construction areas on the other hand, and
prevention of intensive conversion of agricultural and forest land into construction
zones. We also point out the importance of green city areas. We support stronger
stance on providing green and recreational areas and promoting healthy lifestyles in
designing cities.
Thirdly, more attention should be given to prevention of dispersed construction and
irrational use of construction land, in particular to the prevention of the conversion of
valuable agricultural and forestry land.
Fourthly, we strongly support application of the instruments of sustainable spatial
planning, such as environmental impact assessment, strategic environmental impact
assessment, mapping and valorisation of landscapes, carrying capacity assessment,
coastal set back determination and prevention of linear urbanization along the coast.
3
As to contribute to the sustainable development of cities and towns the actions
towards sustainable transport systems would be necessary. Being aware of the fact
transport is among most intensive generators of air pollution we would like to
emphasize the importance of advanced air quality monitoring.
Date: 7 May 2014
Industrialization and promoting equality among nations
Sustainable cities and human settlements
SI and MNE elements for 11th session of OWG SDGs
Focus area 9: Industrialization and promoting equality among nations
As we have pointed during the discussion on economic growth and employment, we
support actions on providing enabling environment for medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs).
Encouragement of industrial entrepreneurship and enterprise formation with inclusion
of SMEs is significant especially when taking into account decline in the share of
industry in GDP in recent years, as well as the fact the industrial sector is
characterized by lower productivity and competitiveness. Therefore encouragement
of industrial entrepreneurship and enterprise formation with inclusion of SMEs highly
contributes to the changes of the development concept of the manufacturing industry.
Improvement in this context is not possible without the increase in resource efficiency
of industry. Due to that we would support possible actions on increasing resource
efficiency, including water and energy, on one hand and decreasing waste and
intensity of carbon emissions on the other hand.
We support progress in moving towards resource productivity in a manner to
contribute to decoupling the resource utilization and environmental pollution with
economic development.
Also, taking into account the decreased share of the industry in the GDP, the need
for continuous application of the technical and technological innovations in the
production processes and innovations in management processes is evident.
We welcome possible target on reducing use of harmful chemicals; we believe that
this should be underpinned by promotion of their rational, informed and responsible
use. However, we believe that further attention should be also given to the
development of sustainable alternatives in the field of chemicals.
2
Focus Area 10: Sustainable cities and human settlements
We welcome co-chairs' approach to taking into consideration all three dimensions of
sustainable development in possible areas for action on sustainable cities and
human settlements.
As we have indicated at previous sessions we would support possible targets on
promoting integrated urban planning and management, in congruency with social
cohesion and safe public places.
Integrated and sustainable spatial planning is a precondition in enabling sustainable
development of cities and towns. At the same time we have to bear in mind
sustainable development of cities and towns is not possible without balanced
development of urban and rural areas.
With regard to the balanced territorial development we again emphasise the
importance of developing non-agricultural job opportunities in rural areas.
By supporting the proposal on integrated and sustainable spatial planning we would
especially like to point out the significance of application of the following points:
Firstly, spatial planning should be in accordance with the carrying capacity of the
environment; cumulative assessment of the pressures to the environment and
human health; need to preserve valuable landscapes, valuable and protected areas
of nature and cultural heritage. In this regard we welcome proposed targets on
reducing ecological footprints of cities, on enhancing adaptation and resilience to
climate change and natural disasters. We also support proposed target on protecting
cultural and natural heritage.
Secondly, we should strive towards achievement of a balanced ratio of green areas
and rural areas on one hand and construction areas on the other hand, and
prevention of intensive conversion of agricultural and forest land into construction
zones. We also point out the importance of green city areas. We support stronger
stance on providing green and recreational areas and promoting healthy lifestyles in
designing cities.
Thirdly, more attention should be given to prevention of dispersed construction and
irrational use of construction land, in particular to the prevention of the conversion of
valuable agricultural and forestry land.
Fourthly, we strongly support application of the instruments of sustainable spatial
planning, such as environmental impact assessment, strategic environmental impact
assessment, mapping and valorisation of landscapes, carrying capacity assessment,
coastal set back determination and prevention of linear urbanization along the coast.
3
As to contribute to the sustainable development of cities and towns the actions
towards sustainable transport systems would be necessary. Being aware of the fact
transport is among most intensive generators of air pollution we would like to
emphasize the importance of advanced air quality monitoring.