Regional Roundtables of Eminent Persons

These roundtables regrouped persons involved in the field of sustainable development and in the implementation of Agenda 21. Their outcome is the evaluation of progress and the elaboration of proposals and recommendations in view of the World Summit. It is particularly important to study the outcomes of these roundtables given the positions of the participants that seem to guarantee critical evaluation and objectiveness in their recommendations. The report of the regional roundtable for Western Asia is not yet available and its summary is thus not presented here.

One of the major preoccupations which has been evoked in all the introductions of the regional roundtable reports is that this summit shouldn’t be only a review but that it should lead to “new visions, commitments, partnerships and plans for practical implementation to make sustainable development real at all levels”.

This report presents a summary of the main issues that have emerged during the different roundtables. The views expressed reflect the eminent persons’ views, but this summary has been elaborated considering GCI’s main issues of concern.

1) Regional Roundtable for Europe and North America ( 6-8 June 2001)

a) Preliminary remarks:

The Europe and North America Eminent Persons Regional Roundtable noticed that the three main needs for the region are a new level of commitment, responsibility and partnership, a new ethics, and to bring up and educate children “in ways that increase their deeper knowledge of natural processes, their connectedness with the natural world an their capacity for positive action.” The region should also take the responsibility to help poorest countries. The key should be a global solidarity and partnership. Quality of life should not be a zero sum game (what one wins, the other looses).

b) Main challenges and opportunities:

Even if sustainable development is more and more understood, some progress should still be achieved. The discussion focused on five main issues:

i) the need for a new development model: economic, social and environmental integration:
Corporate sustainability and ecological sustainability need not to be mutually exclusive. And the contradiction between the “culture of quantitative growth” and the “culture of natural limits” can be resolved. The changes must be operated on understanding and attitudes. The former centrally-planned economies constitutes a specific challenge for Europe and North America, and offer an opportunity to apply new ways of how to move towards sustainable societies. It could also give an example of how new partnership could facilitate the transition to sustainable development, and constitute a kind of “laboratory”.

ii) consumerism:
Media and advertising could play an important role to change consumption patterns. A green code of conduct should be studied, as well as other voluntary action in the advertising industry. Companies should also give information about the different aspects of production of goods and services. Certification and labelling have been mentioned as possible measure to inform consumers.

iii) resources depletion and waste:
Private and public decision makers should be made aware of the medium to long term consequences of treating natural resources as a free good. Disputes over access to and use of fresh water risks provoking conflict in some region of the world. A special attention should also be on oceans and seas’ resources; it was said that the extension of marine protected areas should be a priority at the Johannesburg Summit. Degradation of land resources too will cause critical economic, social and environmental effects. The precautionary principle should be adopted in food production and processing, including fishing and animal husbandry. Progressive charges per unit of waste generated and water consumed need to be introduced across the region. Forest certification schemes should be encouraged. There’s a need of tacit, indigenous, and expert scientific knowledge. Governments should ratify the Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), the Cartagena protocol on biosafety, the Basel protocol on liability and compensation, and the Rotterdam convention on prior informed consent procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade (PIC).

iv) responses to the climate change challenge:
The industrial countries are primary responsible for the anthropogenic aspect of climate change, mainly because of energy and power production and use. Consequently, there’s a need to transform the supply and use of energy and raw materials. An early action is urgent. The proposals of action are the following: the focus should be on domestic measures. A coalition needs also to be formed to overcome political and social barriers to change. Governments should consider the establishment of an international renewable energy agency. An agreement achieving real greenhouse gas emission reduction should come into force by the Johannesburg summit. And finally, governments should help developing countries to avoid some of the greenhouse gas problems.

v) institutions to support sustainable development:
Education has been said of great importance, because it can make children understand the link between economic, social and natural sciences and technologies. The link between decision-making for sustainable development and scientific institutions should also be reinforced. The precautionary principle should be used as a standard of action. It also seems that there’s a need for either upgrading the UNEP (conversion of the existing trusteeship), or the creation of a World Environment Organisation. The Aarhus convention should be implemented and extended .

c) Challenges for Johannesburg:

“Governments cannot achieve sustainable development separately from other groups. Civil society, business, local authorities, trade unions, indigenous people and other stakeholders should come to the Johannesburg Summit, not as guests but as genuine partners and agents of change”. The Johannesburg Summit should make sustainable development a concern for a broad public, in making this concept understandable and meaningful.

2) Regional Roundtable for Latin America and the Caribbean (18-20 June 2001)

a) Major challenges and opportunities for sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean region:
This region presents very diverse kind of ethnicity, cultures, and biodiversity. Indigenous peoples have been marginalised and impoverished since the coming of Europeans. One of the striking aspect in that region is the high level of poverty and the inequality of incomes between developed and developing countries, and within the different countries of the region. It was said that globalisation has in many cases lead to stronger exploitation of natural resources, renewable as well as non-renewable, and that it introduced new pressures on the environment without taking the rights of indigenous people into account. The roundtable stated that the high expectations of Rio have not been realised, primarily because of the limited effective operationalisation of sustainable development. The latter must involved the following points: sufficient and more equitably shared economic growth, social and human development, environmental protection and resources renewal, participatory and stable democratic governance, viable, effective and transparent institutions, and a cultural environment that respects moral and spiritual values as well as cultural cohesiveness and diversity. It was also said that the absence of war and civil strife is required to achieve sustainable development.

The participants of the roundtable presented the following issues as ones that should be addressed: eradication of all forms of poverty, robust and sustained economic growth, conservation and sustainable utilisation of the region’s wealth in biological diversity, political and institutional reforms to deepen democracy and freedom, greater political will of governments, attainment of mechanisms, technical and financial assistance to support development and strategies for sustainable development. The four considerations that follow should be in mind when these priorities are pursued.

i) economic factors:
Robust economic growth is fundamental for the region, but it must address social equity, ecological sustainability and advances in human rights. New ways of measuring growth are developed to reflect social and environmental costs, what the GDP don’t. Unemployment has increased since Rio. It was not denied that globalisation could imply benefits, but it was not the case in the region since it implies unequal and inequitable consequences between and within countries.

Concerning world trade, the existence of barriers in developed countries cut down the export growth of developing countries. The links between trade, environment and labour standards should be addressed, whereas it shouldn’t be used as a protectionist tool. It was also said that developed countries should increase and stabilise financial flows.

Development of information technology could lead to additional gaps between developed and developing countries, and imply renewed urgency in increasing the international competitiveness in the region. Certain traditional knowledge should be recovered, and traditional technologies that are in danger of being lost should be rescued. Scientific research and development need to be increased, as well as publicly-funded research. Small and micro-enterprises need to be encouraged and supported relating to eco-efficiency and the implementation of sustainable business practices. It must also be noticed that since Rio, more than 500 environmental management systems have been developed in Latin America.

Concerning financing and debt issues, an important source of financement could be to mobilise capital from nationals resident abroad. The issue of debt relief was said as deserving further consideration. It was also evoked the need for insuring insurance funds to cover losses from socio-environmental disasters, whom the region is particularly vulnerable. Effective policies on biosafety are also urgently required, relating to pesticide use, genetic contamination of endemic species, indigenous cultures and biodiversity caused by the introduction of transgenic crops.

There should be inter-relationships among the Caribbean, Central and Latin America to achieve sustainable development, rather than believing that each country can achieve it on its own.

The interrelated impacts of major sectoral activities should be properly assessing; it is for example the case of agriculture, mining, energy, tourism and transport. The importance of developing renewable energy was also evoked. Sustainable tourism has to be developed, because tourism can otherwise cause substantial social, cultural and environmental damage. Sustainable development through eco-tourism could contribute to increase income and to create employment.

Finally, the economic challenges that were evoked include macroeconomic stability, increase of gains in productivity and competitiveness, encouragement and support to the development of small and micro-enterprises, land reform and democratisation of property.

ii) social factors, human development and cultural issues:
The region knows a high rate of demographic growth, and half of the population is less than twenty years of age. However, focus on human development in the region seems insufficient. It was said that the investment in education of sufficient quality should have the highest priority in the allocation of public resources, and that private investment should be stimulated in the sector. Education, information programmes and all stages of life should include sustainable development issues. Illiteracy must also be eradicated. Mass media should be used as an educational tool on sustainable lifestyle. Existing regional programmes should be strengthened and opportunities offered by the telecommunication and information technologies revolution should be used towards that end.

Because of their culture of sustainability, their environmental awareness and self-management of their resources, indigenous peoples make an important contribution through concepts and strategies for sustainable development.

Concerning gender issues, there is an increased number of women enrolled and graduating in higher education. However, domestic violence and health issues disproportionately affect women.

Guidelines have been developed by Councils for Sustainable Development to help companies to incorporate social and environmental issues in their activities. These guidelines should be diffused and largely adopted.

iii) national resources and bio-diversity:
This region is the richest in biological resources of the planet. Important progress have been achieved in the declaration of part of its territory and territorial waters as natural reserves. The region is seen as having a special responsibility to play a leading international role relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources. Global warming and climate change are worrying issues. There is a need to recognise that indigenous knowledge is part of the scientific and technological patrimony of the countries in the region. It was also recommended that strategies and policies for sustainable development of tourism, energy and marine resources and protection of coastal environment should be strengthened.

iv) governance, institutions and international and regional co-operation:
The need for effective governance, adequate institutions and a supportive international environment is a fundamental requirement for achieving sustainable development. Major efforts have been made in the region to deepen and strengthen democratic, transparent and inclusive institutional arrangements, but continued efforts are required. Trafficking in narcotics as well as corruption and youth unemployment were said controllable with an equitable economic growth and increased democratisation. Protection of indigenous peoples, i.e. by property rights systems, would contribute to economic development and a more equitable society in the region. Public sector reforms to support sustainable development are needed as much as political and constitutional reforms. Absence of political will to make sustainable development a central policy constitutes a constraint to sustainable development in the region; sustainable development should be a central thrust of government policy. Increased participation of civil society and the private sector in decision making will increase political information on sustainable development issues. According to the roundtable, there is a need for granting more autonomy and self-government to indigenous people.

The Forum of Ministers of the Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean and the Central Alliance for Sustainable Development provide examples of co-ordinated approaches.
The roundtable regrets the decline in the accepted international target for ODA.
In order to implement agreed actions, the capacity of regional bodies should be enhanced.
The roundtable also called for the reduction of military expenses and international disarmament.

b) Challenges for Johannesburg:
Previous issues have been reaffirmed, such as the need for concrete partnerships between public sector, private sector and civil society, the need to harmonise international trade arrangements with sustainable development and the need to reform and democratise international financial institutions. It was also said that economic growth should be seen as a means towards poverty eradication and equity, not as the end in itself. Since Rio, some issues have reached a new dimension of gravity, such as AIDS, depletion of the ozone layer, climate change, biosafety and ethnic conflicts. These issues should be addressed at the Summit.

3) Regional Roundtable for Africa (25-27 June 2001)

a) Achievements in Africa towards sustainable development since Rio:
Since about twenty years, life expectancy has increased, even if it is still low. But infectious disease, notably AIDS, go against this progress. Education of women has improved, and their role has reinforced. Concerning sustainable development, there is an increasing awareness that socio-economic and environmental components should be integrated. Local communities and NGOs got involved in the planning and implementation of sustainable development plans. It was also noticed that there is an increased market liberalisation and privatisation, but privatisation does not always imply positive impacts. However, regional economic co-operation has reinforced. And increasing role of civil society helps developing democracy in many countries.

b) Constraints:
Poverty is projected to grow. Specificity of Africa calls for a new model of development than those currently applied. Some factors such as high unemployment, overseas exodus, slow rate of empowerment of local and indigenous communities, and high rates of populations impede sustainable development. But some other factors are worrying too, such as debt, wars and civil unrest and instability, unsustainable management of natural resources, infectious disease as already mentioned, inadequate and unreliable information as well as insufficient information technology infrastructure, and lack of African sustainable development indicators appropriate for African countries.

c) Challenges and opportunities in the post Rio era:
Challenges are mainly economic ones. It was said that liberalised trading regime and actions of WTO have not assisted Africa’s development, and that TRIPS could disadvantage Africa. Trans-national Corporations were mentioned as a powerful entity that can influence government decisions in the North. Globalisation was generally perceived as increasing the gap between rich and poor. And development of information and communication is seen as consolidating the economic advantage in the North and marginalising Africa. However, African countries with well developed manufacturing capabilities and a skilled labour force were said able to benefit from globalisation, in every case more than other African countries. And increased research co-operation could offer new opportunities for Africa, in transferring knowledge and technology, and that could permit this region to better participate in the process of globalisation.

d) Priority areas for action in Africa over the next ten years:

i) priorities for the decade:
Eight issue have been raised: consolidating sustainable development strategies, investing in people, feeding Africa, energy issues (development of new and renewable energy sources), technology issues, investment infrastructures, accelerating regional integration and expanding African solidarity and co-operation, and finally peace, security and governance at national and international level. Concerning technology issues, it concerns mainly information, communication and biotechnology. Reintroduction and use of indigenous skills wherever appropriate should also be considered. Regarding regional integration and co-operation, the idea is to develop and establish regional and national risk management and disaster reduction systems, as well as early warning and monitoring systems. With regards to the last point, there should be here a role for the OAU. And environmental security should be added as “a new paradigm for preventing and solving conflicts”. United Nations and developed countries should also co-operate and help developing countries reducing their military expenditures.

ii) means of implementation:
Two means of implementation have been evoked: institutional and social reform, and financing. The institutional and social reform consists of enhancing good governance (from the provision of social service to the independence of media, as well as equitable income distribution and promotion of the culture of debate) and strengthening and harmonising the legal framework. The financing issues should deal with actions at the national level (i.e. the rationalising of taxation systems and the reduction of military expenditures reallocated to social development) and actions at the international level (i.e. the development of new financing mechanisms, the establishment of an attractive enabling economic environment in Africa to attract foreign direct investment, better access to international markets, strengthening the African Development Bank).

e) Institutional arrangements: CSD
First of all, it was said that governments have to show real leadership with respect to sustainable development. Many propositions have also been done; for example, it was suggested that the UN Economic Commission for Africa becomes a UN intergovernmental Commission on sustainable development. And the Johannesburg Summit should also agree meaningful actions to make the CSD a strong UN organ capable of ensuring the implementation of the Summit decisions (it has yet no power to require actions from its decision). The Summit should also take decisions that can lead to a much stronger UNEP.

4) Regional Roundtable for East Asia and the Pacific regions (9-11 July 2001)

a) Characteristics and challenges of the East Asia and Pacific region:
Because of the financial crisis in 1997, many issues have re-emerged in more critical forms. Many issues are transboundary, and national actions have regional and global implications. Environmental degradation and resources depletion have intensified in the region since Rio, and there are not “one size fits all” solution. The state of social development varies also, and there is a wide political diversity, and a wide diversity of ecosystems. Increase of militarisation is a negative aspect; it consists mainly of the increase of small arms trade and military bases, and this has negative effect on sustainable development and social welfare. Some other points are worrying, as the rapid urbanisation, the high rate of rural/urban migration, increasing air and water pollution, the reducing of crop and ecosystem productivity. East Asia has lost half of its forest cover, and a third of the continent’s agricultural land has been degraded. Fish stocks have been depleted, causing difficulties and poverty to the fish dependent communities and especially to indigenous people who have been further marginalized. Small islands states were mentioned as the most threatened by global change such as sea level rise.

b) Progress towards sustainable development in the East Asia and Pacific region:
Many initiatives have been taken to increase progress towards sustainable developments, such as economic incentives, education, conservation management, legislated limits on pollution, caps on resource consumption, participatory management. There’s an increasing awareness of environmental issues. About 26 countries have prepared National Agenda 21 or Green Vision 21 statements. It seems that civil society has emerged as an important factor, creating a new knowledge basis and initiating tripartite partnership with governments and business. But strategies and policies have generally not been operationalised.

c) Issues of national concern:

i) poverty eradication and empowerment of the Poor:
In some countries, rapid economic growth has implied inequalities and further social conflicts. Proposals of actions include actions such as: fiscal policies, examining the sustainability implications of all new legislation, financial institutions that should facilitate economic opportunities for the Poor, to improve empowerment of women, to facilitate access of the poor to information and knowledge.

ii) globalisation:
Globalisation and increasing liberalisation causes benefits and pains. Benefits are not equitably distributed, whereas pains have strong and negative impacts on families, traditional values and culture, habits, people’s way of living. Globalisation and its impacts should be included at the Johannesburg Summit, and a global agreement should be established, which minimise the transfer between countries of polluting industries and practices, and reduce impact of free trade on resource use.

iii) capacity-building through education, training and public awareness:
Concerning awareness, there is a need for a well-informed media and public communication network. It has been evoked the idea of a regional symposium on science for sustainable development, as well as the idea of developing higher education courses and research programmes on sustainability and its application to the region. Partnership between the private sector and academic institutions should also be implemented, since the private sector could finance scholarship, and scientific sector could provide training in science for sustainable development to the private sector. Indigenous knowledge should also be part of the science of sustainable development. Public support should be mobilised, and the Earth Charter could be a useful means to raise public awareness.

iv) finance for sustainable development:
Three major sources for sustainable development are relevant: external fund flows, domestic resource mobilisation, promoting innovative financial mechanisms. Proposals of action include urgent reform of the international monetary architecture, assisting poor nations, achieving by donor countries of the ODA target of 0.7% of their GDP, mobilising financial resources from within the region, implementing the polluter pays principle, exchanging information of financial mechanisms.

v) transfer of environmentally sound technology:
It was noticed that little progress has been achieved since the Rio Summit. An important issue of concern is the commercialisation of technologies for agricultural production and environmental management. A special attention should be focused on the access to potentially beneficial technologies and to public knowledge on their environmental impacts. One of the solutions proposed is that private companies bear the costs of independent monitoring of their environmental impacts.

vi) public participation and governance:
Public must be involved at every steps of policy development. There must be a partnership between civil society and governments in decision-making for sustainable development. And indigenous people should be guaranteed the democratic right to be guardians of their own resources. Thus, public participation in negotiation should be enhanced, and financial and technical assistance should be provided for civil society participation in the implementation of projects concerning sustainable development. Management initiatives by local communities should be supported.

vii) developing national strategies for sustainable development:
Each country needs to identify its own priorities in sustainable development, and should develop national indicators of sustainable development.

viii) food security:
Food security is worrying because of soil and water degradation and because of the conversion of agricultural lands. It was noticed that food supply is often allocated for commercial purposes rather than being available to meet people’s basic needs. The actions proposed include the establishment of a regional or sub-regional buffer stock scheme for the region, an increase of funding for agricultural research and development, and governments should also take measures to prevent the dumping of wastes in the oceans and seas which have strong impact on marine resources.

ix) population and migration:
Migration takes different forms; it could be internal migration, rural to urban migration, or migration between countries within the region. Consequences of these population moves are social and economic, i.e. rapid urbanisation, marginalisation of indigenous populations, unemployment. One of the recommended actions is to link population policies with national sustainable development strategies. Governments, private sector, and civil society should work together to prevent and mediate social conflicts. Migrant workers should also be more and better protected.

x) environmental health and safety:
The link between health and environmental degradation is more and more apparent, i.e. diseases caused by unsafe water. Infectious diseases such as AIDS have also increased. Actions related to waste management need to be taken within the region, as well as actions reducing the use of antibiotics and growth hormones which imply negative consequences on fish and livestock. Health insurance coverage should be extended to the poor and marginalised population. Information related to health should also be expanded.

d) Regional issues of concerns:
The creation of a Regional Council for Sustainable Development has been evoked as a solution to establish a network of regional co-operation. It would embrace different kind of organisations, such as regional civil society organisations, regional institutions, national councils of sustainable development, and regional business associations. Information systems should also be implemented to provide information related to the environment. The issue of concern that has been specifically evoked is related to the military domain:

i) military expenditures and proliferation of small arms and weaponry:
This proliferation has negative effect on sustainable development in the region, and these arms represent a danger to the environment, and destroy families and communities. Military expenditures should also be reduced to provide funds for sustainable development programmes. The illegal flow of small arms and weaponry could be stopped with the help of a regional scheme of multi-lateral co-operation, whom UN and ASEAN could be part of. There is also a need for transparency in military expenditures, and transport of uranium and nuclear wastes across oceans and seas should be secured, related to their impact on health and the environment.

ii) Mechanisms for implementation:
These mechanisms include the following:
- greater use by countries of National Councils of Sustainable Development;
- regional trust fund to promote the implementation of Agenda 21;
- workable and practical models of sustainable development;
- national management and auditing systems to better manage sustainable development issues;
- agreed mechanisms for NGOs, indigenous peoples and civil society participation in regional and inter-governmental negotiations;
- establish a regional information network;
- agreed mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation of actions taken by governments;
- establish a regional treaty to protect natural resources, and especially to prevent over-fishing
- establish a regional food security mechanism;
- micro-credit and suitable finance scheme as a means to empower the poor and marginalized.