H.E. Mr. KIM Sook
- 1 -
The Second Intersessional Meeting of the UNCSD
Opening Remarks of Co-Chair of the Bureau of the Preparatory Process for the
United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development,
H.E. MR. KIM Sook, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea
15 December 2011
Excellencies,
Mr. Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
At the outset, I would like to thank all of the Member States for endorsing me as
a co-chair of the preparatory committee for Rio+20. I fully understand the
historic challenges and huge responsibilities that come with the preparatory
process.
Rio+20 will be one of the most important global meetings on sustainable
development in our time. As a co-chair, I will do my best to make it a
resounding success. I will listen carefully and endeavor to have the views of all
Member States reflected effectively.
Before talking about today’s meeting, I welcome the agreements reached at the
United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban last Sunday. The Durban
Platform shows the new spirit of the international community in resolving
global issues as climate change.
I am particularly pleased that it provides an additional momentum for the
success of Rio+20. We have to utilize this momentum and work together in the
constructive spirit evident in Durban.
Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,
I am honoured to welcome you all to the Second Intersessional Meeting of the
UNCSD Preparatory Process.
Today’s meeting is the first opportunity for us to discuss the compilation
document, which has been prepared based on an enormous amount of
constructive inputs received from stakeholders all across the spectrum.
- 2 -
The submissions from Member States, major groups, the UN and other agencies
have been not only numerous, but also of very high quality. We will listen to the
key messages emanating from these submissions when Mr. Sha Zukang will
introduce the compilation document.
This intersessional meeting is also the last meeting before the preparation of the
zero draft of the outcome document, which will be tabled for your consideration
in January 2012. In this regard, we must be mindful of the task that was asked
from us: to deliver a focused political document.
One of our biggest challenges is to move from a compilation document of 6000
pages to a zero draft, which should be short and focused on the two conference
themes.
As co-chair of the Bureau, I will work with the other co-chair and rest of the
Bureau to produce the zero draft on the basis of our discussions at this
intersessional meeting. However, the success of this task very much depends on
our capacity to keep our discussions at this meeting focused.
Therefore, I would like to strongly urge you to focus your interventions with a
view towards identifying the concrete deliverables you wish to see coming out
of Rio+20. There is no need to restate your submissions, since these are all
available online.
The preparatory process thus far has been very rich in terms of both ideas and
participation.
It has also been very inclusive and the Bureau is quite proud of that. All
meetings held at the global, regional, and national levels, as well as meetings
organized by major groups, have prolifically contributed to the process.
Many ideas came out during the preparatory process and some of these were
further refined based on your submissions.
There are concerns that sustainable development goals should not interfere with
the ongoing MDG process and many of you have come up with sound proposals
on how to ensure that the two processes do not conflict with each other.
The discussions on the institutional framework also proved fruitful with various
proposals.
Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,
- 3 -
Now it is time to discuss which of these ideas are not only feasible, but also
deliverable. To be able to successfully proceed with the drafting of the zero
draft of the outcome document, the Bureau needs your clear feedback and
guidance.
In many ways, I envision Rio+20 as a conference that will be different from
previous conferences. It promises to be the conference for delivering on
implementation. However, we must build on past commitments. We do not need
to decide on technicalities for specific sectoral areas, like water, agriculture,
energy, and others. For these areas, we already have a strong policy-base
resulting from different conferences and intergovernmental fora, starting from
Agenda 21. Now, it is high time to steer our direction forward while choosing
an implementation path.
There are many challenges that Rio+20 should overcome. The foremost of these
important challenges will be to ensure active engagement by broad-based
stakeholders while simultaneously enhancing public awareness. We should be
aware of the fact that elections in major countries in 2012 and ongoing
economic crises in Europe have the potential to weaken global attention to mid
or long-term agendas and Rio+20.
We have to remember that 20 years ago in Rio, we were able to succeed mainly
because Agenda 21 became a people’s agenda. Therefore, we need strong
political leadership and multilateral efforts to enhance global public awareness
of the Rio agendas.
Ironically, solutions will only be found if we move away from our stated
positions. We should work towards a strong consensus on behalf of humanity,
the planet, and our future generations.
We all know that different countries have different circumstances and concerns.
Rio+20 should recognize this and not impose a tight, one-size-fits-all jacket on
everyone. It can deliver a flexible and broad menu of options available for
countries to choose from, according to their national priorities. Only this way
may we ensure the broadest possible buy-in.
Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,
We need concrete actions to protect the environment while also ensuring that
social and economic development for all can be achieved.
- 4 -
The Bureau has circulated a Guidance Note, which gives ideas on how
discussions could proceed as well as options and models for the structure of the
outcome document. It will be very helpful if your interventions will respond to
the questions posed in the Guidance Note and articulate key elements of your
proposal for main contents of zero draft. I would like to kindly ask for your
cooperation in this regard.
The more focused your interventions are, the easier it will be for the co-chairs
and Bureau to come up with a zero draft of the outcome document that meets
your expectations.
I look forward to your focused, concrete, and insightful ideas during this
meeting.
I thank you.b
The Second Intersessional Meeting of the UNCSD
Opening Remarks of Co-Chair of the Bureau of the Preparatory Process for the
United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development,
H.E. MR. KIM Sook, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea
15 December 2011
Excellencies,
Mr. Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
At the outset, I would like to thank all of the Member States for endorsing me as
a co-chair of the preparatory committee for Rio+20. I fully understand the
historic challenges and huge responsibilities that come with the preparatory
process.
Rio+20 will be one of the most important global meetings on sustainable
development in our time. As a co-chair, I will do my best to make it a
resounding success. I will listen carefully and endeavor to have the views of all
Member States reflected effectively.
Before talking about today’s meeting, I welcome the agreements reached at the
United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban last Sunday. The Durban
Platform shows the new spirit of the international community in resolving
global issues as climate change.
I am particularly pleased that it provides an additional momentum for the
success of Rio+20. We have to utilize this momentum and work together in the
constructive spirit evident in Durban.
Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,
I am honoured to welcome you all to the Second Intersessional Meeting of the
UNCSD Preparatory Process.
Today’s meeting is the first opportunity for us to discuss the compilation
document, which has been prepared based on an enormous amount of
constructive inputs received from stakeholders all across the spectrum.
- 2 -
The submissions from Member States, major groups, the UN and other agencies
have been not only numerous, but also of very high quality. We will listen to the
key messages emanating from these submissions when Mr. Sha Zukang will
introduce the compilation document.
This intersessional meeting is also the last meeting before the preparation of the
zero draft of the outcome document, which will be tabled for your consideration
in January 2012. In this regard, we must be mindful of the task that was asked
from us: to deliver a focused political document.
One of our biggest challenges is to move from a compilation document of 6000
pages to a zero draft, which should be short and focused on the two conference
themes.
As co-chair of the Bureau, I will work with the other co-chair and rest of the
Bureau to produce the zero draft on the basis of our discussions at this
intersessional meeting. However, the success of this task very much depends on
our capacity to keep our discussions at this meeting focused.
Therefore, I would like to strongly urge you to focus your interventions with a
view towards identifying the concrete deliverables you wish to see coming out
of Rio+20. There is no need to restate your submissions, since these are all
available online.
The preparatory process thus far has been very rich in terms of both ideas and
participation.
It has also been very inclusive and the Bureau is quite proud of that. All
meetings held at the global, regional, and national levels, as well as meetings
organized by major groups, have prolifically contributed to the process.
Many ideas came out during the preparatory process and some of these were
further refined based on your submissions.
There are concerns that sustainable development goals should not interfere with
the ongoing MDG process and many of you have come up with sound proposals
on how to ensure that the two processes do not conflict with each other.
The discussions on the institutional framework also proved fruitful with various
proposals.
Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,
- 3 -
Now it is time to discuss which of these ideas are not only feasible, but also
deliverable. To be able to successfully proceed with the drafting of the zero
draft of the outcome document, the Bureau needs your clear feedback and
guidance.
In many ways, I envision Rio+20 as a conference that will be different from
previous conferences. It promises to be the conference for delivering on
implementation. However, we must build on past commitments. We do not need
to decide on technicalities for specific sectoral areas, like water, agriculture,
energy, and others. For these areas, we already have a strong policy-base
resulting from different conferences and intergovernmental fora, starting from
Agenda 21. Now, it is high time to steer our direction forward while choosing
an implementation path.
There are many challenges that Rio+20 should overcome. The foremost of these
important challenges will be to ensure active engagement by broad-based
stakeholders while simultaneously enhancing public awareness. We should be
aware of the fact that elections in major countries in 2012 and ongoing
economic crises in Europe have the potential to weaken global attention to mid
or long-term agendas and Rio+20.
We have to remember that 20 years ago in Rio, we were able to succeed mainly
because Agenda 21 became a people’s agenda. Therefore, we need strong
political leadership and multilateral efforts to enhance global public awareness
of the Rio agendas.
Ironically, solutions will only be found if we move away from our stated
positions. We should work towards a strong consensus on behalf of humanity,
the planet, and our future generations.
We all know that different countries have different circumstances and concerns.
Rio+20 should recognize this and not impose a tight, one-size-fits-all jacket on
everyone. It can deliver a flexible and broad menu of options available for
countries to choose from, according to their national priorities. Only this way
may we ensure the broadest possible buy-in.
Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,
We need concrete actions to protect the environment while also ensuring that
social and economic development for all can be achieved.
- 4 -
The Bureau has circulated a Guidance Note, which gives ideas on how
discussions could proceed as well as options and models for the structure of the
outcome document. It will be very helpful if your interventions will respond to
the questions posed in the Guidance Note and articulate key elements of your
proposal for main contents of zero draft. I would like to kindly ask for your
cooperation in this regard.
The more focused your interventions are, the easier it will be for the co-chairs
and Bureau to come up with a zero draft of the outcome document that meets
your expectations.
I look forward to your focused, concrete, and insightful ideas during this
meeting.
I thank you.b
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