South Africa
South Africa’s intervention Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Session 11:
Focus areas 11 and 12 Sustainable Consumption and Production and Climate Change, 8 May 2014
On focus area 11: Sustainable Consumption and Production:
• The issue of sustainable consumption and production is an essential component of sustainable development. In this regard, the SDGs framework must reflect what was agreed upon in the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, and that is: “Promote sustainable consumption and production patterns with the developed countries taking the lead and with all countries benefiting from the process, taking into account the Rio principles, including, inter alia, the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities”. This would allow countries to implement SCP within their capacity and priorities.
On focus area 12: Climate Change:
• We acknowledge that if climate change is not addressed – internationally: in the appropriate forum, that is the UNFCCC – it will have a profound impact upon the sustainable development and production efforts of developing and other countries.
• In view of the lack of consensus in these discussions on whether this issue of climate change should be a part of the SDGs framework or not, and the concerns on whether this process may undermine or dilute the efforts to conclude an international treaty-based agreement, we would request clarity from the co-chairs on what the parameters of this process are vis-à-vis the UNFCCC process which contains legally binding obligations.
Focus areas 11 and 12 Sustainable Consumption and Production and Climate Change, 8 May 2014
On focus area 11: Sustainable Consumption and Production:
• The issue of sustainable consumption and production is an essential component of sustainable development. In this regard, the SDGs framework must reflect what was agreed upon in the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, and that is: “Promote sustainable consumption and production patterns with the developed countries taking the lead and with all countries benefiting from the process, taking into account the Rio principles, including, inter alia, the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities”. This would allow countries to implement SCP within their capacity and priorities.
On focus area 12: Climate Change:
• We acknowledge that if climate change is not addressed – internationally: in the appropriate forum, that is the UNFCCC – it will have a profound impact upon the sustainable development and production efforts of developing and other countries.
• In view of the lack of consensus in these discussions on whether this issue of climate change should be a part of the SDGs framework or not, and the concerns on whether this process may undermine or dilute the efforts to conclude an international treaty-based agreement, we would request clarity from the co-chairs on what the parameters of this process are vis-à-vis the UNFCCC process which contains legally binding obligations.
Stakeholders