Group of 77 and China
STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA BY H.E.
AMBASSADOR JORGE ARGÜELLO, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE ARGENTINA TO THE UNITED NATIONS, CHAIRMAN OF THE GROUP
OF 77, AT THE SECOND PREPARATORY COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE UN
CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, (New York, 7 March
2011)
Co-Chairs,
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates and representatives,
1. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and
China.
2. At the outset, allow me to reaffirm the role of the Bureau in the leadership and
management of the process, in line with resolution 64/236, and to express the
appreciation of the Group for the agreement reached on a concrete proposal for
a roadmap for the preparatory process towards June 2012.
3. Regarding the way forward, for the Group of 77 and China it is important to
have a dynamic, effective, transparent and inclusive process from this PrepCom-
2 up to the Conference.
4. The Group of 77 and China considers that the preparations would benefit from
an early start to the consideration of a draft outcome document, and stands
ready to make concrete proposals in a constructive and pro-active manner.
Co- chairs,
5. It is worth remembering that the objective of the Conference is to secure
renewed political commitment for sustainable development, to assess the
progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes
of the major summits on sustainable development, and to address new and
emerging challenges. This objective remains of utmost importance, in the same
level of the themes selected.
6. As we are all aware, diverging views remain on how to enhance the efficiency
of the current United Nations system in the area of sustainable development. In
this regard, the Group of 77 and China understands that the 2012 Conference
should be aimed at renewing and enhancing political commitment and increasing
efforts to ensure that the current institutions involved in implementing the
sustainable development agenda in the UN system become more effective,
including through, among others, the promotion of synergies among them and
the provision of an adequate level of financial resources. At the same time, we
would need to address how the institutional framework for sustainable
development at all levels can be strengthened to accelerate the achievement of
the sustainable development agenda in all three of its dimensions.
7. To that end, the G77 and China strongly reiterates that the three pillars of
sustainable development should be addressed in a coordinated, integrated and
comprehensive manner and that the UN economic, social and environmental
activities should not be dealt with in isolation. The UN should play a central role
in the international economic, social and environmental governance.
8. There is not, at this moment, a common understanding of what a “green
economy” approach entails, as well as of its potential risks, costs and
benefits, which is necessary for our discussions to move forward towards the full
implementation of the commitments concluded 18 years ago in UNCED. Clearly,
there is no need to redefine sustainable development, which has proved its value
as a basis for our work. The Group of 77 and China strongly believes that our
discussions around the green economy can only prove fruitful in the context of
sustainable develpoment and poverty eradications, as has been agreed.
9. In order for the benefits of applying “green economy” as a concept to outweigh
the risks, it should be firmly rooted under the paradigm of sustainable
development, respecting the policy space of each country to define their own
paths towards sustainability in their economy and society, in accordance with
their own circumstances and priorities. Social inclusion and decent jobs, trade
related concerns, transition costs and impacts and avoiding “green
protectionism” should be seriously considered and addressed so as to ensure a
meaningful outcome at the 2012 UNCSD for developing countries and be able to
generate a common Vision to guide our future.
Co-Chairs,
10. The Group of 77 and China is deeply concerned that severe challenges still
remain in achieving the goals of the three pillars of sustainable development,
particularly in the context of the current global crises. At the same time, there is
a need to address new and emerging sustainable development issues that arise,
including from current global crises and challenges and those that we will
inevitably face in the future. These include the financial and economic, food
and energy crises and the challenges, including those relating to climate change,
biodiversity, desertification, water scarcity, frequency of disasters and the need to
prepare and recover from disasters. All of these crises and challenges have
significant and, in some cases, unforeseen impacts on the standards of living, the
achievement of the MDGs and the health of those in developing countries,
particularly the most vulnerable.
11. The discussions on new and emerging challenges should focus on
preventing new crises, achieving sustainable development, eradicating poverty
and addressing inequalities. It should also be based on the principles enshrined
in paragraphs 2 and 7 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development,
including the sovereign right of countries to exploit their own resources pursuant
to their own environmental and developmental policies and that States have
common but differentiated responsibilities At the same time, these issues should
be examined in the context of the other objectives of the Conference, which are
to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development and to
assess the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the
outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development.
12. The success of our common efforts is closely linked to the means available to
ensure effective implementation. The issue of the means of implementation must
be underscored, as a global responsibility, given the global nature of the
challenges the world faces today. Therefore, The provision of new and additional
resources is crucial to enhance the United Nations capabilities in the area of
implementation. In this regard, it is imperative to increase the United Nations
regular budget resources allocated to all mandated development activities,
including those related to sustainable development, in order to ensure
predictable and adequate funding.
13. The Group of 77 and China calls for the fulfillment of all official development
assistance-related commitments, including the commitments made by many
developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent of gross national
income for official development assistance by 2015, as well as the target of 0.15
per cent to 0.20 per cent of gross national income for least developed countries,
and urge those developed countries that have not yet done so to make concrete
efforts in this regard in accordance with their commitments.
14. There is an urgent need for the international community to adopt an effective,
equitable, durable and development oriented solution to the debt problem of
developing countries, particularly through total debt cancellation, and increased
concessional financial flows.
15. The lack of progress in implementing the Johannesburg Plan of
Implementation Agreements on technology transfer is a serious priority issue.
The shortfall of technology transfer and dissemination should become the focus
of the international community and the UN System, including at the highest
political level. This should include the full implementation of the Bali Strategic
Plan for Technology Support and Capacity Building, but should also go well
beyond this, so as to attain the goals contained in Chapter 34 of Agenda 21.
Co-chairs,
16. The Group of 77 and China is looking forward to the opportunity offered by
this meeting to exchange views and proposals in a constructive spirit and to gain
a better understanding of the diversity of views towards finding common ground
for progress. Allow me to reiterate to you and the members of the Bureau the full
assurances of our cooperation and support.
Thank you.
AMBASSADOR JORGE ARGÜELLO, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE ARGENTINA TO THE UNITED NATIONS, CHAIRMAN OF THE GROUP
OF 77, AT THE SECOND PREPARATORY COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE UN
CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, (New York, 7 March
2011)
Co-Chairs,
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates and representatives,
1. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and
China.
2. At the outset, allow me to reaffirm the role of the Bureau in the leadership and
management of the process, in line with resolution 64/236, and to express the
appreciation of the Group for the agreement reached on a concrete proposal for
a roadmap for the preparatory process towards June 2012.
3. Regarding the way forward, for the Group of 77 and China it is important to
have a dynamic, effective, transparent and inclusive process from this PrepCom-
2 up to the Conference.
4. The Group of 77 and China considers that the preparations would benefit from
an early start to the consideration of a draft outcome document, and stands
ready to make concrete proposals in a constructive and pro-active manner.
Co- chairs,
5. It is worth remembering that the objective of the Conference is to secure
renewed political commitment for sustainable development, to assess the
progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes
of the major summits on sustainable development, and to address new and
emerging challenges. This objective remains of utmost importance, in the same
level of the themes selected.
6. As we are all aware, diverging views remain on how to enhance the efficiency
of the current United Nations system in the area of sustainable development. In
this regard, the Group of 77 and China understands that the 2012 Conference
should be aimed at renewing and enhancing political commitment and increasing
efforts to ensure that the current institutions involved in implementing the
sustainable development agenda in the UN system become more effective,
including through, among others, the promotion of synergies among them and
the provision of an adequate level of financial resources. At the same time, we
would need to address how the institutional framework for sustainable
development at all levels can be strengthened to accelerate the achievement of
the sustainable development agenda in all three of its dimensions.
7. To that end, the G77 and China strongly reiterates that the three pillars of
sustainable development should be addressed in a coordinated, integrated and
comprehensive manner and that the UN economic, social and environmental
activities should not be dealt with in isolation. The UN should play a central role
in the international economic, social and environmental governance.
8. There is not, at this moment, a common understanding of what a “green
economy” approach entails, as well as of its potential risks, costs and
benefits, which is necessary for our discussions to move forward towards the full
implementation of the commitments concluded 18 years ago in UNCED. Clearly,
there is no need to redefine sustainable development, which has proved its value
as a basis for our work. The Group of 77 and China strongly believes that our
discussions around the green economy can only prove fruitful in the context of
sustainable develpoment and poverty eradications, as has been agreed.
9. In order for the benefits of applying “green economy” as a concept to outweigh
the risks, it should be firmly rooted under the paradigm of sustainable
development, respecting the policy space of each country to define their own
paths towards sustainability in their economy and society, in accordance with
their own circumstances and priorities. Social inclusion and decent jobs, trade
related concerns, transition costs and impacts and avoiding “green
protectionism” should be seriously considered and addressed so as to ensure a
meaningful outcome at the 2012 UNCSD for developing countries and be able to
generate a common Vision to guide our future.
Co-Chairs,
10. The Group of 77 and China is deeply concerned that severe challenges still
remain in achieving the goals of the three pillars of sustainable development,
particularly in the context of the current global crises. At the same time, there is
a need to address new and emerging sustainable development issues that arise,
including from current global crises and challenges and those that we will
inevitably face in the future. These include the financial and economic, food
and energy crises and the challenges, including those relating to climate change,
biodiversity, desertification, water scarcity, frequency of disasters and the need to
prepare and recover from disasters. All of these crises and challenges have
significant and, in some cases, unforeseen impacts on the standards of living, the
achievement of the MDGs and the health of those in developing countries,
particularly the most vulnerable.
11. The discussions on new and emerging challenges should focus on
preventing new crises, achieving sustainable development, eradicating poverty
and addressing inequalities. It should also be based on the principles enshrined
in paragraphs 2 and 7 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development,
including the sovereign right of countries to exploit their own resources pursuant
to their own environmental and developmental policies and that States have
common but differentiated responsibilities At the same time, these issues should
be examined in the context of the other objectives of the Conference, which are
to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development and to
assess the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the
outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development.
12. The success of our common efforts is closely linked to the means available to
ensure effective implementation. The issue of the means of implementation must
be underscored, as a global responsibility, given the global nature of the
challenges the world faces today. Therefore, The provision of new and additional
resources is crucial to enhance the United Nations capabilities in the area of
implementation. In this regard, it is imperative to increase the United Nations
regular budget resources allocated to all mandated development activities,
including those related to sustainable development, in order to ensure
predictable and adequate funding.
13. The Group of 77 and China calls for the fulfillment of all official development
assistance-related commitments, including the commitments made by many
developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent of gross national
income for official development assistance by 2015, as well as the target of 0.15
per cent to 0.20 per cent of gross national income for least developed countries,
and urge those developed countries that have not yet done so to make concrete
efforts in this regard in accordance with their commitments.
14. There is an urgent need for the international community to adopt an effective,
equitable, durable and development oriented solution to the debt problem of
developing countries, particularly through total debt cancellation, and increased
concessional financial flows.
15. The lack of progress in implementing the Johannesburg Plan of
Implementation Agreements on technology transfer is a serious priority issue.
The shortfall of technology transfer and dissemination should become the focus
of the international community and the UN System, including at the highest
political level. This should include the full implementation of the Bali Strategic
Plan for Technology Support and Capacity Building, but should also go well
beyond this, so as to attain the goals contained in Chapter 34 of Agenda 21.
Co-chairs,
16. The Group of 77 and China is looking forward to the opportunity offered by
this meeting to exchange views and proposals in a constructive spirit and to gain
a better understanding of the diversity of views towards finding common ground
for progress. Allow me to reiterate to you and the members of the Bureau the full
assurances of our cooperation and support.
Thank you.
Stakeholders