The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) or Rio+20 http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/index.html will take place this June 20-22. The name Rio+20 was derived from the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) or Earth Summit, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 20 years ago in 1992. It is also anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is envisaged as a Conference at the highest possible level, including National and Supra-national leadership from around the world. The outcome of Rio+20 will include renewed political commitments, address current policy implementation gaps from prior commitments and tackle new and emerging implementation gaps. The themes of Rio+20 are “green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication” and Institutional frameworks for sustainable development.
Though the United Nations has not deemed to officially define sustainable development or green economy for that matter, sustainable development works with three pillars of humanity: economy, society and environment. Sustainable development is key to ensuring future generations have a planet, economy, and society to support their lives. Basically, sustainable development is working to improve live for the current generation without compromising the livelihoods of future ones.
Students and under 30’s have the largest stake in the outcome of this process. We are the tomorrow’s leaders and it is our responsibility to participate in major global commitments that will affect our future. I think most will agree that responsibilities that will affect our and future generations, should not be solely left up to today’s world powers, whether they are multinational corporations or heads of state.
As inhabitants of planet earth and civil society within our constituencies, we have the ability to contribute as informed citizens to the Rio+20 political process by means of the structure the United Nations has built for participation. Besides Member States’ Delegations, there are nine Major Groups of stakeholders: Business and Industry; Science and Technology Community; Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs); Farmers and Agriculture; Local Authorities; Indigenous Peoples; Women; Workers and Trade Union; and Children and Youth.
The Major Group for Children and Youth or MGCY, http://uncsdchildrenyouth.org/ is thus far one of the most influential in the Rio+20 processes. Our initiatives, informed perspectives, educations, use of innovation and most of all, our important stakes in the outcome of Rio+20 has been noted by the United Nations secretariat and Member States.
Through the past year young people have been preparing for Rio +20. The first benchmark was in November, when the MGCY collectively submitted policy papers contributions to the Draft Zero, guided by the themes, “a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication,” and Institutional frameworks for sustainable development.” Also, submissions addressed the main objectives of Rio +20, “ensuring renewed political commitment, addressing implementation gaps” and “addressing new and emerging challenges.” MGCY has made every possible effort to be all-inclusive of children and youth worldwide. They have a listserv called “Youth Space” http://groups.google.com/group/Rioplus20YouthSpace?hl=en where policy questions and positions were reviewed multiple times during the drafting process.
The next benchmark was the first Rio +20 Intersessional (preparatory meeting), where young people showed up representing the Major Group for Children and Youth. MGCY delivered a three-minute statement addressed to the Member States to prioritize young peoples’ policy deliverables in the Rio+20. Again, MGCY opened up the statement, which at that time was a brief summary of our policy stands, for comment and editing to the entire Youth Space.
The response to our statement was a great inflow of questions and comments from other Major Groups and stakeholders. Inquiries included how MGCY is organized, communication methods and resource usage. The reason behind our success as a Major Group is due to our innovative ideas, and dedication to our futures. We have organized without having any physical meeting place or office, little to no funding, and using the latest and greatest of virtual participation technology and methods. . Children and youth (those under 30) make up 45% of the worlds population. If we unify in this process, we can help dictate the political moves of governments and business globally, to instill a world mindful of future generations when making heavily weighted decisions and actions
Submissions to the Zero Draft were compiled from all Member States, Major Groups and stakeholders in November. After the December Intersessional, the “Compilation Document” (or a first-draft form of Zero-Draft) was created. This past week MGCY addressed the present state of the draft in another three-minute statement at the Informal Consultation at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. Overall, MGCY stated that we are concerned that the Zero Draft for Rio+20 is insufficiently ambitious and fails to provide solutions to urgent problems or a concrete action plan for the sustainability challenges that we will continue to face. The shortcomings in the Zero Draft need to be tackled now if Rio+20 is to deliver significant results for children and youth. Currently, it does not lead to the future we want or rather, the future we need. If anyone would like to learn more or see how to get involved, check out the two web pages mentioned above.
*Sarah Dayringer
MA Public Policy-Central European University 2011
SustainUS-Agents of Change
UNCSD- Major Group of Children and Youth
United Nations Environmental Program-TUNZA
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