Sustainable Development Goals: Asia-Pacific Perspectives for the Post-2015 Development Agenda

Panel 1: Role of the SDGs in the Post-2015 Development Agenda

David S. McCauley Head, Climate Change Program Coordination Unit, ADB

7 May 2012 ADB Headquarters, Manila

Outline
Reflections on UNCED, Agenda 21 and CSD in Rio+20 and SDGs context Question posed to the panel and how to frame the answers Special observations on climate change Essential elements of the SDGs

20 Years Back: UNCED and Agenda 21

Preparation for Rio+20 reminiscent of period after UNCED when preparing for CSD 1st Session Had new Agenda for the 21st Century Agenda 21: covered everything, without integration mechanisms no established indicators (like MDGs) overly complex, highly ambitious (rather vague vision), weak accountability 2,500 activities spread over 115 program areas, mostly addressed to Governments for national level implementation

CSD Attempt to Rationalize A21

Commission on Sustainable Development - advising ECOSOC on ways and means to ensure better coordination & complementarity of efforts [to promote sustainable development] among all concerned organizations at national, regional & international levels. 1st CSD Session (June 1993) formed clusters of A21 topics for attention

Key UNCED/A21 Considerations

Lots of attention to trade, population/ demographics, sustainable consumption, technology Resource pricing plus other market mechanisms and green accounting mentioned by little action Much attention to UN systems role in followfollow-up priorities and programs (beginnings of the One UN) New international conventions on climate change, biodiversity and land

CSD Clusters (by A21 Chapter)

Focused attention
1 - Critical elements of sustainability (2-5) (22 - Financial resources and mechanisms (33) 3 - Education, science, transfer of environmentally sound technologies, cooperation and capacitycapacitybuilding (16, 34-37) 344 - Decision-making structures (8, 38-40) Decision385 - Roles of major groups (23-32) (23-

MultiMulti-year attention
6 - Health, human settlements and fresh water (6, 7, 18, 21)

Compare to MDGs
1 Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2 Achieve universal primary education 3 Promote gender equality and empower women 4 Reduce child mortality 5 Improve maternal health 6 Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases 7 Ensure environmental sustainability 8 Develop a global partnership for development

Some Lasting Institutions

Financing focused on GEF and the new Conventions, not the wider A21 topics, with special roles for 10 agencies: UNEP, UNDP and World Bank (later expanded to 10, including ADB) National SD Awareness and Attention National Sustainable Development Strategies and coordination structures to oversee implementation Reporting Voluntary Government information on A21 implementation reported to CSD via ECOSOC focusing on each years CSD cluster

The Basic Question:

How can environmental, social and economic targets and associated results indicators be set so as to guide the policies and programs of all nations in pursuit of national, regional and global sustainable development?

Question to Panel: How can SDGs embody an (1) integrated approach to sustainable development, (2) including the current MDG scope, without becoming too (3) complex and/or (4) ambitious?
1. Integration - How to fully cover and integrate the 3 elements of Sustainable Development: economic, social and environmental? 2. MDG Continuity - How to ensure continuity with the MDGs for the developing world and make these elements universal? 3. Complexity - How to establish a limited set of targets and indicators that still capture the essence of human aspirations and environmental integrity? 4. Ambition - How to ensure that these are realistic and achievable within the time frame given (and aligned with other time frames, such as UNFCCC)?

Dealing with Climate Change

Preeminent Challenge if you dont deal with this, it will swamp all of the others! Mitigation meeting the 2C goal will require 2 global economic restructuring, under the Durban Platform, with 2015 time frame: Developed countries reducing current emissions rapidly Developing countries decoupling future growth from high GHG emissions Adaptation/Resilience anticipating both discrete shocks and creeping impacts Economic Issues in Green Growth dealing with the causes and consequences of climate change under the economic agenda

SDGs: Some Inputs

Economic Green growth Poverty reduction & economic inclusiveness Strong markets, governance and cooperation Social (floor?) Food security Sustainable energy Education Health Gender equality Yellow = strong climate change relevance Environmental Atmosphere Land and Forests Biodiversity Fresh Water Oceans and Seas Toxic Substances

Thank you
dmccauley@adb.org