Norway

Goals and targets - July


Norway welcomes your proposal to have a short introduction to the section on goals and targets. It should primarily explain the nature of the goals - including that they are integrated and indivisible, aspirational, global and universal, as spelled out in para 50.

We certainly agree that sustainable development is closely linked to a number of conventions and processes, but we do not see the need for listing these. The list currently included in para 51 is selective. Rather than adding other relevant conventions and processes to the list, we suggest to drop the list altogether. If the list is kept, we support the proposal made by AOSIS to include UNCLOS in the list of relevant conventions.

We welcome the step taken to integrate the technical revisions to the targets, but we cannot accept the exclusion of 14 (c) from this exercise. As we have stated repeatedly, we cannot ask our leaders to commit to unfinished targets such as those containing "x"s, nor can we ask them to sign on to targets that fall short of existing agreements and commitments. The adjustment you have suggested to target 14(c) is required for it to be in line with agreed UN language and international law.

I thank you.