Summary of the Interactive Discussion with Major Groups
Thursday 10 May, 4:30-6:00 pm  
Conference Room 4

Major groups and government Ministers participated in an interactive discussion on “Turning commitments into action working together in partnership” during the high-level segment, on the afternoon of 10 May 2007. The discussion centered on specific policy options and actions to further the implementation of the goals and targets related to energy for sustainable development, industrial development, air pollution/atmosphere and climate change, as outlined in the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and the Millennium Development Goals.

There was overall agreement among all participants that Governments and civil society should work together in planning and decision making on sustainable energy. Women outlined strategies necessary to mainstream a gender perspective into actions to expand access to energy, and expressed their eagerness to participate in partnerships with Governments to promote modern cooking fuels, wind and solar systems, small hydro-electric generators, modern bio-fuel systems and energy efficiency mechanisms. Several Ministers welcomed and supported these strategies. Farmers noted that Africa, in particular, needs small-scale economic development in agricultural and rural areas that addresses energy needs, including job creation in producing biogas, ethanol, and biodiesel in marginal soils.

To turn commitments on industrial development into action, Governments must address employment, take responsibility for trade and economic policies, encourage dialogue with economic partners, and respect workers’ rights. Workers and trade unions called for a just transition to protect from loss of employment due to changes related to sustainable development implementation, emphasizing a shift to green jobs from an expanding renewable energy sector. One Minister called for inclusion of reference to investment programmes for access to energy for women, microfinancing for young entrepreneurs, and safe and decent work as a prerequisite for sustainable work in the CSD outcome document.

Business and industry observed that the private sector once believed that reducing industrial greenhouse gas emissions was bad for business and the economy, and governments thought that it was not in the national interest not to support such regulations. Now, however, businesspeople and economists understand that the biggest threat to business is climate change, not emissions control, and the general business consensus is that it is better to have regulations than to live with uncertainty on climate change.

Local authorities have been adopting policies and implementing measures to achieve quantifiable reductions in local greenhouse gas emissions, which are improving air quality and enhancing urban livability and sustainability. They challenged national and international leaders to act, and asserted that local authorities would fill the leadership void passed down by other levels of government as they continue to implement policies and actions that are reducing greenhouse gases and adapting to their impacts. One Minister responded by proposing that the negotiating text focus more on action taken by cities, including references to Local Agenda 21.

Adaptation to climate change demands that world infrastructure withstand extreme impacts, which requires more support for global observing systems, stronger focus at regional and local levels, increased public investments in education and development, better North-South and South-South cooperation, and enhanced scientific partnerships. Farmers and women are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts, and their potential contributions with regard to mitigation and adaptation activities should be recognized. Strengthened and sustained support for research and development is essential to enable the study of new crops needed for agriculture to adapt to climate change, as the implications for food production and security are indeed catastrophic.

Chair Al-Attiyah stimulated the dialogue by describing Qatar’s prosperity through the discovery and export of its gas resources, noting the value of trade in improving poverty and urging participants to be pragmatic and reasonable in accepting the continued need for fossil fuel use. NGOs offered a contrasting example of suffering in Nigeria, linked to oil profits and the reality of corruption. One Minister observed that in certain countries, following realism and pragmatism would never result in sustainable development, and challenged others to transcend simple logic and have courage to create a new thinking on sustainable development.

Strong views were expressed by women, youth, NGOs, indigenous people and farmers against nuclear power, fossil fuels, destructive mining operations, large hydropower projects and large bio-fuel plantations. NGOs expressed disappointment on the absence of targets and measurable goals on sustainable energy. The scientific and technological communities supported an approach that examines local resource bases and economic contexts to determine the best energy solutions, rather than exclude possible options.

The discussion turned several times to the moral and ethical aspects of sustainable development, following impassioned pleas from NGOs, indigenous people, and youth that the CSD show leadership during a time of global climate crisis by making a commitment to meaningfully address issues of unsustainable energy, envision a regionally and culturally appropriate transition to clean energy sources, and reduce the “ecological footprint” left on the earth. Issues of human rights, guardianship, and the precautionary principle should figure into risk assessment and risk management when confronting the dumping of toxic chemicals into water and air. A number of Ministers echoed their sentiments, advising countries enjoying the luxury of choices to make wise choices wherever possible, and recognizing the importance of traditional knowledge. Investment in sustainable development education, micro-finance schemes, and youth entrepreneurship were cited as important components of implementation efforts. Chair Al-Attiyah pledged to bring more youth representatives to the CSD, and urged Ministers to do so as well.
 

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