Brussels, 13/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - The EU position at the United Nations sustainable development conference, Rio+20 (Rio de Janeiro, 20-22 June) has now been formalised. Unanimous conclusions adopted by EU environment ministers on 9 March confirm the commitment of the EU to help make a success of this anniversary conference of the 1992 Earth Summit and flesh out the political guidelines given by the European Council of 2 March (see EUROPE 10566). Member states expect this international gathering to bring forward a roadmap for a green economy, containing clear targets and concrete action to be achieved within the timetable set and to upgrade the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) into a specialised global agency for the environment.
Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik said that he now had a clear mandate. In line with the call from heads of state and government, agreement had been reached on five priority areas for operational objectives and concrete action: sustainable energy, water, sustainable land and ecosystem management, the oceans, and resource efficiency with particular emphasis laid on waste. The commissioner said that that all were persuaded that these areas were of key importance in putting in place a green, inclusive economy offering green economic growth opportunities, the eradication of poverty and protection of the environment for the benefit of all.
Three months before the conference, the Council calls on the European Commission to bring forward operational targets and concrete action in these areas, as a matter of urgency.
Recognising that climate change, loss of biodiversity and land degradation as well as water scarcity are serious threats to human societies, ecosystems and peace and stability, the Council says that Rio+20 should build on the outcomes of other major multilateral negotiations, such as those in Durban on climate, in Nagoya on biodiversity and in Changwon on desertification and promote potential synergies with these complementary and mutually reinforcing processes.
The Council calls for the adoption of a 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production as elaborated by the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD).
It restates the EU's commitment to negotiate with international partners to ensure an ambitious, action-oriented outcome of the conference for all issues in relation to food, nutrition, sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry, sustainable cities and chemicals, and also in areas related to the sustainable management and restoration of natural resources.
The Council calls for an institutional architecture that achieves the main objective of putting in place a strong global governance structure for sustainable development that also addresses the shortcomings of the current system by providing political leadership, coherence and coordination, stronger science policy interface, effectiveness and efficiency in implementation, progress monitoring and review, transparency and accountability as well as wider participation and effective association of major groups and non-state players. The United Nations Environment Programme should be made into a specialised agency for the environment operating on an equal footing with the other UN specialised agencies. The Council wants Rio+20 to agree on the reform process and set a timetable for achieving it. (AN/transl.rt)