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01-10-2007, 1:15 PM Gail Karlsson Joined on 01-10-2007 Posts 3 Coordination of major groups at CSD 15 I have been working with the Women's Caucus on preparations for CSD 15, and I think it would be good for the Major Groups to collaborate in preparing for lobbying at the upcoming preparatory meeting in February, as well as at the CSD 15 meeting at the end of April. Looking at the Secretariat's paper compiling the Major Groups' priorities for action, it seems like there are a number of overlapping concerns among Women, NGOs, Children and Youth, Farmers, Indigenous People, Local Authorities, Scientists and Trade Unions that could form the basis for coordinated strategies. It seems that some common areas for lobbying could include:   - commitments to increase access to sustainable energy for the 2 billion people in developing countries who currently don't have modern fuels or electricity - with an emphasis on small-scale, decentralized, renewable energy systems that meet the specific energy needs of women as well as men; and  - actions to help the most vulnerable communities prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change, and to promote energy conservation, energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy technologies throughout the world in order to make a transition away from continued reliance on fossil fuels. Since these are very broad areas of concern, it would be useful to consider specific outcomes to pursue, specific commitments by governments or international agencies that could be made through the CSD process, and specific messages to emphasize in all the Major Groups statements. Coordinated messages and collaborative advocacy might make the process more effective for all the groups involved. I would be interested in hearing responses from other Major Group representatives on this. Thanks, Gail Karlsson            -          Report

01-24-2007, 11:46 AM rebeccawedo Joined on 01-24-2007 Posts 1 Re: Coordination of major groups at CSD 15 Gail, thanks for highlighting the two main areas of convergence.  WEDO, as a co-facilitator of the CSD Women's Major Group, would be interested in contributing to a coordinated effort among the major groups.  However, we don't have the capacity to lead this effort and hope others will step up to the plate.  WEDO is particularly interested in the climate change aspects of CSD-15, as our co-facilitator ENERGIA is focusing on energy access in developing countries.   Look forward to working with you all.  Rebecca; Sustainable Development Program Coordinator, WEDO; rebecca@wedo.org    Report

01-24-2007, 10:10 PM Rob Wheeler Joined on 01-25-2007 Posts 3 Re: Coordination of major groups at CSD 15 Friends, It would be wonderful if SDIN could serve as a means for us to develop a much more effective capacity to influence the outcome of CSD and CSD15; and I thank Gail for her suggestions in regards to this and for mentioning the need for cooperation among the Major Groups. And I also want to thank Jeffrey Barber for working on, creating, and encouraging us to use this issues forum. It is certainly needed. Second, I think that either the NGOs or the Major Groups ought to be trying to agree on a key set of issues and specific outcomes that we are trying to achieve. These should not be the only ones we support; however they should consist of a limited number that most of us support and believe are central to the success of CSD. We should use these desired outcomes to develop a public education and letter writing campaign. Most people around the world probably have little or no idea that CSD even exists. Thus we ought to be drafting articles that briefly explain this and why it is important and then feature either one or two of our suggested outcomes or instead provide an overview of all of them. In each instance we should say why the outcome is needed, what the benefits would be if it was adopted, what would be needed to implement it, and what we are asking the governments to do about it. Different organizations and networks could agree to produce draft papers and articles for each of the primary outcomes that we are requesting, which could then be used by all of us to try to get media coverage and to use as well in our own newsletters, in alternative internet magazines and news journals, progressive news magazines, UN media, and the media that are located at the UN. And most importantly we ought to be planning to get major media in advance of rather than just during CSD. There is also a new web service for Parliamentarians, called the eParliament, which happens to be focusing on Sustainable Energy as one of its first topics of discussion. Thus we should be using this as a means by which to educate Parliamentarians from around the world about CSD. See: www.e-parl.net. In addition, we should all be meeting with key members of our own parliaments before CSD along with representatives of our national governments. The Citizens Network for Sustainable Development (CitNet) in the US used to hold briefings and consultations with both the US Administration and with our congress and staff members. If we would all do this around the world, in advance of CSD, then we would be likely to find a group of countries that would champion each of our primary recommendations during CSD and that might also be willing to co-sponsor Press Conferences with us. At the very least we ought to have a paper and statement to send out in advance of CSD and to use at CSD that is much more specific and ambitious than what is included in the NGO Statement that has been drafted so far. I included much more specific language and recommendations in my input for the Statement and I do not know why it was not included. I am not aware that there was either an open discussion or collaborative process. As far as I can tell we just all submitted our suggestions and then someone combined them all. This is not the way this process should work. We ought to have a collaborative way of suggesting, considering, discussing, and finalizing text so that we can come up with a stronger statement with more specific and detailed recommendations. We all know that if we are not specific in our requests, and if they are not actional, then the governments are not going to be specific in their responses to them; and we will not have actional outcomes but just policy suggestions that are easily ignored by governments, as we have often or usually had in the past. Thanks for your considerations. If you agree with my suggestions then please think about and tell us how you think we might best be able to implement them. Rob Wheeler CitNet, Global Ecovillage Network, Association of World Citizens, and World Movement for Global Democracy robineagle@worldcitizen.org 1-717-264-5036    Report

01-24-2007, 10:17 PM Rob Wheeler Joined on 01-25-2007 Posts 3 Re: Coordination of major groups at CSD 15 Friends, I think that the broad goals that Gail has identified are very good. Like her, however, I also think that we need to be much more specific and concrete in what we ask, educate, and lobby for. I would suggest that the following ought to be included as key priorities, along with perhaps a few others. First, we ought to work for the development, establishment, and full funding of such proposals as an International Renewable Energy Agency or International Sustainable Energy Fund. Given that the Secretary General’s report includes a call for a World Renewable Energy Programme based on the model of the World Solar Programme, we can insist that such a programme be enacted, fully funded, and that it include all of the things that have been included in the proposals for IRENA or ISEF, etc. Second, we should call for the development of a comprehensive framework and plan, which includes targets and a timeline, for making a rapid transition to a fully renewable energy future and providing access to clean and safe forms of energy for all. This should be included either as a part the outcome document or as an addendum to the outcome document. As a part of this it should be stipulated that the public must be fully included in comparing various energy options and in developing plans for making a transition to a sustainable energy future in each country. Third, we cannot accept another empty promise that the individual nation states will change their energy subsidy policies. We must insist that CSD 15 reach an agreement on specific means and mechanisms to ensure an immediate shift in energy funding and investment based on phasing out perverse subsidies to the fossil fuel and nuclear industries. These subsidies – in excess of $240 billion annually – should be used instead to further the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency policies. A review process must also be included in the agreement, structured in such a way as to ensure that the agreement will be strengthened if need be in the years to come to ensure that subsidies for unsustainable technologies are indeed phased out. Fourth, given that only about half of the UN Member States are developing and even less are beginning to implement their National Strategies for Sustainability and that this is the fifth or review year after the Johannesburg Summit, wherein they all agreed to begin to implement them by 2005, specific action must be taken to ensure that all countries have the means and will begin to do so now. A review process must thus be conducted to determine to what extent the plans are being carried out, focus on making a rapid transition to full sustainability, and how they can be strengthened to ensure that they will all do so. The Review Process must also determine to what extent the 10 Year Frameworks on Sustainable Production and Consumption are being developed and implemented. In order to ensure that the National Strategies for Sustainability and the 10 Year SPAC Frameworks are implemented, financing must also be provided for all countries that need it. A fund must be developed and specific commitments made to fully support this. Support must also be provided for civil society efforts to promote and work for the development of the National Strategies and SPAC Frameworks where they are not yet being developed or implemented. The NSSD and SPAC processes must include the full participation of local and state governments, the business community, and civil society AND must include plans for making a rapid transition to full sustainability. Finally, action must be taken to ensure that financing for renewables and energy efficiency are increasing and adequately supplied through the International Financing Institutions. Rob Wheeler, Global Ecovillage Network; Association of World Citizens; World Movement for Global Democracy; NGO Energy Caucus; & US Citizens Network for Sustainable Development 1-717-264-5036 robineagle@worldcitizen.org    Report

SDIN Forums » CSD 15 - Energy... » A New Paradigm:... » Re: Coordination of major groups at CSD 15

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