As an intellectual contribution to the Rio+20 preparatory process, the Boston University Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer‐Range Future convened a small task force of experts to discuss the role of institutions in the actualization of a green economy in the context of sustainable development. The report includes papers by experts from academia, government, and civil society on what the world has learned about institutions for sustainable development from the past, and what can be proposed about the governance challenges and opportunities for the continuous development of a green economy in the future. Based on these papers, the report synthesizes six recommendations for the Rio+20 process: think boldly and move incrementally; take economic policy seriously; recognize what is working and what is not working; make implementation the focus; the state remains central but non‐state actors have to be better accommodated; and put equity at the center.
This summary was prepared by the Division for Sustainable Development, UNDESA.
The outcome document for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development 2012 includes a chapter on green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication. Whilst not a strong chapter, it is significant as it is the first reference to green economy in the outcome document of a major UN summit. The chapter helps to frame the green economy concepts, identifying a range of principles for applying the concept in a way that achieves sustainable development and contributes to poverty eradication. Importantly, the document invites the UN system, in cooperation with relevant donors and international organisations, to coordinate a number of green economy deliverables relating to tools, best practices, methodologies and platforms that can assist with green economy capacity building.
This summary was prepared by the Division for Sustainable Development, UNDESA.
This discussion paper was prepared under the auspices of the United Nations Task Team on Social Dimensions of Climate Change, which is currently composed of 20 Agencies, including the International Labour Organization. The paper addresses the social dimensions of climate change from a sustainable, equitable development perspective. It aims to broaden and deepen policy-makers’ understanding of the benefits of addressing and incorporating the social dimensions of climate change into climate policies. In doing so, the paper identifies a number of knowledge gaps within the social, human and natural sciences that need to be filled in order to further strengthen policy responses.
The Development Co-operation Report is the key annual reference document for statistics and analysis on trends in international aid. This year, the Development Co-operation Report 2012 seeks to provide insights into how to address today’s sustainable development challenges, with a focus on inclusiveness and good governance to ensure that our finite resources are equitably distributed, now and in the future. Sharing finite resources among a growing number people – and consumers – is a critical challenge.
The technical brief highlights the close inter-linkages between climate change and the world of work and discusses entry points for promoting policy coherence between climate and social and labour policies.