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Part 2: The Rio+20 Process and Framework

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From the GA resolution

§ 5. Reiterates that the Commission on Sustainable Development is the high level body responsible for sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as a forum for the consideration of issues related to the integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development,

and underlines the need to further support the work of the Commission, taking into account its existing mandate and the decisions taken at its eleventh session;

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What is the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)?

Established after Rio in 1992 UNCED) to follow up the political process on Agenda 21 and sustainable development

Was given a new and updated mandate at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, 2002

A standing committee under ECOSOC

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CSD 11, 2003

Developed the modalities for its process based on the mandate given CSD by WSSD – the Worlds Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg 2002, and gave the Major Groups their position in relationship to the official delegates and the UN system

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What does CSD offer?

A forum for a broad discussion on sustainable development

issues on overarching or cross cutting

issueson normative issues on issues that have direct

relevance for work on local, national and regional level

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Who are the Actors?

The governments, delegations, civil servants

The intergovernmental organisations, UN agencies

Members of civil society, and as decided by UNCED in 1992, they are known as the 9 Major Groups

Sometimes, Ministers

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… on the position of NGOs in the UN hierarchyA BIT OF HISTORY

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NGOs at the UN

The UN Charter formally recognises only 3 entities as accepted actors:

official national delegations, intergovernmental organisations non-governmental organisations-

NGOs.

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The status of NGO participation at the UN

The legal basis for NGO participation at the United Nations is Article 71 of the UN Charter. This allows ECOSOC to entertain consultative relationships with NGOs.

It is the NGO committee within ECOSOC* that sets the rules of accreditation, and this body formally issues the letters of accreditation to NGOs.*ECOSOC, The Economic and Social Council, one of the 5 permanent UN bodies.

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A unique decision by the Rio +20 Bureau

We are all invited to contribute

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The Bureau for the conference

runs the process leading up to the conference, has been selected by the UN General Assembly The African Group: Egypt and Botswana; The Asian Group: Pakistan and South Korea; GRULAC (Latin American and Caribbean Group):

Argentina and Barbuda; CEIT (Countries with Economies in Transition):

Croatia and the Czech Republic; WEOG (Western European and Others Group):

the US (first half of the period) Canada (second half of the period) and Italy;

ex officio: Brazil.

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In a unique decision, the UN has invited

“all stakeholders, - governments, intergovernmental agencies and civil society including the major groups, to contribute to a working document which will be the basis for the outcome document of the upcoming UN Conference for Sustainable Development to be held in Rio in June 2012 called Rio + 20.”

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Stakeholders are in

Now – in 2011-2012 - the major groups and civil society are written directly into the Rio plus 20 resolution

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Stakeholder processes and participationYou have all been invited to contribute....

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Principles of StakeholderInvolvement and Collaboration

AccountabilityEffectivenessEquityFlexibilityGood

governanceInclusivenessLearningLegitimacy

OwnershipParticipationPartnershipSocietal GainsStrengthening institutionsTransparencyVoices, not

votes

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Multi-stakeholder Processes - an overview of available tools

Dialogues Consensus-building Decision-making Implementation Monitoring & evaluation

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Key elements in multistakeholder partnerships and processes

Discuss what can make a successful partnership, keeping the integrity of various stakeholders intact

Identify good practices that could be replicated

Identify policy practices impairing partnerships and processes from being developed

Identify a framework for developing partnerships and processes

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Key elements in multistakeholder partnerships and processes

Raise issues and bring them to the table, and thus help influence the agenda

Keep the issues of participation, accountability and transparency alive and relevant

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Key components of the processThere are a number of them.....

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Key components of the process

The Secretariat is the permanent body that supports the work of the convention between meetings and does the logistical and secretariat work for the event and during it. The Secretariat will have a role that includes: Preparing the background papers Producing or updating a website for the meeting Analyzing the national reports Producing promotional material for the meeting Producing negotiating text arising from the

discussions Making available all official documents

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Key components of the process

Committee of the Whole (COW): the formal sessions governed by rules of procedure and are simultaneously translated in all of the six UN languages.

Contact Groups: resolve a particular issue of disagreement. The members of the group are typically drawn from the governments who disagree.

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Key components of the process

Friends of the Chair/President: – where the Chair invites a few prominent negotiators to form a group called Friends of the Chair/President to help informally in developing consensus.

Informals: a subsidiary body of the working groups and are set up when there is a set of critical issues that needs to be addressed.

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Key components of the process

Working Groups: are subsidiary bodies of the COW. At any one time, usually no more than two will be meeting. Joint Working Groups come together when there are cross cutting issues the two working groups can be brought together to deal with them.

Ministerial Round Tables are when Ministers want to discuss an issue but are not yet ready to make a decision

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LobbyingAnd you’re off....

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Why should your organization get involved in the Rio process?

To influence the text that will be negotiated;

To build and cultivate alliances for future work;

To showcase studies of successes that your organization has achieved;

To learn about how intergovernmental negotiations work;

To get to know your government To raise funds for your work

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Participation and influence mechanisms

Meet with key parliamentarians before leaving – initiated a debate in parliament

Set up a rapid response mechanism in the capital in case you need it

Try to get an NGO on delegation and to be allowed to attend pre inter-departmental meetings before the event

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What participation and influence mechanisms do you use ?At the UN event, your organization should: have a photo booklet of key negotiators and UN

staff so they are easy to find Designate point contacts for all key people e.g.,

G77, EU, US, key countries, Bureau members, UN officials,

Assign floor managers to each negotiation roomUse coffee bar diplomacy, receptionsUse any informal possibilities

drinks/dinner/dancingSpending no more than 20% of your time with

NGOs

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Who is able to speak

Get access to the floor as an NGO (working through NGO or stakeholder groupings)

You might be able to “take the floor” as an individual accredited organisation on some occasions

Have 200 copies of your intervention – give copies to the UN staff for the interpreters and to distribute

Be focused and to the point

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On the delegation: Advantages

You will have access to the brief of your country;

You may be able to sit in on delegation meetings within blocks;

You may be able to sit in on delegation meetings between blocks;

You will be able to push for the NGO or stakeholder position during the appropriate meetings of the delegation;

You can be asked to act as the intermediary between the NGOs and the government;

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On the delegation, advantages

You will be aware of where there is possible movement in a negotiation and may

be asked to draft text for your delegation to put forward;

You will be able to cultivate relationships with the delegation for future work.

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On the delegation: Disadvantages

If you join a government delegation you will lose some independence. Some governments require NGOs on a delegation to sign an official document saying they will not divulge what they have heard in delegation meetings;

You will have limited time available for being with other NGOs if you are an active member of the delegation;

You may be seen as the doorkeeper for NGOs with the delegation or you may be viewed as having ‘switched sides’ and joined the government team

You may not be allowed to speak publicly on a position

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The Rio Road MapThis is where we are....

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Next Stops on the Road Map November 28 – December 9, COP 17

(on climate) in Durban, South AfricaDecember 1 – 2, the Regional

Preparatory Meeting for the UN ECE region, Geneva, Switzerland, (Mandated)

December 15 -16, the second intersessional for the Rio 2012 conference, discussions on the compiled inputs so far, including the structure of the outcome document, at UN, New York, (Mandated)

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The Road Map

January 16 - 18 informal informals to discuss the content, UN, New York (Mandated)

February, 13 – 17, First informal negotiating week on the Zero Draft of the document, UN, New York (Mandated)

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The Road Ends in Rio

Late June, third prep comm, Rio, Brazil(Mandated)

Days of informals between the third prep comm and the UN CSD in Rio (Mandated)

June20-22, the Rio+20 conference

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End of session 2