WWF - United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development

Sustaining the Coral Triangle's Marine Biodiversity and its People: "Building Sustainable Blue Economies"

2012-06-25

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -- A group of countries from Southeast Asia and the Pacific came together at the Rio+20 Summit this week to showcase their combined efforts to save the Coral Triangle, one of the most biologically diverse and ecologically rich marine regions on earth.

On the world stage at Rio, Brazil, at a high level side event hosted by the Government of Indonesia, the Coral Triangle countries renewed their commitment to the multi-country partnership 'Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security' (CTI-CFF).

In 2009, the six countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor Leste) signed onto one of the world's most comprehensive regional marine and coastal resource management plans.

They agreed to an ambitious and visionary 10-year Regional Plan of Action (RPOA) to safeguard the Coral Triangle's marine and coastal biological resources.

Strategically, the Initiative has goals and regional priority actions to address the major threats to the region's marine biodiversity and resources, many of which are common threats faced around the globe.

The strategies are also demonstrably effective actions which are strategically placed to deliver on marine and oceans related priorities arising from the Rio+20 Summit.

The CTI-CFF side event at the Rio+20 Summit was attended by Indonesia's Minister for Marine Affairs and Fisheries, together with the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Malaysia's Minister for Natural Resources and Environment, the Philippines' Undersecretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Timor Leste Vice Minister for Economy and Development.

A number of the countries expressed their vision for developing blue economies, recognising the importance of people-centred approaches and healthy marine ecosystems to the livelihoods, income and sustainable development of their countries.

His Excellency Sharif C. Sutardjo, Minister for Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Indonesia said "Indonesia is strongly committed to the CTI-CFF as an implementing framework for developing a blue economy."

WWF, a development partner to the Coral Triangle Initiative, congratulated the countries for their leadership, and commitment.

"WWF shares the vision for the Coral Triangle Initiative to be an implementing framework for developing blue economies that can derive economic and social benefits from oceans in an efficient, equitable and sustainable way," said Yolanda Kakabadse, WWF International President.

Kakabadse also congratulated the Australian Government for its announcement committing eight million (AUD) dollars to the Initiative and welcomed the interest in the Coral Triangle expressed by the Government of Germany.

"As one of seven development partners to the CTI-CFF, WWF offers continued support to the Initiative, and remains committed to helping achieve the critical political, economic and social force capable of leading the rapid and large-scale changes required to halt and reverse the threats facing the Coral Triangle," said Ms Kakabadse.

"The Coral Triangle is an illustration of the importance of countries cooperating on a regional basis to provide sustainable management of their significant and shared ocean and coastal resources to secure the linkages between healthy ecosystems and sustainable livelihoods and incomes" she added.

Indonesia's Minister for Marine Affairs and Fisheries extended an invitation to the Coral Triangle countries to attend a CTI-CFF summit at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) which will be hosted by Indonesia in 2013.

WWF Rio+20 closing statement

2012-06-21

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (21 June 2012) - With negotiations at an end, WWF Director General Jim Leape today issued the following closing statement about the Rio+20 summit:

"This was a conference about life: about future generations; about the forests, oceans, rivers and lakes that we all depend on for our food, water and energy. It was a conference to address the pressing challenge of building a future that can sustain us.

"Unfortunately, the world leaders who gathered here lost sight of that urgent purpose.

"With too few countries prepared to press for action, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff chose to drive a process with no serious content – to the planet's detriment.

"The result is a squandered opportunity - an agreement that does not set the world on a path toward sustainable development.

"The urgency to act, however, has not changed. And the good news is that sustainable development is a plant that has taken root; it will grow regardless of weak political leadership here. We did see leaders stepping up in Rio, it was just not in the negotiations.

"There is exciting leadership happening in communities, cities, governments and companies that are laying the foundation to protect our environment, alleviate poverty, and move us toward a more sustainable planet."  

"In the end, we need action everywhere—from individuals, villages, cities, countries, small and large companies, and civil society organizations and movements. We need to all take the responsibility  world leaders failed to act on in Rio.  

"We must all redouble our efforts and hope that in time they help to open up the political space for a multilateral process like Rio+20 to deliver.  

Some of the big commitments made outside the negotiating room in Rio included:  

Governments, banks, investors and CEOs back calls for valuing and accounting for natural capital. -nine banks, investors and insurers insurers (incl Caixa Economica Federal, Caisse des Depots, China Merchants Bank, Natural Australia Bank, Standard Chartered + 50 countries Botswana, South Africa, UK + corps Unilever, Puma, Dow Chemical) made a collective call for natural capital valuation and accounting at Rio+20 with the Natural Capital Declaration.  
Mozambique - President Armando Guebuza of Mozambique announced the launch of Mozambique's Roadmap to a Green Economy. The plan covers national strategies to apply green economy principles to the development of cities, agriculture, and energy sources, and to invest in maintaining and enhancing their natural capital, including a fully representative terrestrial and marine multi-use protected area network. The plan will be developed and implemented in collaboration with key partners around the world, such as the host government of the conference, Brazil.  ·
The Maldives announced world's biggest marine reserve. The Maldives has used the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Brazil to announce that all 1,192 of its islands will become a marine reserve by 2017.  
The UK government announced that the UK will be the first country in the world to force major companies to measure their carbon footprint. The scheme will make more than 1,000 companies measure their greenhouse gas emissions in full.  
Indonesia's president made broad commitments to achieve a "sustainable future" in Indonesia. Financial and policy, institutional strengthening, and south-south cooperation from major tropical forest nations were key themes.  
Eight of the world's biggest development banks announced a fundamental investment shift from roads to public transport, under a USD$175 billion initiative to promote buses, trains and cycle lanes. This was the largest monetary commitment made during Rio+20 to sustainable development.

What WWF wanted out of Rio+20 and what we commit to fight for:  

Sustainable Development Goals – These goals must be an evolution of the Millennium Development Goals and should name thematic areas such as food, water, energy and oceans goals and set up the process to create them, fund them and measure them.  

To value natural wealth – The world still needs indicators to measure the quality of the environment, nature, and biodiversity and ecosystems alongside their existing economic (GDP) and social (IHDI)  indicators.  

Subsidy reform: Transparent annual reporting and review on subsidy reforms leading to the elimination of by 2020 of all environmentally harmful subsidies, in particular fossil fuel subsidies, should be a global priority.

Ocean governance: Some progress was made in Rio on this issue, but we still need better ocean governance, including addressing the conservation and sustainable use of the high seas, outside of national boundaries.  

A stronger UN Environment Programme: Strengthening UNEP should be a priority, with the funding and authority to properly protect the world's environment.

Rio+20: WWF and African Development Bank rally leaders to invest in Africa's Natural Capital

2012-06-21

Rio de Janeiro - The African Development Bank (AfDB) and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) released a joint report on the state of environment in Africa, and are calling world leaders to invest in Africa's natural capital. The report is intended to catalyze decision-makers to invest in Africa's sustainable development and is being presented at Rio+20 at an event organized by the AfDB and WWF and hosted by the Senegalese government.

As leaders gather in Brazil this week, WWF and AfDB are encouraging leaders in both the public and private sectors to invest in Africa's natural capital. "Africa must rally around this objective, not just because donors demand it, but because it's our responsibility to protect our ecosystems," says the report. AfDB president, Donald Kaberuka commented: "We must strengthen cooperation between leaders, across continents, who share a common interest in fostering economic transformation. Let's make it a reality, together."

Over the next decade, important decisions will be made in terms of large-scale infrastructure, resource planning, and economic development. Investing in natural capital now will ensure ecological – and financial- security in the future. The AfDB and the WWF call on world leaders to act decisively on a green growth agenda. That agenda includes; enhancing ecological resilience and the capacity of natural systems, living within planetary limits and promoting measures of social progress that integrate the value of ecosystems.

The 'Africa Ecological Footprint Report – Green Infrastructure for Africa's Ecological Security' takes a look at the health of Africa's natural systems, as well as its footprint—the surface of land and sea needed to sustain a particular group. Trends in both areas are worrying. Africa's natural systems are under great strain—biodiversity has declined by 40 percent in 40 years. At the same time, increases in population and consumption patterns are projected to double Africa's footprint by 2040.

If Africa continues on a business-as-usual scenario, these two pressures—the reduction of nature's capacity to sustain life, and a more voracious consumption of resources—will impede its ability to sustain necessary and equitable development in the long run, including the provisioning of life's most basic necessities: food, water and fuel.

The good news is that Africa is well-placed to act. Many African countries still have a low footprint, allowing them to take on board resource-efficient technologies and lifestyles, circumventing inefficient development pathways taken by other countries. This means finding solutions that both promote social development and preserve nature. "This report brings home the fact that to build a lasting prosperity in Africa we must chart a course for development that conserves and sustains the "green infrastructure" – healthy rivers, forests, oceans – that supports the economy and society." We must maintain our credibility when we're talking about the environment, we cannot just sideline development." underlines WWF Director General, Jim Leape. "That is what 'sustainable development' is all about. We must find concrete solutions to satisfying both."

For example, coral reefs in the West Indian Ocean are valued at an estimated USD7.3 billion annually. They support coastal and artisanal fisheries, protect coasts from erosion and extreme weather, absorb carbon dioxide, and are the basis of a thriving tourism sector. Investment in green infrastructure now will ensure the sustained health of natural systems on which life and livelihoods depend.

While the report underlines some serious trends, it also offers examples of initiatives across Africa, where natural capital is being preserved while social and economic development benefits rural populations.
For example, the lake Naivasha region produces 70 percent of Kenya's cut flower exports and 20 percent of its vegetable exports, contributing hundreds of millions of dollars to the national economy each year. Through a payment for environment services scheme, the horticultural industry pays upstream farmers to preserve the water resources on which the horticultural industry depends. This scheme not only helps to preserve valuable freshwater ecosystems, but also benefits small-scale farmers by increasing their yields and income, and ensures a clean, sustainable water supply for commercial farms.

Another example of how smart policy and investment can make a difference is the South African Renewables Initiative. The Initiative, established to fulfil South Africa's Integrated Resource Plan, is channelling international public finance into the development and distribution of renewable energy. South Africa plans to add 19 GW of renewable energy to the national grid by 2030—going from 0 to 14 percent renewables in its total energy mix in two decades. Not only will South Africans have increased access to energy, this scheme will also boost green technologies and jobs in the region.

Background:

AfDB and WWF formally entered into a partnership in July 2011, agreeing to initially focus on three areas of cooperation: developing win-win partnerships with emerging economies and strengthening South-South cooperation; catalysing knowledge sharing and knowledge products for green growth and sustainable development; collaborating on energy and water resource management; and climate change. This report is the first joint product of this partnership.

With a recent tripling of its capitalisation to USD 100 billion, the AfDB is the most important multilateral institution financing development in Africa. As the continent faces rapid economic and population growth, and growing resource and climate pressures, the AfDB plays an essential role in ensuring sustainable and equitable development.

WWF is the world's largest environmental non-governmental organisation and has been active in Africa since its foundation more than 50 years ago. WWF works together with governments, businesses and local communities to deliver conservation and sustainable development worldwide.

To download the report, and to find out more, go to: www.panda.org/lpr/africa2012; www.afdb.org/rio20

Green economy approach shows hope for Borneo amidst floundering Rio+20 talks

2012-06-21

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – As world leaders meet amidst a gloomy forecast for a meaningful outcome of the Rio+20 Earth Summit this week, WWF is releasing a green economy report at the biggest-ever UN event that offers sustainability solutions for our ailing planet.

The Heart of Borneo (HoB): Investing in Nature for a Green Economy Report is a practical regional guide on how future economic growth can be achieved while protecting the values of ecosystems and biodiversity of the Heart of Borneo - a 220,000km2 treasure trove of unique and often endangered animal and plants species, on the world's third biggest island.

Produced by WWF and a consortium of partners, the report highlights environmental costs and forgone revenues in the current economy and shows how valuing 'natural capital' supports the long-term stability and development of local economies in Borneo.

"The HoB's natural capital is of tremendous social and economic value - but if we continue to fail to recognize its worth, both people and the environment they depend on will suffer," said WWF Director General Jim Leape.
"This report finds that valuing natural capital can pave the way to strong local economies, as well as deliver on the growth, climate change and sustainability priorities in the region," he added.

Making business more sustainable

The report highlights the current unsustainable practices of the forestry, palm oil and mining sectors in Borneo and shows that the erosion of natural capital leads to a corresponding loss of long-term economic viability and social welfare.

"These sectors are vital to Borneo's economy, but must embed sustainability within their practices to remain engines of growth in the future, " said Adam Tomasek, Leader of WWF's Heart of Borneo Initiative.

Economic modelling in the report shows that under a Business-as-Usual (BAU) scenario, the environmental costs of economic growth could outweigh revenues from the use of natural resources as soon as 2020.

"Globally we're seeing how the mismanagement of the world's financial capital causes long-term damage to nations. The same will be true in Borneo if we continue to mismanage our natural capital – only the damage will be measured in 'generations of suffering'," Mr Tomasek said.

"The irony of this is that unlike the financial crisis where the austerity packages imposed have been seen to be unacceptably severe, especially on the poor – a shift to value natural capital could actually improve the life of poor and vulnerable people in Borneo."

Investing in Nature reveals two choices for the use of the immense wealth of natural capital in the Heart of Borneo: squandering it or keeping it in the bank, which would allow many generations to live off the 'interest' forever, in the form of the sustainable goods and services. It identifies that the key enabling condition is the shift to an economic infrastructure where fiscal policies and subsidy allocations favor sustainable practices and maintenance of ecosystem services.

Rio +20 Summit

The Heart of Borneo: Investing in Nature for a Green Economy report will be released on June 20th by WWF International Director General, Jim Leape, to coincide with a high-level event hosted by Indonesia's President Yudhoyono. The President of Guyana and Prime Minister of Norway, as well as the office of the UN Secretary General, Ministers and senior officials will be in attendance.

The findings and recommendations of the report are featured in several events during the Rio+20 Summit. The accompanying website, www.hobgreeneconomy.org, provides a window to the world for the green development activities in the HoB.

"The report shows how Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia can continue to work together across borders to develop and implement a green economy aspiration. By investing in nature, they can clearly show how to deliver on the Rio+20 vision of 'the future we want" said Jim Leape.

For further information contact:

Adam Tomasek, Leader, Heart of Borneo InitiativeTel: +62 21 7829461 ext. 503, Mob: +62 811 9917855, e-mail: atomasek@wwf.or.id

For interviews in Rio contact:

Chris Chaplin, WWF International, +65 9826 3802, cchaplin@wwf.sg

For all other queries:

Chris Greenwood, International Communications Manager, Heart of Borneo Initiative, Mob: +60 128281214, E-mail: cgreenwood@wwf.org.my

Tanzania Embarks on Road to Green Economy

2012-06-21

Tanzania anticipates making important strides on the pathway towards a Green Economy through green economy initiatives such as the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania (SAGCOT).

SACGOT was a major talking point for Tanzania during Rio +20 talks currently going on in Rio Di Janeiro, Brazil. During a side event about investing in Natural Capital organized jointly by WWF and the Africa Development Bank, Tanzania's Minister of State, Vice President's Office (Environment) Dr. Terezya Huvisa noted that Tanzania stood to benefit immensely by greening its economy through initiatives such as SAGCOT.

"The 2011 SAGCOT investment blueprint envisions profitable farming systems services, businesses supported by infrastructure, value chains and human capital development. Innovative financing will include a public- private sector and multi-donor catalytic investment fund leveraged over $2bn," noted Dr. Huvisa.

The minister further noted that the SACGOT region offered immense potential for Tanzania which continues to be bogged down by high poverty levels and vulnerability to climate change.

SAGCOT's Green Growth Strategy includes a number of key components that will safeguard key ecosystem services and natural capital for agriculture and rural communities (e.g., irrigation water supplies) and support climate-smart agriculture to capture carbon in soils and vegetation, improve yields and resilience to droughts and floods as well as protect water quality and biodiversity.

The strategy furthermore involves agricultural investments for food and nutrition security with opportunities for export earnings; using REDD+ to help finance transitions to low-emission energy systems; and designating wildlife corridors in conjunction to maintain biodiversity, improve tourism revenues and minimize human-wildlife conflict.

As the Rio +20 talks continue, Dr. Huviza noted that the Green growth concept will give hope to sustainable climate-smart agriculture and social development to be mainstreamed into development initiatives. The SAGCOT blueprint for Tanzania is a laboratory for testing and implementing this concept and will provide valuable lessons for the agriculture sector in Africa.

Speaking during the same event, WWF's Director General, Jim Leape noted that "it is extremely disappointing to see that the international process on sustainable development culminating in the RIO+20 Conference, is failing in terms of achieving firm commitments in regard to preserving our natural capital. At the same time, it is extremely encouraging to see that individual countries, the champions of this world, are stepping up to the challenge and take crucial actions were international negotiations are failing."

John Kabubu

Final G-20 statement plagued with ambiguous language fails to provide Rio+20 needed boost - WWF

2012-06-20

Los Cabos, Mexico – Global leaders need to look well beyond the "bail-out" paradigm and short-term economic interventions they backed today at the G-20 Summit and instead create the long-term, sustainable solutions the world so desperately needs.

"We are encouraged by Mexico's promotion of inclusive green growth as the backbone of a longer-term agenda for G-20. However, we are tremendously disappointed at the vague language that predominates the G-20's final statement released this evening" said Lasse Gustavsson, Executive Director Conservation, WWF International.

"Unfortunately, the lack of a significant pledge by world leaders at the G-20 on sustainability does not bode well for Rio+20, which is already falling apart and could have benefited from strong action in Los Cabos."

Many G20 leaders will fly directly to Rio de Janeiro where they will have the opportunity to strengthen the commitments their negotiators have made thus far in the Rio+20 process.

"Twenty years ago leaders inspired the world. Now they need to be fearless in the face of this crisis," Gustavsson said.

WWF came to this years' G-20 Summit with two specific asks:

1)    End fossil fuels subsidies

Three years ago at the Pittsburgh G20, Heads of State pledged to reform fossil fuels subsidies for the first time. Since then there has been little progress and no concrete action on the issue.

2)    Mobilise finance for climate change and sustainable development

WWF asked G20 leaders to affirm pledges and innovative sources for sustainable development, including climate change finance. In these difficult economic times, countries need to agree to mobilise financing through innovative mechanisms such as carbon pricing in international shipping and aviation and financial transaction taxes.

"WWF is encouraged to see an acknowledgement to structurally transform economies to become low carbon, the creation of the study group on climate finance and the welcoming of the OECD/UN/World Bank report on green growth and structural reforms. We were also encouraged to see a new focus on clean energy with a focus on renewable energies and an accountability approach to fossil fuels", said Vanessa Pérez-Cirera, WWF-Mexico Climate Director.

"However, there are no clear commitments and targets on any of these fronts. While recognizing the voluntary nature of the forum, the forum needs to set benchmarks to be able to show any substantial and long-lasting contribution to solving the most serious financial, economic and environmental crisis of our time", Pérez-Cirera concluded.

For interviews, please contact:

Ian Morrison, ian.morrison@wwfus.org, +1 (202) 372-6373.

Jenny Zapata, WWF-Mexico, +52(1)55 40148410, jzapata@wwfmex.org.

WWF: Rio+20 Negotiating Text is colossal failure of leadership and vision

2012-06-19

WWF Director General Jim Leape today issued the following statement on the negotiating text released this morning by Brazil:

"Despite a late night negotiating session, the revised text is a colossal failure of leadership and vision from diplomats. They should be embarrassed at their inability to find common ground on such a crucial issue.

"Now it's up to world leaders to get serious about sustainable development and save this process. If they approve what's on the table now without significant changes, they've doomed Rio+20 to ridicule.

"While some weak words have been removed, diplomats have swapped them with toothless language. This includes tongue twisters like 'commit to the progressive realization' and several promises to 'recognize' problems and solutions.

"They've added some positive actions around oceans protection. But, the text has lots of words that 'commit' parties to nothing – such as 'commit to promote' and 'commit to systematically consider.'"

"Two years and one late night of negotiations later, diplomats in Rio are letting the world down.

"We're hoping that doesn't happen for all the hard work that's been leading up to this moment, and more importantly for the health of the people and the planet.

"World leaders 'recognized' problems 20 years ago, and they've done little about them since. How long are we going to accept 'we'll look into it' as a solution?"

Details on this morning's WWF action:

Earlier this morning world leaders, Heads of State and government negotiators attending Rio+20 were greeted on their way into the Summit by a large "Get SeRIOus+20" and "#LevemaSéRIO+20" banner hung from a giant hot air balloon, belonging to WWF, positioned beside the main route into the Summit.

Free, print quality images of the WWF banner and balloon are available for download from:

For more information contact:

Caroline Behringer
P: +55-21-8257-8852, (Rio - local)
P: +1-202-344-0852 (Rio - int'l)
@CaroBehr, @WWFnews

Brazil and Mexico leaders key to fate of sustainable development vision

2012-06-19

World leaders have four days to hash out a sustainable development vision, which is rapidly disintegrating in the Rio+20 negotiations – and Mexico and Brazil hold the keys to breaking the current political deadlock.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon is hosting G20 leaders in Los Cabos to address global economic and financial stability – a crucial platform to determine how countries can move beyond the traditional and narrow way of measuring growth and stability by taking into account social and environmental factors.

"Shadowed by worsening ecological and financial crises, world leaders have the opportunity in Los Cabos to change the way we measure growth to better account for social and environmental wealth," said Lasse Gustavsson, head of WWF's Rio+20 delegation. "To be meaningful, these indicators must be clear and comparable at the international level."

From Los Cabos, many G20 leaders will fly directly to Rio de Janeiro where, 20 years after the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, Brazil President Dilma Rousseff will host more than 120 Heads of States and governments. Negotiators in Rio are working – and currently failing – towards developing a common vision for a sustainable future.

"At this point, the G20 Summit and the Rio+20 Earth Summit are entirely intertwined – and the success of both processes rests on the skills of the Mexican and Brazilian leadership. Success at the G20 today would significantly invigorate the Rio+20 negotiations, where language on going beyond GDP and fossil fuel subsidy reform is on the table."

Failure to move on these critical issues would also represent a missed opportunity to showcase the G20's role as a responsible and constructive global actor.

Talks are presently uninspiring in Rio, focusing on process rather than substance, two years after first negotiations began on "the future we want". One of the major outcomes of Rio+20 would be a credible and effective process to Sustainable Development Goals and the naming of key thematic areas now.

"Ultimately, we are in desperate need of a high-level political mandate to deliver a successful outcome in Rio+20 – and this discussion needs to start among world leaders at the G20 under the leadership of Mexico," Gustavsson said.

An end to fossil Fuels subsidies

Three years ago at the Pittsburgh G20, Heads of State pledged to reform fossil fuels subsidies for the first time. Since then there has been little progress and no concrete action. WWF calls on the G20 leaders to commit to end environmentally harmful fossil fuel subsidies and redirect these funds towards renewable, sustainable solutions.

"World leaders coming to Rio need to show their support for sustainable development by phasing out harmful fossil fuel subsidies completely and investing in a more sustainable future" added Gustavsson. "We call on governments to now deliver on past pledges, with transparent reporting to quantify existing subsidies and progress to date, and an action plan with concrete dates to phase out harmful fossil fuel subsidies".

Mobilising finance

WWF is also calling on G20 leaders to affirm pledges and innovative sources for sustainable development, including climate finance. In these difficult economic times, countries need to update public finances in an efficient way and this could include auctioning allowances or levies on emissions from the marine and aviation sector. These new forms of financing would activate financial flows and ensure additional income for governments while addressing key environmental issues. Just before the Rio+20 Conference opens, such a move would motivate decision-makers at Rio+20, showing there is scope for marshalling the resources necessary for sustainable development, even under current economic conditions.

For more information contact

Chris Chaplin, WWF International, cchaplin@wwf.sg, + 65 9826 3802

Rio+20 heroes and blockers: WWF country asks 06/18/12

2012-06-18

It's crunch time and the actions of a few governments over this week will either save or break these negotiations and, ultimately, save or break the future of the planet we all depend on.

WWF has identified the potential heroes and blockers, as well as those that are on the fence, and our experts can speak to each of these in more detail.

POTENTIAL HEROES

•    Brazil – As the host country and President of this session, Brazil has the ability to drive this process to a more successful outcome by not accepting a least common denominator agreement. But at the moment, they have pushed out a compromise text that compromises our future. Brazil President Dilma Roussef needs to step in immediately and give this process a boost, or 20 years from now, we'll remember Brazil as the country where the world gathered and failed to secure a sustainable world. She must use the opportunity of the G20 tomorrow to lift the talks to the highest political level with other heads of state.

•    EU – The EU has historically been a champion on a range of environmental issues, but they need to be more active in making the link between environment, poverty eradication and sustainable development, especially related to their own internal budget policy. We need the EU, led by the Danish Government, to lead by example and break the political deadlock in these negotiations. They also need to be brave on new sources of finance, such as Financial Transaction Taxes (FTTs) and the removal of agricultural and fossil fuel subsidies.

•    Mexico – Mexico is part of a new global leadership paradigm within emerging economies on environmental and development issues. We need them to use this leadership position to act as a broker between governments on the need for a new green economy that goes beyond GDP and incorporates sustainable development measures.

•    Africa Group – The Africa Group statements go a long way towards recognizing the role nature plays in development and poverty eradication. A number of countries in the group are already making progress towards indicators that go beyond GDP in measuring the health of an economy. They are progressive on forest protection and are calling for Zero Net Deforestation.

ON THE FENCE

•    G20 Leaders – The G20 leaders are meeting in Mexico and will be discussing issues that could significantly impact the outcome of Rio+20. In particular, we need these leaders to revisit their 2009 pledge to reform fossil fuel subsidies. World leaders should agree to transparent annual reporting and review on subsidy reforms leading to the elimination of by 2020 of all subsidies that negatively impact the environment, in particular fossil fuel subsidies. They also need to agree to set up clear and comparable national indicators that go beyond GDP. We cannot achieve economic stability without long-term sustainable development.

•    India – India needs to acknowledge and act on the knowledge that environmental protection contributes to, and is necessary, for sustainable development, human well-being and poverty alleviation – which are all goals that the country aspires to. They have the ability to lead on issues such as sustainable river flows and energy access.

•    China – China has recognized the need to incorporate environmental health indicators into their overall development measurements and has been taking numerous actions at home to develop more sustainably. They need to bring this knowledge and experience into this forum so that a common vision can be constructed that allows for comparable methodologies to be adopted by all countries for the benefit of everyone.

•    United States – The U.S. is still on the fence, but has largely played a spoiler role in this process calling for a weak and non-committal outcome. They need to stop blocking one of the most promising outcomes of Rio, namely an implementation agreement to protect the health of our oceans. They also have the ability to lead on green accounting and the long-term protection of the benefits nature provides for people, such as clean air and water.

BLOCKERS

•    Major Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC) – Major oil exporters from Latin America to the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Qatar, are stopping an agreement on phasing out fossil fuel subsidies. Globally, these subsidies are at least $750 billion USD – all going to dirty fuels that drive climate change. And generally, fossil fuel subsidies don't do a lot to help the poor. Only 8% of $409 billion USD in consumption subsidies actually went to the poorest 20% of the world's population. Governments should instead target this money on a just transition to renewable energy, and on poverty alleviation.

•    Canada – Canada has blocked progress so far in every realm at Rio +20. Canada refuses to acknowledge any differences in responsibility between developed and developing countries, is blocking on any new financing and generally seem unwilling to make any concessions within this process. This is a negotiation, and yet it's not clear anyone from Canada has any mandate to move in any way on any issue. Canada appears disinterested in measures to safeguard the environment. So, why are they here?

WWF, ITUC appeal to Dilma to save faltering Rio+20 negotiations

2012-06-18

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: WWF and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) are urging Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff to step in and save the faltering Rio+20 negotiations.

Deliberations – currently being led by host country Brazil – are falling flat and have produced a very weak negotiating document, eliminating any urgency around the need for sustainable development, WWF and ITUC said.

With only a week to save face and produce a strong outcome in Rio+20, WWF and ITUC are asking President Rousseff to use her influence as leader of the negotiations' host country to reinvigorate the process and tell her Brazil delegation to pressure negotiators to deliver results.

"The planet is running out of time – yet leaders are answering with weak words that don't even come close to the kind of commitments we need to ensure people everywhere have access to clean water, food, and energy," said Jim Leape, Director General of WWF International. "The current negotiating text may be called 'the future we need', but it certainly doesn't have the commitments we need. There is still time for leaders to step up - and we need Dilma to lead the way."

Central to the discussions at Rio is the need to address the inter-linkages between food, water and energy. Rapid economic development and per-capita consumption around the world is burning up more natural resources than are available. With demands for food, water and energy continuing to rise - particularly in rapidly developing nations including Brazil and China - the inertia on show now at Rio is putting the future of the planet at risk - along with the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people.

Decent and green jobs

General Secretary of the ITUC Sharan Burrow says the current Rio text does not even come close to addressing desperately needed action that will ensure the creation of decent and green jobs and social protection for all. Recent ITUC research shows that 48 million jobs could be directly created in 12 countries if green investment was lifted to 2 per cent of national GDP every year, over the next five years.

"Governments must agree on concrete actions that will translate as binding agreements and that will ensure the eradication of poverty, respect for social and trade union rights, and the protection of the environment", said Sharan Burrow. "We must come out of Rio with a clear commitment to social protection for all by 2030 and the necessary resources to implement it in the poorest countries. Without these concrete commitments, as the foundations for a new model of development, we will leave Rio with worse than "business as usual", it will be a huge opportunity lost".

WWF and the ITUC believe Rio+20 can be a success if Parties commit to:

Deliver a strong political mandate and inclusive process to develop Sustainable Development Goals to 2030 in a single-track approach with the post-2015 MDG framework, with key areas on food, water, energy, decent work and social protection named.
Develop national indicators to measure environmental performance that are clear and comparable internationally
Recognize the value of natural wealth by integrating social and environmental costs into policy and decision making.
Launch a strategy on sustainable employment, aimed at reducing unemployment, eliminating precarious work and creating decent and green jobs.
Launch a global social protection programme that takes into account the three pillars of sustainable development and aims at achieving universal coverage by 2030.
Launch as soon as possible negotiations of an implementing agreement to United Nation Convention on Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS) to address sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
Means to implement the above commitments according to common but differentiated responsibilities

For more information contact:

WWF: Chris Chaplin, WWF International, cchaplin@wwf.sg, + 65 9826 3802

ITUC: Alex Praça alexandre.praca@csa-csi.org tel. +55 11 2104 0771 fax +55 11 2104 0751

Weak words winning out at Rio+20

2012-06-18

"No political miracle in sight" is the judgment of WWF on the first attempt at a compromise negotiating text by the Brazilian Government at Rio+20, released Saturday evening.

WWF Head of Delegation Lasse Gustavsson said:

"While we think some of the new text is a good base for the future, such as the language on oceans, we see a lopsided victory of weak words over action words – with the weak words winning out at 514 to 10.

"Diplomats now only have a few days to salvage this process before world leaders show up.

"We're hoping they've stocked up on coffee and sleep because they've got some long nights ahead of them if they want to avoid embarrassing their bosses.

"The negotiating text is peppered throughout with words like 'support,' 'encourage' and 'promote,' and is very short on strong language like 'must' and 'will.'

"'Encourage' is used approximately 50 times, while the word 'must' is used three times. Apparently, negotiators really like the word 'support' – they used it approximately 99 times – but can't bear to use language like 'we will,' which appears only five times.

"The weak words appear in the parts of the text we most need hardened up – the section on green economy launches a process which they already launched in 1992. The language around much needed sustainable development goals and the language around energy, which could have been written by the oil and gas industry, also fall short.

"We don't need meaningless pages right now. What we need is a manual to save the world."

On the G20 Summit:

"Meanwhile, world leaders attending the G20 Summit this week in Mexico will be discussing issues that could significantly impact the outcome of Rio+20. With the pace of negotiations here caught in political quicksand, we need world leaders in Mexico to give Rio a boost.

"In particular, we're looking to world leaders in Mexico to revisit their 2009 G20 pledge in Pittsburgh to reform fossil fuel subsidies. The reform of environmentally harmful subsidies is a strong area for success at Rio+20.

"The G20 is an economic and financial stability forum – and there is no way to achieve economic stability without long-term sustainable development."

Emerging countries set to determine Rio+20 outcome

2012-06-15

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: In a historic power shift, many emerging economy leaders are heading this week to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20, while domestic concerns keep most developed country leaders at home.

Nearly all European heads of state are staying away, ostensibly for a meeting on the economy of Greece. But if they don't get the future challenges right in Rio they will soon need crisis meetings on the economy of the globe as we exceed planetary boundaries, warns WWF.

"This is the largest UN conference in history – and also for the first time in history we are seeing emerging countries take over leadership and determine the outcome. It is an exciting moment and one which will be looked back on and analysed for years to come," said Lasse Gustavsson, Executive Director of Conservation at WWF International.

"If world leaders are really worried about the economy, they should be at Rio+20. Instead of being here and investing in the future, Europeans are staying away and investing in debt," said Gustavsson.
Other developed country heads of state are also shunning Rio+20 including Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, and US President Barack Obama.

The global economic recovery will be based on providing food, water and energy for all people across the world. Jobs will be created in services, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism and others sectors based on nature and biodiversity.

"If our natural resource base collapses, the global economy collapses with it. Engaging in the unique Rio+20 process is the best investment in the future, both for developed and emerging economies," said Gustavsson. "Emerging economies have 46.19 per cent of the world population and represent 27.32 per cent of the world economy – and now they are moving to influence global political power too – while Greece has only 0.37 per cent of the world economy. Go figure."

WWF is calling on leaders at Rio+20 to agree on ambitious plans that value natural wealth in national accounting, cut perverse subsidies, and move towards the adoption of Sustainable Development Goals to carry forward a bold green and fair development agenda to 2030.

Australia creates world's biggest marine park network on eve of Rio+20 summit

2012-06-14

Australia today created the world's biggest network of marine protected areas, setting an important precedent for ocean protection as countries prepare to meet for the Rio+20 meeting on sustainable development.

WWF welcomed the new system of marine parks that would now cover more than one third of the Commonwealth waters of Australia – a milestone that WWF has been working towards for more than 15 years. The jewel in the crown of the new network is the Coral Sea marine park that, together with the adjacent Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, will make up the world's largest marine park.

WWF-Australian CEO Dermot O'Gorman said Australia has the third largest ocean territory in the world that stretches from the tropics to the sub-Antarctic and is home to incredible creatures such as whales, dolphins, turtles and sharks as well as spectacular corals and other ecosystems.

Gov's historic announcement this AM on expansion of #Marine Protected Areas big step forward for our marine environment & the #futurewewant!
— Dermot O'Gorman (@DermotOz) June 14, 2012

"By declaring more than one third of its waters as marine parks, Australia has made a major advance in marine conservation that is both nationally and globally significant. Coming on the eve of the Rio+20 summit on sustainable development, this is an inspiring outcome for other countries to follow," Mr O'Gorman said.

"In recent times the Australian Government has made it clear that it aspires to be a global leader in marine conservation. Today's decision helps meet this aspiration and WWF looks forward to hearing how Australia will assist other countries in our region to better manage their marine resources at the Rio +20 summit.

"In places like the Coral Triangle and the Pacific, oceans support an incredible diversity of life and provide food security for millions of people.

"WWF's vision is for there to be a network of marine parks from the freezing waters of the Southern Ocean to the teeming coral reefs of the tropics."

"Marine sanctuaries provide areas where wildlife can feed and breed and help ensure the food security of millions of people who rely on the ocean for their daily sustenance and livelihoods.

"The oil spills and ship groundings in recent years have shown the range of threats facing our oceans. It is important that we get the balance right by ensuring places are set aside for conservation as well as having well-managed, ocean use."

The Australian network of marine protected areas was announced by the Australian Environment Minister Tony Burke in Sydney today and incorporates places like the reefs of the Coral Sea and the deep sea areas off Western Australia.

In welcoming the announcement, WWF expressed some concern that some of Australia's most critical marine environments had been excluded from the marine park and left vulnerable to industrial exploitation.

"While this is a big step forward, oil and gas rigs are still moving closer to places like the stunning Rowley Shoals and Ningaloo Reef off Western Australia," Mr O'Gorman said.

For more information contact

Daniel Rockett, Senior Media Officer, +61 432 206 592, drockett@wwf.org.au

Rio+20 must ensure a future that is both sustainable and fair

2012-06-11

Gland, Switzerland: - On 20-22 June world leaders will gather at Rio+20, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Brazil, in what presents a unique opportunity to develop and plan a sustainable future for all. Decisions made in Rio can shape the global environment agenda for the next decade and beyond. The Earth Summit, in 1992, delivered important commitments – yet since then not enough has been achieved and environmental progress has been slow.

Financial crises worldwide have cast a shadow over this conference but Rio+20 is a chance for leaders to commit to a sustainable future for generations to come, and one which puts the wellbeing of humans at the heart of the agenda.

"Over the past few years we have seen how reckless mismanagement of the world's financial capital can wreak havoc in society, and yet we are treating the Earth's finite natural capital in a similarly dangerous way," said Jim Leape, Director General of WWF International. "Rio+20 needs to set a new course for the global economy, sustaining the natural capital we will require to meet the food, water and energy needs of the future."

Food, water and energy security

Central to the discussions in Rio will be the need to address the inter-linkages between food, water and energy. Despite some progress since the Earth Summit in 1992, environmental threats are far outpacing solutions. WWF's Living Planet Report 2012 shows we are already overusing our planet's resources and that nations need to react immediately to reduce a dangerously ever-rising ecological footprint.

Basic services are not available to a large proportion of the world's population. Around 0.9 billion people lack access to water for basic needs, 2.6 billion lack access to safe sanitation and clean water, close to 1 billion are undernourished and 1.5 billion are without access to modern forms of energy. Demands for food, water and energy continue to rise while climate change and population growth take their toll.

"To meet the challenges we have to conserve the Earth's natural capital – the wealth of its biodiversity and ecosystems," said Lasse Gustavsson, Executive Director of Conservation, WWF International. "For years, organizations, governments and businesses have seen food, water and energy security as distinct issues. But if we are to achieve access to adequate and safe food, water and energy, we need to take an integrated approach."

The links between food, water and energy are multiple. Growing the food needed to feed people will require energy and water. Providing some forms of energy requires water, and making water safe for consumption requires energy to clean it and then to distribute it. Climate change – caused by our unsustainable use of fossil fuels and deforestation – affects food production and the availability of water. WWF points to the need for a better management of the world's natural resources including the protection of freshwater systems, a reduction in waste in the production and distribution of food and a more informed use of water, land and other resources. There needs to be stronger political commitment and an enabling framework to carry out this transformation.

In particular, WWF calls for access to food, water and energy security for all by 2030, with ambitious goals underpinned by social, economic and environmental considerations. These could include:

Affordable and fair access to a safe food supply,
Additional investment and policies on sustainable agriculture and food,
Well-managed freshwater and related ecosystems
Affordable and fair access to safe water and improved sanitation

Policy measures aimed to deliver sustainable access to energy for all by 2030, including at least 40% of sustainable renewable energy in the global energy mix by 2030, and renewable, reliable and affordable energy to those who live in energy poverty.

Urgent action is needed to protect our planet and deliver a credible vision and plan for a sustainable future. A strong and ambitious agreement must come out of Rio+20 with clear timelines and goals.

"We can build a prosperous future for people and planet, but only if everyone steps up to do their part – community leaders and heads of state, consumers and CEOs," said Leape. "At Rio+20, we look to world leaders to come together in a shared commitment to set the world on a different path. And we look to leaders of all kinds to come together in coalitions of the committed, finding ways to drive sustainability into their regions, their industries, their cities and all of our lives."

Valuing Nature

Rio+20 presents leaders with a pivotal opportunity to recognize and better embed the value of natural capital into our global economic development. We need to "measure what we treasure":

- Rio+20 should deliver a set of clear, transparent and comparable indicators to measure the quality of the environment. Indicators currently exist for two of the three dimensions of sustainable development (social and economic) but not for the environment.

- Leaders in Rio should "green" Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by putting an economic value on natural capital. Companies and governments must be required to report and reflect the environmental costs of their activities into national accounts and corporate balance sheets.

Sustainable Development Goals

WWF welcomes the concept of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a means to address the critical and interlinked challenges facing the development agenda to 2030. The new goals should cover a number of priority areas such as oceans, food, water and energy and apply to all countries. The goals would be the drivers of sustainability and should clarify how the three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental – depend on each other.

The SDGs would follow on from the Millennium Development Goals, which are due to end in 2015. They would need to have time-bound targets for implementation to address the challenge of food, water and energy security in the context of a healthy global environment – and have indicators that countries can put into practice according to national circumstances.

Perverse Subsidies

All subsidies that negatively impact the environment should be eliminated; particularly those that drive fossil fuel production and use, and unsustainable agriculture and fisheries. The process of elimination should include transparent annual reporting and review and should result in elimination by 2020 at the latest.

Big investments needed in Asia-Pacific's dwindling natural capital

2012-06-05

Manila, Philippines – Booming economic development and per-capita consumption across the Asia-Pacific region is burning up more natural resources than are available, placing enormous pressure on the region's already heavily taxed forests, rivers and oceans, says a new WWF report on the value of Asia's natural capital.

Produced in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Ecological Footprint and Investment in Natural Capital in Asia and the Pacific report – a regional perspective on elements of the recently-released Living Planet Report – focuses on attainable methods of preserving key regional ecosystems including the unique forests of Borneo, the marine wealth of the Coral Triangle, the Mekong region's diverse habitats, as well as the mountainous Eastern Himalayas.

Open publication

"Across the Asia-Pacific region, the gap between human demand for natural resources and the environment's ability to replenish those resources is widening," said WWF's Director General Jim Leape. "In 2008, the natural resources available per person, in places as diverse as the Eastern Himalayas and Mekong river basin, shrunk by about two thirds compared to 1970. Tragically, the rate of species loss was about twice the global average over this period," he added.

The new report uses the Living Planet Index (LPI) to measure changes in the health of ecosystems across the Asia-Pacific region. The global index fell by 28 per cent from 1970 and 2008, while the Indo-Pacific region saw a shocking 64 per cent decline in key populations of species over the same period.

"The Indo-Pacific realm has undergone the most rapid economic and demographic transition of any region in the world since 1970," said Jonathan Loh from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the organization that keeps track of the index. "Across most of tropical Asia and the Pacific, the population grew from about 1.2 billion to 2.6 billion, which is alone enough to double the pressures placed on the area's natural resources. Coupled with the dramatic increase in per capita consumption across the entire Asia-Pacific region, it becomes clear that reversing this downward trend needs systemic changes to our economies and the way we produce and consume natural resources," he added.

Asia's biggest footprints: the individual and the nation

Australia, Singapore, Mongolia, South Korea, New Zealand, Japan, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and China round out the top 10 Ecological Footprints per capita in the Asia-Pacific region.

Asia-Pacific residents still consume on average close to 60 per cent less than the global average of over one and half planets per person, but major disparities exist. The per-capita Ecological Footprint of Australia, for example, is the highest in the region – 14 times larger than Timor-Leste.

From a national level, China has the largest footprint of all the countries of Asia and the Pacific, due to its large population. China and India, the report says, are likely to experience the greatest increase in overall Ecological Footprint by 2015, representing 37 per cent of the projected global footprint.

"Over the next 20 years, hundreds of millions of new consumers will be added to those already living in Asia and the Pacific today – driving up demand for energy, food, metals, and water," said Jim Leape. "We need to create mechanisms that make protecting those resources the right economic choice for the communities that use and depend on them."

Regional solutions for the health of the planet

The Ecological Footprint and Investment in Natural Capital in Asia and the Pacific report outlines four key solutions that are working to reverse the declining Living Planet Index in four major regions: the Heart of Borneo, the Coral Triangle, the Greater Mekong sub-region and the Eastern Himalayas. All of these areas are extremely important as they provide millions of people with food, water and energy – and harbour countless valuable species of plants and animals.

Policies that recognize the importance of the environment early on in the planning process is one part of the equation, says the report, as are well-funded and monitored marine and terrestrial protected areas. Payment for ecosystem services under programmes such as REDD also play an important role, as do private-sector sustainability initiatives. For example, many businesses in the region are already showing how sustainably produced commodities – including cotton, soy, palm oil, fish and timber – bring big gains for people and also the environment.

"We must move toward deeper structural and systemic change in the way goods are manufactured and services provided," said ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda. "The green economy itself can become an engine of growth and the driver for a new generation of green jobs—bringing a higher quality of life."

Rio+20

Released on World Environment Day and only three weeks before the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the Ecological Footprint and Investment in Natural Capital in Asia and the Pacific report presents a solution-oriented look at what leaders attending the Earth Summit need to focus on most – reconfirming their commitment to creating a sustainable future.

"The challenges presented in the Asia-Pacific footprint report show us that we are living beyond our means. But it also clearly identifies attainable solutions that build on the strength of partnerships at local, regional and international levels," said Leape. "Rio+20 offers governments, businesses and civil society a unique opportunity to develop even more innovative solutions to ensuring we preserve the natural wealth of our planet," he added.

ADB and WWF have worked in partnership since 2001 on mainstreaming environment in development and supporting the countries of Asia and the Pacific in conserving their natural capital.

WWF concerned Rio talks may collapse

2012-06-05

Gland, Switzerland: Two weeks out from the 20-year reprise of the Rio Earth Summit, and two years after negotiations started, global conservation organization WWF issued a World Environment Day warning that failures of commitment, failures of process and failures of leadership could lead to the collapse of talks on achieving a long-term sustainable world.

"Currently we are a long way from where we need to be in these negotiations," said WWF Director General, Jim Leape. "Heads of State still have a unique opportunity in Rio to set the world on a path to sustainable development – but they need to step up their game dramatically. As things currently stand, we are facing two likely scenarios – an agreement so weak it is meaningless, or complete collapse. Neither of these options would give the world what it needs."

An extra week given over to negotiations fell into disarray over the weekend as the talks fractured into 19 separate dialogues with internal disagreements on the processes to be followed. "Country positions are still too entrenched and too far apart to provide a meaningful draft agreement for approval by an expected 120 Heads of State," said Leape.

The most recent text was a significant weakening of previous drafts, particularly in the areas of valuing natural wealth, energy and ocean protection, and even that was privately rejected by a number of delegations.

"When they gather in Rio, governments must restrain the flow of weasel words that is threatening to emasculate any agreement," said Leape. "They are not helping their people or the planet by 'noting', 'recognising' or 'emphasising'. We need to see time-bound commitment and action words like 'will', 'must' and 'deliver'," said Leape.

"These talks about our common future risk being strangled by short-term views focused on national interests that are to nobody's long-term benefit. Governments must come out of their corners, and together embrace a bold vision for a better future for all – and do what it takes to get there."

WWF's recent Living Planet Report warned that the world currently consumes 1.5 planets worth of resources, with Rio+20 being one of the most immediate and potentially influential opportunities to equitably bring consumption to sustainable levels.

While rescuing the Rio talks will be difficult, leaders need to deliver a clear political mandate to ensure food, water and energy security for all by 2030. Concretely, this means agreeing to integrate the value of nature into national and corporate accounting standards, eliminating harmful subsidies, agreeing to Sustainable Development Goals and strong regimes to protect oceans.

Heads of State can deliver concrete outcomes by instructing foreign ministers and delegations to focus on points of agreement rather than points of difference. "This is a matter of urgency – and we need our political leaders to show they mean business by quickly coming to agreement on the fundamental changes in the way economies are managed to protect our future," said Leape.

Status quo is not an option says WWF

2012-04-23

World governments are meeting in New York this week for a final round of negotiations to decide the priorities for the Rio+20 Summit taking place in June this year.

The negotiations will be the best and last chance that we have to influence the agenda for Rio+20.

New text presented by the co-chairs to the Summit and released on April 23, will serve as a basis for the negotiators gathering in New York and will set the level of ambition for Rio.

The text will also be examined in parallel with the Zero Draft which was produced earlier this year. WWF welcomes some of the text's forward-looking ideas for achieving sustainable development including the important inter-linkages made between economic, social and environmental dimensions and moving beyond GDP but believes the text lacks urgency and clear specific targets and timelines for actions.

Leaders must be more ambitious

With only 10 working days left for discussions before the text is presented to Rio, leaders need to be more ambitious about what they hope to achieve at this Summit.

"The negotiations this week in New York are crucial and the last chance for leaders to forge a strong outcome on sustainable development for the future. Rather than tinker around the edges of development we need leaders to embrace the urgency and provide clear commitments and targets which will help us achieve food, water and energy for all." said Lasse Gustavsson, Executive Director of Conservation, WWF International.

"We are living beyond our means and are distributing the proceeds inequitably: the poorest who rely most on the resources bear a disproportionate share of growing global demand whilst industrialised nations reap most of the benefits" said Gustavsson.

"Rio will be an historic opportunity for leaders to launch a vision and a plan that catalyses fundamental change in our economies towards environmental stability and more social and economic equity".

WWF is calling for political commitment:

To ensure fair and equitable access to food, water and energy for all; and
To deliver green economies that eradicate poverty and promote sustainable development.

Key factors for a Green Economy include:

The valuing of natural resources. Governments and policy leaders need to go beyond GDP and recognise the true value of natural wealth to "measure what we treasure". The sustainable management of natural wealth requires that its value is properly reflected in national accounts (GDP) and in corporate balance sheets and reporting. WWF also calls for clear and comparable national indicators for environmental quality: the air we breathe, the water we drink and the forests we strive to conserve.
The elimination of perverse subsidies. Particularly in these times of economic crisis, we need to eliminate all subsidies that negatively impact the environment, particularly those underpinning fossil fuel use, unsustainable agriculture and fisheries. Appropriate measures should be taken to offset any regressive impact.
Sustainable Developmental Goals. Global leaders need to agree universally applicable, multi-dimensional and equitable sustainable goals that encompass the environmental, social and economical dimensions of sustainable development. These goals would complement the Millennium Development goals and would measure progress towards sustainable patterns of living. They would include indicators encompassing the environmental, social and economical dimensions of sustainable development.

"Future We Want" proposals are not the future we need: WWF

2012-01-12

Gland, Switzerland – The first negotiating draft for the Rio+20 summit on sustainable development has the direction right, but the magnitude wrong, global environmental organization WWF said today.

"The Future We Want" Zero Draft acknowledges the need for poverty eradication, food security, and measures of progress towards sustainable development, but has few practical measures to enable the world to meet challenges in balancing competing global food, water and energy needs over the next 10 years.

"This document recognizes that countries have failed to act effectively on the environment and development over the last two decades but its lack of binding commitments risks setting us up for another decade of failure," said Lasse Gustavsson, Executive Director, Conservation at WWF International.

"The proposed "Register of Voluntary Commitments" just will not get the world where it needs to be," he said.

WWF has identified the need to solve the "Food, Energy, Water" equation as crucial to the success of such a critical global conference intended to give the world a new sense of purpose in achieving sustainable development 20 years after the original Earth Summit. But this first negotiating draft for the Rio+20 summit is especially weak on water-related ambition.

"Rio 2012 could fail solely on the basis of what it does – or doesn't do – on freshwater," said Gustavsson. "At this point, the document isn't offering much more than a recommitment to sanitation systems."

"What we need is water management based on natural, not political boundaries; a commitment to protect and restore vital freshwater systems; protection for the forests that safeguard our water supplies; and to prepare the world for the major water supply impacts of climate change."

WWF welcomes the commitment to the sustainable management of marine and ocean resources, but is concerned there is no commitment to a sorely needed system of high seas protection, no workable safeguards for the sustainability of dwindling fish stocks, and no proposals for curtailing criminal exploitation of marine living resources.

"We welcome the fact that a number of priority issues have been addressed, including the need for government and business frameworks to develop green economies, a move towards low carbon development and the elimination of environmentally harmful subsidies," said Gustavsson.

Other WWF concerns:

· The proposals for change are based on "voluntary national commitments" – which are not legally binding and will not commit countries to meet any targets or to work within a given timeframe. Countries need to agree targets, timelines and funding that match the challenges they are tackling.

· The text on developing green economies fails to require bringing social and environmental costs into national accounts, tax measures and certification schemes.

· Proposals to tackle food, water and energy security need specific targets, concrete implementation measures and a clear funding agreement.

· The text fails to take into account the critical role of climate change, and of ecosystem services which are key factors underpinning the production of food, energy and water.

· Many of the proposals for change are vague and open-ended. For example there are no targets for stopping deforestation or goals for effective water management.