EcoEarth Alliance Partnership Initiative
(This is the statement that I gave today during this morning's session. Please
make your own determination as to whether to use it or not. I was sitting in the
area where the NGO's typically sit this morning, listening to the discussion when
the Chair announced that he had no more speakers on his list and asked if
anyone else would like to speak. As the Founder and Chair of a Partnership
Initiative I believed I had the right to speak. I raised a placard with the blank side
out; someone from the Secretariat asked who I represented. I told her I was an
NGO and that I was the Chair of the EcoEarth Alliance Partnership Initiative. A
few minutes later the Chair called on me to speak. Here then is my presentation.)
Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Partnership Initiatives
Statement by Rob Wheeler
Chair of the EcoEarth Alliance Partnership Initiative
11 May 2010
Thank you, Mr. Chair and delegates. I represent the Global Ecovillage Network;
and I am the Chairperson of the EcoEarth Alliance Partnership Initiative, which
focuses on multi-sectoral, community based approaches to sustainable rural
development. As you know the governments agreed in Rio de Janeiro that all
communities should develop Local Agenda 21 sustainable community plans. As
you may also know there has not been all that much support for rural
communities to engage in such planning processes.
However, thousands of ecovillages around the world have engaged in such
sustainable planning processes for their communities, bringing together various
stakeholders that have helped with planning and implementation. During the
Johannesburg World Summit Conference, the EcoEarth Alliance was able to
meet with people from the Global Environment Facility; and our lead project in
Senegal subsequently applied for and received funding for 13 villages to use the
ecovillage approach to sustainable rural development. This model of
development was so successful that Senegal has adopted the Ecovillage
approach as its model for sustainable rural development.
Those living in ecovillages are engaged in processes focusing on both
sustainable consumption and production. We believe them to be among the most
sustainable communities on the planet. We also believe that there is a need for
many more sustainable community planning processes in rural communities
around the world; and that it would be good for the international community to
focus on and support the contributions that rural communities can play in
sustainable community planning and partnerships.
We would ask that this be included as a part of the Ten Year Framework of
Programs and in Local, Regional, and National Sustainable Consumption and
Production Action Plans.
Thank you Mr. Chair
make your own determination as to whether to use it or not. I was sitting in the
area where the NGO's typically sit this morning, listening to the discussion when
the Chair announced that he had no more speakers on his list and asked if
anyone else would like to speak. As the Founder and Chair of a Partnership
Initiative I believed I had the right to speak. I raised a placard with the blank side
out; someone from the Secretariat asked who I represented. I told her I was an
NGO and that I was the Chair of the EcoEarth Alliance Partnership Initiative. A
few minutes later the Chair called on me to speak. Here then is my presentation.)
Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Partnership Initiatives
Statement by Rob Wheeler
Chair of the EcoEarth Alliance Partnership Initiative
11 May 2010
Thank you, Mr. Chair and delegates. I represent the Global Ecovillage Network;
and I am the Chairperson of the EcoEarth Alliance Partnership Initiative, which
focuses on multi-sectoral, community based approaches to sustainable rural
development. As you know the governments agreed in Rio de Janeiro that all
communities should develop Local Agenda 21 sustainable community plans. As
you may also know there has not been all that much support for rural
communities to engage in such planning processes.
However, thousands of ecovillages around the world have engaged in such
sustainable planning processes for their communities, bringing together various
stakeholders that have helped with planning and implementation. During the
Johannesburg World Summit Conference, the EcoEarth Alliance was able to
meet with people from the Global Environment Facility; and our lead project in
Senegal subsequently applied for and received funding for 13 villages to use the
ecovillage approach to sustainable rural development. This model of
development was so successful that Senegal has adopted the Ecovillage
approach as its model for sustainable rural development.
Those living in ecovillages are engaged in processes focusing on both
sustainable consumption and production. We believe them to be among the most
sustainable communities on the planet. We also believe that there is a need for
many more sustainable community planning processes in rural communities
around the world; and that it would be good for the international community to
focus on and support the contributions that rural communities can play in
sustainable community planning and partnerships.
We would ask that this be included as a part of the Ten Year Framework of
Programs and in Local, Regional, and National Sustainable Consumption and
Production Action Plans.
Thank you Mr. Chair