15.2.2013   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 44/64

1.1.1

The final document of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro this year (Rio+20 conference), ‘The future we want’, is weaker than the EESC would have liked. In particular, the urgency of the crisis situation on our planet has not been sufficiently taken into account. However, the final document contains several elements which can also be used as a basis in the EU. Particularly noteworthy is the global agreement on a ‘green economy’ as an important tool for sustainable development, including the social dimension, and the agreement on a process that is intended to lead to global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in close coordination with the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

1.1.2

The EESC is pleased at the strong civil society mobilisation in the run-up to and at the Rio+20 conference, which has led to the generation of many innovative ideas and new alliances.

1.1.3

The EESC fulfilled its mediating role between civil society and the EU institutions in the preparations for and during the Rio+20 conference. The efforts made by the EESC to promote civil society dialogue within and outside the European Union have been much appreciated by the other EU institutions.

1.2.1

The EESC believes that the Rio+20 follow-up process and the implementation of the Rio+20 decisions must be done with the involvement and participation of civil society. It therefore expressly welcomes all efforts made in this direction by the other institutions. As it did ahead of the Rio+20 conference, the EESC will continue to promote civil society dialogue on sustainability issues, also involving European civil society organisations and networks and the national economic and social councils and sustainable development councils.

1.2.2

The EESC will actively contribute to the development of global SDGs by promoting, as it did prior to the Rio+20 conference, civil society dialogue in the EU and with our civil society partners outside the EU. It will try in particular to bring together the actors from the SDG and MDG processes. Furthermore, the EESC can in particular draw on its experience and composition to contribute to the detailed design of the green economy, including the social dimension, as well as to the participation rights of civil society at global level.

1.2.3

The EESC welcomes the Council conclusions on Rio+20 of 25 October 2012, which announce ambitious follow-up measures to Rio+20 that will be effected by means of the Europe 2020 Strategy and the EU Sustainable Development Strategy, and the announced revision of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy. The EESC considers a broad civil society debate on sustainable development in the EU to be necessary and will continue to promote this in its future work.

2.1

In its opinion of 22 September 2011 on the Commission Communication Rio+20: towards the green economy and better governance (CESE 1386/2011) (1) the EESC contributed its ideas on the topics of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20 conference), scheduled for June 2012, to the interinstitutional decision-making process and adopted an action plan for the run-up to the Rio+20 conference. Its aim in particular was to promote European and non-European civil society dialogue on the Rio themes. The present opinion seeks to assess the Rio+20 conference in the light of the EESC's proposals and to identify prospects for follow-up measures.

2.2

The EESC adopted a twin-track approach to the Rio+20 conference.

2.2.1

At European level, the EESC sought dialogue with European civil society organisations and networks on the basis of its opinion adopted in September 2011, and in February 2012 it held a major civil society conference. This conference led to the adoption of a set of core requirements for the Rio negotiators, which were adopted by the EESC in the form of an opinion entitled the EESC position on the preparation of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) (CESE 486/2012) (2) in time for the establishment of the mandate by the European Council in March 2012. With this, the EESC justified its function as a mediator between European civil society and EU institutions.

2.2.2

In parallel to this, the EESC also discussed these topics bilaterally with its institutional partners, particularly in Brazil, China and Russia. At a multilateral meeting in May 2012 agreement was reached on some common key messages, which subsequently served in Rio de Janeiro as the basis for civil society dialogue with representatives of other countries.

2.3

At the Rio+20 conference the EESC played an active part in organising three well-attended events, two dialogues organised jointly with the Brazilian Economic and Social Development Council (CDES) on sustainability issues, one of which involved representatives of civil society from Brazil and the other representatives from all the BRICS countries; it also organised a session on models of civil society participation in the EU pavilion, with the participation of the president of the European Commission. The members of the EESC delegation were an integral part of the EU delegation at the Rio+20 conference, from which it was clear that there was also a wish for greater interinstitutional cooperation on the Rio follow-up measures.

3.1

The EESC is pleased to note that the final document of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro this year (Rio+20 conference), ‘The future we want,’ has documented the global commitment to sustainable development in its environmental, social and economic dimensions. The EESC regrets, however, that the results of the negotiations overall are less binding than called for by civil society and by the EESC in its opinions. In particular, the urgency of the situation on our planet has not been taken sufficiently into account. The EESC regrets that the final text does not mention the limits of our planet.

3.2

At the same time, the Rio+20 conference, however, has caused a broad mobilisation of civil society, which goes much further than what was negotiated at political level. This mobilisation now has to be further harnessed in the wake of Rio to further promote and shape the processes that Rio initiated. Rio was not only a meeting of political leaders, it was also the meeting place for the many willing and creative people who argue tirelessly for a paradigm shift in our economic action or launch and present countless concrete initiatives for restructuring.

3.3

The final document, however, contains several elements which can also be built upon in the EU. Particularly noteworthy is the global agreement on a ‘green economy’ as an important tool for sustainable development, including the social dimension, and the agreement on a process designed to lead to global SDGs in close coordination with the MDGs.

3.4

In the light of the EESC's core concerns in the run-up to the Rio+20 conference, the following comments can be made on the final document:

3.4.1

A major priority of the EESC for Rio+20 was combating poverty. The EESC argued for access to enough food, clean water and sustainable energy. This area plays a major role in the final document, though for many the funding issues have not been sufficiently clarified. The MDGs and commitments were reaffirmed. The EESC regrets, however, the lack of emphasis on the rights of women.

3.4.2

The next priority of the EESC for Rio+20 was the social dimension of the transformation. The EESC argued for a fair transition to a more sustainable economy and therefore welcomes the first mention of this in a UN text. The EESC also welcomes the references in the final document to the recognition of the social partners, and in particular workers, as active agents in favour of change, the affirmation of decent work and gender equality, the recognition of education and training and the positive mention of the role that minimum social standards can play.

3.4.3

In the run-up to Rio+20, and also at the conference itself, the EESC repeatedly stressed the need for the effective participation of civil society. The Rio text here contains some positive developments. The EESC would, however, have liked the general statements to be fleshed out in more detail, e.g. with regard to the integration of multi-stakeholder forums, such as economic and social councils, into the development of national policies for a sustainable economy. In respect of another governance-related proposal which the EESC supported, the introduction of an ombudsman for future generations to take into account the long-term perspective necessary for sustainable policies, the conference asked the UN secretary-general for further analysis.

3.4.4

As regards its other core concerns, the EESC welcomes the agreement on a ten-year framework for sustainable consumption and production patterns, the mention of the principle of the conservation of resources, the announcement that GDP must be complemented by other indicators, and the recognition of role of businesses.

4.1

The EESC is convinced that the success of the Rio+20 conference will be seen only when the decisions taken in Rio and the processes launched are implemented. It believes that this must be done with the involvement and effective participation of civil society.

4.2

At the start of this year's UN General Assembly in New York, the processes for establishing a high-level policy forum on the integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development and the definition of global SDGs were begun. The EESC would point out that the involvement of civil society in these processes is not yet satisfactory, despite the quite positive formulations in the Rio+20 final document.

4.3

As regards the formulation of the SDGs, the focus here at present is mainly on procedural issues, not only in terms of opportunities for the participation of civil society but also on the relationship between the already initiated process for the post-2015 development agenda and the newly added SDG process. The Rio+20 final document speaks of the necessary link between the two processes, and the respective players are still emerging.

4.4

In July 2012 the EESC held a major civil society event to bring the results of Rio to Brussels. In the process it became clear that the development of SDGs is seen as a priority theme for the follow-up to Rio, which requires public debate. Also clear was the call by the participants for the processes of defining the SDGs and revising the MDGs to be combined from the outset, if there is to be an overarching development agenda after 2015. Furthermore, it was repeatedly emphasised at this event as well as at other civil society Rio follow-up events that we in the EU have to do what we called for in Rio. The EESC is therefore convinced of the need to review the fundamental EU strategies to determine whether they meet the EU's demands for Rio+20, whether it be the Europe 2020 Strategy now in its sustainability dimension or the EU Sustainable Development Strategy.

4.5

In the interinstitutional discussions that the EESC has held in the wake of Rio+20, it has become clear that there is a desire to cooperate with and also to involve civil society.

4.6

The EESC welcomes the public on-line consultation held by the Commission in preparation for a communication anticipated in spring 2013 on the follow-up measures to Rio+20, and it will organise related joint events. The Commission communication on the post-2015 development agenda is also expected in spring 2013. An EESC opinion on these matters is in preparation. According to an announcement from the Commissioner responsible, the more environmentally relevant aspects of Rio are to be implemented in the 7th Environmental Action Programme, the publication of which is scheduled before the end of the year.

4.7

The EESC welcomes the conclusions concerning Rio+20 adopted by the Council of the European Union on 25 October 2012, particularly the emphasis on the need to involve civil society. The EESC also welcomes the announcement of ambitious Rio+20 follow-up measures, which are to take place as part of the Europe 2020 Strategy and the EU Sustainable Development Strategy. As regards the latter, the EESC notes with satisfaction that it is to be revised in the light of the outcome of Rio. This was one of the requirements that the EESC set out in its opinion of 21 September 2011.

5.1

The EESC's further active involvement in the follow-up to the Rio+20 conference is requested both by civil society actors and the other EU institutions.

5.2

The EESC can make a contribution here by continuing to be a place of social dialogue on sustainability issues and to act as a mediator between civil society and the EU institutions, also involving European civil society organisations and networks and the national economic and social councils and sustainable development councils.

5.3

From its own experience the EESC can make a particular contribution to issues concerning the structuring of the participation of civil society, for example the right to information, consultation and response.

5.4

The EESC is the only EU body which has set up a specific structure for sustainable development, in order to take into account the cross-cutting nature of the issue. After Rio, this is more relevant than ever. On ‘green economy’ issues the EESC, because of its make-up, can make concrete proposals on the conditions that must be created for this purpose. In particular, the EESC can also help to give form to the social dimension of sustainable development by drawing up operational proposals for a fair transition to sustainable development. One area of the Rio+20 follow-up process in which the EESC's contribution is urgently sought is the drawing up of global SDGs. Here, as in the run-up to the Rio+20 conference, the EESC can play an important role in promoting civil society dialogue not only within the EU but also with its civil society partners outside the EU.

5.5

The EESC considers that a wide-ranging civil society debate on sustainable development in the EU is essential and will continue to promote this in its future work, particularly in relation to the Rio-relevant aspects of the Europe 2020 Strategy and the revision of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy.