| UN Commission on Sustainable Development: A Backgrounder |
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Diplomats, NGOs and business groups met at the United Nations in May 2009 for the highest level forum on Sustainable Development. But what is the history of the Commission on Sustainable Development, and what is this forum designed to achieve? A backgrounder by STWR. 27th May 09 - STWR Against a background of rising numbers of hungry people and environmental degradation in both developing and developed countries; governments, UN representatives, NGOs and business leaders addressed issues of agriculture, land, water, desertification and Africa at the 17th UN Commission of Sustainable Development in New York from 4-17th May 2009. One of the tangible outcomes of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the UN Commission of Sustainable Development (CSD) represents the highest-level forum for governments, international organisations and civil society groups to discuss and promote issues of environment and economic development. In many ways, the CSD illustrates both the utility and the frustrations of the UN as a forum to progress international policies on environmental and development issues. In overall terms, the CSD attempts to hold governments to account for their commitments made towards the environment in Rio in 1992, and suggests ways in which decision makers could put forward more sustainable policies in the future. On top of this aim, the Commission attempts to strengthen Agenda 21, a progressive blueprint agreed by governments in 1992 to guide human behaviour towards the planet in the 21st Century. The CSD acts as a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and the Commission will forward its decisions to ECOSOC. In total, the Commission includes 53 member states, although all governments with UN status may participate in its sessions. The Division for Sustainable Development (DSD), within the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), serves as the Commission's Secretariat. Specifically in its process, the CSD receives input from governments outlining how they are attempting to meet their obligations outlined in the Earth Summit of 1992, and provides feedback on that information. In the forum, diplomats also negotiate a text to suggest ways in which governments could improve their policies on sustainable development, using input from UN agencies, NGO groups and businesses. During the 2003 meeting, UN member states decided to arrange the work of the Commission into themes that run consecutively over a two-year period. The topic for the 2008/9 cycle is Africa, agriculture, drought and desertification, land and rural development. In 2008, diplomats therefore assessed the progress that governments have made towards implementing sustainable development goals in these key areas. The 2009 meeting recently held in New York then allowed government representatives to negotiate a document that the organisers hope will guide decision-makers in their future policies concerning these issues. CSD-17: What Happened? Negotiations on the CSD outcome document took place in two working groups, the first assembled by Vice-Chairs Kaire Mbuende and Tania Raguž, and the second by Vice-Chairs Ana Bianchi and Javad Amin-Mansour. A High-level Segment convened from 13-15 May, with opening statements followed by three roundtable discussions. Following two weeks of lengthy discussions between diplomats and notable amendments to the negotiating text, the Chairperson produced a Summary document to conclude the CSD, pointing governments towards sustainable policies in agriculture and rural development. The text suggested that agriculture should remain at the heart of government attempts to eradicate poverty and hunger, and that specific policies such as equitable land access, strengthening property rights and promoting women's role in agriculture could aid these goals. The high-level segment of the Commission proceedings, involving ministerial level government representatives, also produced an outcome document highlighting a ‘shared vision' between politicians, civil society and UN agencies. The chairperson's summary noted the urgency of addressing the multiple crises in climate, finance, food and poverty through international cooperation in agriculture and "a revolution in ideas and a revolution in technology". Whilst the Chair lauded a successful outcome to the Commission, many NGO leaders were sceptical of the final text. Several commentators suggested that division and distrust had characterised negotiations, with notable sticking points on issues such as bio-fuels, biotechnology and organic farming. Analysts also noted that the negotiators had sidelined many of the most pertinent development issues such as unequal terms of trade and subsidies from richer countries, and that the document failed to address issues such as the human right to food and the findings of a seminal UN-lead report on the potential for small scale, low input agriculture (called the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development, or IAASTD). Many poorer countries and NGO leaders also feared that the wording in the final summary, such as the promotion of ‘science-based agricultural approaches', ‘enhancement of the nutritional quality of food', and ‘reduced tillage', could be used by large Northern-based business as opportunities to introduce genetically modified solutions and ‘super seeds' to new markets in poorer countries. The CSD will meet next year for its next thematic dialogue on the issues of transport, chemicals, waste management and mining. UN Commission Stresses Need for Bold, Determined, Innovative Response to World Crises Chairperson's 'Shared Vision Statement' for the 17th Commission on Sustainable Development The Final Negotiated Text: The 17th Commission on Sustainable Development UN Commission Stresses Need for Bold, Determined, Innovative Response to World Crises 18th May 2009 - UN Department of Public Information Convinced of the urgent need for a “bold, determined and innovative response” to the serious parallel crises affecting the world today, the Commission on Sustainable Development concluded its seventeenth session this evening, adopting a set of policy options to speed up agricultural development, along with practical measures to address drought, desertification, land use, rural development and lasting development in Africa. “The dream has come true! We have found consensus and adopted a final outcome document and finalized a ‘Shared vision’ –- two documents [that] can set the scene for change,” said Gerda Verburg, Chairperson of the Commission and the Netherlands’ Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, who prepared both texts. In her closing remarks, she said the Commission, which had been meeting in New York since 5 May, had just completed “two tough, remarkable” weeks of work. While it had been vital for the 53-member body to adopt a set of policy options on its priority themes -– agriculture, rural development, land, drought, desertification, and Africa –- which would help drive action on the ground, she was certain that the energy and dedication shown by delegations throughout the session would make sustainable agriculture and rural development a reality on the ground. Indeed, she said, Commission delegations had placed agriculture and rural development at the heart of the sustainable development agenda. By approving the policy document they had also acknowledged the notion that a paradigm shift was required to ensure lasting development for all. Now, delegations and other relevant stakeholders must evince the credibility, cooperation and commitment to guide implementation of the decisions they had taken tonight. That would take dedicated leadership, and “there is no time to waste,” she said, adding: “Tonight, you have planted the seeds for a green revolution to become a reality.” Among other things, the Commission expressed its deep concern at the impact of the current financial crisis and global economic downturn and that developing countries and transition economies risked suffering serious setbacks to their development objectives, including achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Delegations pledged to that end their determination to craft a response “that protected development gains of past decades and which accelerated progress towards lasting development for all.” Emphasizing the urgent need to increase food security and agricultural development, the Commission stressed that agriculture lay at the centre of sustainable development and farmers must be at the heart of a global “green revolution”. Governments and other relevant stakeholders must, therefore, mobilize the political will to revitalize agricultural sectors in developing countries. To that end, delegations called for enhancing agricultural production, productivity, and sustainability, through, among other ways, employing science-based approaches and local indigenous knowledge; expanding investment incentives, in particular for small farmers; and encouraging and supporting safe integrated pest management. On rural development, the Commission noted that rural communities in developing countries still faced challenges regarding access to basic services and economic opportunities. Investments in environmental protection, infrastructure, and health and education were critical to sustainable rural development and could enhance national well-being. Therefore, success depended on developing and implementing comprehensive strategies that addressed climate change, drought, desertification, and natural disasters. Delegations pledged to promote equitable access to land, water and technologies by rural women, indigenous people and other vulnerable groups; strengthen the human capacities of rural people, by, among other ways, training and increasing the number of health professionals and educators in rural communities, and stimulating the creation of new jobs. By the text, the Commission underlined the crucial role land played in achieving poverty eradication, food security and sustainable development, and the multiple benefits of sustainable land management, such as, among other things, providing ecosystems services, sequestering carbon and contributing to climate regulation. Actions were thus needed to promote sustainable and integrated land use planning and management practices; reduce land degradation and rehabilitate degraded land; promote policies to manage water and land resources in an integrated manner; and promote equitable access to land and clear and secure land tenure, in particular for women, indigenous peoples and other vulnerable groups. Noting that drought continued to threaten the livelihoods of millions of people as well as the heightened drought risk posed by climate change, the Commission called for action aimed at creating a robust enabling environment for drought preparedness and mitigation, strengthening the knowledge-base and information-sharing on drought, water stress and drought risk management, and enhancing the resilience of communities to drought. This required, among other measures, the mobilization of funding for research and development of drought-tolerant seed varieties, the promotion of technical solutions and practices in combination with traditional knowledge for drought forecasting, impact assessment, and early warning systems. Emphasizing the need for a global response to the global problems of desertification and land degradation through concerted efforts recognized by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, the Commission called for actions to strengthen the institutional framework for policy implementation and to take practical measures in those efforts. It called on Governments to use the Global Environment Facility (GEF), among other multilateral organizations, to integrate desertification and land degradation into national sustainable development plans. Further actions were needed to promote scientific research on desertification and drought, strengthen existing disaster management capacities, and encourage developed countries to provide, in the fifth replenishment of the GEF, adequate, timely and predictable financing for those efforts. Underlining strong economic performance in Africa as a necessary enabling environment for sustainable development, the Commission called for a green revolution on the continent to help boost agricultural productivity and food security in ways that supported ecosystem functions. To this end, action was required at local, national and global levels to revitalize agriculture as a basis for rural development and integrate African farmers and local entrepreneurs into agricultural supply chains. Further steps were needed to promote an environment conducive to sustainable development, ensure Africa’s integration into world trade and continue the reduction of its debt burden. Development aid to the continent should be increased, as should domestic and foreign investment. Action was also needed to improve income distribution and promote social development, especially of rural communities and women, and to promote, enable and support climate change adaptation mechanisms. Among the follow-up measures included in the text, Commission delegations called on Member States to strengthen the capacities of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP), within their mandates, to provide increased assistance to developing countries, especially Africa, on sustainable agriculture and rural development and food security. The Commission also decided to devote, in 2012 and 2016, and without prejudice to its organization of work, a separate segment at its review sessions to monitor and follow-up implementation of its decisions on Africa taken at its current session. Earlier in the day, Ms. Verburg presented a wide-ranging summary statement on the future of sustainable development –- her “Shared vision” -- compiled from the discussions held among the various delegations participating in the session. It touched on the Commission’s priority themes and recognized that today’s multifaceted challenges, from climate change to food insecurity and economic recession, required an integrated response. The response must address short-term emergencies while developing long-term strategies within the sustainable development framework. She encouraged delegations to comment on the text, which would have the status of a “Chair’s Summary.” “Nothing less is needed than a revolution in ideas and a revolution in technologies, supported by a revolution in trade policies and market access and the financial means to implement,” she said, underscoring the urgency and sense of cooperation that Ministers had exhibited to bring about a paradigm shift and realize a truly sustainable green revolution that would reverse widespread trends of declining agricultural productivity and incomes. The Commission had, thus, underlined the centrality of agriculture, as understood in a broad sense to include husbandry, agroforestry and mixed systems, to sustainable development. The shared vision formed by delegations revealed that sustainable farms, food, feed, fuel, and funds were all needed to chart a sustainable path to the future. But, she said, the most important ingredients in the recipe are farmers, especially women farmers, and rural communities, whose empowerment is the key to poverty eradication and to sustainable development. With the world on the cusp of a potential agricultural and rural revival, it was her hope that delegations would all be guided in their endeavours towards sustainable development “by a shared vision –- one of shared well-being for all people and of common stewardship of this planet which we all share and which sustains us”. Turning to other business, the Commission adopted a resolution on “preparations for the high-level meeting to review progress made in addressing the vulnerabilities of small island developing States through the implementation of the Mauritius Strategy for Implementation” (document E/CN.17/2009/L.3). By that text, introduced earlier by the representative of Grenada on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), the Commission decided to use the Small Island Developing States Day at its eighteenth session as a preparatory committee meeting for the high-level review. Also today, the co-Chairpersons of the parallel interactive round tables that took place during the Commission’s High-Level segment presented summaries of those discussions. Oliver Dulić, Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning of Serbia, and Alexander Müller, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), provided their summaries of the panel on “Responding to the food crisis through sustainable development”. (Please see Press Release ENV/DEV/1048.) Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Minister of Environment and Tourism of Namibia, and Matthew Wyatt, Assistant President, External Affairs, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), summed up the round table on “Realizing a sustainable green revolution in Africa”; Louis Alberto Ferrate, Minister of Environment and Natural resources of Guatemala, and His Royal Highness Willem Alexander, Prince of Orange, in his capacity as Chairman of the Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation, provided their summaries of the round table on “Integrated management of land and resources for sustainable agriculture and rural development”. (Please see Press Release ENV/DEV/1050.) Next, a representative of farmers’ organizations presented a brief summary of a dialogue held between the major civil society groups and heads of United Nations agencies and programmes on “implementing sustainable development”. A representative of scientific and technological organizations next provided a summary of a round table held on the same topic, but which included among its participants representatives of the international policy research community. Before wrapping up its work, the Commission also approved the provisional agenda for its eighteenth session (E/CN.17/2009/L.4). According to the agenda, the thematic cluster for the implementation cycle 2010-2011 review session would include matters related to transport; chemicals; waste management; and mining. Delegations also decided that the eighteenth session would be held from 3 to 14 May 2010. In 2011, the Commission’s Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting would be held from 21 to 25 February, while its nineteenth policy session would take place from 2 to 13 May. The Commission also took note of the draft programme of work for the biennium 2010-2011 for the Division for Sustainable Development (A/CN.17/2009/11). Finally, the Commission adopted the draft report of its current session (E/CN.17/2009/L.2), introduced by its Rapporteur, Tania Valerie Raguz ( Croatia). According to its tradition, the Commission briefly opened its eighteenth session to elect the Chairperson and Bureau that would guide its work for 2010. Alberto Ferrate, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources of Guatemala was elected to Chair the Commission, and Hilario Davide ( Philippines) and Mohamed Alahraf ( Libya) were elected as two of its four Vice-Chairs. The remaining Vice-Chairpersons, from the Group of Eastern European States and the Group of Western European and Other States, will be elected at a later date. Chairperson's 'Shared Vision Statement' for the 17th Commission on Sustainable Development 15th May 09 - Gerda Verburg, United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development During the High Level Segment of the Seventeenth Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, Ministers, other heads of delegations, representatives of Major Groups, representatives of United Nations bodies, shared their vision on the topics of fundamental importance to our economies, societies and to the future of sustainable development: agriculture, rural development, land, drought, desertification and Africa. We have come to understand the deep interconnections among these topics, and their close relationship to many other important topics, starting with the eradication of hunger and extreme poverty and continuing through climate change. Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki Moon stated that "the United Nations advances the idea of sustainable development as a way of escaping from a cycle of poverty degradation and despair. This idea of an integrated and comprehensive approach to development remains as valid today as ever. It shows how to address the climate crisis, the food crisis and the energy crisis. It provides durable solutions to the financial crisis and global recession. We must follow the wisdom of the Brundtland report. We must pursue development that meets the needs of the present generation without comprising the ability of future generations to meet their needs". The multiple challenges the world is facing in terms of climate change, degradation of ecosystems, the food insecurity, the financial meltdown and economic recession require an integrated response that ensures that short term emergencies are addressed while developing long term strategies within the framework of sustainable development. With the economic crisis, many countries, especially developing countries, are hard hit by collapsing exports, capital flight and rising unemployment. Still, to feed a growing population adequately and to allow for improved nutrition under conditions of growing water scarcity, climate change, soil depletion and ecosystem degradation, business as usual will not suffice. Ministers highlighted the urgency of appropriate national and international action and greater cooperation to bring about a paradigm shift and to realize a truly sustainable green revolution that reverses the widespread trends of declining agricultural productivity and incomes. Nothing less is needed than a revolution in ideas and a revolution in technologies, supported by a revolution in trade policies and market access and the financial means to implement it. With sharing our vision we underlined our deeper appreciation of the centrality of agriculture to sustainable development: agriculture in the broad sense, including livestock raising, agro-forestry and mixed systems. Farmers, particularly women farmers and small rural farmers are at the heart of sustainable agriculture. Farmers are central to the enterprise of building and sustaining a productive, resilient agricultural sector - here again, farmers in the broad sense, including pastoralists, farmer workers and others who make a living from the land. This includes women and men, and the important place of women in farming needs to be recognized. Farmers feed the world, yet far too many of them put their children to bed underfed. This injustice must cease. We must commit ourselves to working to create the conditions and provide the opportunities and resources so that farmers everywhere can increase their food production, send their children to school, and enjoy rising living standards and fulfilling lives. This applies specifically to small farmers. A paradigm shift is needed. Agriculture should no longer be seen as part of the problem, but part of the solution. Agriculture is at the heart of poverty eradication. It is at the heart of sustainable development. It is also increasingly at the heart of climate change. The hard work which farmers do has great value, but it is too often undervalued by society. We tend to forget that, before the food crisis which struck a year ago, for decades farmers faced declining real prices for their products. To some extent that reflected rising productivity, but to a large extent it translated into stagnant or even declining incomes. It is heartening that, in some rapidly growing economies, many farmers and rural households have lifted themselves out of abject poverty over the past few decades. Yet, there are many millions of farmers who are still desperately poor and many more for whom poverty is just a drought or pest infestation away. We know that the vast majority of the world's poor are farmers and rural people. We know that, if we are to eradicate extreme poverty, we must start by working with and for farmers, supporting rural development. We need to give higher priority to agriculture and food security than in the past, including in national plans of governments. Farmers and rural people through their farming practices, including organic farming, are custodians of the land and water on which our existence depends. They are also custodians of the forests, of biodiversity, and of other natural resources which help sustain agriculture and much else. Yet, until now, that custodianship has gone largely unrecognized and unrewarded. Their traditional knowledge has been underappreciated and undervalued. We have to focus on putting the sustainable development of agriculture on the international agenda again. This aspiration is starting to become a reality. It is likely to continue to do so in the years ahead. We may well be on the cusp of an agricultural and rural revival, laying the foundations for the bio-based economies of the future. We urgently need such a revival to feed the world's growing population, to improve the nutritional levels of the millions of people currently suffering from malnutrition and hunger, all while nurturing the land and keeping it fertile and conserving scarce water resources. Elements of such a revival are increasing our investments in sustainable agriculture; creating an enabling environment; developing sustainable production and food chains; improving market access especially for developing countries; and, social safety nets and access to finance, for example micro-credit. Developing countries, with their growing populations and rising living standards, should be at the centre of this agricultural and rural revival. For many, halting and reversing land degradation and desertification is a high priority. Many need urgently to boost agricultural productivity and to do so sustainably. Intensifying agriculture for food security must include a vigorous response to major environmental change such as desertification, land degradation and drought. Africa above all could benefit from a sustainable green revolution, that is, an agricultural productivity revolution that is economically viable, socially equitable and environmentally sustainable. A green revolution, especially in Africa, would have to be not a single but many revolutions, each tailored to diverse local agro-ecological conditions and cropping systems. Such a revolution needs to wed traditional and indigenous knowledge with modern technologies and the latest scientific knowledge about agriculture and the roots of sustainability. It is critical that countries share experiences and innovative technologies and cooperate in training and developing human capacities. Technologies and knowledge are available, but their wider diffusion and uptake by farmers are a key challenge and need to be addressed. The political will of national governments and the support of the international community are both needed to make a sustainable green revolution happen. There is a need for increased and well-targeted investments, both public and private, in agriculture: investments in rural infrastructure to boost productivity and link farmers to markets, and in agricultural research and teaching, making full use of indigenous knowledge and responding to farmers' needs and local conditions; in enhanced extension services which can bring to farmers the latest productive and sustainable practices and involve them in turn as extension agents; in post-harvest technologies to reduce losses and raise farmers' incomes; in sustainable value-added food chains, market infrastructure and support institutions. Governments have to make many of these investments, but it was recognized that the private sector must play a central role in expanding agriculture production, building agricultural value chains and assessing the potential of new technologies, including genetically modified organisms. Investments in revitalizing developing country agriculture and promoting sustainable rural development will need to be supported by new and additional resources from all sources, such as from private, public, domestic and international sources. Investments in agriculture will only pay off if there is a supportive enabling environment - domestic, regional and international, including regional partnerships, North-South and South-South partnerships and public-private partnerships between all relevant stakeholders. Government policies and strong institutions are needed to support agriculture. Timely information is also essential for farmers - on the weather, on market and input prices, on new market opportunities and new farming methods. This requires a strengthening of traditional information providers, like extension services. At the same time, new information technologies are already being used by farmers all over the world as a tool of their trade, but their full potential is only beginning to be tapped and needs to be strengthened. Farmers also need to be able to negotiate fair prices for their produce and, while information can help, organization can too. Farmers' organizations, such as marketing cooperatives, need to be strengthened to enable them to play a stronger role in the marketplace and to participate in agro-processing and other parts of the value chain. Such organizations can also play an important role in shaping government policies towards agriculture. Regionally, fuller integration of markets can open up new opportunities for farmers, providing an incentive to boost productivity and also in many cases to diversify into new, higher value crops and agro-products. Making urban market facilities accessible to regional and local producers will create urban-rural linkages that could slow rural-to urban migration, stimulate local economic development, and strengthen food security. Greater international market access is also critical. There is still a long way to go to achieve the sort of pro-development trade policies which are meant to be the outcome of the Doha Development Round. Further progress is urgently needed in opening agricultural markets, notably the markets of developed countries to the agricultural exports of developing ones, and reducing trade-distorting subsidies. All countries need to be cognizant of and seek to address the particular market access needs and concerns of the least-developed countries, landlocked countries and small-island developing States (SIDS). Agriculture can and must adapt to climate change if we are to survive. Climate change also poses an important challenge for future food security. Beginning now, we must increase our investments in adaptation, including in drought- and flood-resilient as well as salt-resilient crop varieties. New ways must be found and instruments developed to help farmers manage their increased exposure to climate risk. International efforts to enhance adaptation of agriculture need to be scaled up, as developing country farmers will be seriously affected. Agriculture, we know, also has an important role to play in climate change mitigation. Wise management of soil carbon is a win-win, increasing soil fertility while storing carbon which would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. Good soil management practices yield benefits to the world, and again the world has not yet properly valued those benefits. Sound land use practices have strong potential and can generate financial benefits in the future to poor farmers as part of global efforts to tackle climate change. The door should be open to include agriculture and soil carbon in a new climate change deal. It is essential to address the challenges and opportunities posed by biofuels, in view of the world's food security, energy and sustainable development needs, noting the ongoing efforts in this regard at the international, regional and national levels. We should continue to promote research and development with a view to continuously enhance the sustainability of biofuels and other bioenergy sources, including through South-South, North-South, and triangular cooperation, and through the exchange of information and technological cooperation. The already existing initiatives and roundtables, for example the Global Bioenergy Partnership and the Round Table on responsible soy, may offer promising examples. Agriculture and water are closely linked. There are many competing claims on water. Worldwide agriculture consumes 70 percent of all fresh water withdrawals. Agricultural water productivity has to be increased significantly. We should tap into the unexplored potential that lies in more adequate and efficient water management through nprecedented changes in policy and production techniques. The integrated management of land and water resources (ILWM) is crucial for sustainable rural development and for ensuring food security for a growing population. Sustainable land and water management plays a crucial role for achieving poverty eradication, food security and sustainable development. It provides multiple benefits, such as sustaining agricultural productivity and food security, enhancing living condition for local populations, generating ecosystem services and sequestering carbon. Promoting sustainable land and water management will require effective land administration, equitable land access, integrated planning, broad participation and improved dissemination of knowledge and good practices. Small-island developing States are facing specific challenges in addressing sustainable land and water management in the face of climate change. In response to the decreasing availability of water in many regions, there is a need for better water management, protecting ground and surface waters from pollution, enhancing availability of scarce water resources including through conservation and efficiency gains, and considering the ecological impacts of water use and pollution. Achieving water productivity gains in rain-fed agriculture is especially urgent. Access to safe drinking water and sanitation services in rural areas, where coverage remains low, is crucial for preventing disease, promoting rural development and ensuring the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals. We stand at a crossroads, a watershed. At this time, we find ourselves in the midst of multiple crises. Not just a food crisis, but a climate crisis and a financial crisis, all of which are worsening the underlying poverty crisis. Agriculture is an important part of the solution of these crises. This provides the proper lens with which to see and understand the interconnections among these different crises, and to find our way out. A green economy is the way out of the current food crisis -- a green economy at whose heart is a green revolution. A green stimulus, with significant investments in agriculture, can also be a way out of the current financial crisis. And sustainable agricultural and livestock practices as well as sustainable biofuels production can also help us out of the climate crisis. Developing countries should be able to participate fully in these opportunities. Sustainable farms, food, feed, fuel, funds - all are needed to put us on a sustainable path to the future. But the most important ingredients in the recipe are farmers, especially women farmers, and rural communities whose empowerment is the key to poverty eradication and to sustainable development. It is my hope that we are all guided in our endeavors towards sustainable development, by a shared vision - one of shared well-being for all people and of common stewardship of this planet which we all share and which sustains us. UN Commission on Sustainable Development: BBC and Stakeholder Forum Radio Analysis During the CSD (Highly Recommended - Episode Nine) UN Process: Rio Declaration on Environment and Development Further Reports: Further NGO Analysis: Daily Outreach Issues Magazine for the CSD - Sustainable Development Issues Network Full Speed in the Wrong Direction - Nnimmo Bassey, Pambazuka News The CSD in Summary - International Institute for Sustainable Development Further Work by STWR: Has the World Given Up on Sustainable Development? - Adam W. Parsons, STWR STWR Attends UN Commission on Sustainable Development - STWR |
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