General Assembly - UN Documents
General Assembly - UN Documents
General Assembly - UN Documents
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A/CONF.216/PC/7<br />
I. Introduction<br />
1. Recalling <strong>General</strong> <strong>Assembly</strong> resolution 64/236, the present report provides a<br />
perspective on the objective of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable<br />
Development — to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable<br />
development, reviewing progress and remaining implementation gaps and assessing<br />
new and emerging challenges — as well as the two themes stated therein, namely, a<br />
green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication<br />
and the institutional framework for sustainable development.<br />
2. The report should be read in conjunction with the synthesis report<br />
(A/CONF.216/PC/8), based on questionnaire responses received from Member<br />
States, major groups and United Nations system agencies, which elaborates on the<br />
objective of the Conference, progress and gaps, and new and emerging challenges as<br />
well as the two themes.<br />
3. The perspective taken in the present report is to look at the objective of the<br />
United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development through the lenses of the<br />
two themes. The question posed is as follows: how can a focus on the two themes<br />
help us to accelerate progress on each of the three pillars, and towards convergence<br />
among the three pillars, of sustainable development? How can it advance the<br />
objective of renewed political commitment to sustainable development?<br />
II. How can a green economy contribute to sustainable<br />
development and poverty eradication?<br />
A. Context and concept<br />
4. Sustainable development emphasizes a holistic, equitable and far-sighted<br />
approach to decision-making at all levels. It emphasizes not just strong economic<br />
performance but intragenerational and intergenerational equity. It rests on<br />
integration and a balanced consideration of social, economic and environmental<br />
goals and objectives in both public and private decision-making.<br />
5. The concept of green economy focuses primarily on the intersection between<br />
environment and economy. This recalls the 1992 Rio Conference: the United<br />
Nations Conference on Environment and Development. Prior to the Conference, the<br />
predominant discourse was one of trade-offs between economic and environmental<br />
goals. The Conference was a major step towards recognizing the importance of<br />
synergies. The World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg,<br />
South Africa, in 2002, stressed the social pillar, with a reminder that, while<br />
economic progress often fosters social progress, the link is not automatic, and that<br />
ultimately economic development is a means to improving human well-being. Both<br />
the Rio Conference and the Johannesburg Summit enhanced appreciation of the<br />
importance of healthy ecosystems and a healthy environment to such improvements<br />
for present and future generations.<br />
6. Despite progress since Rio, it has become apparent that a global economy<br />
based on current patterns of consumption and production is placing heavy stresses<br />
on many ecosystems and on critical life-support systems. At the same time, extreme<br />
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