Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
Statement on behalf of CARICOM
By
Ms. Rueanna Haynes, Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago to the
United Nations
At the
10th Session of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals
on
Sustainable Cities and human settlements, Promote Sustainable Consumption and
Production and Climate Change
*******************************
United Nations Headquarters
3 April, 2014
2
Mr. Co-chair,
I speak on behalf of the fourteen (14) Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
We align ourselves with the statement delivered by Bolivia on behalf of G77 and China and by
Nauru on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS).
Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements:
CARICOM members would support a goal on “Building Sustainable Cities and decent and
affordable human settlements for all”. We note that the success of such a goal would rely heavily
on local government for implementation. Consideration should also be given to the need to
incorporate the live, work and play model where settlements are close to basic amenities such as
schools, playgrounds and other green spaces, shopping areas and access to key government
services.
Targets under a standalone goal on this area should prioritise the following:
-‐ Eradicating and preventing slum conditions
-‐ Ensuring access to safe and affordable drinking water and adequate sanitation for all
-‐ Expansion in the use of policies and standards to ensure that due account is taken of
environmental and social impacts of existing and planned infrastructure from a lifecycle
perspective
-‐ Improve and expand access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport with
due regard for improving road safety and urban air quality
-‐ Extending wastewater treatment
-‐ Promoting the planning and building of climate resilient infrastructure taking into
account the need for disaster risk reduction
-‐ The promotion of energy efficient buildings
Means of Implementation:
Means of implementation on this goal should be directed toward modern infrastructure
development, taking into account adaptation needs in SIDS.
Consideration should also be given to the need to incorporate the live, work and play model
where settlements are close to basic amenities such as schools, playgrounds, shopping areas and
access to key government services.
Sustainable Consumption and Production:
CARICOM firmly believes there is a need to address unsustainable patterns of consumption and
production if we are to truly eradicate poverty and hunger as well as protect and manage the
natural resource base and ecosystems which are central to development.
3
We support a standalone goal on SCP and are of the view that such a goal could be framed as
“Promoting Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns”.
Targets under a standalone goal on the issue could include the following:
- Advancing sustainable industrial development based on energy- and resource efficient and
environmentally sound industrial processes, including phase out of harmful chemicals, waste and
pollution, minimising material use and maximizing material recovery, with technology
cooperation and transfer to support such development
- Preventing, reducing, recycling and reusing waste
- Improving water use efficiency
- Eliminating pollution and dumping of toxic materials in water bodies, and protecting aquifers
- Increase reporting on corporate social and environmental responsibility
-Reducing waste in food production and consumption including through traditional knowledge
Means of Implementation on this issue could include:
-‐ The principle of CBDR must apply in the implementation of targets under this goal in
accordance with the 10 year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and
production.
Climate Change:
The treatment of climate change in the context of the sustainable development goal framework
should address the urgency required for dealing with the problem of climate change, particularly
as it relates to the survival of the most vulnerable states. This must be achieved without
duplicating or undermining discussions within the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change.
CARICOM has sought to propose targets across all goal areas that address the causes and effects
of climate change consistent with the imperative of holding the average increase in global
temperatures to well below 2 degrees or 1.5 degrees Celsius; a sine qua non for the survival and
achievement of sustainable development aspirations of SIDS.
In addition to those target areas we would add the following:
- Promoting the planning and building of climate resilient infrastructure taking into account the
need for disaster risk reduction
- Increased investment in low carbon solutions in energy, infrastructure and industry
- Increase water efficiency of agricultural production
- Promote the development and use of energy efficiency practices, technologies and standards in
building, industry, agriculture and transport
Means of Implementation should include:
-‐ Provision of support to developing countries for implementation of nationally appropriate
mitigation action plans developed under the UNFCCC
4
-‐ Enhancing capacity for comprehensive vulnerability assessments across all sectors
including capacity for downscaling climate models for SIDS in the light of the newest
available science
-‐ Assistance to developing countries, in particular SIDS, in the development and
implementation of low carbon development strategies which prioritise resilience and
disaster risk reduction
I thank you.
By
Ms. Rueanna Haynes, Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago to the
United Nations
At the
10th Session of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals
on
Sustainable Cities and human settlements, Promote Sustainable Consumption and
Production and Climate Change
*******************************
United Nations Headquarters
3 April, 2014
2
Mr. Co-chair,
I speak on behalf of the fourteen (14) Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
We align ourselves with the statement delivered by Bolivia on behalf of G77 and China and by
Nauru on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS).
Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements:
CARICOM members would support a goal on “Building Sustainable Cities and decent and
affordable human settlements for all”. We note that the success of such a goal would rely heavily
on local government for implementation. Consideration should also be given to the need to
incorporate the live, work and play model where settlements are close to basic amenities such as
schools, playgrounds and other green spaces, shopping areas and access to key government
services.
Targets under a standalone goal on this area should prioritise the following:
-‐ Eradicating and preventing slum conditions
-‐ Ensuring access to safe and affordable drinking water and adequate sanitation for all
-‐ Expansion in the use of policies and standards to ensure that due account is taken of
environmental and social impacts of existing and planned infrastructure from a lifecycle
perspective
-‐ Improve and expand access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport with
due regard for improving road safety and urban air quality
-‐ Extending wastewater treatment
-‐ Promoting the planning and building of climate resilient infrastructure taking into
account the need for disaster risk reduction
-‐ The promotion of energy efficient buildings
Means of Implementation:
Means of implementation on this goal should be directed toward modern infrastructure
development, taking into account adaptation needs in SIDS.
Consideration should also be given to the need to incorporate the live, work and play model
where settlements are close to basic amenities such as schools, playgrounds, shopping areas and
access to key government services.
Sustainable Consumption and Production:
CARICOM firmly believes there is a need to address unsustainable patterns of consumption and
production if we are to truly eradicate poverty and hunger as well as protect and manage the
natural resource base and ecosystems which are central to development.
3
We support a standalone goal on SCP and are of the view that such a goal could be framed as
“Promoting Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns”.
Targets under a standalone goal on the issue could include the following:
- Advancing sustainable industrial development based on energy- and resource efficient and
environmentally sound industrial processes, including phase out of harmful chemicals, waste and
pollution, minimising material use and maximizing material recovery, with technology
cooperation and transfer to support such development
- Preventing, reducing, recycling and reusing waste
- Improving water use efficiency
- Eliminating pollution and dumping of toxic materials in water bodies, and protecting aquifers
- Increase reporting on corporate social and environmental responsibility
-Reducing waste in food production and consumption including through traditional knowledge
Means of Implementation on this issue could include:
-‐ The principle of CBDR must apply in the implementation of targets under this goal in
accordance with the 10 year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and
production.
Climate Change:
The treatment of climate change in the context of the sustainable development goal framework
should address the urgency required for dealing with the problem of climate change, particularly
as it relates to the survival of the most vulnerable states. This must be achieved without
duplicating or undermining discussions within the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change.
CARICOM has sought to propose targets across all goal areas that address the causes and effects
of climate change consistent with the imperative of holding the average increase in global
temperatures to well below 2 degrees or 1.5 degrees Celsius; a sine qua non for the survival and
achievement of sustainable development aspirations of SIDS.
In addition to those target areas we would add the following:
- Promoting the planning and building of climate resilient infrastructure taking into account the
need for disaster risk reduction
- Increased investment in low carbon solutions in energy, infrastructure and industry
- Increase water efficiency of agricultural production
- Promote the development and use of energy efficiency practices, technologies and standards in
building, industry, agriculture and transport
Means of Implementation should include:
-‐ Provision of support to developing countries for implementation of nationally appropriate
mitigation action plans developed under the UNFCCC
4
-‐ Enhancing capacity for comprehensive vulnerability assessments across all sectors
including capacity for downscaling climate models for SIDS in the light of the newest
available science
-‐ Assistance to developing countries, in particular SIDS, in the development and
implementation of low carbon development strategies which prioritise resilience and
disaster risk reduction
I thank you.
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