Friday, May 9, 2008

Don’t Dismiss the CSD and Its Dialogue

“The head of the Norwegian delegation, Ambassador Mona Elisabeth Brøther, maintains that the CSD is a highly important forum in which global action and networks take shape. ‘The crosscutting issues need an arena which fosters good and growing partnerships. The CSD is where this takes place.’”

By: Ida Bergstrøm, Stakeholder Forum

‘People always ask the usual questions. Does this matter, is it relevant, are we only here because we wanted a trip to New York… No. The topics that are up for discussion at this years CSD are at the very core of what we are currently facing in relation to sustainable development.’

Ms Brøther, who has been championing sustainable development since she mobilised funds through the Norwegian Government for the Brundtland report in 1987, believes the CSD-16 has the potential, and currently the opportunity, to assert its importance.

‘The timing is pertinent in relation to the land issues which of course is at the core of the food security agenda. With such momentum I believe governments are more than open for recommendations on how to move forward. I think it would be timely if we could get a proper discussion on the ministerial level next week, with some good policy recommendations.’

Sustainability still…

Having worked within the field of sustainable development since before the expression became manifest through the Brundtland report, Brøther says it is a remarkable achievement that we are still sitting here in 2008, basing our discussions and actions on such a highly diverse term.

‘Sustainable development is a term which works in a collective fashion at the same time as there are so many different ways of interpreting and determining its content. I’m quite sure that I as a bureaucrat use it in a very different way today compared to how I would have understood it when it first came on the agenda. People have embraced the term and continue to develop, explore and expand it. Part of the criticism of the Brundtland report was that it lacked an ethical dimension, and this is a very interesting point. Is it you and me, the individual, or is it about us, the collective? It is of course both, but many people wanted to use the occasion of the 20 year anniversary since the report came out to emphasise the individual aspect.’

A case for the CSD

According to Ambassador Brøther, the CSD continues to be an important and highly relevant arena for the discussion on sustainable development.

‘It is important in that governments come here with big delegations, and with the presence of ministers for the high level segment, thus making their statement that this process matters to them. And the presence is felt by all governments, both from the north and the south.’

‘Then there is the crosscutting aspect of the CSD, which sets it apart from other UN meetings. The crosscutting element is increasingly important, and it needs a space in which it can take shape and create growing partnerships.’

‘Finally, it is also relevant that the CSD gets a lot of attention from civil society and stakeholders. It is unique as a dialogue forum. Hopefully this is a sign that we have been able to develop a model of participation that makes it worthwhile to attend and be present.’

Response and relevance

The gender aspect is something she thinks the CSD has managed to incorporate very well. Ms Brøther, former ambassador to Chile, Peru and Equador and the head of the Bergen conference in preparation for Rio 92, is a major supporter of the issue of gendering land tools and property rights, and hopes these issues will be part of the core to come out of CSD-16.

If she could change one thing about the process however, it would be to further improve the dialogue. ‘If the CSD is to assert its place and have a comparative advantage, the element of dialogue needs to be enhanced. It is possible we should review the entire structure of the plenaries. There simply isn’t enough time, and too many previously prepared statements hinder the dialogue from taking place. I don’t have a recipe for change, but I am sure there must be other ways of doing this.’

‘Hopefully CSD-16 is able to respond forcefully to the current global issues of climate change and food security. Then its relevance will be proven even to a broader audience.’