Montenegro and Slovenia
Division for the Support to the National Council for Sustainable Development
Date: 3 April 2014
Cluster 5: Sustainable cities and human settlements; Promote sustainable
consumption and production; Climate
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.
Sustainable cities and human settlements:
We wish to point out that sustainable cities and human settlements are strongly
linked to energy. We should give proper attention to this inter-linkage. Urban areas
represent one of the greatest energy consumers; policies and activities for greater
energy efficiency and for more sustainable transportation systems are among key
measures to make cities and human settlements in general more sustainable.
Slovenia and Montenegro support actions, included in Focus area on sustainable
cities and human settlements. For us, especially important are possible actions to
promote sustainable urban planning; on enhancing social cohesion and personal
security; on strengthening positive economic and social links between cities and periurban
and rural areas; and on providing access to safe, affordable, accessible and
sustainable transport, improving road safety and urban air quality.
In further considerations we should give additional emphasis on:
o promoting energy efficiency;
o promotion of healthy and sustainable lifestyles;
o providing green spaces and recreational areas as part of sustainable
urban planning; and
o promotion of greater stakeholder cooperation in urban decision-making.
2
Promote Sustainable Consumption and Production:
SCP is a universal challenge and opportunity. For many developed countries and
emerging economies it means resource - and energy-efficiency in production and
adoption of more sustainable lifestyles. For many developing countries, it means
opportunities to achieve economic prosperity by making use of sustainable practices.
Waste prevention and reuse, increasing recycling are also essential.
Slovenia and Montenegro generally support proposed actions in Focus Area on SCP.
However, we wish to point out three additional comments:
o Possible action should include also resource efficiency (not only energy
efficiency);
o We believe that attention should be also given to industry and private
sector, which in general have a role in advancing technologies for
sustainable consumption and production;
o As possible action we wish to add integrating environment into other
policies and sectors.
We have already pointed out some points on chemicals during our intervention
on cluster 4 which remain relevant also for today's discussion:
o Appropriate use and management of chemicals must be taken into
consideration. Phasing out of harmful chemicals can be achieved
through eliminating their production and use. We should seek
sustainable alternatives globally. There is also a need to promote
rational, informed and responsible use of chemicals in general, also
taking into consideration their negative impacts on human health.
o Some other challenges also include reduction of exposure to harmful
substances, including in products, and leaking of toxic substances into
the environment.
o We also wish to point out the importance of implementation of SAICM
(Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management).
Climate:
We are of the view that the issue of climate change should be rather streamlined in
relevant goals then addressed through individual stand-alone SDG. Its
multidimensional and cross-cutting nature demands such approach.
3
Ambitious targets for the adaptation and resilience need to be developed, in addition
to the reaffirmation of the global mitigation efforts.
Concrete decisions on those issues should be made within UNFCCC process and
other relevant frameworks. We need to avoid duplication of our work with the
UNFCCC process and achieve that the inclusion of climate change in the future
agenda and UNFCCC process are mutually supportive.
We support proposed possible actions in Focus Areas document. We wish to point
out that special emphasis should be given to development of low-carbon
technologies, especially in energy sector.
Resilience and disaster risk reduction:
As we have pointed out during our stock-taking discussion on resilience and disaster
risk reduction, this issue is cross-cutting and not limited only to climate change.
We believe that disaster risk reduction should be reflected in relevant areas. There is
a need for more coordinated and managed approach to disaster risk reduction.
Date: 3 April 2014
Cluster 5: Sustainable cities and human settlements; Promote sustainable
consumption and production; Climate
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.
Sustainable cities and human settlements:
We wish to point out that sustainable cities and human settlements are strongly
linked to energy. We should give proper attention to this inter-linkage. Urban areas
represent one of the greatest energy consumers; policies and activities for greater
energy efficiency and for more sustainable transportation systems are among key
measures to make cities and human settlements in general more sustainable.
Slovenia and Montenegro support actions, included in Focus area on sustainable
cities and human settlements. For us, especially important are possible actions to
promote sustainable urban planning; on enhancing social cohesion and personal
security; on strengthening positive economic and social links between cities and periurban
and rural areas; and on providing access to safe, affordable, accessible and
sustainable transport, improving road safety and urban air quality.
In further considerations we should give additional emphasis on:
o promoting energy efficiency;
o promotion of healthy and sustainable lifestyles;
o providing green spaces and recreational areas as part of sustainable
urban planning; and
o promotion of greater stakeholder cooperation in urban decision-making.
2
Promote Sustainable Consumption and Production:
SCP is a universal challenge and opportunity. For many developed countries and
emerging economies it means resource - and energy-efficiency in production and
adoption of more sustainable lifestyles. For many developing countries, it means
opportunities to achieve economic prosperity by making use of sustainable practices.
Waste prevention and reuse, increasing recycling are also essential.
Slovenia and Montenegro generally support proposed actions in Focus Area on SCP.
However, we wish to point out three additional comments:
o Possible action should include also resource efficiency (not only energy
efficiency);
o We believe that attention should be also given to industry and private
sector, which in general have a role in advancing technologies for
sustainable consumption and production;
o As possible action we wish to add integrating environment into other
policies and sectors.
We have already pointed out some points on chemicals during our intervention
on cluster 4 which remain relevant also for today's discussion:
o Appropriate use and management of chemicals must be taken into
consideration. Phasing out of harmful chemicals can be achieved
through eliminating their production and use. We should seek
sustainable alternatives globally. There is also a need to promote
rational, informed and responsible use of chemicals in general, also
taking into consideration their negative impacts on human health.
o Some other challenges also include reduction of exposure to harmful
substances, including in products, and leaking of toxic substances into
the environment.
o We also wish to point out the importance of implementation of SAICM
(Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management).
Climate:
We are of the view that the issue of climate change should be rather streamlined in
relevant goals then addressed through individual stand-alone SDG. Its
multidimensional and cross-cutting nature demands such approach.
3
Ambitious targets for the adaptation and resilience need to be developed, in addition
to the reaffirmation of the global mitigation efforts.
Concrete decisions on those issues should be made within UNFCCC process and
other relevant frameworks. We need to avoid duplication of our work with the
UNFCCC process and achieve that the inclusion of climate change in the future
agenda and UNFCCC process are mutually supportive.
We support proposed possible actions in Focus Areas document. We wish to point
out that special emphasis should be given to development of low-carbon
technologies, especially in energy sector.
Resilience and disaster risk reduction:
As we have pointed out during our stock-taking discussion on resilience and disaster
risk reduction, this issue is cross-cutting and not limited only to climate change.
We believe that disaster risk reduction should be reflected in relevant areas. There is
a need for more coordinated and managed approach to disaster risk reduction.