NGO statement in the multi-stakeholder dialogue on policy options, practical measures and the
way forward
Thank you chair. The NGO major group has three key points which we would like to make.
The first point is that many NGO?s and social entrepreneurs, along with the other major groups
which form civil society, have a great deal of expertise which you can call upon. We have been
developing and implementing working examples, within our economy, of truly sustainable
communities and production systems, all over the world. NGO?s are engaging with wider society to
introduce sustainable lifestyles and can engage in a way that governments cannot. Mr Chair and
member states we think that you need our help in this urgent task and we would like to help you.
Our second point is that we know from our real life experience that we can live happy, healthy lives
within our fair share of the world?s resources - wherever we live in the world - and still leave space
for wildlife and wilderness ? that is - we can achieve one planet living, as called for by speakers in the
General Assembly this morning.
With this knowledge we say that member states do not need to hold back and we ask member
states not to let short term constraints jeopardise the rapid realisation of our sustainable future.
This task is urgent and of a scale that requires all those of us that have the capacity and the will to
act to make a change on a scale not seen before.
Finally, the NGO?s would like to re -state our commitment and wish to work with governments and
UN bodies to deliver the policy options and practical measures which will be agreed at CSD19 and to
that end make two suggestions.
Many NGO?s have put forward SCP programmes for the ten year framework of programmes. We
would like to be fully engaged in making a success of the implementation of these programmes. To
answer the question of the USA delegate, the UN and member states can help us to scale and
replicate our existing successful programmes and this could be quite a low cost action.
Sustainable consumption and production needs to be implemented at all levels of society. One way
in which we can envision the way forward for our activities is to work with UN bodies, all other
major groups and member states in a true spirit of partnership on at least 1,000 large scale practical
projects annually in all areas of the world, relevant to the five thematic issues of CSD-19 as case
studies of true sustainability , which would serve as learning and educational models and inform
policy and rapid mainstream implementation. We would like to work with UN bodies and member
states to identify and nominate these large scale case stud y initiatives.
The NGO group looks forward to your response. Thank you.
