Serbia
THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA SEVENTH SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OPEN WORKING GROUP ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS Check against delivery STATEMENT by H. E. MR. DRAGAN ZUPANJEVAC AMBASSADOR New York, 6-10 January 2014
Mr. Chair, At the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) Governments reaffirmed the critical importance of shifting towards sustainable consumption and production (SCP) patterns, as an overarching objective of and prerequisite for sustainable development. At Rio+20 governments also formally adopted the Ten Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns (the "10YFP"), providing the global platform for international cooperation to accelerate the shift towards SCP in both developed and developing countries. This global platform is supposed to deliver support for the shift to SCP at national and regional levels. The 10YFP represents a key milestone in advancing the Green Economy and sustainable development. The 10YFP focuses on the development, replication and scaling up of SCP and resource efficiency initiatives. Special importance of the 10YFP is in providing additional support for capacity building, and facilitating the access to technical and financial assistance for the developing countries and countries with economies in transition. The aim is to contribute to decoupling environmental degradation and resource use from economic growth, and thus to increase the net contribution of economic activities to poverty eradication and achieving sustainable development. Building on what has been achieved in the past, including through the Marrakech Process on SCP, activities under the 10YFP, at all levels (global, regional and national) should help to put the world on a path towards SCP patterns, engaging the broad range of stakeholders relevant to jointly achieving this goal. The 10YFP should contribute to meeting the objectives, goals and functions of the 10YFP responding to national and regional needs, priorities and circumstances. The programmes will build capacity to implement policies, voluntary instruments, management practices, information and awareness raising activities to promote the shift to SCP patterns. Creation and implementation of the SCP policy is a shared responsibility that involves various stakeholders: governments, businesses and industry (i.e. the private sector), researchers in the scientific and technological community, academia, other major groups
including NGOs, UN agencies, financial institutions, and other stakeholders with an interest in SCP. As it has been agreed and set in the international agenda, the elaboration of SCP within the policies on consumer information, sustainable lifestyles and education, sustainable public procurement, sustainable buildings and construction and sustainable tourism is a priority. We are of the opinion that development of SCP into these thematic areas can have a significant impact on wider sectoral issues and economies of the countries in general. Applying the SCP concept in the areas such as waste management, agriculture, transport, resource and energy efficiency, is also of crucial significance since it brings economic benefit in short terms and provide basis for creation of new, decent green jobs. Thanks to UNEP, the criteria for developing and implementing the sustainable consumption and production programmes included in the 10YFP, have been identified. In order to achieve synergies, elaboration of SCP programmes should serve as an umbrella bringing together existing initiatives and partnerships. Priority should be given to sectors that are resource intensive and of high economic importance (e.g. agriculture, mobility, buildings, tourism), while also taking into account those that are cross sectoral in nature, focusing on a policy area or instrument (e.g. sustainable public procurement, education and lifestyles, consumer information). Development and implementation of SCP programmes must be based on partnership among stakeholders. This is in particular important in applying the concept of public-private partnerships whereas governments should deliver guidance, legal and incentive provisions while the private sector should provide financial resources and comply with the requirements in order to achieve competitiveness. The Regional workshop on SCP and Green Economy, held in Belgrade in 2011, indicated that there is a clear need for strengthened cooperation and coordination at regional and national levels in order to achieve a fundamental shift to sustainable consumption and production patterns. Countries should strengthen and exchange their broad experiences and expertise in supporting the design, development and implementation of sustainable
consumption and production approaches, practices and policies, working with a range of stakeholders and in close collaboration with relevant international and regional entities (e.g. UN agencies such as UNEP, UNDP, UN World Tourism Organization, UNESCO and UNIDO). International entities also play a crucial role in supporting the governments and other stakeholders in developing of and complying with the SCP policies. They must provide a platform for raising awareness, capacity building, donor coordination, based on the countries and stakeholders demand and needs. One of the advanced examples represents the Global SCP Clearinghouse prepared and convened by UNEP, also available to the stakeholders and in particular governments. This is also one of the best ways to share experiences and lessons learned in creating and implementing the SCP policies worldwide. In order to implement SCP policies, countries should, inter alia, build solid and efficient institutional structures, based on existing expertise, using existing structures at all levels of governance, with the involvement of all relevant stakeholders. Among the priorities of the countries should be the development of national strategic policies and plans, strengthening implementation and reshaping the legislative acts; setting and redirecting economic incentives (taxes, subsidies etc.) for supporting the SCP; introducing SCP principles in public procurement; providing support for companies to invest in SCP areas such as clean technology innovation and diffusion, eco-design, and technology transfer; Accessing international financial resources and securing sufficient financial resources at national level are prerequisite for timely and effective implementation of SCP policies. Nevertheless, effective implementation will require setting innovative financing mechanisms (i.e. PPP) and carrying out fiscal innovations and reforms - introduction and reforms of environmental incentives, removal of perverse subsidies, etc. Mr. Chair, Strengthening national and local capacities to manage climate-related risks, look as the
best strategy to be able to manage more complex climate risk in the future. It is necessary to recognize that only an integrated approach to disaster risk management, climate variability, climate change adaptation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions involving all countries, all sectors will strengthen sustainable development; and to emphasize that only enhanced partnerships at all levels will enable this integration. The greatest sustainable development challenge at international level are climate variability, climate change and disasters with wide ranging impacts that compound existing critical economic, environmental, social and security issues, and place additional burden on humanitarian response, emergency management, development systems as well as on national budgets and efforts to achieve national development goals. Therefore it is necessary to implement, where possible, climate and disaster resilient practices in all development sectors which are the most vulnerable including agriculture, fisheries, forestry, education, health, energy, transport, infrastructure, water and sanitation and tourism, including the inter-linkages among sectors, as well as to ensure that respective national finance and planning institutions lead to strategic, country wide and participatory approaches in mainstreaming disaster and climate-related risk into planning, budgetary and decision-making processes. Thank you!
Mr. Chair, At the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) Governments reaffirmed the critical importance of shifting towards sustainable consumption and production (SCP) patterns, as an overarching objective of and prerequisite for sustainable development. At Rio+20 governments also formally adopted the Ten Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns (the "10YFP"), providing the global platform for international cooperation to accelerate the shift towards SCP in both developed and developing countries. This global platform is supposed to deliver support for the shift to SCP at national and regional levels. The 10YFP represents a key milestone in advancing the Green Economy and sustainable development. The 10YFP focuses on the development, replication and scaling up of SCP and resource efficiency initiatives. Special importance of the 10YFP is in providing additional support for capacity building, and facilitating the access to technical and financial assistance for the developing countries and countries with economies in transition. The aim is to contribute to decoupling environmental degradation and resource use from economic growth, and thus to increase the net contribution of economic activities to poverty eradication and achieving sustainable development. Building on what has been achieved in the past, including through the Marrakech Process on SCP, activities under the 10YFP, at all levels (global, regional and national) should help to put the world on a path towards SCP patterns, engaging the broad range of stakeholders relevant to jointly achieving this goal. The 10YFP should contribute to meeting the objectives, goals and functions of the 10YFP responding to national and regional needs, priorities and circumstances. The programmes will build capacity to implement policies, voluntary instruments, management practices, information and awareness raising activities to promote the shift to SCP patterns. Creation and implementation of the SCP policy is a shared responsibility that involves various stakeholders: governments, businesses and industry (i.e. the private sector), researchers in the scientific and technological community, academia, other major groups
including NGOs, UN agencies, financial institutions, and other stakeholders with an interest in SCP. As it has been agreed and set in the international agenda, the elaboration of SCP within the policies on consumer information, sustainable lifestyles and education, sustainable public procurement, sustainable buildings and construction and sustainable tourism is a priority. We are of the opinion that development of SCP into these thematic areas can have a significant impact on wider sectoral issues and economies of the countries in general. Applying the SCP concept in the areas such as waste management, agriculture, transport, resource and energy efficiency, is also of crucial significance since it brings economic benefit in short terms and provide basis for creation of new, decent green jobs. Thanks to UNEP, the criteria for developing and implementing the sustainable consumption and production programmes included in the 10YFP, have been identified. In order to achieve synergies, elaboration of SCP programmes should serve as an umbrella bringing together existing initiatives and partnerships. Priority should be given to sectors that are resource intensive and of high economic importance (e.g. agriculture, mobility, buildings, tourism), while also taking into account those that are cross sectoral in nature, focusing on a policy area or instrument (e.g. sustainable public procurement, education and lifestyles, consumer information). Development and implementation of SCP programmes must be based on partnership among stakeholders. This is in particular important in applying the concept of public-private partnerships whereas governments should deliver guidance, legal and incentive provisions while the private sector should provide financial resources and comply with the requirements in order to achieve competitiveness. The Regional workshop on SCP and Green Economy, held in Belgrade in 2011, indicated that there is a clear need for strengthened cooperation and coordination at regional and national levels in order to achieve a fundamental shift to sustainable consumption and production patterns. Countries should strengthen and exchange their broad experiences and expertise in supporting the design, development and implementation of sustainable
consumption and production approaches, practices and policies, working with a range of stakeholders and in close collaboration with relevant international and regional entities (e.g. UN agencies such as UNEP, UNDP, UN World Tourism Organization, UNESCO and UNIDO). International entities also play a crucial role in supporting the governments and other stakeholders in developing of and complying with the SCP policies. They must provide a platform for raising awareness, capacity building, donor coordination, based on the countries and stakeholders demand and needs. One of the advanced examples represents the Global SCP Clearinghouse prepared and convened by UNEP, also available to the stakeholders and in particular governments. This is also one of the best ways to share experiences and lessons learned in creating and implementing the SCP policies worldwide. In order to implement SCP policies, countries should, inter alia, build solid and efficient institutional structures, based on existing expertise, using existing structures at all levels of governance, with the involvement of all relevant stakeholders. Among the priorities of the countries should be the development of national strategic policies and plans, strengthening implementation and reshaping the legislative acts; setting and redirecting economic incentives (taxes, subsidies etc.) for supporting the SCP; introducing SCP principles in public procurement; providing support for companies to invest in SCP areas such as clean technology innovation and diffusion, eco-design, and technology transfer; Accessing international financial resources and securing sufficient financial resources at national level are prerequisite for timely and effective implementation of SCP policies. Nevertheless, effective implementation will require setting innovative financing mechanisms (i.e. PPP) and carrying out fiscal innovations and reforms - introduction and reforms of environmental incentives, removal of perverse subsidies, etc. Mr. Chair, Strengthening national and local capacities to manage climate-related risks, look as the
best strategy to be able to manage more complex climate risk in the future. It is necessary to recognize that only an integrated approach to disaster risk management, climate variability, climate change adaptation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions involving all countries, all sectors will strengthen sustainable development; and to emphasize that only enhanced partnerships at all levels will enable this integration. The greatest sustainable development challenge at international level are climate variability, climate change and disasters with wide ranging impacts that compound existing critical economic, environmental, social and security issues, and place additional burden on humanitarian response, emergency management, development systems as well as on national budgets and efforts to achieve national development goals. Therefore it is necessary to implement, where possible, climate and disaster resilient practices in all development sectors which are the most vulnerable including agriculture, fisheries, forestry, education, health, energy, transport, infrastructure, water and sanitation and tourism, including the inter-linkages among sectors, as well as to ensure that respective national finance and planning institutions lead to strategic, country wide and participatory approaches in mainstreaming disaster and climate-related risk into planning, budgetary and decision-making processes. Thank you!
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