Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Summary of Comments and Inputs of the NGO Major Group on the Chairman's draft Summary Report on CSD-16 (part 1, 13 May 2008)

P. 5 para#36 …a holistic approach to agriculture THAT INCLUDES INTEGRATED LIVESTOCK AND CROPPING STRATEGIES was urged, with agriculture policies integrated into the national sustainable development agenda.

P. 7 para#53 Drought BOTH RESULTS FROM AND leads to environmental degradation…

P. 9, para#66 …the importance of improved efficiency in fertilizer use and the use of other methods of enriching soil fertility, even as efforts are made to make fertilizers more accessible and affordable, AND THE USE OF OTHER METHODS OF ENRICHING SOIL FERTILITY, INCLUDING AGROECOLOGICAL PRACTICES AND THE INTEGRATION OF LIVESTOCK INTO FARMING SYSTEMS.

P. 11, para#90 Strategies for drought management should incorporate issues  DIMENSIONS of sustainable agriculture, INCLUDING soil conservation AND BUILDING ORGANIC MATTER, crop diversification, MANURE MANAGEMENT and integrated water management TO IMPROVE WATER INFILTRATION AND HOLDING CAPACITY. The potential of soil protection as a means for climate change mitigation and adaptation should be further explored…

P. 19 para#154 There is scope for improving agricultural production while maintaining soil productivity, including through better efficiency in irrigation, rainwater-harvesting and further research on, and the introduction of drought-tolerant crops and seeds. IN ADDITION, FURTHER RESEARCH, TRAINING AND EXTENSION RELATED TO LIVESTOCK’S ROLE IN REDUCING RISK AND INCREASING RESILIENCE THROUGH aligning grazing strategies with the carrying capacity of pastures, TO ENSURE PLANT RECOVERY, can yield effective results with regard to rehabilitation of degraded grasslands. 

14. (3rd sentence) …At the same time, agriculture WHICH CONSTITUTES THE FUNDAMENTAL BASIS OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY LIFE needs to be made more sustainable.

15. (last sentence) The [need to help] ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY TO ASSIST developing countries IN devis[e]ING adaptation strategies…

119.  (second sentence) IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT AGRICULTURE CONSTITUTES THE FUNDAMENTAL BASIS OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY LIFE, MOST agricultural workers are seen to be underpaid and undervalued.

137. (insert at end of para.) THE FULL EMANCIPATION AND INVOLVEMENT OF WOMEN IS A PREREQUISITE FOR SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT.

138. Youth, particularly in rural areas, need alternative livelihood opportunities and must be empowered to contribute to sustainable development OF THEIR COMMUNITIES IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE TENDENCY TOWARD URBAN MIGRATION.

144. (3rd sentence) Meeting this challenge HAS MORAL AND ETHICAL DIMENSIONS AND will require both short and long term actions.

175. (second sentence) Food insecurity was not merely an agricultural issue, but needed to be addressed in the context of the economic [and], social AND ETHICAL dimensions of sustainable development.

242. (last sentence) Understanding how to manage competitiveness, recognize rights, and take social AND ETHICAL issues into account, especially at the global level, is crucial.

par 136: ... [pursuing sust patterns] changing unsustainable patterns of production and consumption, with developing countries taking the lead, in line....

par 164 [promoting] Changing unsustainable consumption and production patterns would need to remain a high priority, in particular in industrialized countries

We find that we cannot go back on the language with was agreed upon in Agenda 21, the changing of unsustainable consumption and production was also already cited in par. 16 of the chair’s summary

“The calls on countries to ratify the UN Watercourses Convention, made in the statements by the NGOs, Women, and the Dutch government, should be reflected in the summary of the Chair, under the item on IWRM, in Paragraph 227. The following language is proposed for inclusion at the end of the final sentence of Paragraph 227: ‘In addition, The Netherlands, NGOs, and Women called on countries to ratify and implement the UN Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses.’”

1-"political will" that was repeatedly mentioned hasn't been mentioned in the document as essential need to fulfill the MDGs.

2-There hasn't been a mention of how, when and where the commitments for 2015 are going to be met. The road and partial milestones have to be explicit.

3-There is no mention of the right to water and sanitation.

In relation with wording in the document:

207. - Also, it was overwhelmingly recognized that IWRM and POLITICAL WILL ARE the framework for entire water AND SANITATION sector

209. ..., transfer of technology and LOCAL capacity building ......pointed to limited financial resources AND INNOVATIVE MECHANISMS as the main constraint

211. ... the lack of legislation and national policies WITH APPROPRIATE SET OF REGULATIONS for water and sanitation

216. ... technical capacities AND ACOUNTABILITY of utility workers....

225. ...anchored in IWRM principles THROUGH APROPIATE REGULATIONS.

226. "polluter-pays-principle" is a concept that does not foster countries to take real responsibility towards environment sustainability. People in the rich countries can pollute if they pay. The principle should be the tool to for securing sound basis for implementation of IWRM as well.