Moving Forward in Reverse Gear? 1 On Human Rights and Sustainable Development 3 Trade Unions on Rio+20 5 Youth Caucus’ 7 Priority Principles 6 Desertification in Drylands 7 Questions from Major Groups to Delegates 8 Live from the CSD 11 Food for thought... 12 Moving Forward in Reverse Gear? Outreach Issues Last year the focus was on energy and climate change while we here at CSD17 we are talking about Agriculture, Land, Rural Development, Drought and Desertification and particularly on Africa. This week offers clear opportunities for delegates to take a good look at the road ahead, and avoid the obvious and hidden bumps and potholes. Throughout last week delegates recognized the convergence of crises confronting the world and the urgent need for concrete actions to be taken. There were repeated talks about the food crisis, the climate crisis and the economic crisis. One other crisis that did not show up is, the growing deficit of confidence on global governance and in some cases the deficit of democracy. This should worry our governments. The world sorely needs to regain confidence in governance in an era where financial and transnational institutions are enjoying massive bailouts, while the citizens of this world are out in the cold, hungry and unprotected. The CSD presents a unique platform for global governance to rise up beyond individual countries’ or regional blocks’ self interests. Unfortunately, the bright spots in this regard have been few and far between. As we all listened to delegates go through the chair’s negotiation text last week, we could not help Inside this Issue: A daily publication of Sustainable Development Issues Network (SDIN) and Stakeholder Forum (SF) MONDAY May 11, 2009 1 Outreach Issues is the civil society newsletter produced by the SDIN Group (ANPED, TWN and ELCI) and Stakeholder Forum. Outreach Issues aims to report with attitude, from the global scene of sustainability. The organizations publishing Outreach Issues are not responsi- ble for the content of signed articles. Opinions expressed in articles are those of the authors. By: Nnimmo Bassey, Friends of the Earth International It was a bumpy ride on the CSD highway last week, delegates appeared to be driving forward with their eyes fixed on their rear view mirrors. Considering events currently happening in the world, everyone agrees that the themes of the last CSD cycle and those of the present one have proven prescient and timely.
This edition of Outreach is produced by the Sustainable Development Issues Network (SDIN) Group and Stakeholder Forum at the 17th Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD). In particular, this issue focuses on the Youth Caucus’ 7 priority principles, desertification in drylands and questions from Major Groups to delegates.
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Moving Forward in
Reverse Gear?
1
On Human Rights and
Sustainable Development
3
Trade Unions on Rio+20 5
Youth Caucus’ 7 Priority
Principles
6
Desertification in Drylands 7
Questions from Major Groups
to Delegates
8
Live from the CSD 11
Food for thought... 12
Moving Forward in
Reverse Gear?
Outreach Issues
Last year the focus was on energy and climate
change while we here at CSD17 we are talking
about Agriculture, Land, Rural Development,
Drought and Desertification and particularly on
Africa.
This week offers clear opportunities for
delegates to take a good look at the road ahead,
and avoid the obvious and hidden bumps and
potholes. Throughout last week delegates
recognized the convergence of crises
confronting the world and the urgent need
for concrete actions to be taken. There were
repeated talks about the food crisis, the climate
crisis and the economic crisis. One other crisis
that did not show up is, the growing deficit of
confidence on global governance and in some
cases the deficit of democracy. This should
worry our governments. The world sorely needs
to regain confidence in governance in an era
where financial and transnational institutions
are enjoying massive bailouts, while the citizens
of this world are out in the cold, hungry and
unprotected.
The CSD presents a unique platform for
global governance to rise up beyond individual
countries’ or regional blocks’ self interests.
Unfortunately, the bright spots in this regard
have been few and far between. As we all
listened to delegates go through the chair’s
negotiation text last week, we could not help
Inside this Issue:
A daily publication of Sustainable Development Issues Network (SDIN) and Stakeholder Forum (SF)
MONDAY May 11, 2009
1
Outreach Issues is the civil
society newsletter produced by
the SDIN Group (ANPED, TWN
and ELCI) and Stakeholder Forum.
Outreach Issues aims to report
with attitude, from the global
scene of sustainability.
The organizations publishing
Outreach Issues are not responsi-
ble for the content of signed
articles. Opinions expressed in
articles are those of the authors.
By: Nnimmo Bassey, Friends of the Earth International
It was a bumpy ride on the CSD highway last week, delegates appeared to be
driving forward with their eyes fixed on their rear view mirrors. Considering events
currently happening in the world, everyone agrees that the themes of the last CSD
cycle and those of the present one have proven prescient and timely.
By: Ivana Savic, Youth Caucus' Advocacy Coordinator,
Lisa Develtere, Belgian Youth Delegate
The Major Group on Children and Youth (also referred as the 'Youth Caucus') calls for the Youth Caucus' CSD-17
Priority Principles to be taken into account. These 7 Priority Principles are the shared vision of the Youth Caucus on
the cluster of issues that the CSD16 and 17 cycle focuses on. They are a result of a process that was participatory,
interactive and inclusive.
7 7
Outreach Issues
The UNCCD provides an international
framework for the implementation of
agriculture and natural resource manage-
ment policies and investment to combat
desertification. This has been agreed to by
193 states but 10 years after its adoption
and 8 conferences of the Parties, desertifica-
tion has increased and the people living with
the consequences has risen.
In order to solve a problem first you have to
recognize there is one. As we know the
problem, as we have the instrument, as we
are taking the decisions at CSD17 to enable
the environment, are we allowed to only
add words to words? Certainly not. The
time has come to implement solutions, to
make concrete decisions, to remove the
brackets and take action.
Desertification in Drylands
By: Patrice Burger, Association CARI
Desertification is about degradation of land
under the impact of climate change in one
hand, the impact of human activities
especially agriculture in the other. Desertifi-
cation occurs in drylands but it also occurs in
areas broader than only drylands. It is well
know that drought and false rural develop-
ment are major drivers of desertification. As
it imposes itself and impacts the basis of all
life, desertification has been mentioned by
scientist as a public good .
This said, desertification has been neglected
by decision makers, probably because the
voices of the poor do not have any audience
in terms of power, or profit, or simply
members of human kind. Nevertheless no
situation is established forever and things
can change.
The process of desertification results in a
huge pressure on future generations and
already affects the life of 1.5 billion people in
the world ; their land, their homes, their way
of life, are disappearing under their feet.
These communities are not here at CSD17,
but they would like to hear something from
CSD17 in order to believe that the delegates
of the nations gathered here are their
representatives. Also in order to have at least
one reason to invest in where they live, and
plan for their children’s futures.
Speaking about desertification requires
speaking about agriculture, rural develop-
ment, drought and water management.
Combating desertification is at its most
fundamental about adapting agriculture
practices, rural development and natural
resources management to the natural
constraints of drylands and minimizing the
negative human pressure on this natural
resources. Finally combating desertification
is also a struggle for hope and dignity for too
many people in the world.
In what way is our behavior intelligent for
the present and the future?
Unfortunately the current trend in the
flow of investment in drylands, of agriculture
practices and policies, of rural development,
of climate change, often of drylands
governance, will all increase the level of
desertification. They are not addressing the
root cause, nor developing innovative policy
solutions. The result is a global economic
loss, which can be valued up to 10 % per year
according to some countries,. Other affects
include growing costs and impacts on peace
and insecurity, which is multiplied by illegal
migrations. And more fundamentally a
growing feeling of absence of any form of
justice.
When your life depends on how words are understood.
8 8
Outreach Issues
The Ministerial Dialogue with Representatives of the Major Groups and UN System
12 May 2009, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm, Conference room 6
This note on the dialogue session presents an overview of the methodologies for the session. It includes questions by the Major
Groups that will be asked of the governments. Ministers, Major Groups and UN System representatives may choose to address any of
these questions. Participants may address any aspects of the issues they think relevant to the discussions.
[This is a shortened version. For the full text see http://tinyurl.com/pf8745 .]
The dialogue session will be informal and there will be no delivery of official statements.
The session will be opened with general remarks by the Chairperson, followed by a statement from Ms. Mayanja, DESA Assistant
Secretary-General. The Chairperson will then introduce the format of the dialogue.
During the first half of the session, each of the nine Major Groups’ sectors will make 3-minute presentations on their priorities for
advancing implementation. The order of the sectors will be as follows:
• Women
• Children and Youth
• Indigenous Peoples
• NGOs
• Local Authorities
• Workers and Trade Unions
• Business and Industry
• Scientific and Technological Community
• Farmers
Presentations will be followed by approximately 20 minutes of discussion guided and moderated by the Chair, including responses
from Ministers and representatives of UN entities. Interventions during discussion will be limited to 3 minutes.
.During the second half of the session, four specific issues from multiple major groups’ sectors will be discussed in depth. Each
multi-sectoral presentation will be 5 minutes long and focus on the following topics:
• Farming First
• Rural Development
• Urban-Rural Linkages for Food Security and Vibrant Market
• Secure land tenure and water rights
Continues on page 9
One of the fundamental prerequisites for the achievement of sustainable development is broad public participation in decision-making (Agenda 21, Section
III, Chapter 23.2)
Format and Focus
Opening remarks: 15 minutes
Part I: Presentations from the Nine Major Groups sectors (approximately 50 minutes)
Questions from Major Groups to Delegates
Part II: Substantive Discussion on Issue Clusters (approximately 100 minutes)
7 9
Outreach Issues
• A large number of countries have re-iterated the Paris declaration; more and more countries
are giving budget support to national governments. We are wondering how it can be assured,
that governments will decentralise funds to local authorities and CSOs/NGOs especially in rural
areas and/ or get direct access to ODA funding to effectively take their development in their
own hands?
• Rural development implies community development, institutional strengthening of CSOs/NGOs
and local authorities and participatory strategies; these are long term processes. The way
financing and monitoring criteria are formulated at the moment does not allow for long-term
investment and is only measuring quantity. Are governments willing to support the develop-
ment of process and quality criteria to allow for CSOs/NGOs to work on sustainable long-term
development and support initiatives of Major Groups to that effect?
• Availability of infrastructure such as transport and information technologies but also basic
services including water, energy, education and health care are needed; this implies that
smaller scale made-to-measure investment and delegation of responsibilities is needed. Are
there good examples to follow and countries who have actually adapted their national policies
to make that possible?
• Are governments supportive of the idea to pay people living in rural areas for eco-services as an
alternative for economic activity?
• We all realize that the most successful rural development projects are those that rural
communities have taken ownership of. Given this, what concrete measures are you taking in
your respective countries to ensure that development initiatives are inclusive of local peoples?
• How can we move forward in establishing favorable conditions for secure land tenure and
rights to land, particularly for women, indigenous peoples and other vulnerable groups?
• How can African governments ensure that trust lands are not alienated and given to private
parties, and that traditional, customary resource use and management will be respected on
government lands.
• Will governments recognize the land rights of indigenous peoples and local communities,
including the rights of women, and guarantee that they will not be forcibly displaced to give
way for economic and environmental projects?
QUESTIONS FROM MAJOR GROUPS TO DELEGATES
The following questions are a result of deliberation among major groups over the weekend.
10 10
Outreach Issues
• How can local governments ensure the full and effective participation of local communities
in decision-making about sustainable agriculture and rural development and ecosystem
management?
• In response to the continuing food crisis, governments are called upon to invest in sustainable
agriculture and rural development. How can such investment be directed to the most
vulnerable communities in developing countries, building new market infrastructure for local
agriculture, truly supporting small family farmers, and not just benefiting large multinational
food and agriculture businesses?
• Considering the damage to the land and ecology caused by biotechnology and GM crops, what
are the mechanisms that you will put in place for a new sustainable green revolution to ensure
protection of essential resources for long term and sustainable agricultural and livestock
practices?
• Recognition has been given to the value of indigenous and local knowledge in agricultural
practices. How can that knowledge be mainstreamed into educational and training institutions
and extension services, such that it is given the legitimacy it deserves and informs agricultural
plans and policies?
• It is now widely accepted that aid conditionalities, and especially structural adjustment policies,
have destroyed safety nets, with the effect of plunging people into poverty, especially in rural
areas, leaving them without adequate food or social services. Given the uncertainties of
agricultural and livestock production, basic services are essential to rural development. How do
you intend to ensure that populations have those services such that their basic needs are met?
• Considering that protectionist trade policies are one of the root causes of the economic crisis,
how do you intend to ensure that agricultural and agricultural related products from the
developing world have equal access to international markets?
• Given the fact that urban centers can be powerful engines for rural development, how can
national governments enable cities and other local authorities to partner with major groups to
strengthen food security and social protection programs?
• How can extensive livestock pastoral systems in Africa, Asia and Latin America be given greater
attention for the carbon sequestration they provide, and be included in both policy and
programmatic outcomes of CSD?
QUESTIONS FROM MAJOR GROUPS TO DELEGATES — CONTINUED
Kevin Tan and Mechaila Okhengbon. Photo by Lisa Develtere.
7 11
Outreach Issues
EARTH TALK:
Biofuels are liquid fuels made from biomass
– recently living organisms or their metabolic
by-products. They are considered “green”
because they are renewable, as opposed to
nonrenewable fossil fuels. But for all their
green connotations, Biofuels have generated
heated discussion in recent years, even being
accused of driving food prices up around the
world and causing deforestation in tropical
regions. Can biofuels be used sustainably?
What opportunities could they provide for
farmers and for the planet? On today’s
edition of Earth Talk, host Catherine
and spoken extensively on environment,
education and related subjects, and
was awarded the prestigious Tree of
Learning in 1998 for his work in environ-
mental education and communication. On
today’s edition of Pioneers of the Planet,
Mr. Sarabhai talks with host Catherine
Karong’o about the need for communication
and education in the environmental arena, in
India and beyond.
In Today at the CSD, Catherine Karong’o talks
to Bureau member, Anna Bianchi, and CSD
Chair, Gerda Verburg, for an update on the
status of the negotiations at the end of the
first week. She hears from delegates from
South Africa and the DR Congo to learn of
their interpretation of some of the key
issues that are emerging in the discussions.
In addition, Brett Israel presents a special
feature on the possibilities that gene banks
offer to preserve biodiversity, and the team
investigates the potential of biochar for
storing carbon.
Live from the CSD http://media.stakeholderforum.org
By: Sharon Shattuck, Stakeholder Forum Karong’o talks to youth delegates Kevin Tan
and Mechaila Okhengbon to shed some light
on the subject.
PIONEERS OF THE PLANET:
Kartikeya Sarabhai is a famous environmen-
talist and industrialist from the Sarabhai
family in India. He is a member of the Earth
Charter International Council and has written
“The issues of the planet
cannot be solved through
technology alone -- or
through laws.”
agriculture and rural development. How can such investment be directed to the most
areas, leaving them without adequate food or social services. Given the uncertainties of
how do you intend to ensure that agricultural and agricultural related products from the
attention for the carbon sequestration they provide, and be included in both policy and
Food for Thought… Felix Dodds, Stakeholder Forum
favourite), two lasts of wheat, four lasts
of rye, four tons of beer, two tons of
butter, 1000 lbs of cheese, a suit of
clothes, a silver drinking cup and a
complete bed. Now that is a lot to take
into the local bulb shop. Eventually this
‘tulip bubble burst when the demand
collapsed’. People were left holding
bulbs that had cost them 10 times the
amount the market was now selling them
for.
The Tulip bubble was the first, but as we
know history is littered with other
examples of how the economic system
that we have built doesn’t work. If you
are interested, then have a look at some
of the other bubbles: Mississippi
Company (1720), the Florida speculation
building bubble (1926), the 1920s
American economic bubble, the dotcom
bubble, the Asian Financial Crisis and the
real estate bubble we are experiencing
now. There are of course the less
well-known bubbles such as the sports
card bubble, the comic book bubble (one
I cared about a lot) and the TY Beanie
Babies bubble, which didn’t hit so many
people.
The 17th century was a difficult time for
our Dutch friends, not only because of
the tulip crash of 1637, but also being
annexed by the British in 1664, when
New Amsterdam became New York.
So perhaps the time has really come
for a serious look at the financial
mechanisms that we seem to have
created out of the Dutch model. A green
financial system might look a lot
different but how can we create the new
model while working within the present
globalised economic system? Should this
be one of the challenges for Rio+20?
If not, then what will be the next
bubble?
“The Tulip Bubble”
Senior Editor: Jan-Gustav Strandenaes, ANPED
Co-Editor: Felix Dodds, Stakeholder Forum
Daily Editor: Stephen Mooney, Stakeholder Forum
Design and Layout: Erol Hofmans, ANPED
Contributing writers:
Nnimmo Bassey, Friends of the Earth International
Joji Carino, Tebtebba Foundation, Indigenous Peoples Major Group
Annabella Rosemberg, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
Ivana Savic, Youth Caucus' Advocacy Coordinator
Lisa Develtere, Belgian Youth Delegate
Patrice Burger, Association CARI
Sharon Shattuck, Stakeholder Forum
EDITORIAL TEAM
Previous and today’s issues are easily available online, go to: