Curbing Global Consumption, Production ‘a Strategic Priority’, Secretary-General

 

Tells High-level Segment of Commission on Sustainable Development

 

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message, delivered by Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, to the opening of the high-level segment of the nineteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-19), in New York, 11 May:

I am pleased to welcome you to the high-level segment of the nineteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development.

This year, the Commission focuses on a number of critical issues — namely chemicals, mining, transport and waste — as well as a 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production patterns.

At the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, participants recognized that unsustainable consumption and production patterns form the biggest threat to the Earth’s capacity to satisfy human needs.  A decade later, in Johannesburg, Member States endorsed a framework to support national and regional efforts to promote sustainable consumption and production.

Yet, the challenge continues to loom large.  As we work together to eradicate poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals, we must find ways to bring our global resource consumption and environmental impacts within safe limits.  International cooperation is essential to make this transition happen.  Moreover, the sustainable consumption and production agenda should be viewed as a strategic priority that is embedded in an appropriate institutional framework.

At the high-level meeting on this issue earlier this year in Panama, participants agreed on the need for a 10-year framework of programmes to be concluded at CSD-19.  I encourage this Commission to mount a concerted response, conclude negotiations on just such a framework and launch it without delay.  This would be an important contribution to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio next year.

The United Nations system stands ready to work with Member States and other partners to help implement your decisions.

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For information media • not an official record