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Vol 21, No. 07 - July 2017
Countries agree on decisive and urgent actions to restore marine world to health as Ocean Conference concludes
The 193 Member States of the United Nations unanimously agreed to a set of measures that will begin the reversal of the decline of the ocean’s health as the five-day Ocean Conference concluded on 9 June. The outcome document, together with more than 1,300 commitments to action, marks a breakthrough in the global approach to the management and conservation of the ocean.
The Ocean Conference, the first UN conference of its kind on the issue has raised global consciousness of ocean problems ranging from marine pollution to illegal and over fishing, from ocean acidification to lack of high seas governance. By including all stakeholders in the discussions, the Conference produced a comprehensive and actionable range of solutions.
“The Ocean Conference has changed our relationship with the ocean,” said the President of the UN General Assembly Peter Thomson. “Henceforth none can say they were not aware of the harm humanity has done to the ocean’s health. We are now working around the world to restore a relationship of balance and respect towards the ocean.”
Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs and Secretary-General of the Ocean Conference, said the Conference marked a major step forward for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. “Participants from Member States, NGOs, civil society, the private sector, the scientific community and academia engaged in wide-ranging discussion and shared state-of-the-art knowledge and latest information on marine science and challenges,” he said.
“They showcased and put forward many innovative solutions, which can help us achieve Sustainable Development Goal 14, and through its interlinkages the other SDGs and targets.”
Conference outcomes
Recognizing that the well-being of present and future generations is inextricably linked to the health and productivity of the ocean, countries collectively agreed in the Call to Action “to act decisively and urgently, convinced that our collective action will make a meaningful difference to our people, to our planet and to our prosperity.”
While the ocean partnership dialogues focused on the multiple problems and challenges the ocean is facing, all participants offered solutions and commitments to reverse these challenges.
The Call for Action was formally adopted at the conclusion of the Conference today, as well as the reports from the seven partnership dialogues that have focused on scaling up solutions, and the voluntary commitments to action.
In the Call for Action, countries agree to implement long-term and robust strategies to reduce the use of plastics and microplastics, such as plastic bags and single use plastics. Countries also agreed to develop and implement effective adaptation and mitigation measures that address ocean and coastal acidification, sea-level rise and increase in ocean temperatures, and to address the other harmful impacts of climate change on the ocean. The Call recognizes the importance of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
The Call for Action also includes measures to protect coastal and blue carbon ecosystems, such as mangroves, tidal marshes, seagrass and coral reefs, and wider interconnected ecosystems, as well as enhancing sustainable fisheries management, including to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield. Countries are called upon to decisively prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, and eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
The commitments, in turn, address all the issues needed to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 14—Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources—and produced significant results:
- Commitments made at the Conference indicate that the world is well on track to protect over 10 per cent of the globe’s marine areas by 2020. The commitments made during the conference add 4.4 per cent of marine areas to the existing number.
- Many countries announced steps to reduce or eliminate various single use plastics, such as plastic shopping bags, which ultimately find their way to the ocean.
- Numerous countries announced that they were stepping up their efforts to reduce the amount of sewage and pollution entering the ocean from land-based activities.
- Many commitments focused on expanding scientific knowledge about the ocean and developing and sharing innovative technologies to address ocean challenges.
- There were new commitments to protect and manage fisheries. Some countries announced “no-take zones” for certain fishing.
- Commitments were made to establish systems that allow consumers to source sustainable fish.
- New commitments were also made to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and to curtail fishing subsidies that are working to deplete fish stocks.
For more information: Ocean Conference
Reaching out through first ever Indigenous Media Zone
At the 16th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum, the UN together with indigenous media groups hosted the first-ever Indigenous Media Zone at UN Headquarters in New York from 24 to 28 April 2017. The programme featured live interviews, press conferences, workspaces for indigenous media and discussions with human rights defenders and indigenous experts.
2017 marks the tenth anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN Declaration), which many of the media interviews focused at.
“This is my 40th year on the Declaration,” Willie Littlechild, an indigenous expert from Canada said in one of the panel discussions, which were broadcast live on DESA’s Facebook page. “I think the biggest lesson I learned is that you can never give up. I think many times we felt that it’s of no use and we can’t succeed but we kept going.”
The goal behind the 5-day Indigenous Media Zone was to provide a space for indigenous and mainstream media to cover the Sixteenth session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues through their own media channels, languages and perspectives.
Within the UN system, the Permanent Forum is mandated to deal with indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights.
To promote this, indigenous media representatives, journalists, bloggers as well as non-indigenous media including UN correspondents were invited to cover the press conference and interviews.
But the milestone of reaching the UN Declaration’s adoption 10 years ago was just the beginning.
“It’s important to recognize that while these instruments are there to help us to achieve our dream of autonomy and of full recognition of our rights of our land and resources, the problem comes to the implementation,” indigenous expert Christina Coc of Ketchi Maya in Belize, said in the panel discussion focusing on the struggle over indigenous lands and territories.
And indeed, indigenous peoples from all parts of the world have been the driving force of their own future. Since 2007, there has been progress in some countries in terms of taking constitutional and legislative measures to recognize the rights and identity of indigenous peoples. But more needs to be done at the national and local levels.
“The Declaration is such a milestone if you look historically,” Aasa Larsson-Blind, indigenous expert and Vice President of the Saami Council in Sweden, said during one of the panel discussions. “Now it’s about getting it implemented so we can finally see change in ordinary lives around the world.
“We’re not there yet, but we have something to live up to.”
In addition to discussions on the UN Declaration and indigenous lands and territories, panels also elaborated on indigenous youth and their challenge of walking between two worlds, indigenous Members of Parliament and indigenous rights in Mexico City’s Constitution.
The live broadcasts via UN DESA’s Facebook page can be accessed via the main website of the 16th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (check under “Indigenous Media Zone”), which comes full circle on 5 May.
For more information:
16th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Commission on Population and Development: Changing population age structures
Changing population age structures and sustainable development was at the center of the debate at the 50th session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) which took place at UN Headquarters in New York from 3-7 April 2017. Speakers at the event emphasized that the world’s population had substantially increased in size and had seen dramatic shifts in its distribution by age and by place of residence since the first session of the CPD 70 years ago.
“When the Economic and Social Council created this Commission in 1946, the world’s population looked very different from what we know today,” said Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, Chef de Cabinet of UN Secretary-General António Guterres on his behalf. “People today are living longer and healthier lives than ever before — among the greatest of humanity’s achievements.”
Speakers noted that major shifts in population age structures were signs of success reflecting higher rates of survival from childhood to adulthood and longer life spans, and the greater ability of couples to choose the number and timing of any children they desire.
John Wilmoth, Director of UN DESA’s Population Division, highlighted the policies Member States are already implementing to adapt to these changing demographic circumstances. “In ageing societies, social protection mechanisms, pension systems and health care programmes are being adjusted and strengthened,” Wilmoth said.
“Women’s participation in the workforce is being supported more than ever before, and some countries are slowly pushing up the age of retirement. At the same time, there is an increasing recognition that international migration can help to rejuvenate populations and slow the rate of population ageing.”
Speakers highlighted the necessity of investing in the human capital of their populations, especially their youth through policies and programmes to improve youth’s access to education, health, and employment. Attention was drawn to the reproductive health needs of youth, as well as to the prevention of adolescent pregnancy, child and early marriage, violence against youth and gender-based violence.
At the same time, countries detailed policies and programmes to address the health, welfare and inclusion of their rapidly growing older populations. Some Member States highlighted that migration and refugee movements present unique challenges related to the changing population age distributions, the introduction of new cultural practices, and to labour markets.
Countries further stressed the importance of improving data and statistics for monitoring demographic trends and development, and the need for capacity development in this regard.
Participants included delegations from 46 elected members of the Commission and observers from about 80 other Member States, two non-Member States, and several intergovernmental organizations, United Nations regional commissions, and other entities. Roughly 160 representatives of more than 65 non-governmental organizations participated as well.
For more information: 50th Session of the Commission on Population and Development
Statistical Commission adds last piece for full implementation of SDGs
Two years after the Commission created the Inter-agency Expert Group on SDG Indicators (IAEG-SDGs), the global statistical community has come together to fulfill the promise of delivering a global indicator framework for the 2030 Agenda as requested by the UN General Assembly. By adopting the SDGs indicator framework on 10 March, the international community has a robust structure in place for keeping track of our efforts to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
With the help of the global SDG indicator framework, the global statistical community will be able to ensure that the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda is supported by this set of global indicators and based on the best data available, both from new and from traditional sources.
The path to today’s success is the result of collective efforts involving national statistical offices, international and regional organizations, civil society, other stakeholders and UN DESA’s Statistics Division, which serves as the Secretariat for the IAEG-SDGs.
At this historic moment, the Commission also adopted the Cape Town Global Action Plan for Sustainable Development Data, which was developed by the High-level Group for Partnership, Coordination and Capacity-Building for statistics for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (HLG-PCCB).
The Action Plan was launched at the first UN World Data Forum on 15 January, calling for a commitment by governments, policy leaders, and the international community to work collectively toward achieving better data for the SDGs. It also addresses the critical elements necessary for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
The entire global statistical community stands ready to continue the hard work already undertaken on improving methodologies and data and increasing capacity building to ensure the full implementation of the agenda in order to guarantee that no one is left behind.
The Commission also gave the green light to the Global Working Group on Big Data, to explore a technical framework for a global platform in broad partnership with tech companies. It moreover endorsed the principles of Global Statistical-Geospatial Framework and decided to scale up economic statistics and national accounts programmes to produce high-quality data for the SDGs.
The adoption of the draft resolution on the indicator framework and the Cape Town Global Action Plan at the 48th session of the Statistical Commission is a seminal moment in the history of the Statistical Commission, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year.
In her concluding remarks, the Chair of the Commission, Ms. Wasmália Bivar from Brazil, noted that the global statistical community is “living the history of 70 years… carrying out indivisible, transformative work.”
For more information:
Statisticians celebrate 70 years of global collaboration
48th session of the UN Statistical Commission
UN Web TV: Watch the sessions of the UN Statistical Commission
End Poverty in all its forms everywhere remains a paramount challenge, but it can be done
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will require coherent, coordinated and strong social policies that leave no one behind. The Commission for Social Development concluded its fifty-fifth session on 10 February 2017, approving three draft resolutions on youth, disability and the social dimensions of New Partnership for Africa’s Development.
This year the Commission focused on “Strategies for eradicating poverty to achieve sustainable development for all”.
Poverty remains a major threat and political will is needed
Millions of people live in extreme poverty and many more are at risk of falling into poverty and social exclusion. In particular, youth, older persons, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, continue to face greater vulnerabilities. People living in extreme poverty lack the political power, access to decent jobs, quality education, healthcare, electricity, safe drinking water and sanitation, to take charge of their destiny in order to get out of and stay out of poverty.
As the 2030 Agenda states – “eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development”. With strong political will and a right mix of policies, “ending extreme poverty by 2030 is also within our reach,” said the Peter Thomson, President of the 71st Session of the General Assembly.
The global fight against poverty could only be won by investing in people and create decent work opportunities, especially in rural areas, that enable them to escape and stay out of poverty. Social policy can play an important role to eradicate poverty and advance sustainable development.
“Today’s generation can be the one that eradicates poverty and turns the tide on inequality, exclusion and environmental degradation,” highlighted Frederick Musiiwa Makamure Shava, President of the Economic and Social Council.
High levels of inequality pose a significant challenge to poverty eradication and sustainable development, which points to the need for effective policy interventions to combat inequality in all its all dimensions.
“While significant progress had been made in eradicating extreme poverty, conflicts were reversing decades of hard-won improvements in social well-being, and the gap between rich and poor was growing,” said Lenni Montiel, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development in UN DESA, delivering a statement on behalf of Secretary-General António Guterres.
During the opening session, Rozemarijn Ter Horst, a youth representative, highlighted the outcomes of the ECOSOC Youth Forum, including recommendations under the Goals to be reviewed by the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in 2017.
Daniel Perrel, Chair of the NGO Committee on Social Development also presented the outcome of the Civil Society Forum which emphasized social protection, including floors, as a preeminent strategy to eradicate poverty and achieve social development for all.
Promoting integrated policies for poverty eradication
Poverty deprives people from fulfilling their potential and well-being. It is one of the root causes of violence, crime and conflict and prevents people from living with dignity.
“Sustainable and inclusive development is the best way to secure and ensure lasting peace,” United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, in his message to the Commission.
New policy approaches and strategies are required to tackle poverty in all its forms and dimensions. Many Government ministers and high-level officials expressed optimism that the Commission’s unflagging support of inclusive, participatory and rights-based development strategies will greatly contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular, its overarching goal of eradicating poverty with leaving no one behind.
“Tackling poverty in all its forms will require sustained, inclusive and equitable growth and determined policy action… An inclusive, multi-stakeholder approach is perhaps more important in the work of this Commission than in any other one,” said Philipp Charwath, Chairperson of the 55th session of the Commission for Social Development.
CSocD55 hosted three high-level panel discussions where panelists and delegations highlighted the importance of promoting universal access to social protection, effectively mainstreamed youth perspectives in poverty eradication strategies, and developed a UN System-wide Action Plan on Disability in order to advance disability inclusive development.
More than fifty side events took place during the session, highlighting a wide range of issues such as, mental health and well-being for youth, shared societies, inclusive cities for sustainable families, sustainable transport, social protection, the role of media and civil society in strengthening social policy frameworks for poverty eradication.
For more information: 55th Commission for Social Development
UN Forum sets landmark target to increase world’s forests by 120 million hectares by 2030
Countries reached agreement on 20 January on a plan that would significantly improve the outlook for the world’s forests, including a target that would expand the world’s forests by 120 million hectares—an area about the size of South Africa—by 2030.
Project for solar-powered vessels receives $1 million UN Energy Grant
A partnership working to promote solar-powered electric vessels in Tunisia and in the Middle East and North Africa was awarded the one million US dollars 2016 Energy Grant from UN DESA on 14 December. The project “Solar Fuelled Electric Maritime Mobility” by SINTEF, an independent non-profit research institute based in Norway, seeks to demonstrate the feasibility and the social, economic and environmental benefits of solar-fuelled electric boat transport in Tunisia and the wider region.
SINTEF is implementing this demonstration project with the National Agency for Energy Conservation of Tunisia. “We are extremely honoured to receive this grant from the United Nations, rewarding SINTEF for leadership and innovative practices in energy for sustainable development. Our vision is ‘Technology for a better society’, and it is essential to develop new and innovative energy solutions to succeed”, said Alexandra Bech Gjorv, CEO of SINTEF, at the award ceremony. She added that the project in Tunisia combines many of SINTEF’s research areas, like marine technology, solar energy, power systems and future transport systems.
SINTEF will use the grant to develop technology for a traditional ferry or other vessel with a plug-in hybrid electric powertrain and to construct an electric charging point. It will help also support data collection and analysis. Selection of the vessel in Tunisia to be used for the demonstration will be decided in the first phase of the project.
The project aims to generate the data and evidence needed to replicate sustainable transport in the region. It seeks to demonstrate the benefits of low cost electric vessels as key transport between coastal cities in the region, with a view to encouraging other stakeholders to implement such transport on a larger scale. This would in turn benefit in particular the low and middle income parts of the population. The project will also contribute to the avoidance of transport related greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, and it will help to prevent and reduce marine pollution.
Furthermore, the project will conduct capacity development workshops for Tunisian and other regional stakeholders, the preparation of a Tunisian Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) to be submitted to the UNFCCC portal, as well as public outreach activities to spread knowledge of this low-cost, sustainable transport solution.
The Tunisian National Agency for Energy Conservation has well established projects and partners in the electricity sector and universities, as well as a track-record in NAMAs for the electricity sector. SINTEF is a leading institution in the development of renewable energy production and storage solutions. It has extensive expertise in solar and wind energy, energy regulation and storage, grid integration of renewable energy, maritime transport and maritime technologies.
“The transport sector is responsible for nearly a quarter of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. It also has significant public health impacts,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the award ceremony. “The answer is not less transport – it is sustainable transport. We need transport systems that are environmentally friendly, efficient, affordable, and accessible,” he said.
UN General Assembly President Peter Thomson said the “Powering the Future We Want” programme is a “creative initiative that promotes and funds innovative activities related to sustainable energy – an issue that goes to the heart of achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” He added, “it is vital to our efforts to move towards a sustainable future that we establish transport systems that are smart, clean, affordable, and powered by clean energy.”
Under-Secretary-General Wu Hongbo expressed deep gratitude to all of the finalists, the China Energy Fund Committee, the High-level Steering Committee and the Advisory Council of the Grant. “This Energy Grant is an excellent example of global partnership. Working together, we can make a difference. Today’s award bears vivid testimony to that success,” he said.
“We firmly believe that energy belongs to all of us, today and tomorrow. And each and every one of us has the duty to use energy sparingly, wisely and responsibly. By partnering with UN DESA in making this grant possible, the China Energy Fund Committee is sending out a most sincere message of collaboration and partnership to work together finding solutions for energy security by achieving energy sustainability for the entire humanity,” said Dr. Patrick Ho, Secretary-General of the China Energy Fund Committee.
The “Powering the Future We Want” initiative
The UN-DESA Energy Grant is a capacity building initiative launched and managed by UN DESA, in collaboration with the China Energy Fund Committee, a Hong Kong based NGO in consultative status with ECOSOC. Titled “Powering the Future We Want”, this initiative offers a grant in the amount of one million US dollars to fund capacity development activities in energy for sustainable development. The grant is awarded to an individual, institution or partnership based on past and current achievements in leadership and innovative practices in advancing energy for sustainable development. The 2016 cycle of the grant had as focus “Energy for Sustainable Transport”.
In 2016, the UN DESA Energy Grant received over 150 applications. The winner has been selected through a rigorous review and objective assessment of these applications, undertaken in multiple stages, guided by an Advisory Council and a High-level Steering Committee. A grant will be awarded annually from 2015 until 2019.
Winner of the US$1 million 2016 UN-DESA Energy Grant: SINTEF
The eight finalists of the 2016 Grant Cycle, in alphabetical order: Ms. Fiza Farhan; GerWeiss Motors Corporation; KPIT Technologies Limited; Medellin Mayor’s Office- Mobility and Transit Department; Motor Development International SA (MDI SA); South Asian Forum for Environment (SAFE); SINTEF; SNV Netherlands Development Organisation.
For more information: UN-DESA Energy Grant
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