Major Group: NGOs
Statement on behalf of the NGOs
Rob Wheeler
US Citizens Network for Sustainable Development
Global Ecovillage Network
Mr. Chairman and Delegates,
The NGOs appreciate the many excellent programs that have been adopted and implemented by
governments in regards to sustainable energy and efficiency such as have been mentioned today.
However, in regards to barriers and constraints we wish to raise several questions which we hope
will be addressed both during this and during the upcoming sessions.
1) To what extent do each of the specific types of programs that have been presented meet the
overall needs both at a country level and around the world?
2) What would be needed to scale each program and initiative up?
3) How long would it take to implement it at both a country level and around the world?
4) To what extent would each of these programs and initiatives limit energy use and provide
efficient, affordable, and satisfactory access to transport and basic energy services for all
peoples?
In addition, the Japanese delegate spoke of their work in terms of advancing and promoting
hybrid vehicles. In terms of constraints I would raise the question of how we could get these
vehicles into the developing world. I am aware that there is a problem with the quality of taxis in
many developing cities and the need for cleaner and safer vehicles. I would thus ask the Japanese
to consider if they might be able to do something to provide access to hybrids and other clean
energy vehicles to replace polluting vehicles, particularly taxis, in the developing world.
Amory Lovins writes about the use of Feebates in his book, Winning the Oil EndGame, which
provide a financial incentive for owners to turn in their old vehicles in exchange for less
polluting ones. Developed countries could work with developing countries to develop such
programs.
In regards to the financial barriers, the NGOs introduced a proposal for an International
Sustainable Energy Fund and Agency during the CSD 9 and WSSD processes. This agency
would fund Research, Development, and Marketing for Renewable Energy and could also
include programs and technologies for energy efficiency. It could serve as a means to fund
scientists in the developing world to engage in R&D and enable them to remain or return to their
home countries. The development of such a fund or agency must be discussed and addressed
during CSD 15.
Such an agency could also serve as a means for creating a framework and listing of Best
Practices in terms of energy efficiency. This listing could include all of the programs mentioned
today as well as those others being implemented around the world. Thus we could include a
listing in the framework of which countries are participating in, supporting, and taking advantage
of which initiatives.
Finally, the US delegate?s comments about its many good programs - such as the Energy Star
program - remind me of one of the additional constraints experienced in many countries. While it
is true that there are many good energy efficiency initiatives in the US, it is also clear that much,
much more could be done - the US continues to consume much more energy than any other
country on Earth.The federal government is missing a huge opportunity to engage the American
people, and local and state governments, with its failure to meet its commitment to develop a Ten
Year Framework on Consumption and Production and a National Strategy for Sustainable
Development as agreed to in the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.
However the United States is not the only country that has not fulfilled its commitment nor made
sufficient progress on developing nd implementing a SPAC Framework and a Sustainability
Strategy Plan. The NGO community appreciates South Africa?s call for a 5 year review on
progress made in 2007; and we expect CSD to follow through on this responsibly. Such a review
must include an appraisal of what each country is doing to create and implement its Framework
and Strategy Plans, along with strengthening the means by which we encourage and ensure
implementation.
One thing that could be done would be to provide funding and support for civil society initiatives
that fill the gap in countries that are not making sufficient progress, fifteen years after the initial
Rio commitment was made. Another would be for the governments to support either
intergovernmental and/or civil society initiatives to monitor and review implementation efforts.
The development of Ten Year Frameworks on Sustainable Production and Consumption and
National Strategy Plans could be dedicated to, and go a long way towards, increasing energy
efficiency in each and every country. These initiatives must be recognized as important elements
in our efforts to further implementation during CSD 15.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Rob Wheeler
US Citizens Network for Sustainable Development
Global Ecovillage Network
Mr. Chairman and Delegates,
The NGOs appreciate the many excellent programs that have been adopted and implemented by
governments in regards to sustainable energy and efficiency such as have been mentioned today.
However, in regards to barriers and constraints we wish to raise several questions which we hope
will be addressed both during this and during the upcoming sessions.
1) To what extent do each of the specific types of programs that have been presented meet the
overall needs both at a country level and around the world?
2) What would be needed to scale each program and initiative up?
3) How long would it take to implement it at both a country level and around the world?
4) To what extent would each of these programs and initiatives limit energy use and provide
efficient, affordable, and satisfactory access to transport and basic energy services for all
peoples?
In addition, the Japanese delegate spoke of their work in terms of advancing and promoting
hybrid vehicles. In terms of constraints I would raise the question of how we could get these
vehicles into the developing world. I am aware that there is a problem with the quality of taxis in
many developing cities and the need for cleaner and safer vehicles. I would thus ask the Japanese
to consider if they might be able to do something to provide access to hybrids and other clean
energy vehicles to replace polluting vehicles, particularly taxis, in the developing world.
Amory Lovins writes about the use of Feebates in his book, Winning the Oil EndGame, which
provide a financial incentive for owners to turn in their old vehicles in exchange for less
polluting ones. Developed countries could work with developing countries to develop such
programs.
In regards to the financial barriers, the NGOs introduced a proposal for an International
Sustainable Energy Fund and Agency during the CSD 9 and WSSD processes. This agency
would fund Research, Development, and Marketing for Renewable Energy and could also
include programs and technologies for energy efficiency. It could serve as a means to fund
scientists in the developing world to engage in R&D and enable them to remain or return to their
home countries. The development of such a fund or agency must be discussed and addressed
during CSD 15.
Such an agency could also serve as a means for creating a framework and listing of Best
Practices in terms of energy efficiency. This listing could include all of the programs mentioned
today as well as those others being implemented around the world. Thus we could include a
listing in the framework of which countries are participating in, supporting, and taking advantage
of which initiatives.
Finally, the US delegate?s comments about its many good programs - such as the Energy Star
program - remind me of one of the additional constraints experienced in many countries. While it
is true that there are many good energy efficiency initiatives in the US, it is also clear that much,
much more could be done - the US continues to consume much more energy than any other
country on Earth.The federal government is missing a huge opportunity to engage the American
people, and local and state governments, with its failure to meet its commitment to develop a Ten
Year Framework on Consumption and Production and a National Strategy for Sustainable
Development as agreed to in the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.
However the United States is not the only country that has not fulfilled its commitment nor made
sufficient progress on developing nd implementing a SPAC Framework and a Sustainability
Strategy Plan. The NGO community appreciates South Africa?s call for a 5 year review on
progress made in 2007; and we expect CSD to follow through on this responsibly. Such a review
must include an appraisal of what each country is doing to create and implement its Framework
and Strategy Plans, along with strengthening the means by which we encourage and ensure
implementation.
One thing that could be done would be to provide funding and support for civil society initiatives
that fill the gap in countries that are not making sufficient progress, fifteen years after the initial
Rio commitment was made. Another would be for the governments to support either
intergovernmental and/or civil society initiatives to monitor and review implementation efforts.
The development of Ten Year Frameworks on Sustainable Production and Consumption and
National Strategy Plans could be dedicated to, and go a long way towards, increasing energy
efficiency in each and every country. These initiatives must be recognized as important elements
in our efforts to further implementation during CSD 15.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.