Major Group: Women, NGOs, & Youth
1. Twenty years ago, at Rio, when the international community embraced
?sustainable development? and adopted Agenda 21, the vision was for a greener,
more equitable world in the 21st century. Today, we face a world crisis ? of food,
economy and climate. But it is also a crisis of political leadership and an imperative
for greater democratisation.
2. As we meet at CSD17, we are challenged to make some fundamental shifts in
thinking and practical action towards sustainability on the ground, starting with land
and water.
3. We must value nature and functioning ecosystems, as the foundation of sustainable
development. This means applying the ecosystem approach as a strategy for the
integrated management of land, water and living resources that promotes
conservation, and sustainable use, including equitable benefit-sharing. Ecosystems
should be managed for their intrinsic values, as well as for the tangible and intangible
benefits for human societies. For example, water planning must guarantee minimum
environmental flows for ecosystems, recognizing land as a water user on its own
right. The human right to water for basic social needs should be prioritised. Transboundary
water management must uphold the principle of reciprocity, and ensure the
equitable sharing of international waters.
4. Both cultural and biological diversity are central components of the ecosystem
approach, and indigenous peoples and other local communities living on the land, are
important actors, whose rights and interests should be recognized. Secure land and
water rights for small holder farmers, pastoralists, indigenous peoples, and women are
preconditions, of an enabling environment for healthy ecosystems and healthy
peoples. Priority must be given to supporting the revitalization of local and regional
food and energy production systems which reduce greenhouse gas emissions, building
on indigenous knowledge and technologies. The rights of farmers and indigenous
peoples to seeds must be protected. Recognition and rewards must be given to
pastoralists, small farmers, forest communities, and indigenous peoples for their
protection and care of ecosystems, and their provision of environmental services,
including carbon sequestration.
5 Failures to respect, protect and fulfil human rights, constitute real barriers to human
sustainable development. Conversely, empowered citizens and communities are a
renewable spring of creativity and diverse collaborative actions for sustainable
development. Building the capacity of civil society for direct engagement in decisionmaking,
through environmental and development education, fosters informed choices
about development and technological options, and the obligations of governments
under international human rights law, as well as commitments made in international
agreements, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, and recent international
instruments like the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The value
added of the long list of Conferences and Meetings in the Preamble of the CSD17
negotiating text, is in the commitment of governments to their implementation.
6. The cluster of issues under CSD17 demand strong attention to the social and
ecological pillars of sustainability: after all it is nature and society, which set the
values and parameters for sustainable development.
?sustainable development? and adopted Agenda 21, the vision was for a greener,
more equitable world in the 21st century. Today, we face a world crisis ? of food,
economy and climate. But it is also a crisis of political leadership and an imperative
for greater democratisation.
2. As we meet at CSD17, we are challenged to make some fundamental shifts in
thinking and practical action towards sustainability on the ground, starting with land
and water.
3. We must value nature and functioning ecosystems, as the foundation of sustainable
development. This means applying the ecosystem approach as a strategy for the
integrated management of land, water and living resources that promotes
conservation, and sustainable use, including equitable benefit-sharing. Ecosystems
should be managed for their intrinsic values, as well as for the tangible and intangible
benefits for human societies. For example, water planning must guarantee minimum
environmental flows for ecosystems, recognizing land as a water user on its own
right. The human right to water for basic social needs should be prioritised. Transboundary
water management must uphold the principle of reciprocity, and ensure the
equitable sharing of international waters.
4. Both cultural and biological diversity are central components of the ecosystem
approach, and indigenous peoples and other local communities living on the land, are
important actors, whose rights and interests should be recognized. Secure land and
water rights for small holder farmers, pastoralists, indigenous peoples, and women are
preconditions, of an enabling environment for healthy ecosystems and healthy
peoples. Priority must be given to supporting the revitalization of local and regional
food and energy production systems which reduce greenhouse gas emissions, building
on indigenous knowledge and technologies. The rights of farmers and indigenous
peoples to seeds must be protected. Recognition and rewards must be given to
pastoralists, small farmers, forest communities, and indigenous peoples for their
protection and care of ecosystems, and their provision of environmental services,
including carbon sequestration.
5 Failures to respect, protect and fulfil human rights, constitute real barriers to human
sustainable development. Conversely, empowered citizens and communities are a
renewable spring of creativity and diverse collaborative actions for sustainable
development. Building the capacity of civil society for direct engagement in decisionmaking,
through environmental and development education, fosters informed choices
about development and technological options, and the obligations of governments
under international human rights law, as well as commitments made in international
agreements, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, and recent international
instruments like the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The value
added of the long list of Conferences and Meetings in the Preamble of the CSD17
negotiating text, is in the commitment of governments to their implementation.
6. The cluster of issues under CSD17 demand strong attention to the social and
ecological pillars of sustainability: after all it is nature and society, which set the
values and parameters for sustainable development.