The annual UNEP Regional Consultation with Major Groups and Stakeholders (RCMs) for Europe took place on September 2, 2011, in Bonn, Germany. The president of Ukrainian National Environmental NGO «MAMA-86» Anna Golubovska-Onisimova together with more than 100 representatives of major groups and stakeholders took part in the meeting.

These Consultations were held in preparation for UNEP’s 12th Special Session of the Governing Council / Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC/GMEF) to be held on 20–22 February 2012. They provide an opportunity for major groups and stakeholders to prepare their inputs into the Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum 18–19 February 2012 and into 12th Special Session of the GC/GMEF.

The cross-cutting topic of the RCM was preparation to coming Conference Rio+20. This Conference will focus on two themes: (a) a green economy in the context of sustainable development (SD) and poverty eradication; and (b) the institutional framework for SD (rethinking the current sustainable development paradigm, International Environmental Governance). Desired outcomes and role of civil society in shaping the agenda of the Conference and influencing the Conference outcomes were discussed. The issues likely to affect the development agenda in the next 20 to 30 years and need to be captured at the Conference are: the outcomes of the GEO 5 and UNEP foresight processes. Preparations and issues for the Seventh Ministerial Conference “Environment for Europe” by UNECE, including water as a regional priority/emerging issue, were also discussed.

Major Group Statement, adopted during RCM, called for commitments for

1. Green economic must promote social, gender and intergenerational equity. 2. In order to achieve a truly green economy, better regulation of international financial actors and financial flows is needed. Specific instruments and actions to be applied here are: new indicators for well-being, decision-making based on planetary boundaries, Financial Transaction Tax, “sufficiency” instruments together with “eco-efficiency”. 3. Independent Technology Assessment: at Rio+20, governments could commit to such an agreement for assessment and monitoring of new technologies before their widespread. 4. Nuclear & uranium lifecycle control: developing legally binding mechanisms to address the cost of decommissioning and clean-up of nuclear power-plants, nuclear waste and uranium mines is needed together with global strategy to address the risks that the whole uranium cycle pose.

Improvements of institutional framework for SD: 1. Upgrading UNEP to a high-level specialized agency in the UN system with new responsibilities and resources, including strong programme on Sustainable Consumption and Production under UNEP, strengthening the Trade and the Environment activities of UNEP, strengthening civil society participation in UNEP, upgrading the mandate of Panel of Natural Resources under UNEP. 2. Creation of a Strong Technology Assessment Body. 3. Presence of Ombudspersons for Future Generations at all governance level. 4. International implementation of Rio Principle 10 (global convention similar to the existing Aarhus one).

NGO Group Statement contained proposals on: roadmap for a green economy, basing on the results of the 10-years Framework on Sustainable Consumption and Production and the findings of the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity study (TEEB); transparent information on products (avoiding green-washing), promoting Millennium Consumption Goals; economy that fits with in the carrying capacity of our environmental and social capital. There were also NGO proposals to document, monitor the environmental damages and risks of uranium technologies, UN to develop a global strategy to address these risks; to use polluter pays principle; to create the action plans on formal and informal education on SD.

Concerning legal binding instruments NGOs endorsed the idea of bringing Rio Principle 10 to an international level; NGO called on: creation of legal framework for safe chemicals management, on implementing precautionary principle; shift from soft law and not well functioning of environmental law to new effective mechanisms; applying Strategic Environmental Assessment and Environmental Impact Assessment; Multilateral Environmental Agreement on Corporate Social Responsibility. Concerning commitments for institutional improvements NGO called on: increasing support of activities (including capacity build) of the UNEP branch on trade and environment, ombudsperson for future generations on all levels, using set of indicators for measuring well-being; NGOs endorsed strengthening UNEP to a high-level agency, upgrading the Natural Resource Panel; strengthening the institutionalisation of SD on all levels; establishing a UN Council for SD. Its mandate should include universal periodic reviews with national compliance on international agreements, SD reporting for countries, based on alternative indicators on SD or well being.

Additional information:

UNEP Regional consultations with Major Groups and stakeholders

Sustainable Consumption and Production