Greece
Statement delivered by the Representative
of Greece to the UN
Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals
3 April, 2014
CLUSTER 5
Sustainable cities and human settlements
• As regards sustainable cities and human settlements, we believe that some areas that could be considered as possible targets are: 1) sustainable urban and land planning and implementation, including urban-rural linkages and disaster risk reduction, as well as resilient infrastructure. 2) reducing the number of slum dwellers by ensuring safe and affordable housing, 3) access to water 4) tackling air pollution and 5) improving access to sustainable transport, including safe and affordable public transport.
• Moreover, we particularly welcome as a target the inclusion in the focus area text of the protection and safeguarding of the world’s cultural and natural heritage, including ancient archaeological sites, intangible and underwater heritage, museum collections, oral traditions and other forms of heritage, as already mentioned by other delegations. In addition, we would also like to highlight the importance of protecting and safeguarding the urban and rural historic environment.
Sustainable Consumption and Production
As regards to sustainable production and consumption, Greece aligns itself with the respective general comments made by European Union. Furthermore, we would like to convey the following points:
• We consider SCP as a universal challenge and opportunity.
• In our view, for many developed countries and emerging economies it means resource - and energy-efficiency in production and adoption of more sustainable lifestyles, whereas for many developing countries, it constitutes means of achieving economic prosperity by making use of sustainable practices.
• As possible target areas we would like to propose the following:
1. addressing environmental impacts from consumption and production.
2. Waste prevention and reuse and increasing recycling.
3. Reducing exposure to harmful substances, including in products, and
leaking of toxic substances into the environment.
4. Implementation of bio or sustainable agriculture.
Finally, we would like to note that SCP inter-links with many focus areas, in particular those in clusters 3, 4 and 6.
Climate Change
• We welcome inclusion of climate change, given its importance to sustainable development and poverty eradication. Greece aligns itself with the respective general comments made in this issue by European Union.
• We consider that the way forward in relation to climate change is to actively embed climate related actions in several goals and targets, without interfering with the UNFCCC negotiations.
• There is a number of areas that could contribute to the efforts to address climate change, in the post 2015 framework. At this point we would like to mention the following:
- SCP
- sustainable energy
- education
- sustainable cities and human settlements
- disaster risk reduction and resilience
- adaptation to climate change impacts
- desertification and land degradation
I thank you.
of Greece to the UN
Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals
3 April, 2014
CLUSTER 5
Sustainable cities and human settlements
• As regards sustainable cities and human settlements, we believe that some areas that could be considered as possible targets are: 1) sustainable urban and land planning and implementation, including urban-rural linkages and disaster risk reduction, as well as resilient infrastructure. 2) reducing the number of slum dwellers by ensuring safe and affordable housing, 3) access to water 4) tackling air pollution and 5) improving access to sustainable transport, including safe and affordable public transport.
• Moreover, we particularly welcome as a target the inclusion in the focus area text of the protection and safeguarding of the world’s cultural and natural heritage, including ancient archaeological sites, intangible and underwater heritage, museum collections, oral traditions and other forms of heritage, as already mentioned by other delegations. In addition, we would also like to highlight the importance of protecting and safeguarding the urban and rural historic environment.
Sustainable Consumption and Production
As regards to sustainable production and consumption, Greece aligns itself with the respective general comments made by European Union. Furthermore, we would like to convey the following points:
• We consider SCP as a universal challenge and opportunity.
• In our view, for many developed countries and emerging economies it means resource - and energy-efficiency in production and adoption of more sustainable lifestyles, whereas for many developing countries, it constitutes means of achieving economic prosperity by making use of sustainable practices.
• As possible target areas we would like to propose the following:
1. addressing environmental impacts from consumption and production.
2. Waste prevention and reuse and increasing recycling.
3. Reducing exposure to harmful substances, including in products, and
leaking of toxic substances into the environment.
4. Implementation of bio or sustainable agriculture.
Finally, we would like to note that SCP inter-links with many focus areas, in particular those in clusters 3, 4 and 6.
Climate Change
• We welcome inclusion of climate change, given its importance to sustainable development and poverty eradication. Greece aligns itself with the respective general comments made in this issue by European Union.
• We consider that the way forward in relation to climate change is to actively embed climate related actions in several goals and targets, without interfering with the UNFCCC negotiations.
• There is a number of areas that could contribute to the efforts to address climate change, in the post 2015 framework. At this point we would like to mention the following:
- SCP
- sustainable energy
- education
- sustainable cities and human settlements
- disaster risk reduction and resilience
- adaptation to climate change impacts
- desertification and land degradation
I thank you.
Stakeholders