Report to the CSD SPAC Caucus
SPAC at CSD-13
The 13th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, and its first Policy Year that focused on water, sanitation and human settlements wound to a close late at night on Friday, April 22nd 2005. The advance unedited version of the CSD-13 decision is now available on the CSD website. IISD reports that CSD-13's outcome document will now be forwarded to ECOSOC as a significant contribution to the September 2005 High-level Plenary Meeting.
SPAC during negotiations and
in the final text:
The
CSD-13
decision makes a gesture towards sustainable production and consumption
(SPAC) as a cross cutting issue. The preamble to the decision
reaffirms SPAC as a "mutually reinforcing pillar of sustainable
development". Even this customary nod towards the SPAC issue appeared
in jeopardy in the first week of CSD-13 when the words "sustainable
growth" appeared in place of words "sustainable production
and consumption" in the draft text that was under negotiation.
Members of the CSD Sustainable Production and Consumption Caucus (SPAC
Caucus) questioned CSD-13 Chair Dr. John Ashe about this when he visited
the NGO briefing session, and received his assurance that the SPAC issue
would not be diluted. The words "sustainable production and consumption"
eventually made its way into the later versions of the text.
IISD reports some confrontations during the negotiations around Interlinkages and Cross Cutting Issues. "The EU, Norway and some other countries called for promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns in the three CSD-13 areas, with developed countries taking the lead. This latter suggestion was supported by G-77/ China, but objected to by the US." The final CSD-13 decision retains the proposed emphasis on common and differentiated responsibilities. Paragraph t (iv) calls for addressing water, sanitation and human settlements in an integrated manner:
In accordance with JPOI paragraph 14, promoting sustainable consumption and
production patterns in all countries, with developed countries taking the lead and with all countries benefiting from the process, including through the Marrakech Process.
The Marrakech Process:
During a side event at CSD-13, the government of Costa Rica announced
that the 2nd International Expert Meeting on Sustainable Consumption
and Production would take place at San Jose, Costa Rica from September
5 - 8 2005.
This meeting, which would be the two year follow-up from the first "Marrakech
meeting" has the following objectives, among others:
1. Review conclusions of the regional process and determine how the
international process can support the regional process
2. Improve the scope of the 10-year framework process
3. Establish international focal points for the exchange of information
4. Provide inputs to the CSD process
Government of Sweden side event:
The side event, held on April 18, publicized the report "North/
South business relations and sustainable consumption and production:
A driving force for sustainable development?" organized by
the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Ms. Mona Sahlin, the Swedish Minister for Sustainable Development made
a statement emphasizing the responsibility of developed countries in
achieving SPAC. The statement is available here.
The side event also involved reporting back on the regional SCP processes held in Africa and Europe, as well as a short briefing on the upcoming 2nd International Expert SCP meeting in Costa Rica (see above)
Joint meeting between the SPAC & Energy Caucus:
An
exciting joint meeting between the SPAC Caucus and the Energy Caucus
was held on Tuesday, April 19. The meeting featured an extremely informative
presentation by Doug Koplow of Earth
Track on Energy Subsidies and Climate Change. The presentation covered
the following topics (i) Why do subsidies matter (ii) How big are they
(iii) How might reform change fuel mix, greenhouse gas emissions (iv)
What do subsidies look like? (v) What are barriers to and opportunities
for subsidy reform?
The discussion that followed the presentation focused on planning ahead to CSD 14 and 15, whose thematic areas for consideration include energy, climate change, air pollution/ atmosphere and industrial development. Participants considered potential projects in which the SPAC and Energy Caucuses can engage.
Military production and consumption:
Military production and consumption was highlighted in the
event "The connection between war, military and the environment",
organized by WILPF and ForUM on April 12. A report from the event is
available in Taking
Issue.
- Veena Ramani
Integrative Strategies Forum