Topic: brazil

RELEASE: 14 Latin American and Caribbean Countries Adopt an Ambitious Plan of Action to Improve Access Rights in the Region

Lauren Zelin — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 17:17:15 -0400

Fourteen Latin American and Caribbean countries adopted an ambitious Plan of Action to improve access rights in the region, including access to information, public participation, and access to justice. The plan, which was approved at a meeting in Guadalajara, Mexico, on April 16-17, 2013, seeks to implement the Latin American and Caribbean Declaration on Principle 10 that was signed at the Rio +20 Conference in June 2012, under which countries agreed to work towards a regional instrument to improve access rights.

The meeting began with Colombia and Honduras signing on to the LAC Declaration, a major accomplishment for all parties. The 14 countries that have now signed on include: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.

“The new Plan of Action shows political will to transform environmental justice and transparency in the region,” said Carole Excell, Senior Associate at the World Resources Institute and The Access Initiative. “It sets the pace and the agenda to tackle the challenges of negotiating a regional instrument to ensure access rights across Latin America and the Caribbean.”

Under the new 2013-2014 Plan of Action, the LAC countries have committed to:

Promote the Principle 10 Declaration and incorporate new signatories into the process;
Strengthen and highlight the progress made on rights of access to information, participation, and justice;
Promote active participation of civil society at the national level; and
Develop working groups to deliberate capacity-building and cooperation efforts, and determine the nature and scope of the regional instrument.

Ambassador Jose Balmaceda of Chile noted that the Plan of Action “is a strong political signal to the international community that we are responding in a responsible way to this commitment [to Principle 10] … It is the first time that government representatives from 14 countries and civil society sat down to debate – with transparency and trust – relevant issues for the future of the region. This is a testament to maturity in the region. We have been able to reach consensus on the Plan of Action that will allow us to move ahead on national processes and regional efforts. I am sure that this result will motivate other nations in the region to join the process.”

The Plan of Action includes a number of innovative provisions, including procedures for public participation in the regional process and its working groups. It will create opportunities for close South-to-South cooperation on rights to promote transparency, public participation, and access to justice, as well as a focus on increased support for effective implementation at the national level.

“We hope at the end of 2014 we can count on the development of an instrument on Principle 10 that establishes concrete actions to guarantee effective and informed participation to all citizens and communities of our region,” said Daniel Barragan, Ecuadorian Center for Environmental Law (Centro Ecuatoriane de Derecho Ambinental Ambiental), an environmental law NGO. “Soon we can have a voice and be a part of the decision making on the environment and natural resources.”

In addition to adopting the Plan of Action, members elected co-chairs to run the working groups. Costa Rica and Brazil were mandated to design the regional instrument on Principle 10 and Jamaica and Columbia were given the role to facilitate work on cooperation and capacity building.

RELEASE: C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and World Resources Institute Partner to Promote City Transit Solutions

James Anderson — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 22:44:03 -0500

The World Resources Institute, led by its sustainable transport center, EMBARQ, and the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) established a partnership today that will further their mutual goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from urban transportation. The partnership focuses on scaling up solutions and enhancing C40 cities transport efforts related to sustainable urban planning, bus rapid transit systems, and non-motorized transit initiatives.

Together, these organizations will tackle a transport sector that accounts for roughly 13 percent of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

“This new partnership with EMBARQ and its global network of transportation expertise will accelerate the work cities are doing to implement more efficient and effective transit systems,” said C40 Chair and New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. “By combining the forces of two organizations that know how to get things done we will help provide greater transit options that will help us build a more sustainable planet.”

For over ten years, EMBARQ has catalyzed and implemented sustainable transport solutions to improve the quality of life in cities in terms of pollution, public health, and safety. Similarly, C40 works to implement innovative, replicable transit solutions that reduce GHG emissions at the city level.

“Mayor Bloomberg and the leaders of other C40 cities are committed to shifting to a low-carbon future – and this partnership will help them to get there,” said Andrew Steer, President, World Resources Institute. “The world’s middle class is booming and people are more mobile than ever before. We need smart, people-focused transportation solutions that will help create better cities and a more sustainable world.”

C40 and the World Resources Institute cemented a long-standing relationship through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding that will encourage the two entities to collaborate on the following:

Supporting climate mitigation and adaptation measures through sustainable and equitable transportation policies in C40 cities;
Leveraging C40 networks, or working groups of peer C40 cities (e.g. Sustainable Urban Development Network and Bus Rapid Transit Network), to develop and share integrated transit and urban development planning in and among C40 cities; and
Collaborating to support and promote low-carbon urban development in C40 cities, with particular attention paid to bus rapid transit and non-motorized transport.

EMBARQ is already actively working in the following C40 Cities: Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo (Brazil); Mexico City (Mexico); Lima (Peru); Istanbul (Turkey); Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore (India).

“By combining our vast networks and deep technical capacity, C40 and EMBARQ are positioned to make a significant contribution to reducing city-level emissions and creating better transport systems,” said Holger Dalkmann, director, EMBARQ. “Mayor Bloomberg is a proven leader by transforming New York City and raising the ambition of mayors around the world. Now, we need to more cities to follow C40’s lead by scaling up transportation and low-carbon solutions that create a healthier and safer world.”

The two organizations have collaborated in the past. C40 is currently working with EMBARQ’s parent organization, WRI, to establish a single standard for measuring city emissions – the Global Protocol for Community-scale Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Additionally, Mayor Bloomberg’s philanthropic foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, also collaborates with and provides support for EMBARQ’s international activities to improve road safety.

Media Contacts:

World Resources Institute: Michael Oko, moko@wri.org; (202) 246-9269
C40: Mike Marinello, mmarinello@c40.com

–

About C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40)
The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) is a network of large and engaged cities from around the world committed to implementing meaningful and sustainable climate related actions locally that will help address climate change globally. C40 was established in 2005 and expanded via a partnership in 2006 with President William J. Clinton’s Climate Initiative (CCI). The current chair of the C40 is New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. To learn more about the work of C40 and our Cities, please visit www.c40.org, follow us on Twitter @c40cities and like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/C40Cities.

About EMBARQ—WRI’s Center for Sustainable Transport (EMBARQ)
EMBARQ, the World Resources Institute’s center for sustainable transport, catalyzes and helps implement sustainable transport solutions to improve quality of life in cities. Since 2002, the EMBARQ network has expanded to Mexico, Brazil, China, India, Turkey and the Andean Region, collaborating with local and national authorities, business and civil society to reduce pollution, improve public health, and create safe, accessible and attractive urban public spaces. http://www.embarq.org

ADVISORY: WRI's Stories to Watch 2013

James Anderson — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 14:03:26 -0500

WRI will host its 10th annual Stories to Watch event on Tuesday, January 15, 2013, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Dr. Andrew Steer, WRI’s President & CEO, will present insights into the big environmental and international development trends and events that will affect people and the planet in 2013.

Topics will likely include: What will the Obama Administration do to address climate and energy? How will China’s new leadership advance its goal of “ecological progress”? What countries will emerge on the forefront of sustainability? And, how will financial constraints impact businesses seeking to shift to a more sustainable pathway?

A continental breakfast will be served.

WHAT
World Resources Institute’s Stories to Watch 2013

WHO
Dr. Andrew Steer, President & CEO, World Resources Institute.

Dr. Steer is a leading expert on economic development and environmental issues. He has three decades of experience working on international development and on the front lines in Asia and Africa, and at a senior level in international policy roles.

WHERE
National Press Club
Holeman Lounge
529 14th Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20045

CALL-IN INFO
USA (Toll Free): (866) 803-2143
International (Toll): + 1 (210) 795-1098

Access code: “WRI”

WHEN
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
9:00 - 10:30 a.m. ET

Use #STW2013 on Twitter.

RSVP required to press@wri.org

Emerging Actors in Development Finance with Potential Social and Environmental Risks: China & Brazil

Christine Potochny — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 10:00:24 -0500

WRI’s work on emerging actors in development finance is led by the International Financial Flows and the Environment (IFFE) team.

The goal of this research is to improve the environmental, social, and climate change policies that govern emerging actors’ investments, and to ensure that local communities and civil society organizations impacted by the investments are able to engage with “emerging actors” more effectively. This preliminary research focuses on Chinese and Brazilian overseas investments and begins to look at the growth drivers and geographic trends of those investments.

A Changing Global Landscape

The landscape of development finance is rapidly changing. In the last decade, major emerging economies such as China and Brazil have been fueling a growing trend of South-South flows by increasingly channeling their overseas investments to other developing countries.

By taking this new approach, China and Brazil are surfacing as major international investors, their activities driven by financial institutions such as:

the Export-Import Bank of China (China ExIm),
the China Development Bank (CDB), and
the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES).

Other commercial banks and state-owned and private enterprises also have roles to play in this process. These “emerging actors” finance and invest in major initiatives designed to open new markets and to forge strategic relationships.

Many of these investments comprise small and medium size projects developed by private SMEs. Others constitute large-scale, high impact projects requiring access to and management of natural resources. The projects are reshaping the relationship between investors and recipient countries, as well as posing new opportunities for environmental and social sustainability initiatives.

Research Focus

Our work focuses on exploring questions such as:

How are Chinese and Brazilian overseas investments impacting development finance and the environment?
What unique characteristics do China and Brazil display in their approach to environmental and social sustainability?
What opportunities can be created for both investor and host countries?
How should the environmental and social risks of increasing OFDI be managed?

Strategy: Three Elements

Investor Country (China & Brazil Strategy)	Engage governmental organizations to develop environmental and social guidelines to govern overseas investments.
	Engage companies and financial institutions to develop and implement environmental and social risk management policies.
	Build the capacity of local civil society organizations to promote stronger environmental and social guidelines.
International Strategy	Study on coherence of international trade and financial treaties and multiple environmental agreements.
International Strategy	Enhance the role of emerging actors in international and bilateral investment standard setting.
Host Country Strategy	Work with host country governments, business partners of emerging economy investements and local civil society organizations to facilitate stronger environmental and social performance among foreign companies.

Building on WRI’s record of independent research, our experience in convening a wide range of local and international stakeholders, and our close partnerships with organizations in China, Brazil, and multiple host countries in Africa and Asia, as well as international organizations, the International Financial Flows and the Environment (IFFE) supports efforts by investors, host countries, and international actors to move towards environmentally and socially sustainable development that benefits all parties.

A Closer Look at China’s Overseas Investment

China is surfacing as a major international investor through nationally owned financial institutions such as the Export-Import Bank of China and the China Development Bank.

These Chinese “emerging actors” are financing major initiatives to acquire natural resources, open markets, and forge strategic political ties. They are increasingly financing large-scale, high impact projects beyond their borders — such as hydropower plants and gas pipelines — which may pose new challenges for environmental and social sustainability.

How do we ensure that Chinese investments abroad align with sustainability objectives by observing high environmental and social standards?

The following presentation - Emerging Actors in Development Finance: A Closer Look at China’s Overseas Investment - begins to look at the growth drivers and geographic trends of Chinese overseas investments.

This collection of figures and charts is based on preliminary research conducted by a team of Chinese scholars and compiled and edited by Bruce Jenkins, WRI consultant, and Xiaomei Tan, WRI Senior Associate. The scoping research concluded in April 2011 and includes data from various sources that are updated frequently. Tao Hu, WRI Senior Associate and Yingzhen Zhao, WRI Research Assistant continued this research, revised and updated the slide deck in August 2012. The data is circulated to stimulate timely discussion and critical feedback and to influence ongoing debate on emerging issues. WRI will continue to update the data as our research moves forward.

A Closer Look at Brazil’s Overseas Investment

From 2001 to 2011, Brazil’s per capita GDP more than tripled. At the heart of this domestic economic boom is the Brazilian National Development Bank (BNDES).

How do we ensure that Brazil’s investments abroad align with sustainability objectives by observing high social and environmental standards?

This presentation - Emerging Actors in Development Finance: A Closer Look at Brazil’s Growth, Influence, and the Role of BNDES - begins to look at growth drivers and trends of Brazil’s overseas investments.

Credits: Roland Widmer, Athena Ronquillo-Ballesteros, Catarina Freitas, Tao Hu and Yingzhen Zhao of WRI’s International Financial Flows and the Environment Project (IFFE) and Xiaomei Tan of WRI China. An earlier version of this slide deck was prepared with the help of Bruce Jenkins, Kirk Herbertson, Alisa Zomer and Catarina Freitas.

Coming Soon: Global Forest Watch 2.0

James Anderson — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 08:03:32 -0500

Welcome to the home of Global Forest Watch 2.0, a powerful near real-time forest monitoring system that unites satellite technology, data sharing, and human networks around the world to fight deforestation.

GFW 2.0 is currently under development, and will launch in late 2013.

Read more below, and email gfw2@wri.org to participate in the pilot testing period or be notified when GFW 2.0 launches. Please note that as we prepare for the launch, the original Global Forest Watch website has been redirected to this page.

Watch a Short Preview of Global Forest Watch 2.0 at the UN Forum on Forests 10, in Istanbul.

Watch the full version here

Speakers:

Zulkifli Hasan, Minister of Forestry, Indonesia
Kerri-Ann Jones, Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, U.S. Department of State
Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General, United Nations
Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility
Tim Christophersen, Senior Program Officer, Forests and Climate Change, UNEP
Nigel Sizer, Director, Global Forests Initiative, World Resources Institute

Photo by David Gilbert

WHY FORESTS, WHY NOW?

Forests provide food jobs, raw materials, climate benefits and more. But without clear, up-to-date information, governments, companies and communities lack the tools to monitor and manage these resources.

We can track a company’s financial information daily, but information about forests is often years out of date.

Deforestation continues today in part because by the time satellite images are available, analyzed, and shared, the forest clearing is long done. The illegal loggers have moved on; cattle are already grazing amidst stumps; the oil palm plantation has been established. We simply find out too late.

New technologies can overcome these challenges

Fortunately, a convergence of technologies and human networks offers the ability to address these challenges for the first time:

Advances in satellite and remote sensing technology, including the launch of NASA’s Landsat 8 in early 2013, and new private systems, enable higher spatial resolution analysis and much more rapid updates of information. This has enabled the development of near-real-time forest cover change detection.
Brazilian partner IMAZON, is making its Amazon Alert System available through GFW 2.0, and also the DETER system which is innovating in detection of forest degradation. Brazil has seen a remarkable drop in deforestation in the Amazon of almost 80 percent partly due to improved linked to more effective use of satellite imagery.
Cloud computing and open source software can now be used to rapidly process and interpret large volumes of satellite data at low cost by utilizing clusters of servers scattered around the world. Google Earth Engine’s team is partnered with Global Forest Watch 2.0 to optimize easy access to cloud computing-based forest cover information.
High speed internet connectivity enables sending data and forest maps processed in North America, Europe, or Singapore to laptops and mobile phones in Jakarta, Kinshasa, Lima, Vladivostok, and other corners of the globe.
Smartphones are more common than ever and can be used by anyone in the field to download maps and satellite images, as well as upload GPS coordinates and photographs from the ground.
Crowdsourcing using simple web interfaces can empower thousands if not millions of people to gather and share information, participate in forest monitoring, and hold decision-makers accountable. • Social media outlets are creating a flat, networked world in which information travels fast, communities self-organize, and people get mobilized.

ABOUT GLOBAL FOREST WATCH 2.0

These enhanced technologies and social movements are the foundation for Global Forest Watch 2.0. GFW 2.0 will unite a near-real-time deforestation alert system, complementary satellite imagery and monitoring systems, WRI’s data-rich collection of maps, mobile technology, and a networked world to create never-before-possible transparency for faraway forests.

The platform is currently under development, and will be launched in late 2013.

This powerful new platform will enable responsible companies, NGOs, the media, and progressive government leaders to hold those responsible accountable for forest management.

GFW 2.0 can be useful to multiple groups of users involved with the sustainable management of forests:

Buyers of sustainable commodities. GFW 2.0 will enable buyers of sustainably sourced commodities―such as certified timber, palm oil, soya, and beef―to confirm adherence to or violations of supplier commitments to “no deforestation,” “no clearing of high conservation value forest,” and related criteria.
Suppliers of sustainable commodities. GFW 2.0 will help suppliers of sustainable commodities prove to buyers, investors, governments, and NGOs that their commodities are adhering to best forest management practices, national laws, criteria of the relevant commodity roundtables, or investor lending conditions.
Governments. GFW 2.0 is designed to help progressive elements in governments better enforce sustainable forest management and forest protection laws. GFW 2.0 is also designed to be a trusted, independent, and user-friendly way to help investors in REDD+ and other forest conservation projects monitor performance and hold countries accountable to their commitments on greenhouse gas emission reductions and forest conservation.
Conservation and community organizations. GFW 2.0 will enable NGOs dedicated to forest conservation, indigenous rights, and forest communities to identify deforestation hotspots as they arise and quickly mobilize action to curtail further clearing.
The media. GFW 2.0 will enable local, national, and international media to ring the alarm bell on deforestation hotspots around the globe at a pace never-before-possible, and thereby put pressure on governments, companies, and others to curtail forest conversion and illegal logging in time

Applying new technology

GFW 2.0 combines satellites, new algorithms, cloud computing, mobile phone technologies, and WRI databases to connect images, maps, photos, and data with forest clearing alerts ultimately within two weeks of significant deforestation occurring.

Because GFW 2.0 will be powered by Google Earth Engine and Earth Builder, it will bring to target users a seamless experience of the best technology offered by WRI, Google, and their partners, as Bloomberg does for the world’s vast, complex array of financial information.

Mobilizing human networks

GFW 2.0 will mobilize networks of people to ensure sustainable management of forests and greater forest conservation. Global Forest Watch “anchor” NGOs in each priority country or region, will actively use and contribute content in an open-source, network model.

These groups will include ScanEx and its non-profit affiliate Transparent World in Russia, Imazon in Brazil and their Amazon-wide network of partners across the seven neighboring countries, the Observatoire Satellital des Forêts d’Afrique Centrale (OSFAC) which covers the Central Africa region. More partners in Canada, China, Europe, and the United States are joining every day.

Watch a Sneak Peek of GFW 2.0 presented at Rio+20

Video streaming by Ustream

Speakers:

Carlos Souza Jr., Senior Researcher, IMAZON
Charles Barber, Forest Division Chief, Bureau of Oceans, Environment and Science, U.S. Department of State
Rebecca Moore, Google
Nigel Sizer, Director, Global Forest Initiative, World Resources Institute

Watch UNEP’s press conference featuring GFW 2.0 at COP18 in Doha

Speakers:

Mr. Heru Prasetyo, Deputy I, Presidential Delivery Unit on Development Monitoring and Oversight, Government of Indonesia
Tim Christophersen, Senior Programme Officer, Forests and Climate Change, UNEP
Jane Feehan, Natural Resources Specialist, European Investment Bank
Nigel Sizer, Director, Global Forest Initiative, World Resources Institute

Watch a Sneak Peek of Global Forest Watch 2.0 at the U.S. Pavilion, COP18 in Doha

Video streaming by Ustream

Speakers:

Nigel Sizer, Director, Forests Initiative, World Resources Institute
Nirarta “Koni” Samadhi, Head of REDD+ Task Force Working Group on Moratorium Monitoring, Presidential Work Unit on Monitoring and Development Oversight (UKP4), Government of Indonesia
Per Fredrik Ilsaas Pharo, Director, International Climate and Forest Initiative, Norwegian Ministry of the Environment, Government of Norway
Tim Christophersen, Senior Program Officer, Forests and Climate Change, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Read more about WRI’s forest work here.

Sustainable Cities Initiative

Christine Potochny — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 16:13:34 -0400

In October 2011, WRI launched a five-year global initiative to advance the progress of building environmentally sustainable and livable cities in China, India, and Brazil. We intend to develop low-carbon city models and pathways for environmentally sustainable urbanization, by partnering with four urban centers to increase energy efficiency, curb greenhouse gas emissions, and improve water quality, urban mobility and land use.

The Challenges of Rapid Urbanization

China, India, and Brazil are among the world’s most rapidly urbanizing nations. In China, experts predict that by 2030 more than 70 percent of its people will live in cities, and that 221 cities will have at least one million residents. In India and Brazil, urban growth is explosive, expanding existing cities and creating new ones. In all three nations, cities have the potential to lift millions of people out of poverty and become powerful engines for social progress.

Rapid urbanization, however, poses substantial challenges. Poorly-planned, sprawling cities have the potential to undermine efforts to sustain economic growth, improve energy efficiency, curb greenhouse gas emissions, and secure clean water supplies. Although China, India, and Brazil are rethinking their approach to urban growth to prevent such setbacks, the leaders of many growing cities lack the training and tools needed to translate concerns into practical, cost-effective action. As a result, these cities risk making poorly-informed development decisions that will have long-lasting consequences.

Recent developments suggest that the time is ripe for meaningful action. In China, urbanization and sustainability issues feature prominently in the national government’s new 12th Five Year Plan, and cities will be required to meet new environmental targets. In India, the world’s fourth largest economy, a growing middle class is demanding better planned, more livable cities. In Brazil, the government has launched a major initiative to fundamentally remake major cities, spurred in part by its commitment to host the 2014 World Cup soccer tournament and the 2016 Olympics.

Project Objectives

Our objective is to create “blueprints” or low carbon plans for environmentally-sustainable and livable cities that we will use, with selected partner cities in China, India, and Brazil, to catalyze and help implement high-impact demonstration projects. We will then use a targeted outreach effort to spread and scale-up lessons learned to other growing cities. Our overarching strategy for replication is to leverage WRI’s existing platforms in each country. These include pioneering work in China on greenhouse gas inventories and low carbon planning, and working through EMBARQ (WRI’s Center for Sustainable Transport) on urban transport and land use issues. National networks of cities, international associations, and major conferences will also be established to provide routes for delivering knowledge to a wide variety of stakeholders in highly communicative, interactive formats.

Project Activities

This Sustainable Cities Initiative has three main activities over the course of five years (2011-2016).

These activities are taking place simultaneously, in regards to the specific needs and conditions in each country.

Blueprints for Environmentally Smarter Growth

We’ve identified key steps toward addressing climate, water, land use and mobility challenges in ways that: a) maximize economic efficiency and social benefits;
b) minimize sprawl and environmental damage; and
c) position the city to become a national and international model for sustainability.

Demonstration Projects

Moving from blueprints to action, WRI has begun to catalyze large, high-profile and integrated projects that address more than one goal. Illustrative demonstration projects include enabling a city to meet its carbon emissions-reduction targets; integrating development, transportation and pollution-reduction; and improving water quality and quantity.

Spreading Success to other Emerging Cities

WRI and its partners will pursue aggressive and targeted communications efforts to highlight the benefits of following new, smarter paths to urban growth among decision-makers in dozens of countries.

A Seven-Country Assessment of National Capacities to Track Forest Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Removal

Sarah Parsons — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 11:16:54 -0400

Summary

Forest carbon monitoring is critical to evaluating whether policies aiming to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from forest change are achieving their goals. The objective of this brief is to highlight the technical capacity needs for implementing national systems for forest carbon monitoring. This paper assesses the technical capacity in seven countries—Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and Thailand—for monitoring forests, forest change, and associated carbon dioxide emissions and removals. The results can be used by national agencies and the international community, including donor agencies and non-governmental organizations, to identify priorities for capacity-building and funding.

Based on findings from the assessment, the seven countries would benefit from the following:

Establishing processes to regularly and more frequently update data to enable understanding of trends in forest change.
Ensuring consistency of monitoring methods to allow comparison of data and interpretation of change over time.
Improving spatial resolution of forest monitoring where important drivers of forest change are difficult to detect with mid-resolution satellite imagery.
Establishing or updating national forest inventories regularly to enable accurate estimates of carbon dioxide emissions/removals.
Developing protocols and training programs to guide and harmonize sub-national data collection.
Strengthening data management and sharing among government agencies to enable integration of forest change information with other land use, permitting and tenure data.

STATEMENT: Rio+20 Wraps Up with "More of a Whimper Than a Roar"

Michael Oko — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 09:09:12 -0400

The UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) comes to a close today. In total, more than 100 heads of state and tens of thousands of representatives from government, business, and civil society came together over two weeks to advance solutions on sustainable development in Rio de Janeiro.

[Editors’ note: You can find WRI’s experts’ analysis on specific issues and outcomes here.]

Following is statement by Manish Bapna, Acting President, World Resources Institute:

“Rio+20 closed with more of a whimper than a roar. Expectations for the conference were understandably low, but the outcomes were even more modest. The agreed upon text was simply not forceful enough to meet the environment and development challenges of our times. This was a missed opportunity to re-energize the global conversation and importantly drive greater action around sustainability.

“There were a few bright spots— the advancement of Sustainable Development Goals, support for better governance around environmental issues, and progress on sustainable transport, among others. But, still, that is not enough.

“Certainly, there are reasons why the conference fell short: economic and political crises on the global stage; the challenge of taking on complex issues; and the struggle of coming to a unanimous decision among the diverse views. These challenges are real, but they should not be an excuse for inaction.

“So then, what comes next?

“We cannot lose sight of the big picture. It would be a mistake to conflate the outcome here with what’s happening on the ground around the world. Real action is taking place on national and local levels in many countries. Just look at Germany’s shift to clean energy, Niger’s efforts to re-green its landscape, or Rio’s just launched bus rapid transit system.

“We understand the challenges. We know the solutions. What we need is to build the political will for bolder leadership.

“As we leave Rio and return to our homes around the globe, we must not give up on the vision of a more sustainable pathway. Given the urgency of the challenges, we must continue to push forward with ambitious solutions that will create a more sustainable future.”

–

Read a summary blog by Manish on where to look for key areas of progress at Rio+20.

STATEMENT: Development Banks Announce "Game Changer" for Sustainable Transport at Rio+20

Lauren Zelin — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 23:38:38 -0400

The world’s largest multi-lateral development banks — led by the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, and others — committed to provide more than $175 billion over 10 years to support sustainable transport in developing countries.

The announcement was made at the UN Sustainable Development Conference in Rio de Janeiro (Rio+20) by the African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, CAF- Development Bank of Latin America, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, and the World Bank.

Following is a statement from Holger Dalkmann, director of EMBARQ, the World Resources Institute’s center for sustainable transport:

“This is a game changer for sustainable transport. It will ensure that hundreds of millions of people will have cleaner air, less congested roads, and safer transportation.

“Ten years ago transportation wasn’t even in the discussion; now it’s a major outcome from the world’s preeminent conference on sustainable development.

“Banks are putting their money where it matters — on streets built for people, not just cars. The world’s population is expected to surpass 9 billion by 2050, with more than half living in Asia, mostly in urban areas. At the same time, the rate of vehicle ownership is predicted to skyrocket from around 800 million cars a decade ago to around 2 billion in 2030. These two mega-trends are coming together to create an environment where people must compete for financial, institutional, and physical resources. In response, we need better urban designs; more sustainable transportation modes, like walking, biking and mass transit; and improvements in existing vehicle and fuel technology.

“This investment is not just about improving the way people move from point A to point B; it’s also about providing access and mobility for the poor and improving road safety, not to mention reducing transport-related greenhouse gas emissions. Transport is no small piece of the climate change pie: the sector represents approximately one-quarter of global CO2 emissions.

“Today’s announcement will no doubt encourage other decision-makers, especially national governments, to consider financing transport projects based on social and environmental benefits. It will push sustainability into the core of urban development.

“At the same time, we need to make sure that the money gets invested into the right kind of projects, and that there are sound mechanisms to measure its impact. This will require full transparency and independent monitoring.

“Countries often invest in transportation and infrastructure, but much of that goes into highways. We need to be smarter about where money flows, whether that means creating vibrant public spaces, providing safer infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists, or building high-tech, low-cost transit systems. Doing this would be a paradigm shift in the way we finance the growth of sustainable cities, similar to what the Asian Development Bank has done with its Sustainable Transport Initiative, a lending and technical assistance program for transport projects in Asia and the Pacific that emphasizes inclusive economic and environmentally sustainable growth.

“EMBARQ, the World Resources Institute’s center for sustainable transport, is a founding member of the Partnership on Sustainable Low Carbon Transport, which helped to catalyze this new financial commitment by the banks.

“Years from now, we may look back at Rio+20 as the moment when transport was pushed to the top of the sustainability agenda.”

-ENDS-

For more information on EMBARQ, visit: www.embarq.org.

Note: To schedule an interview, contact: Michael Oko, moko@wri.org.

RELEASE: Governments and Leaders Call for Strengthening Access to Transparency and Public Participation at Rio+20

James Anderson — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:51:06 -0400

More than 300 representatives from government, multilateral institutions, and civil society came together today to push for more action and commitments to support stronger governance around environmental issues.

Access to information, public participation and access to justice are core values that were embedded in the UN environmental process going back to the original Rio “Earth Summit” in 1992. These announcements show important progress toward implementing and strengthening these values at the international, national, and regional level.

Jose Luis Balmaceda, Chilean ambassador to the United Nations, attended the event, where he discussed efforts by a group of Latin American governments to strengthen their commitment to access rights in the region.

Ambassador Balmaceda said that Chile would guarantee Principle 10 and honor the original Rio Declaration. He noted that several governments are working together in Rio to explore the option of a regional approach on Principle 10. Additionally, he said that the negotiators have been working to strengthen this principle at different levels in the final Rio+20 outcome document.

“It is a fact that at the global and regional levels there is a growing recognition of the value of Principle 10, which demands to be translated into effective and concrete actions,” Ambassador Balmaceda said. “Chile is calling to reaffirm the need to achieve the commitments for the full implementation of the rights to access to information, participation, and justice.”

The call for greater access to information and justice was seconded by senior representatives from two UN agencies: Alicia Bercena, Executive Director of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC); and Sven Alkalaj, Executive Director, the Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

In a statement Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations said, “My organization is committed to further advancing the application of Principle 10.” UNEP aims to improve Principle 10 “by enhancing opportunities for public participation and access to information, independent from the outcomes of Rio + 20.”

The EU has shown global leadership in embracing environmental protection and governance protection, through the Aarhus Convention, which is the largest regional effort to date to ensure people have the right to access to information, participation, and justice.

Jonas Ebbesson, Chair of the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee said, “The Aarhus Convention shows that highly diverse states can agree on minimum requirements for public participation around environmental matters and they can trust an independent review mechanism in which civil society is a key actor.”

UNECE expressed its willingness to support efforts in the Latin American and Caribbean region to develop a convention on Principle 10 and to share experiences.

The announcement was made at a side event at Rio+20, “Choosing our Future: Open and Participatory Sustainable Development Governance,” organized by the United Nations Environment Programme, Fundação Getulio Vargas Rio Program on Law and Environment, the World Resources Institute, and the Access Initiative.

“In the context of the Rio Summit, where most countries have been reticent to strengthen international norms and legal frameworks, today’s announcements present an alternate and more positive approach. This demonstrates modest, but important progress toward greater governance among a number of democracies,” said Lalanath de Silva, director of the Access Initiative, an international network of non-governmental organizations that are working to advance rights and governance issues.

In addition to these announcements, a number of other governments made announcements around voluntary commitments with regard to open government and sustainability, including representatives from Mexico City and the Irish Delegation.

Correction: A previous version of the press release attributed a statement to Amina Mohammed, Deputy Director of UNEP. The correct attribution is Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.

-ENDS-

If you would like more information about the event and announcements, please contact Michael Oko; moko@wri.org; +55 (0) 21 8351 1349.

ADVISORY: Governments, UN Agencies and Civil Society to Reveal Commitments on Governance at Rio+20

Michael Oko — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:13:09 -0400

On Tuesday, June 19, 2012, more than 300 representatives from governments, UN agencies, and civil society will gather to express their support for action and make commitments around open and transparent government and environmental issues.

The event will take place at Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV), Priaa de Botafogo, 190, in Rio de Janeiro. The opening plenary will take place from 8:20 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.; followed immediately by a press conference from 12:00 – 12:30 p.m.

Representatives will include Ambassador Jose Luis Balmaceda, head of the Chilean Delegation, and representatives from Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Peru, along with senior officials from two UN agencies, Alicia Barcena, Executive Secretary, of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Sven Alkalaj, Executive Secretary, of the Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and Manish Bapna, Interim President, World Resources Institute.

A number of other governments are expected to make voluntary commitments with regard to open government and sustainability, including representatives of Mexico City and an NGO representative of the Irish delegation.

Speakers at the press conference will include: Ambassador Jose Luis Balmaceda, Permanent Ambassador of Chile to the United Nations; Amina Mohamed, UNEP Deputy Executive Director and Assistant-Secretary-General of the United Nations; Manish Bapna, Interim President WRI; and Andrew Jackson, NGO representative on the Irish delegation

Additional speakers at the morning plenary, include:

Alf Jerve, Chair of the World Bank Inspection Panel;
Georghe Salaru, Minister of Environment, Republic of Moldova;
Pierre Arcand, Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development, and Parks, Quebec, Canada;
Jonas Ebbesson, Chair of the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee;
Ritwick Dutta, Legal Initiative for Forests and Environment;
Ambassador M. Jean-Pierre Thébault, Representative of France;
Murilo Nunes de Bustamante, Environmental Public Prosecutor, State of Rio de Janeiro

See the full agenda for the event, here: http://www.wri.org/event/2012/06/choosing-our-future-open-and-participatory-sustainable-development-governance

WHAT
Press conference to announce commitments for stronger governance at Rio+20

Twitter hashtag: #choosefuture

WHO
Ambassador Jose Luis Balmaceda, Permanent Ambassador of Chile to the United Nations
Amina Mohamed, UNEP Deputy Executive Director and Assistant-Secretary-General of the United Nations Manish Bapna, Interim President, WRI;
Andrew Jackson, NGO member of the Irish delegation

WHERE
Funacao Getulio Vargas (FGV), Priaa de Botafogo, 190, Rio de Janeiro

WHEN
Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Plenary session: 8:20 – 12:00 p.m.

Press conference: 12:00 – 12:30 p.m.

Note: Additional photo opportunity with representatives from 30 different countries: 17:00 (5:00 p.m.)

–

If you would like more information about the event and announcements, please contact Michael Oko; moko@wri.org; +55 (0) 21 8351 1349

STATEMENT: Project Launches to Measure and Manage GHG Emissions for Agriculture in Brazil

Michael Oko — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 23:35:54 -0400

The World Resources Institute (WRI) and the British Embassy are launching a two year partnership to measure corporate and farm-level emissions in Brazil. Agricultural emissions account for nearly 20 percent of Brazil’s emissions, with agricultural production on the rise. The project, based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, will develop GHG Accounting Guidance for Brazilian Agriculture, filling an important gap, since Brazil does not presently have a methodology for corporate and farm-level accounting, reporting, and monitoring. This project will support Brazil in meeting its targets set in the National Plan on Climate Change, including measuring agricultural emissions, both up and down the value chain, and from land use.

“It is an honor to announce the launch of a new project that marks the continuation of a fruitful partnership between the World Resources Institute, the UK government, and Brazil, which has been contributing to measuring, reporting and managing Brazilian greenhouse gas emissions,” said British Ambassador to Brazil, Alan Charlton. “The UK Government is glad to have contributed to this initiative, which is part of an effort to establish a low-carbon economy worldwide.”

The announcement was made during an event at Rio+20 on the Green Economy: Driving Business Value and Competitiveness, hosted by WRI, which will bring together business experts, national policy makers, and global policy specialists to discuss strategic opportunities in the green economy, including tools for companies and policymakers to measure and manage their emissions impact.

Currently, more than 90 Brazilian companies voluntarily report their corporate emissions through the Brazilian GHG Protocol Program, created by Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV), WRI, the Federal Ministry of Environment, and the Brazilian Corporate Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS). During 2010 and 2011, WRI and FGV conducted a series of scoping workshops with participating Brazilian companies to better understand the need for agriculture-specific guidance.

“Brazil is one of the most important countries when it comes to sustainable development, with agriculture playing a major role in its economy as well as its emissions,” said Manish Bapna, Interim President, WRI. “By measuring and controlling their emissions, Brazilian companies can help lower their environmental impact, while identifying new opportunities for economic growth and cost savings.”

The event will feature a keynote address by Carlos Klink, National Secretary on Climate Change and Environmental Quality, Ministry of the Environment, Brazil.

“Today’s announcement marks an important step forward in helping Brazil to meet its emissions goals,” said Secretary Klink. “Agriculture forms the backbone of our economy, and we will continue to work with Brazilian businesses to move toward healthy, robust and sustainable future.”

The objectives of the agricultural guidance project are to:

Establish nationally-recognized methodologies for the measurement and management of agricultural GHG emissions at the farm- and corporate-level;
Build capacity among Brazilian businesses and provide methodologies to develop emissions reduction strategies for agriculture; and
Integrate methodologies for agriculture into the GHG Protocol Brazil Program and emerging mandatory (e.g., Amapá, Pará, Pernambuco, and Mato Grosso) and voluntary (e.g., Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul, and Paraná) GHG emissions registries and reporting programs.

Over the next year, GHG Protocol experts will work closely with Brazilian businesses to adapt international guidance to address Brazil-specific emissions issues.

Companies interested in conducting a GHG inventory and developing and pilot testing the agricultural guidance are invited to contact GHG Protocol’s Stephen Russell: srussell@wri.org.

ADVISORY: WRI Hosts Panels on Business Strategies, Climate Change and Green Economy at Rio+20

Michael Oko — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 08:24:08 -0400

The World Resources Institute (WRI) will host a series of panel discussions, featuring leaders in business, government and civil society, that will focus on how businesses can advance low-carbon and climate goals in the context of Rio+20.

The three panels will take place on Sunday, June 17, from 1:30 – 6:00 p.m. BRT, at Copacabana Fort in Rio de Janeiro.

Topics include: moving forward with “next practices” in business strategy, developing clean technology policies, and measuring and managing greenhouse gas emissions.

Note: The third panel will include a major announcement by the British Ambassador to Brazil about a new project to manage Brazil’s agriculture sector emissions.

WHAT
Panel discussions, with high-profile leaders in business, government, and civil society, on The Green Economy: Driving Business Value and Competitiveness

WHO

Welcome & Keynote (1:30 p.m.)
Manish Bapna, Interim President, WRI

Panel #1 (2:00 – 3:15 p.m.)
Peter Madden, CEO, Forum for the Future
Kersten-Karl Barth, Director, Sustainability, Siemens
Robert ter Kuile, Senior Director Environmental Sustainability – Global Public Policy, PepsiCo
Andrew Hobday, Chief Sustainability Officer, Mars
Jennifer Morgan, Director, Climate and Energy Program, WRI

Panel #2 (3:30 – 5:00 p.m.)
Jochen Flasbarth, President, German Federal Environment Agency
Michael Liebreich, Chief Executive Officer, Bloomberg New Energy Finance
Dr. Emilio La Rovere, Head of the Center for Integrated Studies on Climate Change and the Environment at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and Chief Scientific Advisor to CDKN, Brazil
I.H. Reham, Director, Social Transformation, The Energy and Resources Institute, India
Priya Barua, Research Fellow, WRI

Panel #3 (5:00 – 6:00)
Carlos Klink, Brazilian National Secretary on Climate Change and Environmental Quality
Alan Charlton, British Ambassador to Brazil
Wee Kean Fong, GHG Protocol, WRI
Kaleigh Robinson, GHG Protocol, WRI

WHERE
Copacabana Fort
Espaço das Ideias Circulantes
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

WHEN
Sunday, June 17, 2012;
1:30 – 6:00 p.m. BRT

-ENDS-

Read a blog post by Jennifer Morgan on climate change and Rio+20.

To schedule interviews, please contact: Michael Oko; Tel. (local cell): + 55 21 81 710258; moko@wri.org

Rio+20: Uma oportunidade para acelerar a transição para a economia verde e tirar milhões de pessoas da pobreza

James Anderson — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 11:34:29 -0400

O novo relatório apresenta políticas-chave e constrói os alicerces para aumentar a prosperidade, reduzir a pobreza e apoiar a sustentabilidade ambiental.

Read text in English here

Uma transição à economia verde poderia retirar milhões de pessoas da pobreza e mudar o sustento de muitas das 1,3 bilhões de pessoas que ganham apenas USD 1,25 por dia no mundo inteiro, mas somente quando a transição tiver como base políticas fortes e investimentos dos setores público e privado.

Estes foram os resultados de um novo relatório, Construindo uma Economia Verde Inclusiva para Todos, lançado hoje na reunião de cúpula da Rio+20 pela Parceria Pobreza e Ambiente (PEP, da sigla em inglês) - uma rede bilateral de agências de suporte, bancos de desenvolvimento, agências da ONU e ONGs internacionais. O relatório aponta que muitos países em desenvolvimento e países menos desenvolvidos já estão buscando fazer uma transição para economias de baixa emissão de carbono e que sejam eficientes em seu uso de recursos.

De acordo com o relatório, o aumento significativo dos exemplos atuais postos em prática da economia verde, especialmente nos países em desenvolvimento, tem o potencial de gerar resultados tripartidos: um crescimento econômico criador de empregos, sustentabilidade ambiental e inclusão social.

Porém, os investimentos específicos e as reformas na governança são necessários para superar as barreiras atuais que previnem que muitas comunidades carentes se beneficiem de uma economia verde.

Read Building an Inclusive Green Economy for All

O novo relatório demonstra que muitos dos Países Menos Desenvolvidos, assim como muitas regiões pobres dos países com renda média, na verdade possuem alto grau de recursos naturais, que os permitem construir uma economia verde que possa reduzir a pobreza de uma forma sustentável.

“Muitos dos países menos desenvolvidos e dos países em desenvolvimento e das comunidades estão aproveitando a oportunidade para aproximar economia e ecologia para que possam gerar resultados sociais transformacionais”, diz Achin Steiner, Subsecretário Geral e Diretor Executivo do Programa das Nações Unidas para o Ambiente (PNUMA), um membro da PEP, no lançamento do relatório no Rio de Janeiro.

“O desafio para os líderes mundiais se reunindo aqui na Rio+20 é gerar e dar apoio às políticas possibilitadoras e aos pacotes catalisadores financeiros e de proteção social de forma que possa apressar estas ambições e aumentá-las exponencialmente.”

O relatório discute que um grande número de países menos desenvolvidos e das regiões pobres dos países com renda média, na verdade possuem alto grau de recursos naturais, os quais são necessários para dar sustentação à transição a economia verde como uma passagem em direção ao desenvolvimento sustentável.

“Ao abraçar uma economia verde inclusiva, os líderes na Rio têm uma oportunidade rara de melhorar as vidas de milhões de pessoas e abrir as portas a uma nova era de sustentabilidade”, diz Manish Bapna, Presidente em exercício do Instituto de Recursos Mundiais, que coordenou o estudo.

“A mudança para uma economia verde inclusiva não acontecerá por si própria. São necessárias políticas governamentais inteligentes e uma liderança forte. Este relatório apresenta uma visão ousada para uma economia verde que pode lidar com a pobreza e a desigualdade, e mais importante ele oferece alicerces práticos e concretos para a realização dessa transição.”

O relatório cita muitos exemplos fortes de países em desenvolvimento que estão mudando para uma economia verde de forma bem-sucedida. Por exemplo:

A Etiópia está desenvolvendo seis projetos de energia eólica e um projeto geotérmico, os quais aumentarão a capacidade do país em mais de 1.000 megawatts.
A Mongólia atualmente está construindo seu primeiro parque eólico de 50 megawatt, e este deve gerar um valor estimado de 5% da energia necessária pelo país, enquanto que vai reduzir a poluição do ar, que está relacionada com a geração de energia causada pela queima de carvão. A Mongólia tem o potencial de agir como uma “super rede” na região, fornecendo energia limpa para os países vizinhos.
No Uganda, a promoção da agricultura orgânica está ajudando dezenas de milhares de fazendeiros a ganharem até 300% a mais nas produções certificadas de abacaxi, gengibre, baunilha e outros produtos para exportação. Mundialmente, o mercado para os produtos orgânicos triplicou desde 2000.

A nível internacional, o desenvolvimento da Redução de Emissões por Desmatamento e Degradação de Florestas(REED ou REED+ das siglas em inglês), também oferece o potencial para a erradicação da pobreza, se acompanhada por salvaguardas sociais rigorosas, especialmente para a população indígena local. Por exemplo, a Noruega investiu USD 1 milhão na REED na Indonésia, o que gerou um ano de moratória na derrubada de árvores em Kalimantan, o que tem o potencial de salvaguardar 45% das florestas da província, ao passo que fornece novas oportunidades de sustento e renda para a população local.

Muitos países de renda baixa ou média são ricos em recursos para ecoturismo, um setor que tem a projeção de gerar uma receita de USD 240 bilhões em 2012. Uma grande parte desse crescimento se encontra nos países em desenvolvimento tão variados como Botsuana, Belize, Brasil, Costa Rica, Gabão, Quênia e Nepal.

Os países menos desenvolvidos, com a infraestrutura menos desenvolvida, especialmente nas áreas urbanas, podem se beneficiar da economia verde inclusiva com as políticas possibilitadoras corretas e investimentos internacionais específicos em áreas de eficiência energética e tecnologias limpas para os modernos sistemas de transporte público.

Tais esforços também servem para aumentar a criação de empregos decentes verdes. Em Lagos, na Nigéria, as parcerias públicas e privadas voltadas à melhoria da infraestrutura da cidade, reduzem o congestionamento, melhoram as condições nas favelas e ajudam a criar cerca de 4.000 empregos, relacionados ao meio ambiente, para a comunidade jovem desempregada.

Com relação à saúde, os fatores de riscos ambientais são as causas de cerca de um quinto de todas as doenças nos países em desenvolvimento, e correspondem a uma grande proporção das mortes infantis.

Muitos investimentos na economia verde têm o potencial para fornecer benefícios significativos para a saúde humana. Por exemplo, o apoio aos combustíveis e veículos limpos diminuirá as emissões de gases do efeito estufa e reduzirá as doenças respiratórias. Da mesma forma, o investimento em uma energia mais limpa para o uso doméstico nos países em desenvolvimento, tais como através de fogões mais eficientes, pode reduzir a dependência da madeira como combustível e lidar com o desmatamento e ainda limitar a exposição à poluição interna do ar.

O relatório enfoca que o setor privado, incluindo as grandes multinacionais e pequenas e médias empresas, junto com as organizações não governamentais têm também um papel-chave como possibilitadores.

Por exemplo:

A Unilever está trabalhando na África Ocidental com 10.500 pequenos fazendeiros para promover as árvores allanblackia, que produz sementes ricas em óleo que é usado em margarinas sob as marcas Flora e Bercel.
No Brasil, a empresa de cosméticos Natura criou parcerias com 26 comunidades para fornecer novos cosméticos, fragrâncias e outros produtos sob um programa de compartilhamento de benefícios, que apoia os princípios do PNUMA relacionados à Convenção sobre Diversidade Biológica.
Jain, um sistema de irrigação localizado na Índia, fabrica sistemas de irrigação baseados no gotejamento e na aspersão, enquanto gera mercados para os produtos dos fazendeiros. Fazendeiros em partes da Índia tiveram um aumento de renda líquida de USD 100 para USD 1.000 por hectare como resultado da adoção de tais sistemas e também reduziram o consumo de água e os impactos ambientais.

“Existe uma grande evidência de que a transição para uma economia verde com baixa emissão de carbono e que seja eficiente em seu uso de recursos pode beneficiar muito a comunidade carente e ao mesmo tempo ajudar a preservar os serviços ecossistêmicos vitais”, disse Johan Kuylenstierna, Diretor Executivo do Instituto Ambiental de Estocolmo, membro PEP e co-autor do relatório.

“O desafio para a Rio+20 é criar compromissos fortes que assegurarão que a economia verde possa crescer e dar frutos, com o apoio dos setores público e privado. Também precisamos adotar políticas para proteger os vulneraveis enquanto as economias dos países fazem a transição, e assegurar que os benefícios da economia verde sejam distribuídos de uma forma justa e igualitária”.

“Na região da Ásia-Pacífico, o investimento paralelo na infraestrutura sustentável inclusiva e no gerenciamento sustentável dos ecossistemas críticos para o desenvolvimento econômico futuro pode causar um impacto enorme no bem-estar da população carente - tanto nas zonas urbana e rural”, disse Bindu N. Lohani, Vice-presidente da Gestão de Conhecimento e Desenvolvimento Sustentável do Bando de Desenvolvimento Asiático.

“As instituições regionais devem galvanizar os esforços governamentais para criar as políticas possibilitadoras certas e canalizar os recursos financeiros para um crescimento verde inclusivo, um tipo de crescimento que beneficia os países em desenvolvimento e os membros carentes das suas populações.”

O relatório apela para que os delegados na reunião de cúpula da Rio+20 considerem os “cinco fatores críticos para a construção dos alicerces em direção a economia verde inclusiva”. Estes podem maximizar os benefícios da economia verde para a população carente e promover uma agenda política compartilhada entre os governos dos países em desenvolvimento, os parceiros nos países desenvolvidos e outras partes interessadas.

Políticas sociais econômicas nacionais: Políticas fiscais, regimes tributários e políticas verdes de proteção social e programas que possam fortalecer a transição dos carentes;
Direitos e capacitações locais: Garantir que a população carente tenha direitos e posse sobre os seus recursos naturais, apoiados por meios e incentivos para gerenciar de forma sustentável e gerar benefícios para si próprios;
Mercados verdes inclusivos: São necessários novos modelos de negócios para construir e expandir o acesso da comunidade carente aos mercados inclusivos e redes de fornecimento para os produtos e serviços verdes, junto com o acesso ao microcrédito e serviços de desenvolvimento de negócios para empresas de pequeno e médio porte;
Políticas e suporte a uma harmonização internacional: Os países com maior renda precisam fornecer ajuda coerente, comércio e outras políticas de suporte para possibilitar que os países de baixa renda possam ser bem-sucedidos na transição para a economia verde, e;
Novos parâmetros para medir progresso: Ir além da limitação do PIB, para um indicador mais abrangente de progresso socioeconômico, social, ambiental e de bem-estar humano: esta é uma questão-chave na mesa de discussão da Rio+20.

Nota as editores:

Construindo uma Economia Verde Inclusiva para Todos: Oportunidades e Desafios para Superarmos a Pobreza e Desigualdade será lançado às 13:00 no dia 14 de junho na Sala de Imprensa no Rio Centro.

O relatório completo está disponível no site www.povertyenvironment.net/pep

A publicação foi elaborada pela equipe do Bando de Desenvolvimento Asiático, AusAid Austrália, Ministério dos Assuntos Exteriores da Finlandia, Agência para Cooperação Internacional, Alemanha (GIZ da sigla em alemão), Instituto Internacional para o Meio ambiente e Desenvolvimento, a União Nacional para Conservação da natureza, a Organização para Cooperação e Desenvolvimento Econômico, Programa das Nações Unidas para o Desenvolvimento, Programa das Nações Unidas para o Meio Ambiente, Banco Mundial, Conselho Mundial de Negócios para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável e Instituto de Recursos Mundiais;

A publicação informativa do PNUMA sobre a economia verde e a redução da pobreza está disponível em: http://www.unep.org/greeneconomy/Portals/88/POVERTY_REDUCTIO...

Para maiores informações, por favor entre em contato:

Nick Nuttall, Porta-voz do PNUMA; Tel: +55 11 6593 8058 or +254 733 632755, e-mail: nick.nuttall@unep.org

Michael Oko, Diretor de Comunicações, Instituto de Recursos Mundiais, Tel + (202) 246-9269, e-mail: moko@wri.org

STATEMENT: Rio+20: "We Cannot Afford to Let This Moment Slip By"

Michael Oko — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 11:33:44 -0400

The UN Conference on Sustainable Development kicked off in Rio de Janeiro this week.

Following is a statement by Manish Bapna, Interim President, World Resources Institute:

“Rio+20 should serve as a wake-up call for our planet. Leaders in Rio need to make sustainability a global priority, placing it at the very center of political and economic agendas. We can no longer afford to view environmental issues as being apart from, or in conflict with economic growth– but rather see sustainability as an integrated, pro-growth path forward.

“Despite our best efforts and some progress over the past 20 years, too many environmental trends are heading in the wrong direction. We need less talk, and more action; fewer promises, and more concrete steps for government policy and business practices.

“We urgently need government, business, and civil society to work together to make sure we have clean water, healthy ecosystems, livable cities, and a stable climate.

“Let’s seize this opportunity to protect our planet and ensure that people have a safer, more prosperous, and healthier future. The eyes of the world are on us. We cannot afford to let this moment slip by.”

-ENDS-

Read Manish’s new post: Rio+20: Seizing the Opportunity for a Sustainable Future

Find out more about WRI events and activities in Rio.

Note: Manish Bapna will be in Rio starting on Friday, June 15. To schedule an interview, contact: Michael Oko, moko@wri.org.