Statement of Major Groups
For the 20th Session of the CSD
UNHQ New
York, US
September 20th, 2013
Delivered by: Joao Scarpelini, Brazil representative
of the Major Group for Children and Youth
on behalf of all 9 Major Groups.
My name is Joao Scarpelini and I come from Brazil. I am a part of the Major Group for Children and
Youth but today, at the last session of the CSD, I have the honour and the challenge to deliver this
statement on behalf of all nine major Groups. But before I do so, let me however start with a
personal note.
We are here at the last session of the CSD, to mark an end of an era, but our work is far from done.
Millions of people, particularly young people, are still lacking access to employment opportunities.
Our climate still changing, deforestation growing. And may we not forget, that inequalities are still a
sad and strong reality around the world. We are still struggling for the realization of our basic human
rights.
May we not forget, that when we talk about sustainable development, we are talking about
something bigger than a development paradigm, it is a way of life, it is a way of ensuring that future
will be prosperous and the world will be just and sustainable for all, for women and men, girls and
boys regardless of their status and personal characteristics. We know that achieving sustainability
must come from within, it is about finding balance between our different needs for which every and
each person counts.
Your excellencies, let me begin the statement of the Major Groups.
This planet, our common home, has boundaries and limits. Our resources are not infinite. Short term
interests dominate 'business as usual'. To truly defend our futures, your legacy needs to include
institutional mechanisms that ensure intergenerational justice. We must not only recognize that
sustainability is important, but we must create spaces for civil society voices to become an integral
part of the process. We must recognize our common but differentiated responsibilities, allow for the
transfer of knowledge and technology, and the build genuine capacity to engage intelligently with it.
Over the last twenty years of the Commission on Sustainable Development, it is widely
acknowledged that the active participation of Major Groups played an instrumental role in its success
and transparency. Major Groups’ participation had infused the CSD with new ideas, challenges and
information and thus as enriched the inter-governmental debate. But what was also really important
is that civil society took the CSD home and to their workplaces, to promote the outcomes at national
and local levels.
At the Rio+20 Conference, Member States agreed “to work more closely with the major groups and
other stakeholders and encourage their active participation, as appropriate, in processes that
contribute to decision-making, planning and implementation of policies and programmes for
sustainable development at all levels.”
On behalf of all Major Groups, we respectfully request your support to ensure that the good practices
of the past are not lost. We hope you will ensure that the High Level Political Forum begins its work
with the participation of all relevant stakeholders -- in a transparent, accountable, open, holistic and
inclusive way. We look forward to continuing to work with you to support the establishment of an
effective and credible body to enhance the integration of the three dimensions of sustainable
development at all levels. Only with true civil society participation Sustainable Development will not
only happen in the UN-buildings in New York, but also on the national, regional and local levels
where the implementation and dissemination of the outcomes is the most crucial.
We also really expect that the actual multiple financial, institutional, environmental and social crises
will be used as the opportunity to change towards more sustainable economies and lifestyles, more
sustainable patterns of consumption and production and innovative business models. Economies
where the future of our Planet and species, social equity, creation of decent jobs, and wellbeing for
all, prevail above maximising financial profit or reckless speculation with food or land.
Last but not least: We see it as very important to decide soon on a dashboard of indicators to
measure the progress of those goals and well being in general.
We have high ambitions in the future Sustainable Development Goals, and are eager to design and
implement them, as follow up of the MDGs. So count on us for working on it, in close cooperation
with you and all stakeholders.
Thank you!
