Major Group: Business & Industry
Business & Industry Intervention:
Promote Sustainable Consumption and Production
By Tom Jacob
thomas.r.jacob@gmail.com
Thank you Chair. We appreciate this opportunity, given the intensity of interest in SCP and the obvious role that industry plays in SCP. Sustainable Consumption and Production is vital to our collective future. We do have some several changes. I’ll highlight a few:
• 12.1 by 2030 effective implementation of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on sustainable consumption and production (10YFP)
Industry supported the 10 YFP as it was negotiated at CSD-19 and as ratified at Rio. Incidentally, it is important to keep in mind that the mandate for this program as adopted, expressly characterizes it as “voluntary” and aims at stimulating local and country-level initiatives.
• 12.2 by 2030 achieve sustainable management and use of natural resources
This is integral to a sustainable future. Many industries are already dealing with this directly. We see this wording as appropriate.
• 12.4 promote sound management of chemicals and hazardous waste in accordance with agreed international frameworks
As was explained yesterday by UNEP, the chemicals arena already has in place international frameworks to address problems that are global. These range from the Stockholm, Rotterdam, Basel and Minimata Conventions, to voluntary initiatives such as the partnership on lead. And of course, there is significant focus on the current drive toward globally sound management of chemicals under the Johannesburg Mandate.
• 12.5 by 2030 improve the resource productivity of economic activities by x%, including through encouraging more sustainable practices throughout relevant supply chains
It is important to encourage collaboration along today’s complex and far-reaching value-chains. Significantly, many industries and many companies are already undertaking this type of collaboration, including with SMEs. Some countries are concerned with this, but we view it as an opportunity that governments can leverage, to seed responsible practices within their leading industries.
Last Slide
• 12.6 by 2030 redouble efforts to raise awareness of more sustainable lifestyles, including systematic encouragement and rewarding of provision of sustainability information on products and services
It as important to address lifestyles, but politically sensitive, as we saw yesterday. We see this framing is appropriate, however. Better understanding of the impacts of lifestyle choices will deliver more informed and, over time, more sustainable choices, regardless of country circumstances.
• 12.9 by 2030 increase by x% (a level appropriate to national circumstances) the number of companies, including publicly listed, privately held, and state owned, voluntarily reporting on corporate social and environmental responsibility, including integrated reporting
We do not see the importance of reporting as confined merely to publicly traded companies. We do believe this should remain voluntary. As the Global Compact noted yesterday, reporting is widespread and evolving rapidly. But there is no single approach appropriate to all circumstances. It is important to allow companies and industries to continue to adapt and determine measures most appropriate for their activities and impacts.
Thank you Chair
Promote Sustainable Consumption and Production
By Tom Jacob
thomas.r.jacob@gmail.com
Thank you Chair. We appreciate this opportunity, given the intensity of interest in SCP and the obvious role that industry plays in SCP. Sustainable Consumption and Production is vital to our collective future. We do have some several changes. I’ll highlight a few:
• 12.1 by 2030 effective implementation of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on sustainable consumption and production (10YFP)
Industry supported the 10 YFP as it was negotiated at CSD-19 and as ratified at Rio. Incidentally, it is important to keep in mind that the mandate for this program as adopted, expressly characterizes it as “voluntary” and aims at stimulating local and country-level initiatives.
• 12.2 by 2030 achieve sustainable management and use of natural resources
This is integral to a sustainable future. Many industries are already dealing with this directly. We see this wording as appropriate.
• 12.4 promote sound management of chemicals and hazardous waste in accordance with agreed international frameworks
As was explained yesterday by UNEP, the chemicals arena already has in place international frameworks to address problems that are global. These range from the Stockholm, Rotterdam, Basel and Minimata Conventions, to voluntary initiatives such as the partnership on lead. And of course, there is significant focus on the current drive toward globally sound management of chemicals under the Johannesburg Mandate.
• 12.5 by 2030 improve the resource productivity of economic activities by x%, including through encouraging more sustainable practices throughout relevant supply chains
It is important to encourage collaboration along today’s complex and far-reaching value-chains. Significantly, many industries and many companies are already undertaking this type of collaboration, including with SMEs. Some countries are concerned with this, but we view it as an opportunity that governments can leverage, to seed responsible practices within their leading industries.
Last Slide
• 12.6 by 2030 redouble efforts to raise awareness of more sustainable lifestyles, including systematic encouragement and rewarding of provision of sustainability information on products and services
It as important to address lifestyles, but politically sensitive, as we saw yesterday. We see this framing is appropriate, however. Better understanding of the impacts of lifestyle choices will deliver more informed and, over time, more sustainable choices, regardless of country circumstances.
• 12.9 by 2030 increase by x% (a level appropriate to national circumstances) the number of companies, including publicly listed, privately held, and state owned, voluntarily reporting on corporate social and environmental responsibility, including integrated reporting
We do not see the importance of reporting as confined merely to publicly traded companies. We do believe this should remain voluntary. As the Global Compact noted yesterday, reporting is widespread and evolving rapidly. But there is no single approach appropriate to all circumstances. It is important to allow companies and industries to continue to adapt and determine measures most appropriate for their activities and impacts.
Thank you Chair