Montenegro and Slovenia
Division for the Support to the National Council for Sustainable Development
Date: 1 April 2014
Cluster 3: Water and sanitation; Sustainable agriculture, food security and
nutrition
Joint input of Montenegro and Slovenia for the 10th Meeting of OWG SDG
I have the honour to speak on behalf of Slovenia and Montenegro.
Water and sanitation:
Slovenia and Montenegro support a standalone goal on water and sanitation.
The elements included in this focus area properly capture the multidimensional
nature and cross-cutting importance of water and sanitation for achieving poverty
eradication and sustainable development.
Within this goal, as a matter of priority, we should have target on 1) ensuring
universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation for all. Ensuring universal
access to water and sanitation also means full enjoyment of human right to safe
drinking water and (basic) sanitation. We believe that this is a global minimum
standard that should be applied to everyone.
2.) The next priority target should be on better water resource management and
improving water-use efficiency in all sectors, including in households, agriculture,
industry, energy and urban areas. Both, better resource management and improving
water-use efficiency can ensure meeting the competing demands among different
sectors. 3.) The third priority target should be on strengthening wastewater treatment,
recycling and reuse of water.
We also believe that within this goal we should also target protecting and restoring
water-linked ecosystems, including mountains as well as watersheds and wetlands.
There is a strong connection between mountain areas and water, as mountains
provide up to 80% of the world’s fresh water for domestic consumption and
sanitation, and are subject to increasing pressure by human activities and climate
change. In this regard, importance of sustainable management of mountain water
resources and improved wastewater treatment in mountain areas cannot be
overlooked.
2
Sustainable agriculture, food security and nutrition:
Slovenia and Montenegro support a standalone goal on ensuring food security and
good nutrition.
The proposals under this focus area appropriately address all major issues in the
field of ensuring food security, good nutrition and sustainable agriculture.
Within this goal our primary objective should be ending hunger and ensuring
everyone has access to safe, affordable and nutritious food.
This goal should also recognize the role of sustainable agriculture as an important
driver of sustainable development and for poverty and hunger eradication.
Sustainable agriculture contributes to efficient use of land, water and energy. In the
context of sustainable agriculture, we would call for a stronger link with the GHG
emissions reductions from this sector.
We favor the integral approach to agriculture in terms of wider rural development
and, in particular, link with sustainable tourism. We also welcome the link between
rural development and non-agricultural employment opportunities in priority area on
employment and decent work.
We also wish to point out importance of promoting responsible agricultural
investments as they can substantially contribute to promote sustainability in
agricultural sector.
Date: 1 April 2014
Cluster 3: Water and sanitation; Sustainable agriculture, food security and
nutrition
Joint input of Montenegro and Slovenia for the 10th Meeting of OWG SDG
I have the honour to speak on behalf of Slovenia and Montenegro.
Water and sanitation:
Slovenia and Montenegro support a standalone goal on water and sanitation.
The elements included in this focus area properly capture the multidimensional
nature and cross-cutting importance of water and sanitation for achieving poverty
eradication and sustainable development.
Within this goal, as a matter of priority, we should have target on 1) ensuring
universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation for all. Ensuring universal
access to water and sanitation also means full enjoyment of human right to safe
drinking water and (basic) sanitation. We believe that this is a global minimum
standard that should be applied to everyone.
2.) The next priority target should be on better water resource management and
improving water-use efficiency in all sectors, including in households, agriculture,
industry, energy and urban areas. Both, better resource management and improving
water-use efficiency can ensure meeting the competing demands among different
sectors. 3.) The third priority target should be on strengthening wastewater treatment,
recycling and reuse of water.
We also believe that within this goal we should also target protecting and restoring
water-linked ecosystems, including mountains as well as watersheds and wetlands.
There is a strong connection between mountain areas and water, as mountains
provide up to 80% of the world’s fresh water for domestic consumption and
sanitation, and are subject to increasing pressure by human activities and climate
change. In this regard, importance of sustainable management of mountain water
resources and improved wastewater treatment in mountain areas cannot be
overlooked.
2
Sustainable agriculture, food security and nutrition:
Slovenia and Montenegro support a standalone goal on ensuring food security and
good nutrition.
The proposals under this focus area appropriately address all major issues in the
field of ensuring food security, good nutrition and sustainable agriculture.
Within this goal our primary objective should be ending hunger and ensuring
everyone has access to safe, affordable and nutritious food.
This goal should also recognize the role of sustainable agriculture as an important
driver of sustainable development and for poverty and hunger eradication.
Sustainable agriculture contributes to efficient use of land, water and energy. In the
context of sustainable agriculture, we would call for a stronger link with the GHG
emissions reductions from this sector.
We favor the integral approach to agriculture in terms of wider rural development
and, in particular, link with sustainable tourism. We also welcome the link between
rural development and non-agricultural employment opportunities in priority area on
employment and decent work.
We also wish to point out importance of promoting responsible agricultural
investments as they can substantially contribute to promote sustainability in
agricultural sector.