The Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) said a transition to a low-carbon economy is “crucial” for sustainable development. Environment ministers said that pursuing a “green economy” was vital for the planet's future. The ministers, said at the agency's headquarters in Nairobi last week that next year's UN Conference on Sustainable Development, or “Rio+20,” in Brazil, would be an opportunity to “accelerate a global transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient green economy.” The meeting stressed the need to push green economies that would be more geared towards social equity and human rights. At the same time, they argued that this green economy would help reduce environmental risks and ecological scarcity. They called on the UNEP to support countries looking to make the transition a reality. The ministers said they were concerned that the overall efforts by the UN and member nations on environmental policy remains weak, underfunded and fractured. In their summary of discussions, many delegates said countries needed to move beyond pinpointing shortcomings and to focus on a real reform agenda in the run up to Rio+20. “The efforts to strengthen international environment governance should be about more than rationalization of fragmentation and seeking efficiencies,” said the ministers. “Instead it should be about re-envisioning and even dreaming about what is required institutionally for environment and sustainability, and putting this in place,” according to the summary of the meeting, whose chair was Rosa Aguilar Rivero, Minister for Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs of Spain and newly elected President of UNEP's Governing Council. The summary will form a key input of ministers responsible for the environment into the year-long preparations for the Rio+20 conference, which is scheduled for early June 2012. BM
