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Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2002 |
Themes |
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Deliberations at the Summit will revolve around the following themes.
This session would focus on conditions, which define sustainable livelihoods, emphasizing issues of equity at the global level as well as protection of the environment and the world’s ecosystems. It would review both successes and failures in translating the spirit and intent of the Rio declaration, Agenda 21, and other conventions and agreements agreed on at Rio. An attempt would also be made to highlight issues of poverty and human security as it relates to economic and environmental factors.
The session would look at various levels and sectors of economic activity from which financing of sustainable development takes place. For multilateral and bilateral organizations the issue of transparency and pursuing a focussed approach and priorities in consonance with the needs of the poor would be highlighted. Similarly governments, corporate entities, and civil society initiatives would also be covered in the context of the resources identified for sustainable development, particularly in Agenda 21 and what needs to be done through policies and actions for reaching desirable levels of financial flows in the near future.
A large number of global environmental agreements are now in existence, but a common approach and governance structure is not yet in place. Also at the level of national governments, the environment minister often remains distanced from economic policy making, with the result that sustainability is not provided the importance it deserves in policies both at the national as well as local levels. This session would address this shortcoming and outline the forms and processes by which effective governance can be ensured in this field.
This session would focus on the nexus between the management of natural resources and the welfare of society in respect of economic status and health. The role of NGOs and their influence on governments, the private sector and communities would be highlighted, with a view to defining changes that are required. At the global level the question of making lifesaving drugs and medicines for the poor and the deprived will also be addressed, with due regard to intellectual property rights and implications for research and development by the private sector.
The discussion would focus on why the global community and its various elements should have a stake in sustainable development and sustainable livelihoods. The perspective from which different stakeholders would address the challenge of sustainable livelihoods would need to be analyzed and highlighted. In this context, the session would also focus on positions that each of the stakeholders should adopt as the world prepares for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.
Questions to be discussed in this session would cover why global business and much of it at the national level has thus far focussed only on catering to the needs of the middle and upper classes of society. The discussion would focus on the almost three billion people in the world today living on an income of less than two dollars a day. While in per capita terms this is an unacceptably low figure, the discussion would explore how, in the aggregate, this represents a vast income, which if properly tapped can provide expanding business opportunities in the future. The session would look at the role of business in meeting the needs of the poor without compromising on the interests of shareholders and in promoting sustainable development which ensures expanding incomes for the poor of today and their transition beyond the range of poverty tomorrow. In this context, the session would also focus on educating managers and those involved in the running of business enterprises.
The major challenge facing different parts of the world relating to ensuring food security and meeting basic human needs will be analysed. With an expanding population, how would the world produce enough food, particularly for the poor and marginalized communities of the world? The session would also focus on the problems of distribution and related infrastructure in addition to the problem of producing the required quantities.
This session would focus on our understanding of climate change, opportunities for mitigating emissions of greenhouse gases and assessment of likely impacts. The session would focus on issues of equity, the tardiness in implementing the Kyoto Protocol and outline a vision for the future beyond the first commitment period of 2008-12 when mitigation of greenhouse gases would need to be accelerated and more vigorous efforts made at understanding the impacts of climate change and implementing adaptation measures.
Technology would be an important element in creating sustainable patterns of development and sustainable livelihoods. Why is science important, and what is its relevance and attraction for different levels of human society? The session would cover perspectives of science from the point of view of multinational corporations, governments, research organizations and other entities and their relevance for the world’s poor. The subjects to be covered would include information technology, renewable energy technologies, biotechnology and other resource efficient technologies and processes. Discussion would also take place on the limits and constraints within which scientific plans and activities can be pursued towards creating sustainable livelihoods.
Ministers dealing with environment and natural resources round the world have assumed a role critical for development of policies and economic growth since Rio. These leaders are, therefore, at a vantage point in assessing what has been done, what has not been done, and what needs to be done tomorrow to meet the objectives laid down in Rio. The session would attempt to provide insights and analyses harnessing the experiences of Ministers of the environment from round the world.
A shift in development paradigm is now overdue and new directions in economic growth emphasizing a global responsibility towards sustainable livelihoods have become imperative. This would require political leadership and foresight far beyond what has been exhibited in the past. In this session, political leaders and those selectively from multilateral organizations, the corporate sector and other sections of the society would highlight the expectations from tomorrow’s leadership and the manner in which it would have to be met. |
