New Zealand
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New Zealand Permanent Mission to the United Nations
Te Mängai o Aotearoa
600 THIRD AVENUE 14TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY 10016-1901, USA
TELEPHONE (212) 826 1960 FACSIMILE (212) 758 0827 HOMEPAGE: http://www.nzembassy.com/newyork
_________________________________________________________________________________
PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Statement by
Juliet Hay
Counsellor
New Zealand Permanent Mission to the United Nations
16 December 2011
Check against delivery
63251
New Zealand is looking forward to Rio+20 as an opportunity to re-energise and
realise our common objective of sustainable development. For us, an ideal outcome
would be a renewed political commitment to sustainable development, underpinned
by agreement on focused forward looking actions. We must not only bank the
achievements made since the first Rio Conference under each pillar of sustainable
development, but also update and strengthen them to reflect today’s reality and look
towards to a more sustainable future for us all.
We have been asked to consider today the structure and format of the zero draft
document. There are a number of possible precedents, some of which are long and
detailed. Time is not in abundance to complete our work. New Zealand values
quality over quantity. We need a document that will inspire us all, one that is tightly
focussed on future action and concrete outcomes. In that regard, we should be
ambitious yet pragmatic. We should be clear in our vision, yet take into account the
multitude of different circumstances. Our blueprint for the future needs to be
challenging yet attainable.
This week we have heard much about creating Sustainable Development Goals, a
proposal that has potential to capture the imagination at Rio. New Zealand is open to
constructive dialogue on coverage, content and measurability of possible SDGs.
Like others, we would see this as a separate process from achievement of the
Millennium Development Goals, which should remain a key priority.
New Zealand’s submission focused on areas where we see potential to make real
and substantial differences.
We mentioned yesterday, in the statement given on behalf of Pacific Islands Forum
members, some specific concrete outcomes that we are seeking relating to oceans.
Priorities for New Zealand are commitments relating to:
▪ Integrated sustainable oceans management: the Pacific Oceanscape
provides a possible model for an integrated approach to sustainable
development of oceans and fisheries as it covers legal and governance
issues, science and capability building aspects, local, national and regional
resource management, engagement with stakeholders and processes for
dealing with emerging issues;
▪ Effective fisheries management, including within Exclusive Economic Zones
is crucial. Ensuring small island developing states are able to generate greater
returns from the sustainable management of their fisheries resources is a key
to achieving development goals in the Pacific region;
▪ Continuation of the Regular Process for the Global Assessment of the
Marine Environment, including socio-economic aspects: sustainable
oceans protection and management should be based on sound information
and science. We seek collective commitment to further regular assessments
of the marine environment, once the first assessment is completed in 2014;
▪ Combatting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing: States should
reaffirm their commitment to effective implementation of current mechanisms,
mechanisms including port and flag state measures and catch certification
processes. Further assessment of whether additional measures are required
could be considered;
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2
▪ Taking concrete steps towards elimination of harmful fisheries
subsidies: Subsidies contribute to overfishing and overcapacity: in some
cases subsidies are being provided to vessels which have a history of illegal
fishing, as well as for activities affecting fish stocks which are already
overfished. Given the worsening state of global fish stocks, fisheries subsidy
reform needs urgent attention;.
▪ Creating a global network of marine protected areas, providing for
regeneration and protection of biodiversity, as agreed in Johannesburg.
▪ Phasing out, over the medium term, inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that
encourage wasteful consumption and undermine sustainable development,
while mitigating adverse impacts on vulnerable groups;
▪ Improving access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy, particularly
renewable energy; and
▪ Creating a framework supportive of sustainable agriculture and wise
management of water resources.
To underpin these outcomes, the institutional framework for sustainable development
must become more effective and efficient. We first need a common understanding
about what we want reforms to achieve. Institutional structures should not be an end
in themselves but should facilitate the achievement of objectives that the international
community sets. Form must therefore follow function. Perhaps the zero draft could
begin by identifying the elements where there is common ground in the submissions
rather than suggesting a particular structure at the outset.
For instance, before supporting the creation of new structures New Zealand would
want to be sure that they would result in improved policy coherence and
implementation of sustainable development objectives. We would also want to avoid
the short-comings of the current international environmental governance framework
which are well known. Change –whatever form it takes- should not provide an
opportunity to shelter continuing poor coordination, communication and out-dated
processes. And whatever structures we have must represent good value for money.
All stakeholders, and particularly the institutions involved, should prepare themselves
to work in new and innovative ways to support sustainable development.
We look forward to working together on these issues over coming months, and to a
successful conference in Rio.
New Zealand Permanent Mission to the United Nations
Te Mängai o Aotearoa
600 THIRD AVENUE 14TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY 10016-1901, USA
TELEPHONE (212) 826 1960 FACSIMILE (212) 758 0827 HOMEPAGE: http://www.nzembassy.com/newyork
_________________________________________________________________________________
PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Statement by
Juliet Hay
Counsellor
New Zealand Permanent Mission to the United Nations
16 December 2011
Check against delivery
63251
New Zealand is looking forward to Rio+20 as an opportunity to re-energise and
realise our common objective of sustainable development. For us, an ideal outcome
would be a renewed political commitment to sustainable development, underpinned
by agreement on focused forward looking actions. We must not only bank the
achievements made since the first Rio Conference under each pillar of sustainable
development, but also update and strengthen them to reflect today’s reality and look
towards to a more sustainable future for us all.
We have been asked to consider today the structure and format of the zero draft
document. There are a number of possible precedents, some of which are long and
detailed. Time is not in abundance to complete our work. New Zealand values
quality over quantity. We need a document that will inspire us all, one that is tightly
focussed on future action and concrete outcomes. In that regard, we should be
ambitious yet pragmatic. We should be clear in our vision, yet take into account the
multitude of different circumstances. Our blueprint for the future needs to be
challenging yet attainable.
This week we have heard much about creating Sustainable Development Goals, a
proposal that has potential to capture the imagination at Rio. New Zealand is open to
constructive dialogue on coverage, content and measurability of possible SDGs.
Like others, we would see this as a separate process from achievement of the
Millennium Development Goals, which should remain a key priority.
New Zealand’s submission focused on areas where we see potential to make real
and substantial differences.
We mentioned yesterday, in the statement given on behalf of Pacific Islands Forum
members, some specific concrete outcomes that we are seeking relating to oceans.
Priorities for New Zealand are commitments relating to:
▪ Integrated sustainable oceans management: the Pacific Oceanscape
provides a possible model for an integrated approach to sustainable
development of oceans and fisheries as it covers legal and governance
issues, science and capability building aspects, local, national and regional
resource management, engagement with stakeholders and processes for
dealing with emerging issues;
▪ Effective fisheries management, including within Exclusive Economic Zones
is crucial. Ensuring small island developing states are able to generate greater
returns from the sustainable management of their fisheries resources is a key
to achieving development goals in the Pacific region;
▪ Continuation of the Regular Process for the Global Assessment of the
Marine Environment, including socio-economic aspects: sustainable
oceans protection and management should be based on sound information
and science. We seek collective commitment to further regular assessments
of the marine environment, once the first assessment is completed in 2014;
▪ Combatting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing: States should
reaffirm their commitment to effective implementation of current mechanisms,
mechanisms including port and flag state measures and catch certification
processes. Further assessment of whether additional measures are required
could be considered;
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2
▪ Taking concrete steps towards elimination of harmful fisheries
subsidies: Subsidies contribute to overfishing and overcapacity: in some
cases subsidies are being provided to vessels which have a history of illegal
fishing, as well as for activities affecting fish stocks which are already
overfished. Given the worsening state of global fish stocks, fisheries subsidy
reform needs urgent attention;.
▪ Creating a global network of marine protected areas, providing for
regeneration and protection of biodiversity, as agreed in Johannesburg.
▪ Phasing out, over the medium term, inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that
encourage wasteful consumption and undermine sustainable development,
while mitigating adverse impacts on vulnerable groups;
▪ Improving access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy, particularly
renewable energy; and
▪ Creating a framework supportive of sustainable agriculture and wise
management of water resources.
To underpin these outcomes, the institutional framework for sustainable development
must become more effective and efficient. We first need a common understanding
about what we want reforms to achieve. Institutional structures should not be an end
in themselves but should facilitate the achievement of objectives that the international
community sets. Form must therefore follow function. Perhaps the zero draft could
begin by identifying the elements where there is common ground in the submissions
rather than suggesting a particular structure at the outset.
For instance, before supporting the creation of new structures New Zealand would
want to be sure that they would result in improved policy coherence and
implementation of sustainable development objectives. We would also want to avoid
the short-comings of the current international environmental governance framework
which are well known. Change –whatever form it takes- should not provide an
opportunity to shelter continuing poor coordination, communication and out-dated
processes. And whatever structures we have must represent good value for money.
All stakeholders, and particularly the institutions involved, should prepare themselves
to work in new and innovative ways to support sustainable development.
We look forward to working together on these issues over coming months, and to a
successful conference in Rio.
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