United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (RIO+20)The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) will take place from June 20 – 22 in Rio de Jainero, Brasil. It is a follow up conference of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD, Johannesburg, 2002) and the the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, also known as the Rio Summit, which took place in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Accordingly, UNCSD is also referred to as RIO+20.
The conference is one of the most important communication and negotiation platforms for formulating policy for sustainability issues on a global scale. It is not only attended by most head of states, but also by actors from the private sector and civil society. The objective of the (real) conference is to publish a focused political document and to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development and to assess past efforts.
The two main themes of RIO+20 are (a) a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication and (b) the institutional framework for sustainable development. More specifically, the seven critical issues are jobs, energy, cities, food, water, oceans and disasters. Accordingly, the two topics to be discussed at EuroMUN 2002 will be drawn from the sustainability agenda, but a little more specific to focus the discussions.
The debate will be prepared and complemented by interactive lectures by scientific staff from the Sustainability Centre (ICIS) Maastricht.
For more information, see also: www.uncsd2012.orgTopic Overview
Topic A: Towards a green economy – is GDP an outdated measurement of progress? Sustainable Development emphasizes a holistic, equitable and far-sighted approach to decision-making at all levels. It emphasizes not just strong economic performance but also intragenerational and intergenerational equity. It rests on integration and a balanced consideration of social, economic and environmental goals and objectives in both public and private decision- making. For many decades, however the dominating measurement of societal progress for decision- making has been the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Critiques say, that it overemphazises economic growth while neglecting environmental and social issues or externalities. Accordingly, it has the detrimental potential of steering societies towards an undesired state of the environment, society and even the economy. Alternatives, such as the Human Development Index and Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness Index exist. Nevertheless it is time to discuss this matter on a global scale in order to make a green world economy possible.
Topic B: The impact of climate change on food security Agriculture, forestry and fisheries can provide nutritious food for all and generate decent incomes, while supporting people-centred rural development and protecting the environment. The food production sector is an important element for development and is a major tool for poverty eradication. However, at this moment, the quality of our soils, waters, forests and biodiversity are being rapidly degraded. Climate change is putting even more pressure on the resources life depends on. Recent natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, droughts, hurricanes, tsunamis and more have had devastating impacts on people, environments and economies all around the world. These natural disasters afflicted the world’s poorest countries and have had a disastrous impact on the food and freshwater supply systems causing poverty and hindering development. In order to nourish the future generations, a major change in the global food supply system is necessary. Examples include: choices will have to be made concerning how and where we grow our food and how to distribute it. Policy measures will need to adapt to climate change risks and prevent their populations from future disasters