Brussels, 15/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - Strong commitment is needed to make the Rio+20 summit a true turning point for sustainable development. That is the main message that Staffan Nilsson, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), wants to pass on to European leaders with only a few days to go till the summit in Brazil (from 20 to 22 June). On the sidelines of the summit, the EESC will, on Tuesday 19 June, take part in a meeting with different social and economic partners of the emerging countries, or BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), attended by Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik. On Friday 21 June, the EESC is to organise a conference on models for civil society participation in sustainable development, a conference to be attended by Commission President José Manuel Durao Barroso. (JK/transl.jl)
Staffan Nilsson: We may need short-term decisions to overcome the crisis, but we want our leaders to keep the long-term perspective of sustainability, which simply means that, by meeting our everyday needs, we do not restrict the ability of future generations to meet their needs. According to the WWF, since 2005 our pace of life has consumed 30% more of the planet's resources than it actually has to offer.
It is this reality and a sense of urgency that the governments at Rio must take on when they meet on 20-22 June at the Global Sustainable Development Summit, Rio+20. The challenge will be two-fold: to agree on binding principles that ensure the greening of the economy while eradicating poverty, and to create an institutional global framework for sustainable development. It is a make-or-break moment for putting our economies on a sustainable footing.
Unless governments truly commit and take action, Rio will make no difference. The huge global civil society mobilisation around the Rio+20 summit preparations already form a bedrock of hope. We all agree that we want our governments to be more ambitious in terms of objectives, timing, funding, legal commitments and follow-up to ensure that the Rio+20 conference provides an outcome which helps address the global environmental, economic and social challenges we are facing.
When some may wonder what civil society can realistically do when big issues at big summits are at stake, and when governments negotiate and sign agreements, we say that what we have seen so far is that government leaders do not make commitments unless civil society is pushing for them. Governments may be the decision-makers for sustainable development policies that shape our future, but it is businesses, workers, consumers, entrepreneurs that enact the changes on the ground, on a day-to-day basis.
The EU can take a leadership role in Rio+20 negotiations and commitments. We have seen in the negotiations so far that the EU does speak with one voice this time. With all the crises shadowing EU's sustainable development best practices, the EU knows from experience that greening the economy creates businesses and jobs. We know that sustainability is not just a passing trend; it is a new business model with long-term strategic gains for companies. All we still need at EU level is to design clear, stable and predictable green economy policy frameworks to give business the confidence to make the necessary investments. It would not only give Europe first-mover advantage, it would also create new knowledge-intensive jobs.
And there is one more area where the EU has the upper hand in Rio+20 negotiations: the multi-stakeholders' involvement in such policy work and negotiations which is an intrinsic part of the EU's democratic governance. As an EU advisory body gathering the broadest possible spectrum of social partners and civil society actors, the EESC has been contributing to the EU's preparation work for Rio+20 to make European civil society's voice heard and to move negotiations beyond mere intentions.
For example, we ask that clear indicators, other than just the GDP, must be established to measure economic progress for greater sustainability: improvements in human welfare and quality of life, with reference to the fight against poverty, the creation of decent working conditions and preservation of the natural environment. We know what we are talking about and we know that our requests are endorsed equally by businesses, workers, farmers, consumers, SMEs associations and other various interest groups. This is where the EU makes a real difference and where it gains, as we know that the paradigm shift that Rio+20 urges for can only happen with people and communities who are fully committed.