tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62562843554929196942024-03-14T07:46:46.761+11:00The ANU Rio+20 ProjectAustralian National University Student Delegation to Rio+20<br>The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, June 2012Tom Staynerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00349329766644613625noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-12950985151666728832012-09-17T14:53:00.000+10:002012-09-17T14:53:32.811+10:00International UNCooperation?<i>William Mudford's forthcoming article in <a href="http://www.anulss.com/peppercorn">peppercorn</a> the ANU law student magazine</i>
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While at Rio+20 it struck me how under-connected and under-cooperative the international diplomatic and legal negotiations are. However, the civil society parallel conferences made me think of the potential for something so much better. The differences between the events were so stark both physically and emotionally...
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<b>The official conference</b>
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The official conference was a two hour bus ride out of town in a place much like Exhibition Park. The negotiations occurred within pavilions with temporary rooms erected inside, with a massive diesel powered air-conditioning system and harsh fluorescent lighting. To get into the conference you had to have pre-registered with your passport and through an organisation officially accredited with the United Nations. The accreditation gave you a pass to get into the preparatory conference where the text was being negotiated prior to the plenary session with all the world leaders. There was no clear program as to where the different parts of the negotiations were occurring. The state parties spent their time locked in these rooms fighting about the details of the text, with long periods spent negotiating about whether commas should be included, or whether single words should be included. Despite the rhetoric the state parties were not genuinely discussing how to fix the three big problems that the world is facing of environmental destruction, economic crisis and extreme poverty.
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<b>The parallel civil society conferences</b>
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There were several other parallel conferences I attended. Each was in the centre of Rio or on the metro line. They were held in buildings where you could see natural light, had interesting speakers, and provided great opportunities for meeting a wide variety of people. To get in all you had to do was turn up and each provided ample opportunities for a variety of people including myself to participate. At each of the conferences we were discussing the big topics that the state officials should have been addressing at the official UN conference. For me the greatest thing that came out of each of the conferences that I attended was the genuine connections I was able to make with such a variety of people from across the world, even across language and cultural barriers.
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<b>The potential</b>
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There is a challenge for us, but one that we have so many tools to deal with. Right now the world is facing a set of human induced environmental crises including climate change, biodiversity loss and lack of access to safe water. There is currently enough food around the world to meet the needs of the world’s people. The problem for those who are starving is that the food is not distributed in a just and equitable fashion. The world’s farmers are not adequately connected to all the world’s people. However,at Rio+20 I saw that we, the people of the world, have the knowledge, the potential, the physical resources and the connections to address these sorts of issues. I say let’s make it happen.
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<b>But you say: what's stopping us?</b>
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Rio+20 revealed writ large two of the big forces that are subduing or preventing the potential international action that we need to address the multiple crises that our world is facing. These two distinct but connected classes of international actor are corporations and inactive state parties. Many corporations such as Petrobras, the Brazilian oil company and Coca Cola bottling company sponsored the official conference but contribute significantly to the multiple crises that we face. Petrobras makes money off the continuation of the destructive and exploitative fossil fuel industry. Amongst other things Coca Cola has cornered many markets in safe drinking water, a basic necessity of life that everyone should have free access to. The presence of these corporations at the conference, at best, had a pacifying influence on the state negotiators, and, at worst, had thoroughly destructive connections to them. One of the Australian government's key negotiating positions was to get <a href="http://anurio20.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/australian-government-negotiating.html">‘mining for sustainable development’</a> included in the text. The pretence behind such a position was that mining in Australia is safe and sustainable and that we should export such practices to our region. This, and other untruths, were peddled by destructive state parties with vested corporate interests. We can create something better.
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<b>How do we overcome this?</b>
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We as young people need to continue to go to international events, to connect with people in genuine ways. We need to cooperate and work together on the common ground that we have with so much of the world’s people. We need to be doing everything we can. We need coalitions of the world's willing people, which need not include the uncooperative governments of nation-states. It is through the connection, the sharing of knowledge and the sharing of resources that we can truly create a world that protects the environment, distributes resources and stops the high levels of inequality and poverty experienced by people across the world. This may not happen instantly, and I do not have a magic formula. However, what I have experienced is that together we can create the alternatives that we want, and divided we will lose against the inactivity caused by large corporations and the officials of state parties with vested interests. It is through the process of working together and creatively developing the alternatives as we go that we will address the issues that we face.
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<b>How can you get involved?</b>
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The students who went to Rio+20 as part of the ANU student delegation are hosting an event during October to discuss some of these issues of sustainability that the world is facing and help us to connect the global to the local. To find out more you can check out our blog for the Rio+20 project http://anurio20.blogspot.com.au/Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15820617409845199581noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-65656461391265612242012-09-16T20:52:00.000+10:002012-09-16T20:52:30.333+10:00A Multilateralist’s Manifesto<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Multilateralism<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6256284355492919694#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></b></span></span></span></a>
may be out of fashion as a way of addressing our global environmental problems,
but the way forward is in its reform, not its abandonment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></div>
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Failures at Copenhagen climate
summit, and more recently at Rio+20 have led to a loss of faith in the
multilateral system throughout society.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was at both of these summits, and the disappointments of multilateralism are
all the more potent when you are personally engaged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But despite these emotional roller-coasters
(which are mostly downs), I believe in multilateralism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe in multilateralism because there
are no real proven, realistic or fair alternatives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe in multilateralism because as we
mark the 25<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the Montreal Protocol, I am reminded of
how the recipe of international environmental agreements can work once we use
the right ingredients.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
fact, it is the only real logical recipe to apply to our global problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On a basic level, international ecological
issues like climate change are a “tragedy of the commons” <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">(<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6256284355492919694#_ENREF_1" title="Hardin, 1968 #108"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Hardin, 1968</span></a>)</span> and it is widely accepted
that such collective action problems require cooperative solutions and
decision-making <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">(<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6256284355492919694#_ENREF_3" title="Ostrom, 1990 #109"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Ostrom, 1990</span></a>)</span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The basic economics of “public goods” logic
suggests that collective action must be organised at the scale of the problem
or externality that must be addressed <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">(<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6256284355492919694#_ENREF_2" title="Olson, 1971 #110"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Olson, 1971</span></a>)</span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words: global problems require
solutions organised at a global level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The most effective and proven method of doing so, while building up
trust and reducing free-riding, is through multilateral frameworks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite this, the political inertia within
environmental negotiations has proven overwhelmingly disillusioning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are facing a death by a thousand
conferences.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>However,
multilateralism as an idea is not out of date, our processes and institutions
are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consensus is an archaic
decision-making tool, our methods of negotiating and diplomacy lack
transparency or effectiveness and the bureaucratic structure of the UN and
other international institutions are clearly lacking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to resurrect multilateralism, not
bury it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Despite
this logic, it is still a rare day that I’m not questioned, by friends or
colleagues on the validity of multilateralism and the pointlessness of
negotiations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even at a recent seminar
panel one of the other speakers, a world renowned climatologist whom I deeply
respect, couldn’t help but declare that the time of multilateral environmental
treaties was over and we were better off solving climate change through a
nation-based “green” industrial revolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It seems a little odd (although poetic) to attempt to solve a problem
with the same thinking and processes that created it in the first place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Industrial Revolution was driven by greed
and competition and resulted in the perverse and pervasive structural
inequalities which now plague the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is a mismatch with sustainable development which must be based on
cooperation and a thorough repair of our unbalanced structures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if we did solve climate change through
such a state-based, business-focused paradigm, what about the other problems
like biodiversity loss?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
This bottom-up revolution is also
short-sighted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are already locked
into some degree of climate change, and it is unlikely that such an approach
will foster the form of cooperative, cohesive governance that is needed for
international society to adapt to the coming environmental changes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then the multilateral sceptics point to the
numerous states, provinces and nations that have adopted carbon prices despite
the absence of a global climate treaty. Well that is just fantastic, but how
have overall global emissions been going?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Oh right, record levels…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I don’t
say this to detract from the bottom-up approaches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Minilateralism and regional forums have
proven useful (look at the EU’s environmental policy, or the outcomes of the
recent APEC summit), but not all regions have integration and those that do still
require global coordination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Civil
society is also a great tool, but I have yet to see a trans-boundary pollution
problem which has been solved primarily by NGOs. Regional governance, local
initiatives and non-state actors (both NGOs and businesses) are valuable as contributors
to a larger international framework, not substitutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bottom-up is not antithetical to the
top-down. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the contrary, the
bottom-up feeds into the top-down, creating the necessary momentum and pressure
to construct effective international agreements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet some wish to stop this momentum, and they
are the exact same states blocking the process. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>While I
usually believe that it is important to address the message, not the messenger,
in this case it is important to look at the proponents and their motives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The proponents of a bottom-up (particularly a
pledge and review) system within climate change are the primarily the US,
Canada and Australia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those who wish to
persist with a multilateral approach: The EU, and the least developed and most
vulnerable nations (small island states, the African Union etc.).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the red corner we have the laggards and in
the blue corner the leading progressives with the highest targets and most to
lose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The contrast is telling to say
the least…..</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Let’s
take a lesson from the birthday convention- the Montreal Protocol, which
provided a holistic approach to a complex problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Effective compliance mechanisms, skilful political
leadership (surprisingly from the US), efficient decision –making procedures
(double qualified majority voting), incremental membership (we don’t need to
have everyone’s involvement to start with), the support of businesses, clear
scientific advice, mass NGO pressure and an adequate financing system are what
solve global environmental problems, not by giving in to the laggards by
primarily focusing on the lowest levels of governance and promoting
‘flexibility’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I write
this defence of the multilateral approach of international treaties not out of
a personal or academic endearment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
don’t even do so on the grounds of procedural justice and international ethics
(although there are some valid points here).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I stand by the multilateral approach because it offers us the best hope
of managing both our current international environmental crises’ and rectifying
the inequality that exists in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The principles of Sustainable Development declare that one cannot be
done without the other and I see no evidence to suggest that the flexible,
bottom-up approaches can solve either, let alone both. We live in a globalized and interconnected world. Multilateralism is not a choice we can turn away from, it is a necessity. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>The future lies in persisting with multilateralism
and its reform with courage, innovation and political skill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps, with that, in another 25 years the
Montreal Protocol may not be the only successful treaty with cake at the
table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>References</u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -36.0pt;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6256284355492919694" name="_ENREF_1"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-no-proof: yes;">HARDIN, G. 1968. "The Tragedy of the Commons". <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Science,</i> 162.</span></a><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-indent: -36.0pt;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6256284355492919694" name="_ENREF_2"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-no-proof: yes;">OLSON, M. (ed.) 1971. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Logic of Collective Action, Public Goods
and the Theory of Groups, </i>Cambridge: Harvard University Press.</span></a><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-left: 36.0pt; text-indent: -36.0pt;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6256284355492919694" name="_ENREF_3"><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-no-proof: yes;">OSTROM,
E. (ed.) 1990. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Governing the Commons: The
Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action, </i>New York: Cambridge
University Press.</span></a><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6256284355492919694#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a> I
refer to multilateralism as the top-down approach of international governance and frameworks of an essentially globally nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not the classic definition of "the practice of coordinating national policies in groups of three states or more".</div>
</div>
</div>
Fenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372277635613255853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-67496334456416630672012-09-03T16:51:00.000+10:002012-09-03T21:32:27.671+10:00From Global to Local: Delegates Going Bush in Australia <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Helvetica;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Helvetica;"><b>From Global to Local: Delegates Going Bush in Australia </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Helvetica;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Helvetica;">By Julie Melrose</span><br />
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Despite the overwhelmingly negative media coverage about the weak outcome document that came out of the Rio+20 conference, ANU Rio+20 delegates returned home more motivated than ever to work on sustainability projects and initiatives, particularly wishing to get more students involved in local projects. Rio+20 basically highlighted how much the international community had failed to honour its commitments to reduce environmental harm under international environmental law over the last two decades since the first Rio conference in 1992. We all experienced frustration, even tears at the conference in the face of the magnitude of the challenge ahead for our generation. So what does a small group of students from Australia do about this? </div>
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Several forums and discussions have been held at ANU, we have debriefed with the Australian Government and met with academics and public figures to discuss Rio outcomes. But we want to go the extra mile and try something new. Forums, while important and informative, sometimes seem to be "preaching to the converted" and result in no real gain for the environment or in really inspiring young people and students to dedicate their career to working towards sustainable development. </div>
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In a recent meeting with Richard Denniss, CEO of the think-tank the Australia Institute, he reminded us that we are in a battle against rampant consumption, economic growth and environmental destruction on all fronts - and we are on the losing side. He challenged us to do something different in our post Rio activities. </div>
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We talked about the principle that you protect the things you love - but you can't love something unless you <i>know it first. </i>Going bush and getting back to nature, strips away the layers of society that sometimes cloud us from the reality of environmental catastrophe that the world is facing in the present time. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_dzI5X79vLw/UERNf0PvgMI/AAAAAAAAANA/0VtcIy8Jxf4/s1600/South+Coast+Track+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_dzI5X79vLw/UERNf0PvgMI/AAAAAAAAANA/0VtcIy8Jxf4/s320/South+Coast+Track+1" width="320" /></a></div>
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Reflecting on the process of coming back to Australia after a large international conference, we have decided to get right back down to the local level and embark on a bushwalking expedition to Tasmania in Feb 2013 - where the Australian environmental movement was born. In the hope of finding some grounding, solitude and inspiration for our work ahead, going bush seems like a really good idea.<br />
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<b>An Expedition to walk Tasmania's South Coast Track </b></div>
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Tasmania's South Coast Track is situated in the Southwest National Park and takes you through the heart of over 600, 000 hectares of wild, inspiring country. The track is more remote than other walks in Tasmania, and is 85kms in length running from Malaleuca to Cockle Creek. The trek will take 6-8 days with full packs. </div>
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The team will gather footage from the walk about our personal experiences as young people reflecting on global to local environmentalism, as well as interview leading conservationists and those involved in the birth of the Tasmanian environmental movements. This footage will add to our material and interviews gathered at Rio+20 in Brazil to hopefully lead to a student sustainability documentary! </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bSdU-gsyeHY/UERNgmlPvZI/AAAAAAAAANE/EXIH_68yRko/s1600/South+Coast+Track+2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bSdU-gsyeHY/UERNgmlPvZI/AAAAAAAAANE/EXIH_68yRko/s320/South+Coast+Track+2" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>The Australian Environmental Movement - Franklin Dams Case </b></div>
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According to leading environmental law Barrister Chris McGrath and many others in the Australian legal profession, the Tasmanian Dams Case is the most famous and influential environmental law case in Australian history. It was also a landmark in Australian constitutional law. In this case, the Commonwealth Government prevented the construction of a large hydro-electric dam proposed for the Franklin-Lower Gordon Rivers in South-West Tasmania. They were able to achieve this win by relying on their powers under s 51 (xxix) of the Australian Constitution to make laws in relation to their international obligations under the World Heritage Convention. For more information on the case<a href="http://www.envlaw.com.au/tasmanian_dam.html"> click here.</a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aOOkFsw8jQQ/UESALZSKczI/AAAAAAAAANc/_lmcKBidbUo/s1600/Island+bend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aOOkFsw8jQQ/UESALZSKczI/AAAAAAAAANc/_lmcKBidbUo/s320/Island+bend.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Island Bend, Franklin River</td></tr>
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<b>Interested in getting involved? </b></div>
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Other interested students are encouraged to get in touch if interested in the trek, or helping out with the documentary project! Contact Julie.Melrose@anu.edu.au or join "The ANU Rio+20 Project" on Facebook to keep up to date with our planning and other activities. </div>
Julie Melrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00969314973907657656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-55908934017302953492012-09-03T16:22:00.002+10:002012-09-03T16:22:32.429+10:00Oceans at Rio+20 - article in ANU ILS magazine "The Advocate" <a href="http://www.anuils.com/~anuils/images/International_Advocate/anu%20international%20advocate%20september%202012.pdf">http://www.anuils.com/~anuils/images/International_Advocate/anu%20international%20advocate%20september%202012.pdf </a>Julie Melrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00969314973907657656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-31302039862724778472012-08-11T19:35:00.001+10:002012-08-11T19:35:16.662+10:00post rio symposium series at ANU<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-obtgEMPbjMs/UCYnR1dKkUI/AAAAAAAAAMs/Jm4lXRAPyIA/s1600/parsa_rio_web_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" kda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-obtgEMPbjMs/UCYnR1dKkUI/AAAAAAAAAMs/Jm4lXRAPyIA/s640/parsa_rio_web_final.jpg" width="488" /></a></div>Julie Melrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00969314973907657656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-51274051612054905852012-08-05T19:16:00.001+10:002012-08-21T22:49:41.977+10:00Reviewing Rio: Lessons for the Future<div class="MsoNormal">
<i> - By Luke Kemp</i></div>
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<i>Rio may be considered
a failure in terms of the outcomes, but the lessons that can be taken from
negotiations mean that the conference could prove to be a success in the long term.</i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></i>While I despise the general
media portrayal of Rio+20 as a complete and utter failure, I do essentially
agree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The outcomes of the conference
fail to put the international community on any kind of track towards a
sustainable society and economy within the time-frames needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My issue is that the media (who may I add
didn’t help at all by providing little coverage and failing to catalyse any
public pressure) loves to paint Rio+20 as a failure but doesn’t give any
analysis as to why or how we can move forward.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Of
course, this was expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
mainstream media is a shallow and profit driven always opting for controversy
over useful commentary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I’ll attempt
to do provide some such commentary now, because there is much to learn from
Rio.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
negotiations display some of the key actors and leverage points in the
international system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first lesson
is one that is not unique to Rio, it is a problem that has plagued many
international treaties- the US.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>One of
the main points of discussion at Rio+20 was whether to transform the United
Nations Environment Programme (an out-dated, under-funded UN programme with
little international authority) into a World Environment Organisation (WEO).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The idea was consistently rejected by the US
on the basis that the creation of a WEO would require ratification by the US-
something they cannot do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Long story
short, the US requires a three-quarters majority vote in the senate to ratify
any international convention or treaty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As one can imagine, with the republican presence in the senate, this is
basically impossible, hence why the Kyoto Protocol was never ratified.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We have
to finally address the elephant in the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We need to leave the US behind and forge ahead with progressive
international treaties and conventions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is pointless to continuously water down international agreements to
suit a failing superpower who probably won’t ratify them anyway (ahem, Kyoto).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A- to borrow an American term- ‘coalition of
the willing’ would be better advised to go ahead and create innovative and
ambitious agreements and institutions without the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once they have their domestic politics in
order (hopefully soon) they can ratify and jump on the bandwagon.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
second issue is another powerful actor (or group of actors) that are increasingly
becoming a blockade to progressive outcomes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The G-77, a group of developing countries around the world, was a
hindrance to many issues at Rio+20 including the establishment of a WEO, a global
ombudsman, and basically anything to do with the Green Economy. </div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
problem is that this massive group of over 130 countries functions on the basis
of consensus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This means to get
agreement they almost always take the lowest common denominator- the least
ambitious position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a somewhat
morbid system where small island states like the Maldives will often be forced
to take the same negotiating lines as Saudi Arabia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This makes lobbying and pressuring nations
difficult, since it can be unclear who within the G-77 is acting as a
blocker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The group also serves to
entrench the antagonism of the developing-developed country split, a divide
which is no longer as clear as it used to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
solution here is simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We break the
G-77.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While doing so may not be straight
forward the benefits are clear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will
be easier to isolate blocker nations and leverage international and public
pressure against them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The break-up of
the G-77 will also allow for the emergence of useful, regional forms of
governance, like the African Union, to further prosper and move the world
beyond the now defunct developing-developed divide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Granted, this would not be as necessary if
the group abandoned the ridiculous notion of consensus, something that the
entire international system should do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Rio+20,
like most international conferences in the last decade, has highlighted the
need to change away from the regressive method of decision-making known as
consensus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A case in point was the issue
of reproductive rights at Rio+20.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
inclusion of a reference to reproductive rights was strongly supported by civil
society and the vast majority of states. Except for one:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a non-secular ‘state’ of roughly 800 people,
also known as “The Vatican”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Holy
See despite widespread opposition was successful in deleting any reference to
“reproductive rights”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The main reason
was consensus, which effectively gives every party, including the Vatican, a
veto.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
This has been an Achilles heel in
climate change negotiations which has led to many nations calling for a change
to majority voting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mexico has become
a leader in pushing for this both in the UNFCCC and even the recent
international arms controls negotiations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And why not? The Vienna Convention on O-Zone protection, the poster-child of environmental agreements, operated on three quarters majority voting, not
consensus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I shall
briefly mention one last topic, which my next (and final) article will centre
upon- the role of civil society.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Civil
society, particularly the youth, have a vast potential to influence
negotiations in a myriad number of ways from providing political pressure
through to helping to facilitate creative compromise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite many successes , the missed opportunities
and fragmentation of the youth group at the end Rio+20 show that there is
some to go before the youth within civil society becomes the unified, strategic
force that is needed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>While
Rio+20 may not have given us the future we want, a closer look gives us some
hints on how to achieve that future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
in everyday life every setback represents a learning experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either we learn from our mistakes and adapt or are
doomed to repeat them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The current track
record of negotiations would suggest little has been learnt from the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let us
no longer lament on outcomes but focus on perfecting our strategies for the
future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let the environmental movement
take heed of these lessons and rise from Rio.</div>
Fenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372277635613255853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-85544854773051678742012-07-27T18:09:00.001+10:002012-07-31T09:50:00.514+10:00Thank you to our supporters!<b>The ANU Rio+20 Delegation would like to officially thank all that made the project possible, including;</b><br />
<br />
The Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, for spending half an hour with the ANU delegates during Rio+20 and giving us her personal perspective on the negotiations. Thank you to Jeremy Hillman from the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet for his help in organising this meeting.<br />
<br />
The Australian Government Rio+20 Taskforce for involving the ANU delegation in their many stakeholder consultations and daily briefings during Rio+20. <br />
<br />
The Australian Centre for Environmental Law (ACEL) for assisting with the formation of the project and assisting with the interviewing of potential delegates, in particular, Professor Tim Bonyhady.<br />
<br />
The Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) who accredited all 18 members of our delegation with the UN. In particular we would like to thank Nic Nelson from ACFID for his support of the ANU delegation project.<br />
<br />
The ANU Students' Association (ANUSA) and Postgraduate and Research Students' Association (PARSA) for their generous financial support through the Grants and Affiliations Committee (GAC).<br />
<br />
The ANU Student Extra Curricular Enrichment Fund (SEEF) for the generous financial support.<br />
<br />
ACT Government Youth InterACT Grants for providing two small grants to two delegates.<br />
<br />
ANUgreen and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for enabling ANUgreen Sustainability Officer Teifi Caron to attend Rio+20 and assist us with our IARU engagement opportunities.<br />
<br />
The ANU College of Asia and the Pacific (CAP) for its generous financial support for those students within that College.<br />
<br />
The ANU College of Law, and Professor Michael Coper (Dean) and Professor Fiona Wheeler, for their generous financial support and insurance support for the law students who attended.<br />
<br />
Woroni - the ANU Student Newspaper for publishing several articles on the Rio+20 Delegation.<br />
<br />
The ANU Media Office for publishing 2 stories on the delegation in the publication On Campus.<br />
<br />
The ANU Food Co-op for letting us borrow their kitchen and venue for our fundraiser event.<br />
<br />
The ANU Climate Change Institute and Professor Janette Lindsay for her contribution of ideas and advice on logistics for the delegation.<br />
<br />
<b>Thank you to the following individuals who provided personal briefings to the delegation before we left/while we were there:</b><br />
<br />
Professor Will Steffen, ANU Climate Change Institute<br />
<br />
Associate Professor Don Anton, ANU College of Law<br />
<br />
Professor Tim Bonyhady, Australian Centre for Environmental Law (ACEL)<br />
<br />
Professor Mick Dodson, National Centre for Indigenous Studies (NCIS)<br />
<br />
Dr James Prest, ANU College of Law (Climate Law)<br />
<br />
Gregory Andrews, Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency<br />
<br />
<br />
THANK YOU!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Julie Melrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00969314973907657656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-59632968148222854092012-07-19T19:47:00.003+10:002012-07-19T19:47:38.058+10:00The Brazilian Black hole (Part I)- A BRIC through the Window<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span> By Luke
Kemp</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 18.0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The largest failure of Rio+20 was the actual process of negotiations
under the Brazilian chairmanship and many of the disappointing outcomes are largely
a result of this problematic process and the excessive power of the chairmanship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
My biggest issue with the outcome
of Rio+20 is not so much based upon the tangible (or often non-committal,
intangible) results, but the actual process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be honest, I had (slightly) higher
hopes for Rio+20 early on during the third preparatory committee prior to the
actual conference (the high level segment that involved heads of states). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was until the Brazilians took over the
chairmanship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One BRIC (emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China) state threw
itself through the window of opportunity in the lead up to the high level
segment, shattering any notions of transparency, inclusivity or fairness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
As soon as the Brazilians stepped
in as chairs civil society participation suffered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of the negotiating sessions became closed
to ‘outside’ observers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was one
night in which negotiations were scheduled to begin at 6pm, but didn’t actually
start until 8.30pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This wasn’t a big
deal since we were already used to ‘Brazilian Time’ (add on 1-3 hours for any
schedule, it’s the opposite of German time).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The problem was that we were repeatedly told that we would likely be
allowed into the session once the Brazilian chair arrived and clarified
things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consequently we ended up sitting
outside the room for two and a half hours before being informed that we were
not welcome inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was not a
logistical concern- there was only about six or so NGOs who wanted access
(institutions are unfortunately considered very unsexy and attract little
attention). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, it must be said
that the disregard for civil society was nothing compared to the disrespect given
to the EU.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
The negotiations within IFSD
under the Brazilian Chairmanship weren’t so much about dialogue- it was more
like sign language, and the signs being given to Europe were not kind (they
probably would have involved the use of a certain finger).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost all of the European proposals going
into the drafting text (especially for institutional frameworks) were not seen
in the end document.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were deleted
and replaced by text that looked strangely familiar- it appeared to be the
position of the Group of 77 (developing countries).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the EU attempted to complain or request
for the text to be reopened the Brazilian chair would treat them as if they
were a spoilt four year old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a world
of over-the-top politeness and etiquette the Brazilian treatment of the EU was
surprising to say the least.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
included telling Switzerland at one stage, after a dissenting interjection,
that they could either continue to give their bitter little speech or accept
the text.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no real choice
given, Switzerland and the EU’s bluff had been called- the text was not going
to be reopened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The text going into the first Brazilian
drafting process had a number of points of contention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of these included the form of the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the possibility of a high level
representative for future generations and the role of ‘Green Jobs’ within the
Green Economy framework.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But almost of
these issues were glossed over or absent in the end document- there is only one
mention of Green Jobs (in paragraph 154), the high level representative has
been scrapped and any decision or even discussion on the future form of UNEP is
completely gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While this allowed for
the text to be more easily closed and passed by the heads of state it hinders
progress in the long term.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These issues
are resolved and relationships built through long-term, deep dialogue on the
difficult issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Putting these
contentions aside for another day is a short-sighted strategy that is
ultimately detrimental.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
Interestingly, the Brazilians are
known to be fantastic negotiators, and some of the best of their diplomats were
the ambassadors who became the chairs of the different sessions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was not out of inadequacy or poor
organising abilities that the text regressed in many areas and transparency was
skewed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To the contrary, this was
skilfully intentional and it was successful. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The motive, I believe, was not an
underhanded attempt to put in place G-77 positions that reflected
interests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Interestingly, many of the
points taken off the table by Brazil were contrary to their own positions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example Brazil has been supportive of the
notion of transforming UNEP into a World Environment Organisation for a number
of years now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead the intentions of
Brazil were more focused upon their international image and the city of Rio de
Janeiro.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rio is set to host both an upcoming World Cup
and Olympic Games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The city is set to be
in the center of international attention over the next few years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will be a key representative for the
emerging power of Brazil and accordingly, Brazil is determined to ensure that
the image of Rio is not tarnished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By no
means can the city be related to a failed conference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The result was a highly skilled chairmanship
that was determined to get an outcome at any cost, regardless of the ambition
or fairness of the end result.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although it must be said that this is not a
new phenomenon- it is history repeating itself after similar actions in climate
change negotiations by the Danish at CoP15 in Copenhagen and the Mexicans at
Cancun at CoP16.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The host nation and chairmanship
of international environmental conferences has an incredible amount of power
over the process and has recurrently distorted proceedings to ensure outcomes
that often sacrifice long term progress and ambition for the opportunity to
bang the gavel and declare a successful agreement.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
So what is the lesson here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We (and the UN) need to be more aware of the
power of the chairmanship and the circumstances and interests of the hosting
country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Restrictions need to be placed upon the power
of the host nation and progressive countries need to be willing to walk away
from talks and play tough when necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If this were the case then the hardball tactics of Brazil would not have
been as successful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clearly the first
lessons have not been learned considering the upcoming chairmanship of Qatar for
CoP18, but hopefully the last lesson can still be of use.</div>Fenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372277635613255853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-30998990513796888782012-07-09T01:22:00.000+10:002012-07-09T01:22:08.542+10:00The Phoenix Effect<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;">- By Luke Kemp</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span> </span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Looking back through history and at the process and outcome of Rio+20 it
becomes apparent that international society may have to face a stimulus of crisis or collapse
before the necessary progress on sustainable development can be made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
Rio+20 has drawn to a close, and
has inevitably been accompanied by a chorus of media voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The majority (even conservative ones) have
been singing of failure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d say the
outcome is not so clear cut- it really depends upon your criteria for
success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Based upon reasonable
expectations it really isn’t all that bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some good progress was made on oceans, Sustainable Development Goals and
certain areas of the green economy (e.g. education).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Based upon what science suggests is necessary
to avoid ecological catastrophes it was woefully inadequate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
Although, what did we really
expect- a conference that saved the world?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hasn’t anyone learned from Copenhagen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A single summit, regardless of how many heads of states it attracts, is
unlikely to provide the silver bullet for sustainable development issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any negotiator at Riocentro would be more
than happy to remind us that the multilateral process is a slow and incremental
one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I agree and I think that given
another a hundred years or so of this snail pace progress we probably could
address many of our current problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unfortunately our global environmental problems require urgent and
radical action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The nature of the
solutions does not match that of multilateral negotiations currently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The process needs a metamorphosis.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of the major changes (especially
institutionally) to global society have spurred on by a crisis of some form or
another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bretton Woods Institutions
and current international financial order were catalyzed by the destruction of WWII.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rise of the UN required the complete
collapse of the League of Nations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On a
smaller scale many of the greatest steps forward in climate change negotiations
have occurred after failures, like at CoP6 at The Hague. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Transformations away from the status quo
often require a stimulus of crisis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such a crisis could take three main forms
within our current world- environmental, social or political.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
Environmental disasters could be
effective in creating the necessary political will to move forward
negotiations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The O-zone Hole and
subsequent Montreal Protocol showed nations are not pleased and will act quickly
when their citizens are threatened by mass deaths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the O-zone issue had immediate
impacts, climate change, biodiversity and other problems lack this urgency in
impacts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Secondly, by the time any
ecological disaster could occur we would already be past the point of no-return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Social crisis such as a global (or
semi-global) revolution are also unlikely to occur quickly enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Occupy World Street will not be the answer
unless it gains traction (and unity) fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This leaves us with one last form of crisis- political.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
What shape or form could such a
political crisis take?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The failure of
the multilateral process could be one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
don’t mean perceived failure as in Copenhagen or Rio+20, but an actual complete
collapse of negotiations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The break-up
of the Group of 77 of developing countries, who are playing an increasingly
regressive role (as in Rio), could be another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
Common rejections of this could
be that the complete collapse of the process could disillusion the public to
the extent that they move away from the multilateral process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another may be that such a crisis could
actually set negotiations back by many years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Both are partially true, but the progress we need will require some
risk- Who Dares Wins. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As John F Kennedy
once famously noted ‘crisis’ in Chinese is made up of two characters- danger
and opportunity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More importantly people are already losing
faith in the multilateral system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
sad lack of public interest and media coverage at Rio+20 is ample evidence of this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
So if we need a political crisis
to catalyze the current process we just have to wait and watch the fireworks
right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not quite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem is that any such incident will
likely require some courageous action by certain parties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will need the short term sacrifice of the
multilateral process and the image of certain states, states that will likely
be the most ambitious of international actors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yet, the most progressive countries are also those who are least willing
to see the multilateral process collapse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was apparent in the EU refusing to walk away from signing the Rio+20
text despite Brazil treating the bloc like a spoiled child, deleting many of its
proposals and refusing to reopen the text (more on this in my next
article).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The EU and others care too
dearly for multilateralism to see it injured in any way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will need to learn that the best
outcome in the long-term for the current system will involve some ‘tough
love’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
We need to take a lesson from the
mythical phoenix: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>an old and damaged
bird may need to be burnt so that a renewed body can rise from the ashes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We may need to be ready to watch large scale shifts in the multilateral process, it's failure or other catastrophes unfold before we can expect a
positive revolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to be
ready that when the crisis takes place we can seize the opportunity and are not
be blinded by the flames.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without such a
spark it looks as though our future may face a death by a thousand cuts [or
conferences].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>Fenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372277635613255853noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-20963681815263346742012-07-04T03:03:00.002+10:002012-07-04T03:04:38.934+10:00The Belo Monte monster dam threatens indigenous rights and the environment in the Amazon<i>By Julie Melrose, in Rio de Janeiro Brazil </i><br />
<br />
3 July 2012<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/HvbOTrczxAA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Imagine that your community, surrounding communities, your livelihoods, cultural practices and the habitat that sustain you are about to be destroyed. Imagine having screamed and fought for decades against the cause of this destruction, only to be met with deaf ears, and even with deafening murder of some of your most prominent activists. The largest dam under construction in the world is in the first stages of construction on the magnificent Xingu River in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon.</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Still in Brazil following our attendance at the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, we have found ourselves captivated by the intense political situation continuing to unfold in the Brazilian Amazon - the indigenous indian occupation of the highly controversial Belo Monte dam site entering its 10th day. </div>
<br />
Up to 80% of the Xingu River will be diverted from its original course, causing a permanent drought in the river's "Big Bend" and directly affecting the Paquicamba and Arara territories of the Juruna and Arara indigenous peoples. The flooding will displace 20,000 people from their homes and destroy standing forest in the area, releasing dangerous greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.<br />
<br />
One of the most frustrating aspects of the dam construction is that the dam will actually be one of the most inefficient in the history of Brazil - producing only 10% of its 11,233 megawatt capacity during the 3-5 month-long dry season, an average of only 4,462 MW throughout the year, or 39% of its normal capacity.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XjwZ_zbCkX8/T_Bk0qGTgvI/AAAAAAAAAL0/1f_2cYzaRIM/s1600/Stop+Belo+Monte+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XjwZ_zbCkX8/T_Bk0qGTgvI/AAAAAAAAAL0/1f_2cYzaRIM/s400/Stop+Belo+Monte+photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Protest on the Belo Monte dam site in the Amazon<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The protest is calling attention to the failure of the dam consortium to address the impacts to the lives of the indigenous inhabitants and their environment. The dam construction will divert the majority of the flow from the Xingu River away from a large 62-mile stretch called the 'Big Bend', which will impact the indigenous peoples ability to use the river for travel, fishing, not to mention destroying sacred cultural landscapes that indigenous people have been custodians over for generations. </span></div>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yes, dams provide hydroelectric power - but this does not mean it is a clean source of energy. Dams also divert rivers, destroy the surrounding environment and habitat of thousands of species, displace entire communities, destroy cultural practices and sacred sites of indigenous people through the flooding of large areas of land. There now exist over 7,000 large dams in the world, and Belo Monte is one of the largest 30.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Chillingly, several prominent environmental activists in the Amazon have been murdered, silenced from speaking out against the dam and other issues including illegal logging. Jose Claudio Ribeiro da Silva and Maria do Espirito Santo are two Amazon activists that were murdered less than 24 hours after Brazil's lower house of congress voted to roll back forest protections. Several other Amazonian activists have been murdered during the course of this campaign. But this violence and intimidation does not matter to those occupying the dam site currently. It clear that the people of the Xingu are willing to die in this war between development, culture and the environment. They have got nothing left to lose. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Environmental Action in Australia </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Last year, I protested outside of the Brazilian embassy in Canberra, Australia, on the International Day of Action for the Amazon campaign run by Amazon Watch around the world. In other cities around the world, hundreds - even thousands of people turned out to support the plight of the indigenous people in the Amazon whose cultures are threatened by this gigantic dam construction, not to mention the environmental damage that will be caused. However, in Australia, we had just a handful of people turn out to show their concern. In Australia, we sometimes tend to be very far removed, isolated and as a result, complacent about some of the very serious issues taking place abroad. We shouldn't be, because these issues also affect us in terms of the impact they have on the wellbeing of a World Heritage Area, as well as the impact on our own progress as a human race with the violation of human and indigenous rights. Being here in Brazil, meeting people involved and impacted by the dam, feeling the tension in the air over this issue and hearing it on the news and reading it in the news sites, we feel closer and more connected to the issue. With this comes a drive to let others know about it. As privileged, educated and informed young people, we feel an obligation to speak out. There should not be an 'opt-out' option, a choice not to care or listen, on issues that affect our global environment and issues that violate universal human rights. </div>
<br />
To pledge your support and find out more, visit Amazon Watch's website: <a href="http://amazonwatch.org/work/belo-monte-dam">http://amazonwatch.org/work/belo-monte-dam </a><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lE6ec8qO3l4/T_BpNL3YRuI/AAAAAAAAAMY/TSxIHacUSxs/s1600/Protest+canberra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lE6ec8qO3l4/T_BpNL3YRuI/AAAAAAAAAMY/TSxIHacUSxs/s400/Protest+canberra.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">International Day of Action for the Amazon 2011<br />
Australian Parliament House in Canberra</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>Links for more information: </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoRhavupkfw&feature=relmfu&fb_source=message">The Announcement of a War</a> - a powerful documentary on the Belo Monte dam campaign</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/07/01/sunday-review/the-worlds-large-dams-almost-7000-and-counting.html?ref=sunday">NYTimes Map of the World's Large Dams</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://norteenergiasa.com.br/site/?lang=en">Norte Energia</a> - consortium of companies behind the dam </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Belo Monte dam construction <a href="http://www.blogbelomonte.com.br/">blog </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
NY Times article <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/01/opinion/sunday/the-dam-boom-in-the-amazon.html?_r=1&smid=fb-share">'The Dam Boom in the Amazon' </a>June 30 2012</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Julie Melrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00969314973907657656noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-80258383783767960982012-07-03T00:26:00.002+10:002012-07-03T00:33:49.128+10:00A Delegação da Universidade Nacional da Austrália para Rio +20Entre junho 20-22, uma delegação de 17 alunos da Universidade Nacional
da Austrália (UNA) participou da Conferência das Nações Unidas sobre
Desenvolvimento Sustentável (Rio +20) no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.<br />
<br />
Os estudantes foram selecionados entre uma variação de disciplinas -
de engenharia e ciência à direito e sociologia. O evento, organizado
pelas Nações Unidas, juntou 50.000 pessoas de todo o mundo no maior
encontro para discutir questões relacionadas ao meio ambiente
internacional.<br />
<br />
Antes da conferência, os estudantes se reuniram com autoridades
governamentais e acadêmicas, e apresentaram pesquisas num simpósio sobre
desenvolvimento sustentável.<br />
<br />
Na conferência, os estudantes
participaram de eventos paralelos, se reuniram com especialistas em suas
disciplinas e participaram das sessões de negociações oficiais. Os
alunos também participaram da Conferência dos Povos, um evento da
sociedade civil em paralelo a conferência oficial, que reuniu líderes
ativistas de todo o mundo.<br />
<br />
A experiência foi única, e os alunos criaram vínculos duradouros.
Enquanto os resultados da conferência foram decepcionantes para muitos,
os alunos vão voltar para a Austrália com novos conhecimentos e ideias, e
um compromisso fortificado para facilitar o desenvolvimento
sustentável.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-64185480182471255052012-07-02T03:55:00.000+10:002012-07-02T04:06:47.924+10:00From Red to Green to Multicoloured<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- By Karina Bontes Forward</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In 1992, United Nations Conference on Environment and Development took place in Rio de Janeiro - hence the name of the current Rio+20 Conference, being its twentieth anniversary. There, the <i>cariocas</i></span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> (common name for Rio’s inhabitants), marched the streets in protest, chanting "what is the use of all this ecology if our people are oppressed and massacred!".</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Last Wednesday’s protest in downtown Rio was also full of cries, chants and banners, as not only the <i>cariocas</i> but thousands from the world’s different countries converged on the main street under a grey spitting sky. But the chants were different, and the banners had different writing, this time with things like:</span> ‘Por um mundo verde y justo’ (For a fair and green world), ‘As mulheres dizen nao ao capitalisme verde’ (Women say no to green capitalism), ‘Desmantelemos el poder corporativo’ (Dismantle corporate power).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DQMvJspi3Tk/T_CJJM_zq2I/AAAAAAAAAAM/2lERE4VMj64/s1600/P1050114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DQMvJspi3Tk/T_CJJM_zq2I/AAAAAAAAAAM/2lERE4VMj64/s200/P1050114.JPG" title="" width="150" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Massive earth-painted balls balanced on hundreds of fingertips, flags from all over the world were waving (predominantly Latin American), men and women orated passionately and strongly to the marching masses about social and environmental justice from the tops of floats, and percussion troops and free whistles ensured the grounding vibes and beautifully invigorating noise pollution that accompany large-scale protests.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And the message was different. Instead of demanding poverty eradication over ecological action, painting it as separate to social injustice, the chants championed ecological integrity as well as equal rights and respect for all humans and poverty eradication, which is demonstrative of how different the dominant paradigm is now - people everywhere are realising that the two are not so separate.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Brazil’s government, headed by President Dilma Roussef, recently relaxed the laws dealing with deforestation in the Amazon, creating a massive backlash in not only environmental groups, but in Brazilian civil society and the wider global community. The laws on deforestation had been tightened previously, limiting the previously rampant destruction that had been happening and securing protection for large tracts of forests - but now the country is backtracking.</span></div>
</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HmMVLy60h-w/T_CJ47HywPI/AAAAAAAAAAU/jPqQJ_gbPOA/s1600/dilma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HmMVLy60h-w/T_CJ47HywPI/AAAAAAAAAAU/jPqQJ_gbPOA/s200/dilma.jpg" width="133" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">‘Dilma<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">, com que </span>cara você<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: justify;"> chega?’ (Dilma, how can you show your face?) is the line branded underneath a caricature of the president wielding a chainsaw. Stuck all over the walls in Rio, on protest banners and on postcards around the place (especially at the People’s Summit), it is clear that a good part of Brazilian society is not happy with the move, least of all the indigenous peoples, who can see that once again their right to sustainable use of their lands, and indeed their access to resources, is to be threatened. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The decision to introduce this legislation in the weeks before the world’s largest environmental summit, what UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has called ‘a once-in-a-generation opportunity’, is a bad move for a host country. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">This is obviously a relevant problem in the context of Brazil and Rio+20, but it’s also hugely important for the world. It was one of the central themes focussed on at the protest, and it is so very reflective of the practice of too many states - the actions don’t reflect the words. The world has globalised considerably since 1992, and the need for participatory decision-making is more important than ever, but the voice of civilian actors in the final process has been little heard. The final outcome document of the conference states in the first paragraph that conclusions were reached, together with the heads of state and governments, ‘</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">with full participation of civil society,’. Such is the absurdity of this statement that its removal was requested by some of the major groups representing civilians. The input of civil society in the final document was largely excluded, paragraphs on inclusive participation were struck out, the creation of a UN High Commissioner for Future Generations was brushed aside; business-as-normal is back on the bandwagon as far as most governments and big business are concerned.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Although the outcome text, labeled ‘The Future We Want’, would probably be more accurate if it was called ‘The Future They Want’, it is not to say that the conference was a failure. The attendance of 50,000+ people to discuss the future we want included many civilians, and the ideas sharing, collaboration and inspiration that can be drawn from such global meetings is a success in itself. I personally met many people who were attending the official conference and who were discouraged by the lack of progress that comes with trying to get 190 nations agreeing on a consensus text, but who had nonetheless come away with new friends, networks, agreements, ideas and with some sense of assurance that there are others who give a damn and are doing something about it.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As I myself did. My personal yo-yo, of going to talks and workshops where a sense of apathy and unresponsiveness, and not to mention the lack of urgency, were the overriding feelings, and then going to inspirational panels of speakers where you feel it is absolutely impossible to not have hope, to not believe in the creativity, innovation and willpower of the human species in the face of destruction, sent me on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. Marching with those 60,000 people reminded me that there are many out there who are concerned, really concerned, about the lack of action. Who are demanding a better world, now and in the future, for them and their children.</span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As Kermit says, it’s not always easy being green, especially when the mainstream is not, but realising there is a worldwide movement of people screaming for change in all different shapes and forms makes you feel a little less lonely. It’s too late to not have hope, and although us humans can be destructive and dangerous, we can also be compassionate and benevolent, and I choose to believe in that, together with those multicoloured people carrying green banners.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZdEFPtjdzjI/T_CK92ghAsI/AAAAAAAAAAc/SaHIMyhvoBA/s1600/P1050103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZdEFPtjdzjI/T_CK92ghAsI/AAAAAAAAAAc/SaHIMyhvoBA/s320/P1050103.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Karina Palomitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04736678857960065571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-21225317358206145112012-06-30T07:10:00.001+10:002012-06-30T07:10:38.291+10:00Sink or Swim? The Oceans in our Veins at Rio+20<br />
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<li><i><b>by Julie Melrose - following Oceans debate at Rio+20 </b></i></li>
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Day after day, day after day,<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, Arial, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">We stuck, nor breath nor motion;</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, Arial, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">As idle as a painted ship, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, Arial, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Upon a painted ocean.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, Arial, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Water, water, every where,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, Arial, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">And all the boards did shrink;</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, Arial, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Water, water, every where,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, Arial, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Nor any drop to drink.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, Arial, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><i>Samuel Taylor Coleridge - The Rime of the Ancient Mariner </i></span></div>
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Australians have a deep connection with the ocean. It is of great importance to our identity, prosperity, lifestyle, culture and security. I have a personal passion and connection with oceans, and I found myself taking an interest in the oceans debate at Rio+20 after Australia started taking a leadership role in the negotiations.<br />
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I had the special privilege of growing up living right on the beach in a surfing town called Cronulla to the south of Sydney, in the same house that my great-grandmother, grandmother and father grew up in, and spending all my spare time doing something that involved the ocean. I played water polo in the ocean pools, competed in ocean swimming and surf life saving, went surfing, helped my next door neighbour who was a marine biologist collect and tag soldier crabs on the sand flat outside our house and attended protests about jet skis tearing up the seagrass in the bay. Sand was a welcome visitor to our house, and we always had healing oyster cuts, itchy sea lice or jellyfish stings. But this is the way of life that creates the special beach/ocean culture of Australia's coastal communities. The ocean is a kind of bio-sensitivity that is my frame of reference to the world. It is where I feel at home.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QcPmWi2qqQ0/T-R37CS2uWI/AAAAAAAAAK8/lgPItmrgiQE/s1600/blueholemed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QcPmWi2qqQ0/T-R37CS2uWI/AAAAAAAAAK8/lgPItmrgiQE/s320/blueholemed.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Great Blue Hole, Belize Barrier Reef, Central America</td></tr>
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In 2009 I spent a year working as a PADI Divemaster in Belize, in the Caribbean sea, leading divers to the magnificent 'Blue Hole'. When you are under water, diving, breathing air from a tank, completely dependent on your equipment for survival, you realise how much we do not know about the ocean that supports us, how misunderstood it remains in society, and how frightening that is in the face of its destruction. While some parts of the ocean are managed or protected at a national level in Australia, they are far from adequately protected on an international level or to the same extent at a national level in other countries around the world.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Divers in the Blue Hole</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;">I attended an Official Rio+20 Side Event run by the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span><a href="http://www.marinereservescoalition.org/">Marine Reserves Coalition</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"> (Pew Environment Institute and Zoological Society of London). Oceans are one of the 7 critical issues being discussed and debated at Rio+20. Currently under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), countries are committed to a 10% target of all oceans being protected at some level by 2020. In reality, we are very very far from even having a chance of meeting that target, which is too weak to make a difference anyway.</span></div>
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<b>State of the world's oceans</b><br />
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The problems that our oceans face are so incredibly immense and at times immeasurable that it is hard to comprehend or accept. But it is important to understand the sheer scale of some of these challenges so as to gain an appreciation of the solutions needed.<br />
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As Susan Leiberman, Director of International Policy at the <a href="http://www.pewenvironment.org/campaigns/global-ocean-legacy/id/8589941025">Pew Environment Group</a> explained, oceans cover 71% of the Earth's surface, contain half of all species, 80% of fisheries, and are the primary source of protein for 1 billion people. Yet, less than 1% of oceans are fully protected. Oceans are faced with a myriad of threats from oil and gas spills, over-fishing, waste, climate change, acidification, debris..the list goes on and on. We have reached a critical tipping point. This is dramatically illustrated by an amazing resource <a href="http://protectedplanet.net/#2_-23.5_590.25_0">http://protectedplanet.net/ </a>which details the protected areas of the world - you can see just how little of the ocean is coloured in on the map.</div>
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According to the most recent Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) <a href="http://www.fao.org/docrep/013/i1820e/i1820e.pdf">State of the World's Fisheries and Aquaculture Report 2010</a>, 85% of our oceans are either over-exploited, exploited, or depleting. And the FAO's new report to be released soon is predicted to increase that figure. 90% of the populations of large fish globally, such as sharks, tuna and swordfish have disappeared in the last few decades. For example, we are literally eating the Bluefin Tuna to death with over 80% of populations disappeared since 1970. A shocking video by Time Magazine provides an insight into how things have changed in the Philippine port of General Santos City from overfishing: <a href="http://www.time.com/time/video/player/0,32068,47596301001_1932240,00.html">The Trouble with Tuna. </a></div>
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The 'trash vortex' of the North Pacific Ocean, commonly called the "pacific gyre", is a vast expanse of rubbish the size of the American state of Texas. It is estimated that there are 6 kilos of plastic for every kilo of plankton there. The very thing that makes plastic useful to us as human consumers - their durability and stability - is the very thing that makes them a nightmare for oceans. <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/pollution/trash-vortex/">Greenpeace International </a>has a great explanation of how the world's rubbish ends up in these horrid ocean tips by ocean currents. And this is just one of the threats that oceans face.</div>
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There are now more problems that have arisen since the Joburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI). These include increased nutrient over-enrichment contributing to habitat degradation, lack of ocean-based renewable energy use, continuing threats to coral reefs, the existence of vast areas of marine debris in the form of plastics, and a lack of systemic data exchange across nations. </div>
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<b>History of ocean management </b></div>
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2012 is the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). In 1982, almost ten years after the debate on a global oceans treaty bean, a conference ended and agreed to a new UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) - an unprecedented attempt by the world to regulate the oceans and bring a stable order to mankind's very source of life. A treaty was drafted and covered issues like navigation rights, maritime zones, continental shelf, deep sea mining, protection of marine environment, scientific research, binding procedure for settling disputes - the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. Watch this <a href="http://www.un.org/Depts/los/index.htm">UN video</a> on the history of oceans management before and after UNCLOS. UNCLOS was a very significant move to recognise the oceans as a common heritage of mankind, rather than as a free resource to be pillaged and fished as nations saw fit. But it is still not enough.</div>
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<b>Ocean management and protection is still inadequate </b></div>
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There exist 21 international treaties dealing with the protection of the oceans under the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), but so far we have had little luck in successfully implementing them so as to see real and effective results in the protection and sustainable management of the oceans. The commitment to maintain or restore depleted fish stocks to levels that can produce their maximum yields has not been met, deterrence of illegal, unreported or unregulated fishing is almost non-existent, and marine pollution remains a very serious issue. We are also yet to meet commitments made regarding biodiversity conservation and establishment of Marine Protected Areas - the 10% by 2020 target under the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation. Thus, one thing we need to do as a starting point is to have renewed political commitment to implementing existing treaty obligations. </div>
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<b>Australia's Leadership on Oceans at Rio+20</b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">In Australia, oceans have a special place not only in our culture but for our economy. They directly support jobs in commercial and recreational/charter fishing and indirectly through supporting businesses and communities along the coastline. Marine tourism contributes over $11 billion per year to the Australian economy and economic activity in the marine environment has been found to contribute more than $44 billion per year (over 4% of GDP). </span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Australia's Network of Marine Protected Area</td></tr>
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Here in Rio, Australia is considered a leader in the oceans debate after they announced a large addition to our National Marine Protected Areas, the Coral Sea Marine Reserve. Australia now has the largest network of ocean reserves in the world. Prior to the announcement, Australia only had 9% of waters protected in some way (through zoning and licensing) and only 4% fully protected (no-take areas). Now, Australia leads the world in having 38% of our waters protected, and 14% fully protected. The Coral Sea reserve enjoys a sprawling no-take zone a little under the size of Spain. Yet there is still a huge amount of opposition to marine reserves in Australia and around the world.</div>
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<b>What Rio+20 achieved for oceans - Will we sink or swim?</b></div>
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The final text that came out of Rio+20 basically recognises and notes a lot of important and pressing issues, without going far enough to actually agree on solutions and put in place practical measures to implement them. In international conferences, the first word in each of the paragraphs of the text agreed usually tells you enough about the depth and impact of the agreement or commitment reached. "Recognise" and "note" usually mean that they agree something is a problem but don't have consensus so couldn't put in place any solutions. "Supported" or "reaffirm" usually means status quo - what they are doing just needs to continue. "Call upon" "call for" and "urge" is getting a bit stronger, but is just a political tool to try and garner support from countries to initiatives, and falls short of a commitment. "Commit"is the only word that means consensus has been reached and a process will be put in place to honour that commitment. </div>
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In the final oceans text decided at Rio+20, only 2 out of 20 paragraphs started with the word "commit". Ocean law expert Kristina Gjerde of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has criticised the text for failing to create a binding international legal framework for Marine Protected Areas, and much of the text relies on voluntary and small scale contributions from "coalitions of the willing". However, some positive points that provide some hope are: </div>
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<li>Strengthened wording on overfishing that specified actions - including fishing bans - that governments must take to protect fish stocks and biodiversity; </li>
<li>Specific actions for eliminating illegal fishing such as better monitoring of ports and assistance for authorities in developing countries; </li>
<li>A commitment to transparent and accountable marine management within regional fisheries through the use of publicly available independent assessments that authorities commit to implementing; </li>
<li>Specific actions to eliminate harmful substances - such as fuel subsidies - for the fishing industry. </li>
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The question is - is this enough? Is this going to happen fast enough? Will it simply become more hot air and empty promises? We must start to take the probems with our oceans very seriously, before we reach a tipping point of no return. We must continue to raise awareness about the crucial importance of effective oceans management both at a national, regional and international level. We must not become as 'idle as a painted ship, upon a painted ocean'. </div>
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<br /></div>Julie Melrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00969314973907657656noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-23927332121335757462012-06-28T09:15:00.001+10:002012-06-28T09:16:57.066+10:00Eb blog: Parting thoughts on Rio+20<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://e66a.blogspot.com/2012/06/parting-thoughts-on-rio20.html?spref=bl">Eb blog: Parting thoughts on Rio+20</a>: I'm lea<span style="background-color: white;">ving Rio, leaving behind a great city and a conference that tends to evoke an uncertain range of grimaces from people when spoken of. <span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">. The uninspiring outcome of Rio+20 provokes different reactions depending on expectations and personality. I myself never expected much from the actual document. I came to find out how the bottom-up approach makes use of international meetings and how the local relates to the global. I learned a few things...</span></span></span></div>e66ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03470520196990384213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-36261031956483109312012-06-23T02:42:00.001+10:002012-06-23T02:44:30.465+10:00Where's the Love in Rio?by Teifi Caron<br />
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For me Rio +20 has been a juxtaposed conference set in a city of contrasts that perfectly outline the major contributing factors behind the sustained attack we are currently engaged in against a vulnerable global ecosystem - poverty, inequality, greed and fear. Let me explain....<br />
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I have often heard (and I thoroughly believe) that love primarily requires 3 factors: Trust, Respect and Affection.<br />
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<b>TRUST</b><br />
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I noticed before this conference even began that there was obviously no trust amidst these global negotiations. The military and police operations underway in preparation for the arrival of so many heads of state, and others deemed to be important, was frighteningly thorough. I spotted 8 warships navigating the crystal clear ocean waters from Botafogo to Sao Conrado on my way to my hotel, 4 military helicopters hovered overhead, army trucks every few blocks with soldiers sporting their automatic weapons, federal police, state police, municipality police, security guards, horse-mounted police, sniffer dogs (we have invaded other species on our quest for self-preservation) were all present to 'protect' the city. Since when did protection require such a display of force? When did we become so frightened of each other???<br />
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Add to this the elaborate processes involved with debugging the hotels where each delegation stays to prevent international espionage and I think we can all agree, trust is definitely not there. I wonder how much work our leaders would actually be able to get done if they didn't have to spend so much time in security convoys traveling out to conferences on the outskirts of town due to the fear of civil societies' protests if locations were more accessible? <br />
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<b>RESPECT</b><br />
<br />
After staying in a glitzy hotel for the first few nights where the delegations of Australia, Iran and South Korea happened to be staying, I packed my bags and headed to a grimy backpackers in Botafogo to get a feel for the other side of the conference attendees. My 8-person dorm room is filled with Central and West Africans and Brazilians who have traveled interstate for their chance to be part of what was lauded as such a historic conference.<br />
<br />
Speaking with Babamondo from Nigeria this morning over a breakfast of fresh tropical fruits and strong coffee, Babmondo gave me a personal insight into the corruption and abuse of human rights endured in his home country after oil was discovered in the Niger Delta. He asked me a powerful question which I couldn't give him an appropriate response to considering his war-torn past "what is point of having these big conferences to talk about ethical issues in front of the cameras, when under the table none of these laws are respected". I did a quick bit of further research and found a great article from research coming out of Berkeley University for those of you who want to know more about the <a href="http://oldweb.geog.berkeley.edu/ProjectsResources/ND%20Website/NigerDelta/WP/Watts_25.pdf" target="_blank">issue.</a> <br />
<br />
On the bus journey out to the conference centre, I thought of many other examples of violations of international law in the relentless pursuit of resources to satisfy ever increasing standards of living, influence doctrine or for personal vendetta. East Timor, the Palestinian Territories, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Cambodia, South and Central America come to mind. In fact, notable examples from every region in the world.<br />
<br />
Yes, I think we can tick respect off our list. It is not present behind the scenes of this conference.<br />
<br />
If international law is not respected, we have no chance of saving our planet. Simple.<br />
<br />
<b>AFFECTION</b><br />
<br />
One of the coolest things I've seen during this conference is the bread tank initiative by the <a href="http://www.worldfuturecouncil.org/breadtank.html" target="_blank">World Future Council</a> which publicises the realistic possibility of eradicating hunger and extreme poverty by redirecting military spending.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1TKDNyYNxd4/T-Sa9GCqYiI/AAAAAAAAAP8/2Bo_YE6EKK4/s1600/bread+tank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1TKDNyYNxd4/T-Sa9GCqYiI/AAAAAAAAAP8/2Bo_YE6EKK4/s320/bread+tank.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Visiting the bread tank present here yesterday with Julie Melrose (and eating some of the slightly stale pita bread to subdue our hunger), I learnt that defence spending world-wide last year was $1.74 trillion. Hang on, let me get that that straight - $1,740,000,000,000 is spent internationally on methods to kill one another.<br />
<br />
And according to Edward Davey, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, UK; "Competition for resources could intensify, as territorial change puts pressure on trade and makes conflict more likely. Natural disasters could increase the demands on our military capability". Therefore, presumably military spending will increase to combat the exacerbated instability caused by climate change and environmental destruction. See how it is all linked in a cycle of positive feedback loops? <br />
<br />
Nope, I think we can agree, affection can't be present while we're blatantly spending so much plotting to murder each other so let's tick that off our list and conclude that <i>there is no love here in Rio</i>. If international relationships were marriages, I think we would see a very high divorce rate indeed.<br />
<br />
I'll leave you with a nice image and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpYeekQkAdc" target="_blank">song</a> which reflect the sentiment of this post to end it. I look forward to receiving your comments....<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08059597653404609852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-61191798819872174682012-06-22T14:19:00.001+10:002012-06-22T14:19:48.589+10:00How do you feel when... you meet Julia Gillard<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
by Sophia. </div>
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<i>This is just a shortie. I’m finding that processing so much
of what occurs here in Rio takes me some time, so I’m probably going to go back
to front in the order of my posts. But for now: </i></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Silly as it
might sound, I think I've got a feeling for how many world leaders might feel when
they meet other world leaders. After spending this week in rooms with, amongst
others, the King of Sweden, the President of Ecuador, the UN Secretary General,
ex-Presidents of Finland and Ecuador, Nobel laureates, and the heads of
countless highly respected NGO’s and Civil Society groups, something has
changed. I’ve begun to lose the excitement I initially held about attending
this or that session, because Head of State X was presenting, or NGO Y was
chairing the panel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Instead, many have lost their sheen. Despite the titles
they’re given, and the reputations that precede them, they’re still human.
Just like the other 7 billion or so people they share this planet with, they
also fundamentally depend on the same things as I: most generally food, water, shelter, and
community. </div>
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So today, when the Delegation met with the Prime Minister of
Australia, this is what I felt. She was human, just like us: she was a woman
sitting at the other side of the table, who also gets jetlag and frizzy hair
when travelling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As someone most
definitely in the spotlight, almost constantly surrounded by media, where
everything she says is scrutinised from all angles, she perhaps becomes at ease
in any situation. Especially if meeting with a bunch of students from Canberra
who only have 15 minutes in her company; by the time introductions and
logistics are ticked off, it doesn’t leave much time to ask the tough questions
and potentially ruffle any feathers! </div>
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I’m far from positive that the outcomes of Rio+20 themselves
will actually do much in getting us where we need to be. We all need to live
here, utilising essentially the same resources to do so. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, we shouldn’t wait around for
our ‘leaders’ to lead before doing anything to try and secure ourselves a sustainable
existence. Because this is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">our </i>planet,
it doesn’t belong just to those who I used to be nervous about meeting in the
flesh. </div>
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We have an equal right to take action, in whatever capacity
that might be. No doubt I hope that they also realise that their wellbeing is
at stake by acting too slowly. Without reflecting on our common humanity, it
would be even more difficult for me to think that anything successful could
come out of this Conference. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">However, my hope lies not with most of the political leaders
I’ve been exposed to, but with the members of civil society who I have been so inspired
and excited by this week. Civil
society deserve a post in their own right, so more on that to come. Once I've processed this batch of info...</span></div>
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<br /><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>Sophia Christoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13009780322805304520noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-90176034448290366622012-06-22T03:44:00.002+10:002012-06-22T03:45:51.735+10:00Strong legally binding text, passionate civil society movement or maybe a bit of both<br />
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt;">A
worthy initial note, Rio must be the most beautiful city in the entire world -
the sheer jungle cliff faces make a perfect backdrop for a world environmental
conference. It is a pity of course that the conference is less environmentally
inspiring and is funded by less environmentally inspiring mining companies and
multinational corporations like coca cola. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt;"><br />
So to the theme of this blog; I would like to share with you my reflections of
Rio +20 so far. In such a fast paced environment it is hard to slow down enough
to be able to sit still and write a blog, however as my discontent over the
process grows – I feel the need to get across my observations to you all. <br />
<br />
My focus for the conference is two-fold: I am looking at mining for sustainable
development and an analytical interpretation of the implementability of the legal
document that will be produced at the end of the Rio +20 conference.<br />
<br />
The conference will create a non-legally binding document supported by States
to reaffirm previous texts and commit to sustainable development and green
economy initiatives. The current text was described by <a href="http://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/1804" target="_blank">Jeffrey Sachs</a> in a
panel discussion this morning as a ‘call for action’ in a flexible way, outside
the constraints of bubble-wrapped legally binding agreement. But where is the
incentive if not in a legally binding text? </span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt;">The
text was closed by Brazil on June 19 bringing a halt to negotiations. Brazil, <a href="http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2185272/rio-negotiators-accused-strong-arm-tactics" target="_blank">to save face</a>, closed the text in a successful attempt to ensure an outcome is
secured at the conclusion of Rio +20 on 22 June. The closure of the text
understandably left many countries in the lurch as the hope for reaching a
strong agreement quickly dissipated.<br />
<br />
The general consensus on June 20 was that the text did not provide strong
language and would not create commitments to take action. There were whispers
of powerful players, the EU and Switzerland walking out of the plenary in disgust and hope
that this action would push for a consensus to re-open the text among States. <br />
<br />
This now seems unlikely, and it is with reserved sobriety that I and many States
have come around to the idea that the final text will remain a weak non-committal
document. It has been noted that the current text somewhat reflects the result
of the Rio earth summit of 1992, and that what will follow in the aftermath of
the conference will create strong conventions and global initiatives. Time will
tell. <br />
<br />
I however have hope and take consolation in the fact that a move toward a
sustainable and environmentally secure world cannot be achieved through a
document alone. The move will need to be an institutional overhaul of the
status-quo as such multi-faceted issues deserve multi-faceted responses. I have
come to a compromised understanding within myself after all I have seen over
the past few days that through civil-society movements, communication, education,
technology, legal and regulatory frameworks, green economics and most
importantly a dedicated passion to make change we can achieve a world that will
be progressively more sustainable and will provide a safe environmental future
for us all.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt;">This
is my hope; some would say it is naïve. However, as I stand in solidarity with
the people of this world, these people who care enough in their hearts to come
together and fight for the future they want, I cannot help but think that a better
and more sustainable world is still within our grasp.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt;">May I also add what a privilege it has been to work with such inspirational and motivated people, further proof that a global sustainable future can be achieved.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt;"><br /></span></div>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09517318142913005193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-27051736513814199352012-06-22T03:30:00.003+10:002012-06-22T03:34:02.746+10:00Rio+20, The End of the RoadSix years ago I started university - the meeting places for great
young minds, where those around you are not yet cynical and jaded, where
ideas flourish and where youthful enthusiasm means anything is
possible.<br />
<br />
I was fortunate to stumble upon some of the most
switched on and passionate of these minds and realised that young people
could make the world a better place, idealistic though this may sound.<br />
<br />
I became an ’activist’. Every meeting, protest, or angry letter – count me in, the more the better.<br />
<br />
I
was arrested for protesting against the wasteful and dangerous renewal
of my country’s renewable weapons system. I was stopped and searched by
overzealous police operating under laws created by a paranoid
government, simply for protesting at the expansion of our already
expansive airport. I was hauled into the Dean’s office of my university
for questioning an annual careers fair dominated and sponsored by giant
multinational oil and arms companies.<br />
<br />
I was absolutely convinced that if you shouted loud enough, those in power would listen. I was wrong.<br />
<br />
We
replaced our nuclear weapons, committing future generations to decades
more anachronistic cold war politics and power relations based on
military might. Heathrow got its extra terminal and is responsible for
18 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year; at a time when scientists
agree on the need to drastically reduce such emissions. The
corporatisation of universities, schools, and public spaces continues
unabated. Even Rio+20 is sponsored by Coca-Cola.<br />
<br />
Cynical and jaded, burnt out, and exhausted, I looked for another way. A way that I, <i>we</i>,
could still effect change. As a lawyer, I thought that maybe this was
the answer. I thought that binding international laws could be agreed
that would steer us in the right direction. If all nations see the
problem, and we fairly distribute the responsibility for solving the
problem, everyone will be happy, right?<br />
<br />
Wrong again.<br />
<br />
A few
more years later, and we have only regressed. There is no successor to
the Kyoto Protocol, countries are shirking existing commitments so that
they may utilise evermore hideous ways to exploit my planet, rapid
economic growth continues to be the purported Holy Grail for human
societies, and continues to be predicated on the cheap and abundant
supply of fossil fuels and ever-growing global inequality.<br />
<br />
In
short, our failure to act with the required urgency is plunging our
planet into potential catastrophe. And we shouldn’t be so arrogant as to
think that we could ever fully understand the complexity of the impacts
our actions have on our environment.<br />
<br />
Rio+20 <i>was</i> an
exciting prospect. An opportunity to enunciate the future we want and
agree on a way to get there. Instead, the vast majority of world
leaders, with notable exception, have settled for the lowest common
denominator, bedded down for an endless talkfest, and condemned my
future children to inherit a planet in crisis.<br />
<br />
We must do better.<br />
<br />
I
now realise that I was once again misguided, but fortunately we learn
from our experience. Let us all learn from our experience and not make
the same mistakes twice.<br />
<br />
The self-serving, vapid and non-committal
show and tell that Rio+20 has become is a signal to me, and a signal to
youth and civil society across the world, that if we want a more just,
prosperous and sustainable world, we are going to have to do it
ourselves.<br />
<br />
Rio+20 is the end of the road. I refuse to speak up
when I am not listened to. I refuse to engage with bureaucratic
processes that promise everything and deliver nothing. I refuse to be
drawn into negative battles against so-called ‘leaders’ that are
incapable of leading, and would happily see my planet trashed and its
people in poverty, so long as they have their creature comforts.<br />
<br />
Engaging
with flawed processes does not work. Endless protesting does not work.
Radical and verbose mutterings will put even the most liberal and
dedicated of us off.<br />
<br />
No. Instead let us dictate the future we
want, not have a substandard future forced upon us. It is time to start
shaping a future that we can be proud of, positively develop a vision,
and bring our skills, knowledge, and hopefully youthful enthusiasm to
bear.<br />
<br />
My faith in law as a tool for change remains, though at a
different level. International agreements are not the answer, but we can
develop and implement strong national frameworks that can make our
positive vision for the future a reality.<br />
<br />
We can argue for rights
for nature, to enshrine respect for the systems that sustain our very
lives. We can stop obsessing over GDP and demand governments deliver
based on metrics that assess our happiness, not our economic output and
consumption. We can learn from indigenous peoples all over the world
that thankfully never lost their deep connection with their natural
environment.<br />
<br />
These ideas are not radical. They are not new. They are just the beginning.<br />
<br />
Let’s
reject passive engagement in processes destined to fail. Let’ use only
positive means for effecting change, and abandon negativity and fear
mongering. Let’s not strain our voices shouting in the face of those
that will never listen. It is time for us to not listen to them.<br />
<br />
It
is time to talk to each other, develop a positive vision behind which
we can all rally, and create the future we want for ourselves and future
generations.<br />
<br />
It is our obligation, our immense challenge, and our
privilege, to be a generation of young people that could change the
course of the history of our species. Let’s start now.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.glenwright.net%20/">www.GlenWright.net </a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-55922171248784260902012-06-21T12:30:00.003+10:002012-06-21T12:30:34.250+10:00ANU Joins 50,000 strong protest at Rio+20by Julie Melrose<br />
<br />
Yesterday at the People's Summit, a separate gathering being run in contrast to the main Rio+20 conference, we heard Indian conservationist Vandana Shiva speak. One of the main things that came across was that she believes the power is in the social networks that we create with each other, and mobilisation of civil society.<br />
<br />
Today was the People's March during Rio+20 - and the ANU Student Delegation joined over 50,000 others walking through the streets of Rio de Janeiro demanding social and environmental justice.<br />
<br />
Emotions have been running high amongst members of the delegation as the Rio+20 conference proper began today and the magnitude of the conference and what is at stake has hit home. We are all running on very little sleep - coming home late at night from the conference exhausted after very busy and diverse activities during the day. While some of the delegation were at the Rio+20 conference today (Maris was able to get a pass to sit in the Plenary session with the world leaders), some of us chose to do civil society engagement.<br />
<br />
We had our banner sprayed at the Peoples Summit on the beach before letting off some steam by marching, singing, dancing and chanting our way around the city in the People's March.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vcEr9AUaLeU/T-JvGQgB5zI/AAAAAAAAAKI/5xshWQQBtdw/s1600/IMG_4695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vcEr9AUaLeU/T-JvGQgB5zI/AAAAAAAAAKI/5xshWQQBtdw/s320/IMG_4695.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ANU delegates marching with their banner</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sd_98XFFLng/T-JyK0vlXtI/AAAAAAAAAKU/_DwCQ7Pt4YI/s1600/IMG_4651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sd_98XFFLng/T-JyK0vlXtI/AAAAAAAAAKU/_DwCQ7Pt4YI/s320/IMG_4651.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Julie and Karina whistle blowing at the march<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Many people were suprised to read our banner seeing that we were from so far away. The majority of people in the march seemed to be from Brazilian civil society - chanting and singing things I didn't understand in Portuguese. It didn't matter though, we were so happy to be walking alongside people and feeling a part of something really powerful - the voice of the people who want world leaders to take sustainable development seriously and set us on a better path. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brazilian unionists protesting </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kVMjHobIM4I/T-KF0SkfleI/AAAAAAAAAKo/205ucaWLLxc/s1600/IMG_4716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kVMjHobIM4I/T-KF0SkfleI/AAAAAAAAAKo/205ucaWLLxc/s320/IMG_4716.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tatiana, Julie, Karina, Tom and Sophia with the ANU delegation banner </td></tr>
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<br /></div>Julie Melrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00969314973907657656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-15942703393387452722012-06-21T03:38:00.002+10:002012-06-21T03:39:42.179+10:00Early thoughts (posted late!)<strong>My thoughts?</strong>
Rio+20 will give us the opportunity to shape the way understand progress and development, learn from our mistakes and share amazing ideas that really work. Most importantly, regardless of what actions the governments take, <strong>Rio+20 will provide society with inspiration to work for a better world. </strong>
While it can be easy to focus on the bad (especially if you get the politics) we need to use every opportunity can to make a difference. A friend also in the Australian National University delegation talked about how one day the world will wake up and realise that we've been doing it all wrong. Then they're going to look for how to do things right. That's where we come in with all of where we're doing it right and show them that sustainable cities, transport etc is really possible. Wise words :)
So basically -<strong> I'd rather take action than sit around and complain about how no one is taking action</strong>
¡<strong>Bienvenido a Argentina! </strong>
But before all that begins I'm spending a couple of days in Buenos Aires, Argentina! In fact, I'm sitting in bus from the aeroporto to the city right now. After walking out of my front door 26 hours ago I've nearly reached my first destination.
The next couple of days will be filled with filete (steak), baila (dancing), tinto vino (red wine) and my nearly non-existent Spanish. BA seems pretty cool so far - I've seen a lot of apartment buildings, heaps of street football courts (I wanna play but I think their u14s are about the standard of our men's league...) and a lot of trucks (I'm pretty sure police cars and ambulances just leave their lights flashing even when their driving normally).
Thanks for reading :)<br /><br /><a href="http://oversheas.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/20120609-230152.jpg"><img src="http://oversheas.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/20120609-230152.jpg" alt="20120609-230152.jpg" class="alignnone size-full" /></a>Marishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14746121319533265130noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-73638038396346706132012-06-21T01:07:00.001+10:002012-06-21T01:07:43.207+10:00A typical Rio+20 day<a href="http://e66a.blogspot.com/2012/06/finding-my-stride-in-rio.html?spref=bl">Eb blog: A typical Rio+20 day</a>: I now consider myself settled into a pattern in Rio; I have gotten used to sleeping in the hostel by simply burning the candle at both en...e66ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03470520196990384213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-37234797186224784902012-06-19T09:46:00.002+10:002012-06-19T09:46:55.776+10:0010 Points from Forest Dialogue at Rio+20<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"><b>10 Points from Forest Dialogue in UN Rio+20<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">联合国</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">“</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">里约</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">+20”</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">森林对话的</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">10</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">个观点</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>By ANU Delegate Yin Yang </b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">Promote science, technology, innovation and
traditional knowledge in order to face forests major challenges: how to turn
them productive without destroying them (Support Level 54.5%).</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Gothic"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">加</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Gulim","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">强科</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Gothic"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">学、技</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">术、革新和传统知识为面对来自森林的主要挑战:如何让森林更具生产力而不摧毁他们</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"> (</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">支持率</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"> 54.5%)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">。</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";">Invest in local controlled forestry;
promoting source right, organization, business capability and fair deals for
local people (Support Level 40.9%). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Gothic"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">投</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">资当地有组织的林业</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">;</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Gothic"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">促</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">进当地人民的资源使用权,组织能力,业务能力和提高公平交易机会</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">(</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">支持率</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">。</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";">Restore 150 million hectares of deforested
and degraded lands by2012 (Support Level 21.8 %). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Gothic"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">在</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2020</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Gothic"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">年前恢复</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">1.5</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">亿公顷被破坏的森林和退化的土地</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">(</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">支持率</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"> 21.8%)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">。</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Protect
language diversity to preserve traditional knowledge and support biodiversity conservation
(Support Level 21.2%).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Gothic"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">保</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">护语言的多样性,保护传统知识和支持生物多样性保护</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Gothic"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">支持率</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";"> 21.2%</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Gothic"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">。</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Gothic"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">Entrench the principles, inclusion,
transparency and accountability of local peoples in forest governance (Support
Level 17.8 %).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">确立当地人民在治理森林时的原则,包容性,透明度和</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">问责制度</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">(</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">支持率</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"> 17.8 %)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">。</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";">Restore forestland and mangrove zone
(Support Level17.0 %).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Gothic";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "MS Gothic"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">恢复森林与</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">红树林区域</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">(</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">支持率</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"> 17.0 %)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">。</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">Value forest carbon from forest plantations in
the context of the green economy (Support Level 15.2 %). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">在绿色经济的背景下价值化来源于人工林的森林碳</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">(</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">支持率</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"> 15.2%)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">。</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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promising alternative to balance the need for food and fuelwood whilst reducing
pressure on natural forests (Support Level 14.2 %). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">政府应该支持农林业作为一个有前途的替代方案以平衡来自食物和薪柴的需求,同时减少对天然林的压力</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">(</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">支持率</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"> 14.2 %)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">。</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">Organize a UN Commission to mobilize the
necessary public and private finance to implement REDD+ actions globally
(Support Level 13.3%).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">组织联合国的一个委员会以调动必要的公共和私人资金以在全球范围内实施“</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">REDD+</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">行动</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">(</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">支持率</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">13.3%)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">。</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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certification and include it in the rio+20 framework for action (Support Level
12.9%). .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">支持森林认证的共同框架条件并把他包括在</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"> “</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">里约</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">+20”</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">行动框架内</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">(</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">支持率</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;">12.9%)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: MingLiU; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">。</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: MingLiU;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Julie Melrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00969314973907657656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-81375919144933265142012-06-19T05:46:00.000+10:002012-06-19T05:46:41.461+10:00Rio+20 Lacking on Energy<br />
The secretary-general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon has called energy the “’golden thread’ that connects the dots to a sustainable future”. He has called for a ‘global clean energy revolution’ in order to provide electricity to everyone by 2030, while also doubling the share of clean energy sources in the global energy mix and doubling the rate of improvement in energy efficiency.<br />
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These ambitious and necessary targets, part of the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) initiative, have not yet been matched by negotiators at the Rio+20 conference and the 6 paragraphs of the current negotiating text at Rio+20 regarding energy show an unacceptably low level of commitment to fixing the world’s energy woes.<br />
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1.3 billion people worldwide lack any access to energy, while a billion or so more do not have a clean, reliable and secure energy supply. Despite the pressing need to bring energy access and clean energy to the world’s poorest, the current text, full of ‘recognition’ and ‘reaffirmation’, is staggeringly low on concrete commitments to actually do anything new or commit additional financial resources.<br />
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For a start, the text only notes the existence of the SE4All initiative, but does not endorse it. There is however some hope that the SE4All goals could later be adopted as part of a package of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDGs are a key part of the negotiations in Rio, and could see the adoption of a set of goals similar to the Millennium Development Goals, which expire in 2015.<br />
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The secretary-general has been pressing for donor nations to increase funding for energy access. However, concrete financial commitments have not been forthcoming. Donor fatigue in times of austerity and economic crises in many developed nations is a significant part of the problem.<br />
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Even if the money is handed over, there are issues with how it will be used: the G77 supports the SE4Alll initiative and its goals, but is reluctant to allow rich nations to prescribe how finance is spent through environmental conditions placed on the cash.<br />
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While some money is already on the table, the figures are in the millions: minuscule in relation to what is needed. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that annual investments of $48 billion worldwide are needed over the next 20 years to provide energy access to those off the grid.<br />
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This figure itself pales into insignificance when compared to the $409 billion that the IEA estimates governments spend annually subsidising fossil fuels. The phasing out of such subsidies is also on the agenda at Rio+20, though little encouragement can be found in the negotiating text on this issue either.<br />
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The text currently states:<br />
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“We recognize the need for further action to rationalize and phase out harmful and inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption and undermine sustainable development”. </blockquote>
Just yesterday Venezuela and Saudi Arabia were given a ‘Fossil of the Day’ award for their attempts to derail agreement on fossil fuel subsidies, and agreement on this crucial issue is not progressing as quickly as many had hoped.<br />
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Endless recognition and reaffirmation is not going to be enough. There is no use recognising the need to phase out regressive and archaic subsidies, or the need to increase renewables, if there is no comment to act on this recognition.<br />
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The future we want is one powered by clean, reliable and secure energy. The challenge now for Brazil, now leading the negotiations, is to secure strong commitments on energy, increasing financing provision and phasing out fossil fuel subsidies.<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-18812793755662183092012-06-18T14:24:00.002+10:002012-06-18T14:24:36.364+10:00ANU delegation condemns Opposition party from preventing Environment Minister from Attending Rio+20<div>
By Julie Melrose </div>
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The ANU Rio+20 delegation is outraged at the news from home that the Coalition party in opposition has prevented our Environment Minister Tony Burke from attending the historic Rio+20 conference in which Ministers and world leaders from around the world are meeting to discuss a way forward for humanity. <div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NFsaiC7iikY/T96onu-wlhI/AAAAAAAAAJo/MMqgVWsH_kc/s1600/tony+burke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NFsaiC7iikY/T96onu-wlhI/AAAAAAAAAJo/MMqgVWsH_kc/s320/tony+burke.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Coalition has refused to grant Burke leave from Parliament until after Question Time on Tuesday, demanding that he stays in Australia to explain his expansion of marine parks plan - which, by the way, has been hailed in Rio+20 as a major mark of leadership on global oceans policy and is being used as an example of decisive national leadership. Oceans make up 71% of the earth. We are planet ocean. This is a crucial global issue that requires the sort of action announced by Burke. </div>
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I attended a side event by the Global Alliance on Marine Protection yesterday at the Rio+20 Conference - where the Zoological Society of London and the Pew Environment Institute presented an overview of the state of the oceans, and why marine protected areas are so important. There will be more on oceans from me to come, but the scientific evidence and research is resoundingly clear on two things. First, that over 80% of the world's oceans are exploited, depleted or depleting, and this has happened in the last 80 years - one lifetime. Second, marine protected areas are scientifically proven as effective in boosting environmental wellbeing of the oceans as well as boosting fish stocks and thus contributing to the economy and the production of food. There's a short explanation for you, Tony. </div>
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Every time I have felt inspired and motivated and moved by the magnitude of the occasion that is Rio+20 (which certainly has its faults/many challenges/political hurdles), I have felt sad to think that we have an opposition that might gain government next year, who just would not fit in here with the international community. Their ideas and policies are backward and negative and lack the vision and inspiration we expect and we DEMAND from our leaders at this point of crisis we now face in the context of environmental degradation. Where is Tony Abbott's vision for our future and our children's future? </div>
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Today I also attended the UNEP World Congress on Law, Governance and Development, at the Supreme Court of Rio de Janeiro, where Chief Justices from around the world have come together to talk about their role in sustainable development and how the judiciary must start to act and implement environmental norms and principles where legislators have failed to do so. It was an incredibly inspiring occasion and a moment where I regained hope for change, seeing so many committed individuals in the one room ready to start an important conversation. </div>
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Then I felt despair and shame once I heard of the coalition preventing Minister Burke from attending Rio. </div>
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The ANU Delegation to Rio+20 condemns this behaviour and calls on the Parliament to grant Minister Burke a pair to attend Rio immediately. This is not a time for partisan politics. This is a time for united leadership and a vision for the future that goes beyond next years election. </div>
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<br /></div>Julie Melrosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00969314973907657656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6256284355492919694.post-58709155102924443522012-06-18T11:14:00.000+10:002012-06-18T15:08:50.258+10:00The Future we (Definitely Don’t) Want<br />
The Rio+20 negotiations so far have not been particularly promising. After a week which saw negotiators from developing countries walk out of a key working group, the Brazilian delegation to the Rio+20 Conference, now leading the negotiation process, released an overhauled negotiating text last night that will be the basis for negotiations over the coming days.<br />
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The Brazilians certainly seem to have come into their role with a practical mindset, saying that there will be no ‘bracketing’ of text and that the focus will shift from miniscule details to the bigger picture. What is much less clear is whether that is likely to be possible in light of the intense negotiations that have taken place so far, with every little detail being subject to scrutiny.<br />
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As 120+ world leaders prepare to arrive (with those of the US, UK and Germany notably absent), many have lamented the emergence of disparate blocs and divides that exist, with the traditional north-south divide being only one piece in a very disparate puzzle.<br />
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While the Brazilian’s are keen to show leadership, the draft text itself presents a significantly weaker document than the previous draft. The Brazilian Government said that the text would make all members a little bit happy and a little bit unhappy too”. Anybody concerned with creating a more sustainable future should be very unhappy, and the current text is far below the expectations of civil society groups, youth delegates, and many delegations that see Rio+20 as a historic opportunity to map out a better future.<br />
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The key issues with the new text are:<br />
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<li>The concept of creating an Ombudsperson, High Commissioner or High Level Representative for future generations has been completely deleted, in spite of the fact that this had not yet been debated and no strong opposition had yet emerged;</li>
<li>UNEP has been stripped of its proposed role in coordinating Multilateral Environment Agreements;</li>
<li>Participation of Civil society has been weakened;</li>
<li>There is no mention of planetary boundaries, but ‘efficiency’ and economic growth’ feature 14 and 20 times respectively;</li>
<li>The text is full to the brim with words like ‘encourage’ and ‘promote’, but lacking in strong language like ‘will’ and ‘commit’.</li>
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Daniel Mittler, Greenpeace International’s Political Director is reported as saying, “if broadly adopted, the latest text from the Brazilian government would condemn the world to a future of pollution, plunder and destruction. There is no action here, no commitment, no future we want”. In fact, the weak and ineffectual document currently on the table is likely to perpetuate business-as-usual, the future that we definitely don’t want.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0