Major Group: NGOs
Intervention MG NGO’s, January 10
Rio+20 is an opportunity for rethinking our economies, economies that besides wellbeing in
parts of the world, until now created environmental and financial crisis and a huge gap
between rich and poor. We as NGOs really want to do all efforts to support a fundamental
change towards a new paradigm where our economies can fit again within limits of the
ecological capital and the planetary boundaries that Mr. Moldan mentioned, and will bring
social equity and wellbeing for the world’s inhabitants.
Although the synthesis report is hope giving, we fear it is still not strong enough to deliver the
fundamental change we urgently need.
A few questions and suggestions regarding this.
First, one of the recommendations is to design a roadmap for transition. We would like to hear
how this will be done, and if done, will it be with targets that are based on the use of natural
resources? Also, how will the design of the Green Economy roadmap address the detrimental
effects that using GDP as an indicator for progress entails? Keeping in mind too that GPD is
an insufficient indicator for progress on the poverty eradication MDG 1.
Second, w e all know the economic growth cannot be totally decoupled from natural resources
extraction and habitat loss. So the transition from brown economy towards green and fair
economy is necessary. This morning it was suggested that we should look at the way that
natural systems function and design our human-made systems using that wisdom. In addition,
we are wondering if concepts such as the commons approach are being considered?
Third, as was recognized this afternoon, in these discussions still too often the focus is on the
pillars of economy and environment; whereas other social values , such as human rights,
gender equality, worker’s conditions , indigenous ways of life and not to forget animal
welfare, should also always be integrated.
This relative lack of attention for social values also points to the fact that the pillar approach is
flawed. It does not promote holistic thinking, it gives the false impression that unlimited
economic growth is possible; instead, we suggest the capital approach that recognises the
limits of social and environmental constraints.
Finally, if we take the roadmaps for transition seriously it would be a good idea to integrate
them directly in the national Strategies for Sustainable Development and start capacity
building programs, especially for developing countries.
Rio+20 is an opportunity for rethinking our economies, economies that besides wellbeing in
parts of the world, until now created environmental and financial crisis and a huge gap
between rich and poor. We as NGOs really want to do all efforts to support a fundamental
change towards a new paradigm where our economies can fit again within limits of the
ecological capital and the planetary boundaries that Mr. Moldan mentioned, and will bring
social equity and wellbeing for the world’s inhabitants.
Although the synthesis report is hope giving, we fear it is still not strong enough to deliver the
fundamental change we urgently need.
A few questions and suggestions regarding this.
First, one of the recommendations is to design a roadmap for transition. We would like to hear
how this will be done, and if done, will it be with targets that are based on the use of natural
resources? Also, how will the design of the Green Economy roadmap address the detrimental
effects that using GDP as an indicator for progress entails? Keeping in mind too that GPD is
an insufficient indicator for progress on the poverty eradication MDG 1.
Second, w e all know the economic growth cannot be totally decoupled from natural resources
extraction and habitat loss. So the transition from brown economy towards green and fair
economy is necessary. This morning it was suggested that we should look at the way that
natural systems function and design our human-made systems using that wisdom. In addition,
we are wondering if concepts such as the commons approach are being considered?
Third, as was recognized this afternoon, in these discussions still too often the focus is on the
pillars of economy and environment; whereas other social values , such as human rights,
gender equality, worker’s conditions , indigenous ways of life and not to forget animal
welfare, should also always be integrated.
This relative lack of attention for social values also points to the fact that the pillar approach is
flawed. It does not promote holistic thinking, it gives the false impression that unlimited
economic growth is possible; instead, we suggest the capital approach that recognises the
limits of social and environmental constraints.
Finally, if we take the roadmaps for transition seriously it would be a good idea to integrate
them directly in the national Strategies for Sustainable Development and start capacity
building programs, especially for developing countries.