The Economic and Social Council this morning continued with its Coordination Segment and held a round table discussion entitled “Towards a United Nations comprehensive response to the challenges of climate change”. It also heard the introduction of two reports by the Secretary-General on the role of ECOSOC in the integrated and coordinated implementation of the outcomes of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits, and on the World Summit on the Information Society follow-up at regional and international levels, and concluded its general discussion under its Coordination Segment.

The Vice-President of ECOSOC, Somduth Soborun, introducing the round table discussion, said that climate change was now recognized as a multifaceted challenge that required the efforts and expertise of a broad range of actors in order to be tackled. The objective of this initiative was two-fold: firstly, to forge the United Nations system contribution to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiation process; and secondly, to bring together and connect the different capacities of the system, both normative, standard-setting and operational, to deal comprehensively with the threats and challenges of climate change.

The panellists in the round table discussion were Mohammad Khazaee, Chair of the United Nations Development Programme Executive Board; Gerda Verburg, Chair of the Commission on Sustainable Development; Armen Martirosyan, Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women; Maria Nazareth Farani Azevedo, Chair of the International Labour Organization Governing Body; and Miloslav Hettes, Vice-Chair of the Commission for Social Development.

Mohammad Khazaee, Chair of the United Nations Development Programme Executive Board, said climate change adversely affected access to fresh water, food security and energy. Addressing climate change within the context of sustainable development was not an option, but the only solution, in order for developing countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The United Nations system had the capacity to fulfil the four main building blocks in which the Bali Action Plan was based on – mitigation, adaptation, technology, and financing.

Gerda Verburg, Chair of the Commission on Sustainable Development, said ECOSOC played a crucial role in integrating the coordination and follow-up of the outcomes of the major United Nations events. The world economy needed an urgent transition towards a sustainable and resource-efficient path. Against this background of multiple crises, the Commission on Sustainable Development had made important steps forward, placing agriculture in the heart of the international agenda; agriculture was no longer part of the problem, but part of the solution.

Armen Martirosyan, Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women, said in 2008, the Commission decided to focus on the gender perspectives of climate change as its emerging issue. Climate change could have significant direct impacts on women’s lives. Women made up a large number of the poor in communities, which were highly dependent on local natural resources for their livelihood, and were disproportionately vulnerable to and affected by climate change.

Maria Nazareth Farani Azevedo, Chair of the International Labour Organization Governing Body, said the importance of labour-related issues to climate change could not be overstated. Labour markets were, and would continue to be, affected by the creation and consolidation of greener patterns of production and consumption. In this process, new jobs would be created, old jobs would be substituted, and some jobs would be eliminated. The task before the ILO and the international community was to ensure that the transition to a low-carbon world offered new economic opportunities for workers, employers, and Governments.

Miloslav Hettes, Vice-Chair of the Commission for Social Development, said the Copenhagen Declaration included commitments to create an economic, political, social, cultural and legal environment that would enable people to achieve social development; to eradicate absolute poverty by a target date to be set by each country; to support full employment as a basic policy goal; and to achieve equality and equity between women and men. The international world had to do better; it had to invest in a sustainable green economy.

Among the questions and issues raised during the discussion by country delegates was that the poor had no connection with the increase in greenhouse gas and emissions, and that they were instead the victim of these emissions, and what would be a potential solution to this problem, such as a stepping-up of aid by those countries guilty of the emissions to the victims; the need to respond at the global level to climate change; the need for developed countries to take the lead in order to achieve agreement in Copenhagen, although all should participate, including developing countries and women, and particular attention should be paid to the most vulnerable in society, such as children; and the need for a stronger United Nations in the context of all crises, and the need for a United Nations reform process leading to increased effectiveness, transparency, and impact of activities.

Representatives of Iraq, Sweden on behalf of the European Union, Kazakhstan, Brazil, Namibia and Bolivia took the floor during the round table discussion.

At the beginning of the meeting the Council heard introductions of two reports by the Secretary-General and concluded its general discussion under the Coordination Segment.

Thomas Stelzer, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs, introducing the report of the Secretary-General on the role of the Economic and Social Council in the integrated and coordinated implementation of the outcomes of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits, in light of General Assembly resolutions, including resolution 61/16, said while establishing the integrated follow-up framework, the focus had been on two main issues: architectural coherence and substantive coherence. Such a report would give the Council and the General Assembly an overview of the progress made in promoting policy coherence in the implementation of the United Nations development agenda, enabling Member States to provide new guidance on the United Nations' operational activities.

Mongi Hamdi, Head of the Science, Technology, and Information and Communications Technology Branch, and Division on Technology and Logistics, at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, introducing the report of the Secretary-General on the World Summit on the Information Society follow-up at regional and international levels, said in many respects, the digital divide continued to narrow, reaching an important milestone in 2008, when over half of the world’s population obtained some level of connectivity. 80 to 90 per cent of the world’s population now lived within range of a cellular network. Large disparities in terms of penetration and affordability still existed, both across and within countries and regions. Challenges related to low-cost access to broadband, local content development and data privacy warranted special attention.

During the general discussion within the context of the Coordination Segment, speakers said the Coordination Segment should focus on ensuring coherence of the governing bodies, funds and specialised programmes of the United Nations. There was concern about the trend of the Coordination Segment’s increasing focus on operational activities. Despite the catalyzing role of the World Summit on the Information Society, one challenge was to address issues of quality and equity of access, and to help countries bridge not only the digital divide, but also the more complex ‘knowledge divide’. It was necessary to identify appropriate mechanisms and strengthen the role of United Nations structures in the area of sustainable development.

Speaking in the general discussion were the Russian Federation and Morocco. A representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization also spoke.

ECOSOC will resume its work this afternoon at 3 p.m., to hold a third and final panel discussion under its Coordination Segment on “Effective sustainable development strategies: country level experience”.

Reports

The Council has before it the report of the Secretary-General on the role of the Economic and Social Council in the integrated and coordinated implementation of the outcomes of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits, in the light of relevant General Assembly resolutions, including resolution 61/16 (E/2009/89), which reviews the horizontal and vertical linkages that have been established among the different parts of the integrated follow-up architecture to enhance coherence in the follow-up to conferences. By providing an in-depth assessment of a cross-cutting theme common to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits, the report illustrates how the annual ministerial review has assumed the function of providing substantive coherence to the follow-up to conferences. It also describes how the biennial Development Cooperation Forum, as a high-level forum with a balanced participation of key actors and a clear representation of multi-stakeholder positions, can help advance the implementation of internationally agreed development goals and, through them, the integrated follow-up to conferences. It further elaborates how the specific meeting of the General Assembly focused on development could provide similar substantive coherence for the work of the Assembly and its relevant Committees. To facilitate the reorientation of the integrated follow-up to conferences, a quadrennial report is recommended.

The report of the Secretary-General on progress made in the implementation of and follow-up to the World summit on the Information Society outcomes at the regional and international levels (E/2009/10) was not immediately available in English.

Introduction of Reports

THOMAS STELZER, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs, introducing the report of the Secretary-General on the role of the Economic and Social Council in the integrated and coordinated implementation of the outcomes of and follow-up to major United Nations conferences and summits, in the light of relevant General Assembly resolutions, including resolution 61/16 (E/2009/89), said the United Nations Conferences and Summits had established a broad and detailed platform for action, referred to as the United Nations Development Agenda. Establishing the various components of this agenda seemed the less difficult part, and there were now a set of common goals and targets. However, it seemed more difficult to move into a stage of robust implementation, and to help make this transition from commitment to action over the last twenty years, a framework for the integrated follow-up of conferences had been established. While establishing the integrated follow-up framework, the focus had been on two main issues: architectural coherence and substantive coherence. The report documented the significant progress made in advancing these two dimensions of coherence.

With regards to the question posed during last year's ECOSOC meeting as to what kind of periodicity would render the Conference follow-up report most effective, it was being proposed that in order to ensure the largest impact, the report should be prepared on a quadrennial basis rather than annually. Such a report would give the Council and the General Assembly an overview of the progress made in promoting policy coherence in the implementation of the United Nations development agenda, enabling Member States to provide new guidance on the United Nations' operational activities. Preparing the report one year prior to the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review would help limit the additional reporting burden, and allow the United Nations to draw upon the assessment of the report on the integrated follow-up of conferences in preparation for the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review. It would also provide useful guidance to the United Nations funds and programmes and specialised agencies as they were entering a new four-year planning cycle. Future reports could focus on the progress made in advancing the integrated follow-up of conferences on the United Nations development agenda themes taken up by the Annual Ministerial Review, and could draw upon the experiences of the countries which made National Voluntary Presentations, which would help to provide a direct link between global discussions and national level operations.

MONGI HAMDI, Head of the Science, Technology, and Information and Communications Technology Branch, and Division on Technology and Logistics, at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), introducing the report of the Secretary-General on the World Summit on the Information Society follow-up at regional and international levels (A/64/64-E/2009/10), said in many respects, the digital divide continued to narrow, reaching an important milestone in 2008, when over half of the world’s population obtained some level of connectivity. 80 to 90 per cent of the world’s population now lived within range of a cellular network, double the level in 2000. The number of mobile subscriptions worldwide had reached 4 billion by the end of 2008, rendering a global mobile penetration of more than 60 per cent. The Internet gap between developed and developing countries was also closing, albeit at a slower pace. At the end of 2008, half of the world’s Internet users were in developing countries, especially in Asia. Regionally, Africa and the Middle East were experiencing the fastest mobile and Internet growth.

Large disparities in terms of penetration and affordability still existed, both across and within countries and regions. In developing countries as a whole, only 12 per cent of the population used the Internet. The broadband divide represented a particular challenge, as it continued to widen, and as there was a qualitatively significance difference between those with and those without access to broadband Internet connections. Challenges related to low-cost access to broadband, local content development and data privacy warranted special attention, stressed Mr. Hamdi. Broadband had been widely acknowledged as an essential and critical infrastructure, a prerequisite for a large number of the World Summit on the Information Society action lines, such as e-Government, e-health, e-business, e-education, and e-agriculture. It therefore held tremendous promises for social and economic inclusion. Another area of growing concern was data privacy. Despite efforts in narrowing the digital divide, much more needed to be done to create an information society for all. In fact, there was no room for complacency. The next steps needed to address universal information communication technologies access, in both rural and urban areas, among men and women and across generations, and the availability of content in local languages, which would considerably increase the potential contribution of information communication technologies towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

General Discussion on the Role of the UN System in Implementing the Ministerial Declaration of the High-Level Segment of the Substantive Session of 2008 of the Council

DIMITRY MAKSIMYCHEV (Russian Federation) said the programme of the Coordination Segment should be drafted as per the mandate of the Council and the resolution of the General Assembly and of ECOSOC. The report of the Secretary-General highlighted significant progress - the Annual Ministerial Review on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and the Cooperation Forum had made it possible to take a major step forward with regards to the United Nations Development Agenda. However, the international community had not yet reached a point at which it did not need to discuss achievements and could focus entirely on country efforts, as was proposed in the report. The Council still had the role of monitoring the nature of the effective work of the various partnerships, monitoring review processes as a result of the major United Nations Conferences and summits. The Coordination Segment should focus on ensuring coherence of the governing bodies, funds and specialised programmes of the United Nations. Progress in this area was the least. In order to streamline and analyse the work of the Council, there should be a change in the agenda, with the Review moved to the Coordination Segment from the General Segment. There was concern for the trend of the Coordination Segment with its increasing focus on operational activities. The position of the Russian Federation was that the comprehensive nature of the United Nations Development Agenda required an integrated and coordinated approach for its effective implementation, especially in the context of the world financial crisis.

KERSTIN HOLST, of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), speaking on behalf of the Director-General, said with regard to the status of the implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society at the regional and international levels, UNESCO wished to inform participants in the Coordination Segment of its activities for the implementation and follow-up of the World Summit on the Information Society. UNESCO was fully committed to the World Summit on the Information Society process as a core priority. In 2008, UNESCO increased its efforts and the resources dedicated to meeting the World Summit on the Information Society Summit goals in its threefold role as an implementer of concrete activities included in the Geneva Plan of Action, facilitator of six action lines and coordinator of the overall implementation process. Nevertheless, and despite the undeniable catalyzing role of the World Summit on the Information Society, one challenge was maintaining the momentum gained in the two phases of the Summit. Another key challenge was to address issues of quality and equity of access, and to help countries bridge not only the digital divide, but also the more complex ‘knowledge divide’.

OMAR HILALE (Morocco) said the role of ECOSOC in development was undeniable, and the role of the Sustainable Development Commission should not be ignored in its efforts with regards to implementation of the Rio Declaration and to provide technical assistance and expertise and capacity-strengthening for developing countries. If the Commission continued to be the only United Nations body considering the environmental, social and demographical issues of the United Nations work, then it was essential to give it a more binding role in the implementation of sustainable development and food security, as well as dealing with climate change at a wide number of levels. Sustainable development was a global, planet-wide issue. The consideration of this issue required an integrated approach, and the Commission had a good framework to be brought to bear for international and South-South cooperation. It was necessary to identify appropriate mechanisms and strengthen the role of United Nations structures in the area of sustainable development. The international community was today facing many environmental issues that required fresh approaches of governance. The United Nations had the necessary structure and clout to promote sustainable development projects in all countries. International institutions related to sustainable development should be strengthened - the international environment required an adjustment of structures, and the international context required a unilateral structure with authority and financial resources. There should be a coordinated approach, avoiding the proliferation of instruments and improving effectiveness. The efforts made in progress for the implementation of the World Summit for the Information Society and to bridge the digital divide were welcome.

Round Table Discussion on Towards a Comprehensive United Nations Response to the Challenges of Climate Change

Opening Statements

SOMDUTH SOBORUN, Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council, introducing the panel discussion on “Towards a United Nations comprehensive response to the challenges of climate change,” said a broad consensus had emerged over the years on the broad range of threats that climate change presented for health, food security and economic growth, just to mention a few. Climate change was now recognized as a multifaceted challenge that required the efforts and expertise of a broad range of actors in order to be tackled. In line with this consensus, the Chief Executives Board for Coordination had launched an initiative to align its efforts and strengths within a clear framework for action that would allow the system to act in concert and comprehensively to address the challenges of climate change. The initiative concentrated on a number of areas and cross-cutting issues reflecting the mandates of the various organizations of the system, ranging from science and technology, to agriculture, transport, forestry, and disaster reduction. The objective of this initiative was two-fold: firstly, to forge the United Nations system contribution to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiation process; and secondly, to bring together and connect the different capacities of the system, both normative, standard-setting and operational, to deal comprehensively with the threats and challenges of climate change. This initiative, by pledging to establish structures and coordination arrangements that would facilitate a more integrated approach to the various dimensions of climate change, ultimately paved the way to consolidate and implement the concept of sustainable development.

A round table discussion on this initiative among the governing bodies of some of the participating United Nations agencies gave the Council an opportunity to review progress and understand challenges and opportunities that the United Nations system faced in this endeavour. In particular, the Council would have an opportunity to discuss and identify ways in which the intergovernmental process could help the United Nations system to develop and implement a coherent and integrated response to climate change within the broader context of the United Nations development agenda, noted Mr. Soborun.

THOMAS STELZER, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs, moderator of the Panel, said the recent initiatives by the Secretary-General and other United Nations efforts had contributed to promoting a more holistic approach to climate change. This had facilitated the involvement of a wide range of sectors, from finance to energy, transport, agriculture, forests and health. The recent Chief Executives Board initiative on climate change aimed to translate this approach into an action-oriented system-wide plan, one that brought together and connected the normative, standard-setting and knowledge-sharing capacities of the system with its operational activities. This initiative, devised at the system level, constituted an important step forward for consolidating and implementing the concept of sustainable development within the United Nations system. Despite some progress made so far, much remained to be done to mainstream climate change in the policies, programmes and activities of all United Nations agencies. The panel discussion provided an opportunity for the inter-Governmental bodies guiding the work of the United Nations agencies to identify ways in which they could help achieve this objective.

Statements by Panellists

MOHAMMAD KHAZAEE, Chair of the United Nations Development Programme Executive Board, said this dialogue gave an opportunity to see how the measures to address climate change could be enhanced. The United Nations had a unique position, as an institution with operational and programmative capabilities to make change in this regard. Climate change adversely affected access to fresh water, food security and energy. Addressing climate change within the context of sustainable development was not an option, but the only solution, in order for developing countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The international community expected more vivid and concrete action with regard to climate change. A balance among economic, social and environmental sustainable development had to be struck. What were the measures, and what was the best course of action for countries – the answer was simple the measures should be demand-driven and result-oriented. The United Nations system had the capacity to fulfil the four main building blocks in which the Bali Action Plan was based on – mitigation, adaptation, technology, and financing.

Countries should be informed of the opportunities and resources available within the United Nations system in a more systematic and predictable way. There was a strong belief that this crisis could provide an opportunity if coordinated. Nationally and globally action was taken which would direct the world and its economies to include energy consumption patterns, among other things, while addressing challenges. The poor had the least to do with the build up of green houses, but suffered the most. Access to clean water resources and access to employment to eradicate hunger and poverty were all vulnerable to climate change. Measures had been taken and were already underway in the United Nations Development Programme with regard to climate change in coordination with other agencies. In 2009 measures had been taken to conduct the mainstreaming of climate change in country programmes. The United Nations system should be stronger in terms of financial needs. On capacity building, the United Nations Development Programme was engaged in developing a knowledge platform to provide support for United Nations agencies and Member States in designing effective and result-oriented climate change policies and measures. There was need to have collective resolve to address climate change challenges. Finally, the developing world needed development assistance, where the current trend was not promising, in particular given the current economic and financial crises.

GERDA VERBURG, Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality of the Netherlands and Chairperson of the Seventeenth Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, said ECOSOC played a crucial role in integrating the coordination and follow-up of the outcomes of the major United Nations events. This was a world of crises - the food crisis, the energy crisis, and more recently the financial and economic crises. At the time when sustainable development was needed the most, it had been hit in its heart. The international community had made the commitment to reduce by half the number of people living in poverty by 2015 - the achievement of this first Millennium Development Goal was further away than ever, and one of the biggest challenges was how to feed 9 billion people in 2050. The world economy needed an urgent transition towards a sustainable and resource-efficient path. Against this background of multiple crises, the Commission on Sustainable Development had made important steps forward, placing agriculture in the heart of the international agenda; agriculture was no longer part of the problem, but part of the solution. Agriculture was at the heart of poverty reduction, and at the heart of sustainable development.

The Commission's Seventeenth Session outcome document, policy options and practical measures to expedite implementation in agriculture, rural development, land, drought, desertification and Africa, was adopted with consensus, containing 278 policy measures and actions. The adoption of this was of vital importance to accelerate the implementation of the sustainable development agenda. There was a need to scale up public and private investments in sustainable agriculture. There was also a need for new and additional resources for strengthening sustainable agriculture, especially in developing countries. Special attention should be given to making a sustainable green revolution in Africa a reality. Integrated land and water management should be promoted, with focus on integrated water resource management, innovation and implementation. Agriculture and climate change were two key cornerstones of a sustainable future - there was much that could be done to make agriculture and food production generally far more climate friendly, and an ally in combating climate change while also improving the lives and incomes of farmers and their families. The international development community should strive for synergy, cooperation and partnerships within the United Nations system and between the United Nations and Member States. An integrated approach was needed to achieve the internationally-agreed goals for food security, reducing poverty, and the sustainable use of ecosystems, particularly in relation to climate change.

ARMEN MARTIROSYAN, Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women, said throughout history, the Commission had given significant attention to the role of women in sustainable development. For that exact reason the Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995 included ‘Women and the Environment’ as one of the critical areas of concern. The five-year review of the implementation of the Platform for Action in 2000 also highlighted issues of gender and sustainable development. Since 2000, the Commission had been raising specifically issues of sustainable development and climate change, constantly inviting attention to these issues and stressing the importance of identifying and addressing gender equality issues in relation to environmental management and climate change. The Commission’s agreed conclusions on “The equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including in the context of HIV/AIDS” adopted at this year’s session called for the equal participation of women in decision-making processes on sustainable development, including those that addressed the impact of climate change on women. In 2008, the Commission decided to focus on the gender perspectives of climate change as its emerging issue.

Climate change could have significant direct impacts on women’s lives. Women made up a large number of the poor in communities, which were highly dependent on local natural resources for their livelihood, and were disproportionately vulnerable to and affected by climate change. Women’s limited access to resources and decision-making processes increased their vulnerability. Women in developing countries were primarily responsible for the production of food, mostly through subsistence forms of production, and were highly exposed to the risks that came with drought and uncertain rainfall, underscored Mr. Martirosyan. The long-standing interest of the Commission on the Status of Women in gender equality and environmental issues provided an opportunity to identify critical perspectives and find ways to address them. The Commission in the past transmitted its conclusions and/or recommendations to ECOSOC and the Commission on Sustainable Development. Furthermore, challenges that needed to be addressed included the lack of sex-disaggregated data which was necessary for policy formation responses, and a lack of systematic mainstreaming of the gender perspectives into the work of the United Nations on climate change.

MARIA NAZARETH FARANI AZEVEDO, Chair of the ILO Governing Body, said the importance of labour-related issues to climate change could not be overstated. Labour markets were, and would continue to be, affected by the creation and consolidation of greener patterns of production and consumption. In this process, new jobs would be created, old jobs would be substituted, and some jobs would be eliminated. The task before the ILO and the international community was to ensure that the transition to a low-carbon world offered new economic opportunities for workers, employers, and Governments. A world with less carbon emissions should be a world with more opportunities. The current economic crisis, however, presented major threats and challenges to decent work and the environment. Environmental protection and economic growth were not irreconcilable - they were complementary. The economic crisis imposed the need to create jobs, but also offered an opportunity to build new and more sustainable patterns of production and consumption.

The need to enhance green jobs and increase the investment in green technology had been recognised in the Global Jobs Pact as part of the strategy leading to a sustainable recovery. Green jobs were found in many sectors of the economy: from energy supply to recycling, from agriculture and construction to transportation. Through high-efficiency strategies, these green jobs could help with cutting consumption of energy, reducing the waste of raw materials and water, diminishing greenhouse gas emissions, and restoring biodiversity. In many other areas, the creation of jobs that contributed to preserve and restore the environment could be stimulated. In the lead-up to the Copenhagen Climate Conference, it was important that the real economy - employers, workers and Governments - showed the political will to protect the environment while promoting economic growth and social inclusion. This would certainly help negotiators to close the deals and the agreements necessary to strike the right balance and to present a United Nations comprehensive response to climate change.

MILOSLAV HETTES, Vice-Chair of the Commission for Social Development, said since the convening of the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995, the Commission for Social Development had been the key United Nations body in charge of the follow-up and implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action. The Copenhagen Declaration included commitments like, among others: to create an economic, political, social, cultural and legal environment that would enable people to achieve social development; to eradicate absolute poverty by a target date to be set by each country; to support full employment as a basic policy goal; and to achieve equality and equity between women and men. The Commission for Social Development priority theme for the biennium 2009-2010 review and policy cycle was “Social Integration”. There was a challenge of two different crises now in the world. It was a “testing time” of their ability to cooperate on a global level. Climate change may be the defining social justice issue of this generation. Climate change produced complex social responses and may have magnified migration, conflicts, crime and violence into catastrophic measures. However, while it was increasingly certain on what would happen to earth’s climate, the knowledge on the likely social consequences of climate change for human society was still mostly unknown.

The origins of the global employment crisis laid in the weak governance and inadequate regulation of the finance markets. Millions of women and men had lost their jobs. The effects of the crisis were hitting developing countries hard. The global financial and economic crisis as well as climate change posed a serious threat to hard-earned advances made in social development in recent years. The international world had to do better; it had to invest in a sustainable green economy. A recent report prepared under the “Green Jobs Initiative” of the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Labour Organization, the International Organisation of Employers and the International Trade Union Confederation; and a recent United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs policy brief “A Global Green New Deal for Sustainable Development” was a good starting point, underscored Mr. Hettes. Furthermore, their response should contribute to a fair globalization, a greener economy and development that more effectively created jobs and sustainable enterprises, respected workers’ rights, promoted gender equality, protected vulnerable people, assisted countries in the provision of quality public services and enabled them to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

General Discussion

Among the questions and issues raised during the discussion by country delegates was that the poor had no connection with the increase in greenhouse gas and emissions, and that they were instead the victim of these emissions, and what would be a potential solution to this problem, such as a stepping-up of aid by those countries guilty of the emissions to the victims; the need to respond at the global level to climate change; the need for a cap on greenhouse gas emissions; the need for developed countries to take the lead in order to achieve agreement in Copenhagen, although all should participate, including developing countries and women, and particular attention should be paid to the most vulnerable in society, such as children; the need for a stronger United Nations in the context of all crises, and the need for a United Nations reform process leading to increased effectiveness, transparency, and impact of activities; the possibility of the United Nations acting as a bridge to bring new technologies to developing countries, with the support of financial institutions; the need to involve the business community in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; that the crisis had moved beyond finance and economies, and had become social in nature, as millions suffered, and response to the crisis was an opportunity to increase social exclusion and work on a greener, more sustainable economy; that the creation of green jobs would create an opportunity for the workforce, with an impact on the population and on prosperity, in particular in developing countries; and that this was an opportunity to change policies, improve practices, and achieve fairness by changing the system of world governance.

Speaking during the discussion was the representative of Iraq, Sweden on behalf of the European Union, Kazakhstan, Brazil, Namibia and Bolivia.

Concluding Remarks

MOHAMMAD KHAZAEE, Chair of the United Nations Development Programme Executive Board, in concluding remarks, said with regard to the poor having the least to do with the build up of green houses gases though they were the hardest hit, there were several issues that needed to be taken into account – political determination, at the global and country level, was very important. Political determination was important also in order to not use financial assistance granted by international financial institutions to poor or developing countries as a political instrument. It was important that they got together, if they really wanted to address the challenges associated with climate change, to help these countries to get financial assistance from institutions, such as the World Bank. It was also important today to give priority to financial assistance granted to developing countries and poor nations for projects that dealt with the climate change issue. It was known, for almost two decades, that environmental factors were pillars of financial aid. Another important issue was the transfer of technology; again here, political issues should not prevent poor and developing countries from gaining technology.

GERDA VERBURG, Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality of the Netherlands and Chairperson of the Seventeenth Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, said it was inspiring not only to think about problems and threats, but to make the paradigm shift to thinking about challenges and opportunities, and to consider win-win situations. This was possible, and for this reason the panel was excellent. The first challenge and opportunity was how to combine modern technologies and knowledge with local experience and wisdom to create in every region home-grown solutions, as there was no one-size-fits-all thinking in terms of solutions. The challenge to increase food production whilst decreasing green house emissions was very much possible, thanks to the use of new technologies. The use of drip irrigation and other techniques were also possibilities. The role of the United Nations was not only about outcome, recommendation, paper or statements, but it was about practice, and how to put words into effect and action. For that reason, the United Nations had to play an extreme, clear role, providing information-sharing methodology, stimulating the exchange of good and best practices, as well as helping with the implementation of policies and strategies, and connecting countries and partners to stimulate public and private partnerships. The walls between environmental, labour, women and agricultural issues should be broken down, and the challenges and opportunities tackled together - integration was important not just within the United Nations but also in policies and practices.

ARMEN MARTIROSYAN, Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women, said although there was no specific mention in the discussion of the role of women in climate change, the multidimensional approach to climate change was highlighted. The Commission on the Status of Women remained ready to cooperate.

MARIA NAZARETH FARANI AZEVEDO, Chair of the ILO Governing Body, said climate change was a shared responsibility, and to tackle it through transfer of technology was imperative, and freer markets were required. A world trade free of subsidies was also needed, as without it there would be no prosperity for countries.

MILOSLAV HETTES, Vice-Chair of the Commission for Social Development, said climate change and the global economic and financial crises were interconnected. A holistic approach was necessary. There was a need for environmental regulations that were not only in the form of commitments, but also strengthened the role of the United Nations system. More actions were needed and less conferences.


For use of the information media; not an official record

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