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1. Earth. Negotiations. .Bulletin. .UNCSD
.... ........... ...... #2
A Reporting Service for Environment and Development Negotiations
Online at http://www.iisd.ca/uncsd/rio20/enb/
Vol. 27 No. 42 Published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Thursday, 14 June 2012
UNCSD PREPCOM III: outcomes in thematic areas such as energy, water, cities and
WEDNESDAY, 13 JUNE 2012 education; and a framework for action that “does not just look
good on paper.”
The third meeting of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom)
began its work on Wednesday, 13 June 2012, in Rio de Janeiro, SPLINTER GROUPS
Brazil. Seven “splinter” groups continued negotiations on SDGs AND MOI: On SDG measurement (SDG 7), delegates
the draft outcome document to be considered for adoption by discussed whether to retain language on targets and indicators
the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, and whether to include language on differentiation by national
Rio+20), which is set to open on 20 June. Many consultations circumstances. On SDG reporting (SDG 8), delegates addressed
also convened during the day, along with approximately 20 side the extent to which this process should be prescribed and the
events, and numerous other events that took place throughout the linkages between reporting at the regional and global levels.
city of Rio de Janeiro. Many delegates wanted to retain and move reference to the
limitations of GDP as a measure of well-being and sustainable
PLENARY
development (SDG 9) to another chapter, while others wanted
PrepCom Co-Chair Kim stressed that negotiators had only
to delete this paragraph. Discussion also addressed whether
three days to finalize the text, and urged them to work with a
the UN Statistical Commission or the UN Secretary-General
sense of urgency and spirit of compromise. He said Working
is the appropriate place for this work. On the process of SDG
Group I will continue handling Sections V and VI, and Working
development (SDG 6), delegates discussed, inter alia: the
Group II would handle Sections I, II, III and IV of the draft
extent to which this process should be intergovernmental; the
outcome document. He explained that splinter groups would be
model which should be used to develop and define the SDGs;
used, with only five meeting at any one time. Working Group I
the role of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in endorsing
would have splinter groups on: means of implementation (MOI)
the outcomes of this process; a structure that provides the
and sustainable development goals (SDGs), facilitated by Selwin
necessary technical backstopping; and the need for strong and
Hart (Barbados); sustainable consumption and production
active stakeholder involvement. Hart said he would formulate
(SCP), water and climate change, facilitated by Jimena Leiva
alternative text after consulting informally with main negotiators
(Guatemala); oceans, facilitated by Chris Schweizer (Australia);
of interested groups.
gender, education, health, cities, transport and mining,
On MOI, on finance, some delegates requested addressing
co-facilitated by Heidi Kvalsoren (Norway) and Franz Jacovalla
text on corruption, innovative financing mechanisms and the role
(Canada); and chemicals and desertification, co-facilitated by
of the private sector as part of a “package of issues” that would
Damaso Luna Corona (Mexico) and Chris Cannon (Australia).
be addressed later.
Working Group II would have splinter groups on green
On technology, some delegates could not accept the
economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty
facilitator’s proposed title of “Technology, Development and
eradication, facilitated by Patrick Wittmann (Canada), and
Transfer,” preferring to focus on the content before the title.
institutional framework for sustainable development (IFSD),
Delegates did not agree on language related to the transfer of
facilitated by Marianne Loe (Norway).
environmentally sound technologies, with some supporting
Sha Zukang, UNCSD Secretary-General, said the intensive
reference to “diffusion” of technologies and others to
third round of informal informal consultations in New York
“innovation.” Consensus could not be reached on including: the
had shown real progress, not just in terms of the numbers of
need for enabling environments for “dissemination” versus
paragraphs agreed, but also in the way in which negotiators
“transfer of” environmentally sound technologies; the role of
discussed the issues and shared commitment to a successful
patent protection and intellectual property rights; and options
outcome to Rio+20. He said the three days of PrepCom were
to facilitate clean technology dissemination to developing
“make or break” and underscored that “the whole world is
countries.
watching what we do here.” He urged negotiators to focus on
key deliverables such as: SDGs; IFSD; sharing experiences and
knowledge about pilot efforts in green economy; action-oriented
This issue of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin © <enb@iisd.org> is written and edited by Peter Doran, Ph.D., Delia Paul, Keith Ripley, Nathalie Risse,
Ph.D., James Van Alstine and Lynn Wagner, Ph.D. The Digital Editor is Leila Mead. The Editor is Pamela S. Chasek, Ph.D. <pam@iisd.org>. The
Director of IISD Reporting Services is Langston James “Kimo” Goree VI <kimo@iisd.org>. The Sustaining Donors of the Bulletin are the European
Commission (DG-ENV), the Government of the United States of America (through the Department of State Bureau of Oceans and International
Environmental and Scientific Affairs), the Government of Canada (through CIDA), the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the German Federal
Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear
Safety (BMU), and the Government of Australia. General Support for the Bulletin during 2012 is provided by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, the Ministry of Environment of Sweden, the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, SWAN International, the Swiss Federal
Office for the Environment (FOEN), the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Japanese Ministry of Environment (through the Institute for Global
Environmental Strategies - IGES), the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (through the Global Industrial and Social Progress Research http://enb.iisd.mobi/
Institute – GISPRI), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Funding for translation of the Bulletin into French has been provided by the Government of
France, the Belgium Walloon Region, the Province of Québec, and the International Organization of the Francophone (OIF and IEPF). The opinions expressed in the Bulletin are
those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of IISD or other donors. Excerpts from the Bulletin may be used in non-commercial publications with appropriate
academic citation. For information on the Bulletin, including requests to provide reporting services, contact the Director of IISD Reporting Services at <kimo@iisd.org>, +1-
646-536-7556 or 300 East 56th St., 11D, New York, NY 10022, USA. The ENB team at Rio+20 can be contacted by e-mail at <lynn@iisd.org>.

2. Earth Negotiations Bulletin
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Thursday, 14 June 2012 Vol. 27 No. 42 Page 2
Delegates were close to agreeing to text on exploring the planning and building sustainable cities and urban settlements
possibility to establish a global fund for voluntary contributions (Cities 2), including adding reference to raising awareness,
by States. Text on recognizing the need to facilitate informed and deleting previous proposal from Japan on “low carbon” (in
policy decision-making on sustainable development issues was reference to infrastructure and technology). On partnerships
agreed ad referendum. among cities and communities (Cities 4) discussions mostly
On capacity building, delegates discussed language on focused on reformulating part of the paragraph related to
supporting developing countries in capacity building “and involving the relevant UN entities including UN-HABITAT.
development” for developing resource efficient and inclusive Discussions were held but no agreement was reached, on using
economies and agreed language on North-South cooperation. either “managed effectively and properly” or “properly managed
Reference to urging all countries to increase capacity-building and effectively regulated” on text on mining as an opportunity
support to developing countries was deleted. to, inter alia, meeting internationally agreed development goals
OCEANS: The splinter group on oceans discussed possible (Mining 1).
problems involving references to ecosystem and precautionary SCP, WATER, CLIMATE CHANGE: On SCP, delegates
approaches in the main paragraph, and concerned delegations discussed what entity could or should adopt the 10-year
agreed to work directly on compromise language. Two Framework of Programmes (10YFP) for SCP, with one
delegations agreed to work on language regarding references to delegation questioning whether the Conference could instruct
international instruments. Small side groups were tasked with another institution to do something and others calling for
handling paragraphs on ocean fertilization and fish stocks. After flexibility, noting that the same debate has taken place before,
a group discussion about the relationship of a subsidies reference and supporting agreement on the paragraph on the adoption of
in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing paragraph to the the 10YFP.
standalone subsidies paragraph, all delegations were asked to On water, delegates agreed to wait to address the paragraphs
submit proposed revisions to the Secretariat for discussion. All on rights at the end. On text recognizing the importance of
parties were asked to have their work submitted for discussion water infrastructure (Water 5), one group proposed replacing
on Thursday. it with text from the JPOI on supporting capacity building for
GENDER, EDUCATION, HEALTH, CITIES, sanitation infrastructure. Another group called for measures to
TRANSPORT AND MINING: A reformulated paragraph address water scarcity, droughts and floods. On Water 6 (adopt
on urging educational institutions to adopt good practices measures), one delegation supported retaining the concepts
(Education 4) was proposed by the facilitator, which included addressed in the paragraph – pollution, wastewater treatment,
language on encouraging educational institutions to be examples water efficiency – in the text. Delegates also discussed whether
of sustainable management on their campuses and in their to reference transboundary water issues in the text.
communities and on the active participation of all. On climate, delegates discussed whether to use text proposed
In text on resolving to ensure full and equal rights and access by a previous facilitator or by the Co-Chairs as the basis for
of women (Gender 5), many countries supported replacing Climate 1 (protect the climate system), and debated how to
the existing text on access to productive resources through the reference common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR),
rights to own property, inheritance, credit and to financial and with one proposal to follow the reference with “and respective
extension services with paragraph 60f of the Beijing Declaration capabilities reflecting current and future realities.” One speaker
and Platform for action. In a paragraph inviting donors, stressed that this process should focus on areas where it can
international organizations and others to mainstream gender in bring new commitments.
their decision-making (Gender 7), new language was proposed GREEN ECONOMY: This splinter group began discussion
to reflect, inter alia, the need to support developing countries on the section title, and the option of including a subtitle on
efforts to integrate fully gender equality considerations and framing the context and other approaches, visions, and models
commitments. In a paragraph on non-communicable diseases as of sustainable development and poverty eradication. Discussion
one of the major challenges for sustainable development (Health was deferred pending the resolution of the first paragraph. On
4), a group of countries asked for deletion of the proposal linking the introductory paragraph (paragraph 50), delegates agreed
reductions in air, water and chemical pollution to positive effects to a number of amendments qualifying references to the green
on health, while other countries opposed. economy, and on natural resources. On whether green economy
Several modifications were brought to paragraphs on policies should be guided by international law, including human
implementing the Programme of Action of the International rights law, in addition to the Rio Principles (paragraph 51), the
Conference on Population and Development (Health 8) and on facilitator signaled that references to the Rio Principles would
reducing maternal and child mortality and improving the health have to be streamlined across the text. There was an extended
of women, adolescents and children (Health 9). discussion on common but differentiated responsibilities. The
In a paragraph on supporting development of sustainable facilitator suggested incorporating text into sections on what the
transport systems (Transport 2), it was agreed to replace green economy should do (paragraph 52). However, delegates
“sustainable transport system for transit” with “sustainable transit could not agree.
transport system” in reference to UNGA resolution 66/214. On what the green economy should do (paragraph 52),
In text on cities for promoting economically productive, text with some brackets was streamlined on respect for each
socially cohesive, and environmentally sustainable societies country’s national sovereignty and national circumstances in
(Cities 1) it was proposed to replace “access to basic services” relation to the three dimensions of sustainable development.
with “access to basic goods and services” in order to capture References to fulfilment of human rights (52 a bis) and rights
reference to the access to food. Various amendments were to development (from paragraph 52a) were incorporated into a
brought to a paragraph on promoting an integrated approach to subparagraph on promoting sustained and inclusive economic

3. Earth Negotiations Bulletin
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Vol. 27 No. 42 Page 3 Thursday, 14 June 2012
growth (52c). On closing technology gaps between developed WORKING GROUP I
and developing countries (52f), one group complained that he During an evening meeting of Working Group I, delegates
could see no willingness to move forward on fundamental issues. heard reports from the splinter group facilitators. In the group
Delegates reserved on the subparagraph, pending discussion of on gender, health, education, mining, transport and cities,
related paragraphs. Delegates agreed to refer on proposals by the co-facilitators reported little progress. On chemicals, the
the facilitator to their groups, underlining developing countries, facilitator reported plans to undertake bilateral discussions with
in subparagraphs on the vulnerable (53 h) and non-market delegations to address outstanding issues. On desertification,
approaches (53 k). the facilitator reported four outstanding issues: whether targets
DESERTIFICATION AND CHEMICALS: The splinter such as a “land degradation-neutral world” or zero net land
group on desertification deleted a phrase on a coordinated degradation, are useful; whether to mention the Global Soil
global approach to ensure land is used, managed and restored Partnership and Changwon Initiative; consideration of an
in a sustainable manner, and a reference to contributing to food intergovernmental panel; and ways to refer to soil degradation.
security and improving the livelihoods of the vulnerable, while On SCP, water and climate change, the facilitator reported
adding reference to poverty eradication. The group agreed in streamlined text has been prepared on SCP and water, awaiting
principle to express deep concern over cyclical drought and delegates’ consultations. On climate change, she highlighted the
famine in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel, but disagreed over need to find a balance between sending a strong message from
referencing action by the international community. Delegations Rio+20, without disturbing other negotiation tracks.
disagreed over references to: soil; a land degradation neutral On SDGs and means of implementation, the facilitator said
world or zero net rate of land degradation; specific Initiatives; negotiations had been productive and that more direct and simple
and an intergovernmental panel on science. formulations of text were needed. He reported that a proposal for
The chemicals splinter group agreed ad referendum on a a process to develop the SDGs is being prepared, a section on
paragraph on continued enhanced coordination and cooperation finance has been finalized, and one paragraph has been agreed ad
among the chemicals and waste conventions and with the referendum in the technology section.
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management Co-Chair Ashe expressed concern on the pace of discussions
(SAICM). The group could not reach compromises on issues and the quantity of text still not agreed.
including references to long-term funding for SAICM; reducing
WORKING GROUP II
landfilling significantly by 2030; the decision by the tenth
Co-Chair Kim opened the meeting of the evening Working
Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention on the Ban
Group and stated that, while the splinter groups have not made
Amendment; cooperation on transboundary air pollution; phasing
good progress, the mood has been positive. He urged delegates to
out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs); and a decision following up the
move faster. The facilitator on green economy reported that one
UNEP Consultative Process on Financing Options for Chemicals
paragraph was ready to be agreed ad referendum. The facilitator
and Waste.
on IFSD reported that four paragraphs were ready to be agreed
IFSD: On sustainability management (paragraph 91) in
ad referendum, while others are part of a compromise package
UN facilities and operations, delegates continued working on
and are not yet cleared.
text to reflect cost-effectiveness, along with accountability. On
Nikhil Seth, DSD, announced that the following splinter
regional frameworks (paragraph 92), delegates agreed to replace
groups would meet on Thursday: green economy; Sections I and
“global policies” with “sustainable development policies.” On
II; IFSD; SDGs and MOI; SCP, water and climate; disaster risk
sustainable development strategies at all levels (paragraph 93),
reduction and jobs; small island developing States and regions;
delegates added text on “effective analysis and assessment of
oceans; gender, education, health, cities, transport and mining;
information,” and deleted a reference to “effective national
and poverty, food security, mountains, biodiversity and forests.
monitoring and assessment capacity at the appropriate levels.”
The paragraph was agreed ad referendum. IN THE CORRIDORS
On paragraph 93 ter, about access to information, public Some ended the first day of Rio+20 suggesting that the future
participation and justice, some delegates suggested the text we want may be a long time coming if the pace of negotiations
should refer to issues more broadly than “environmental doesn’t pick up at the final PrepCom. During a meeting with
matters.” The facilitator requested that those with different the conference organizers, NGOs were reported to have been
views to consult informally, and to consider this text in relation vocal in their expression of concern about slow progress,
to paragraph 37, which has similar language relating to Major given the lackluster performance of negotiators at the informal
Groups and stakeholders. negotiations. With prompts to complete their work by Friday
A group of developing countries proposed text (paragraph 97 sounding increasingly hollow, some participants have indicated
bis) on establishing an international mechanism under the UNGA they have already begun to bracket their weekend plans to hit the
to promote, implement and monitor concrete actions for bridging beaches.
the technology gap. Delegates expressed concern about possible While delegations and NGOs mentioned that, for the most
overlaps with the work of existing organizations, including part, they are impressed by the RioCentro facilities, there has
UNIDO and UNCTAD. Delegates agreed ad referendum to been some puzzlement to find that a commitment to make the
paragraph 71 on strengthening UN system-wide coherence and conference paperless has not been matched by the provision of
coordination, with the addition of text on “enhancing reporting sufficient numbers of power outlets for laptops and tablets along
coherence.” with reliable internet coverage on the “Rio+20 wifi” network.

4. Sustainable Development Policy & PracƟce
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A knowledge management project carried out by the International Institute for
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