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Special Report on Selected Side Events at WSSD PC-III
UN Headquarters, New York; 25 March - 5 April 200
2
published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development
in cooperation with UNDP
<< visit the UNDP website >>

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Events convened on Tuesday, 2 April 2002


Water governance: Adapting to climate variability and change
Presented by UNDP
 

Left to right: Pavel Kabat, International Secretariat of the Dialogue on Water and Climate; Alvaro Umaña, UNDP; Roberto Lenton, International Research Institute for Climate Prediction; and Bill Cosgrove, International Steering Committee of the Dialogue on Water and Climate.

Alvaro Umaña, UNDP, emphasized that climate change is not only an environmental issue but also a critical development issue, whose impacts will be felt most severely in developing countries. He noted that water resources in many developing countries are particularly vulnerable to climate change. He emphasized that water is critically linked to meeting the Millennium Development Goals, and stressed the need to help countries develop frameworks for sustainable use of water resources, adapt to climate change, and integrate adaptation into national development planning and strategies for poverty eradication. He said many of these issues are related to water governance, and highlighted the Dialogue on Effective Water Governance, which is bringing stakeholders together to examine political processes and analyze water governance issues.
Listen to Umaña's presentation

Bill Cosgrove, International Steering Committee of the Dialogue on Water and Climate (DWC), explained that the DWC aims to improve capacity in water resources management to cope with the impacts of climate variability. Its objectives and outputs include, inter alia: synergies between water and climate communities; awareness raising for water resource managers and decision makers; guiding principles; and regional assessment and adaptation strategies.
Listen to Cosgrove's presentation
   
Pavel Kabat, International Secretariat of the DWC, explained that the DWC is facilitating national and basin-level multi-stakeholder dialogues that highlight examples of how adaptation and coping strategies are being applied in hotspots of vulnerability to climate change and variability. Current dialogues are addressing, inter alia: vulnerability and low capacity to cope with flooding in Bangladesh; combined impacts of land-use and climate variability in China's Yellow River basin; and sea-level rise in Pacific small islands.
Listen to Kabat's presentation


Roberto Lenton, International Research Institute for Climate Prediction, reiterated that the water crisis is mainly a crisis of governance, and stressed that effective water governance should address how water managers can better cope with climate variability and change. He highlighted the Global Water Partnership's Framework for Action Towards Water Security, and outlined additional issues requiring attention, including: improving mechanisms for decision making under uncertainty; strengthening links between the water management and climate communities; connecting the knowledge base to governing institutions; and forging partnerships and broader alliances that transcend water resources. He highlighted UNDP's comparative advantage in helping to address these issues, including through efforts to build cross-sectoral capacity, strengthen management and institutions, and promote partnerships.
Listen to Lenton's presentation
 
More information:
http://www.waterandclimate.org
http://iri.ldeo.columbia.edu
Contact:
Alvaro Umaña <alvaro.umana@undp.org>
Bill Cosgrove <wjcosgrove@compuserve.com>
Pavel Kabat <p.kabat@alterra.wag-ur.nl>

Roberto Lenton <rlenton@iri.ldeo.columbia.edu>

The way to Bali
Presented by Greenpeace International

Marcelo Furtado, Greenpeace Brazil, says that a major challenge ahead is to bridge the gap between reality and the "twilight zone" of negotiations at the WSSD.
Remi Parmentier, Greenpeace International, presented a letter signed by ten NGOs that calls on all environmental ministers to intervene in the WSSD process by providing much-needed political will and leadership and undertaking structured commitments to targets and timeframes, means of implementation and financial resources, institutional requirements, and monitoring and reporting. He announced the launch of a new Greenpeace website on the WSSD process.

Steve Sawyer, Greenpeace International, stressed that the WSSD will only achieve meaningful outcomes if the Kyoto Protocol is ratified, and recommended that the WSSD address access to clean and affordable energy and include an action plan to ensure high portfolio standards and redirect energy subsidies toward renewables.

Athena Ronquillo-Ballesteros, Greenpeace Southeast Asia, expressed pessimism about the ability of PrepCom III to generate positive results, but said a joint NGO lobbying effort could help ensure that clean and affordable energy is incorporated in the WSSD outcomes.

Mariam Mayet, Greenpeace South Africa, said that millions of people in Africa hope that the WSSD will have a positive impact on their lives, but noted that thus far there has been a disconnect between WSSD negotiations and real issues affecting people.

Marcelo Furtado, Greenpeace Brazil, stressed the need to address corporate accountability and the supremacy of international environmental agreements over WTO rules in the WSSD agenda.

Discussion: Participants agreed on the need for Type I outcomes on access to clean and affordable energy, and discussed the damaging effects of the US, Canada and Australia on the WSSD process and the critical role of the G-77/China in negotiations. The need for more aggressive lobbying was underscored.

More information:
http://www.greenpeace.org/earthsummit
 
Contact:
Remi Parmentier <remi.parmentier@diala.greenpeace.org>
Steve Sawyer <ssawyer@diala.greenpeace.org>
Athena Ronquillo-Ballesteros <athena@dialb.greenpeace.org>

Marcelo Furtado <mfurtado@dialb.greenpeace.org>

Indigenous peoples' assessment of ongoing negotiations
Presented by the Tebtebba Foundation
 
Lucy Mulenkei, African Indigenous Women's Organization, expresses dissatisfaction that indigenous peoples have been excluded from the civil society planning process for the WSSD in southern Africa.
This event evaluated the status of indigenous peoples' issues at PrepCom III and addressed ongoing concerns for indigenous peoples.

 
Stella Tamang, Nepal Temang Women Ghedung, presented an update on progress with indigenous peoples' agenda at the PrepCom, expressing dissatisfaction with the level of inclusion of indigenous peoples' language in the official documents.


Lucy Mulenkei, African Indigenous Women's Organization, highlighted difficulties faced by indigenous peoples of Africa, who receive less formal recognition than peoples in other regions. She underlined the low level of representation by African indigenous peoples within the WSSD process.

Moises Gutierez, Taype Ceqe, discussed indigenous peoples' experiences with water privatization in Bolivia, which include uprisings by indigenous peoples who want to restore the social, cultural and ritual values they associate with water.

Rodion Sulyandziga, Russian Indigenous Training Center, presented proposals for textual amendments to the Chairman's Paper that incorporate indigenous peoples' concerns, and expressed hope that the newly-established Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues would establish strong links with the WSSD process.

Joji Cariño, Tebtebba Foundation, addressed indigenous peoples' unique position among major groups in negotiating at the State level. She also stressed the need for prior informed consent for activities affecting indigenous peoples or lands, and emphasized the need to address imbalances in respect and power in partnership processes.

More information:
http://www.ritc.ru
http://www.tebtebba.org
Contact:
Stella Tamang <ps@tamang.wlink.com.np>
Lucy Mulenkei <mulenkei@yahoo.com>
Moises Gutierez <moisesgram@hotmail.com>
Rodion Sulyandziga <mail@ritc.ru>

Joji Cariño <tmgtmg@gn.apc.org>

Public finance instruments for urban environmental infrastructure
Presented by the US Environmental Protection Agency


Gersan Zurita, Fitch Ratings, explains that even if a country is poor, it does not have to be poorly managed, and highlights the need for transparency in public financial management.
At this event, panelists discussed creating municipal finance for environmental infrastructure in developing countries.

Heather Ruth, Finance and Public Policy Consulting, highlighted the need to increase environmental investments in developing countries based on lessons learned from developed country experiences. She highlighted challenges in this process, including: legal certainty; accounting standards; regulatory frameworks and enforceability of laws; willingness to adopt financial techniques; flexibility in using financial techniques; and economic and technological realism.

Gersan Zurita, Fitch Ratings, described barriers to investment initiatives in developing countries, including: lack of good management, transparency and communication among stakeholders; lack of clarity in relationships between public service companies; the amplitude of economic cycles; and the need for projects that fit economic development priorities.

Thomas Cochran, MBIA Insurance Corporation, stressed the fundamental need to develop indigenous capital markets, and the need for realism in terms of the economic, financial and ecological viability of projects.

Lynnette Hotchkiss, Bond Market Association, stated that increased urbanization requires greater investment in infrastructure and political change in developing countries. She said the US' experiences with innovative and flexible capital markets could help to overcome challenges in developing countries, including the lack of accounting standards, legal safeguards, and public finance experience; centralized governmental control and interference; financial difficulties; hyperinflation and foreign currency risks; and the need to tackle social agendas.

Charles Billand, The Communities Group (TCG) International, presented lessons learned from TCG's work on debt markets in India, including the need for commitment to financial reform at all levels, clear project formulation, municipal credit rating and accounting standards, and continuous follow-up on projects underway.

More information:
http://www.bondmarkets.com
http://www.thecommunitiesgroup.com
http://www.mbia.com
Contact:
Heather Ruth <heatherlruth@yahoo.com>
Gersan Zurita <gerzan.zurita@fitchratings.com>
Thomas Cochran <tom.cochran@mbia.com>
Lynnette Hotchkiss <lhotchkiss@bondmarkets.com>

Charles Billand <billand@thecommunitiesgroup.com>

Powering sustainable development
Presented by e7 in cooperation with UNDESA, UNEP and UNIDO

Nitin Desai, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, opened this event with a discussion of the importance of energy sustainability, stressing that "no power is more expensive than no power."

 
Jacqueline Aloisi de Larderel, UNEP, describes UNEP's Rural Energy Enterprise Development initiatives, which encourage entrepreneurship in sustainable energy services.
Shigeyuki Kuninobu, Tokyo Electric Power Company, described e7 as a partnership of electricity companies to promote sustainable energy development. He highlighted e7 projects in capacity building and technical assistance.


Dale Heydlauff, American Electric Power, outlined major goals of UNEP's WSSD electricity sector report, including the adoption of guidelines on best practices in energy sustainability and enhancement of global cooperation to expand electricity provision.

Christian Stoffaës, Electricité de France, said access to electricity is a precondition for  poverty eradication, and advocated recognition of the right to electricity for all.

Jacqueline Aloisi de Larderel, UNEP, described a proposed Global Network for Sustainable Energy, which would link existing regional centers for energy, environment and development issues to foster sharing of information and experience.

Irene Freudenschuss-Reichl, UNIDO, presented a UNIDO initiative on rural energy that incorporates information and communication technologies into renewable energy efforts.

Gurneeta Vasudeva, Tata Energy Research Institute, presented outcomes of the recent Delhi Sustainable Development Summit, including the need for major investments in natural as well as physical capital, and the importance of focusing poverty alleviation strategies on strengthening human and organizational capacity.

Other speakers described the sustainable energy activities of Droit à l'Energie - SOS Futur, a multi-stakeholder energy organization, UNDP, and the G-8 Task Force on Renewable Energy.

More information:
http://www.e7.org/
http://www.uneptie.org
http://www.energiesosfutur.org
Contact:
Shigeyuki Kuninobu <kuninobu.shigeyuki@tepco.co.jp>
Dale Heydlauff <deheydlauff@aep.com>
Christian Stoffaës <christian.stoffaes@edf.fr>
Jacqueline Aloisi de Larderel <j.aloisi@unep.fr>
Irene Freudenschuss-Reichl <freudenschuss-reichl@un.org>
Gurneeta Vasudeva <teri@igc.org>

Ecological values for development
Presented by the Temple of Understanding and the Tribal Link Foundation
 

Wangari Maathai, Green Belt Movement, stresses that human beings have a moral responsibility to protect the Earth for future generations.
Wangari Maathai, Green Belt Movement, explained that the Earth Charter consists of a set of values or principles to guide human beings in how to interact with the Earth in their daily lives. She shared experiences with how the Green Belt Movement has put the Charter's ecological values into practice in Kenya, including by: planting trees; raising awareness on the need to conserve indigenous local biodiversity of foods and tree species; promoting sustainable energy; fighting for open spaces in cities; advocating respect for human rights and basic freedoms; and encouraging participatory development. Maathai noted that despite progress in negotiating and enacting international environmental agreements, national governments continue with business as usual at home, and she stressed the need for political will at the national level to implement the Charter's values.

Gerald Barney, Millennium Institute, explained that the values incorporated into computer models used by the World Bank and the IMF for country assessment are in conflict with the values inherent in the Earth Charter and the Millennium Development Goals. He noted that these models consider only the costs but not the benefits of education, health and the environment. He introduced an alternative to these models, the Threshold 21 Integrated Model, which integrates social, economic and environmental issues; is country-driven, results-oriented and comprehensive; helps countries to set priorities and build partnerships; and employs long-term timeframes.
 

More information:
http://www.templeunderstanding.org
http://www.marionfoundation.org
http://www.millenniuminstitute.net
http://www.threshold21.com
Contact:
Wangari Maathai <wangari.maathai@yale.edu>
Gerald Barney <gbarney@threshold21.com>

The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) on the Side is a special publication of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The Editor of ENB on the Side is Kira Schmidt kira@iisd.org . This issue has been written by Tamilla Gaynutdinova miloin@yahoo.com, Jenny Mandel jenny@iisd.org and Kira Schmidt kira@iisd.org. The Digital Editors are Andrei Henry andrei@iisd.org, Leila Mead leila@iisd.org, Diego Noguera diego@iisd.org and Kenneth Tong ken@iisd.org. Funding for publication of ENB on the Side at PCIII is provided by UNDP. The opinions expressed in ENB on the Side are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of IISD and funders. Excerpts from ENB on the Side may be used in non-commercial publications only and only with appropriate academic citation. For permission to use this material in commercial publications, contact the Managing Editor at kimo@iisd.org . Electronic versions of issues of ENB on the Side from PC-III can be found on the Linkages WWW server at http://enb.iisd.org/2002/pc3/.


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