The Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) pre-conference Major Groups and other Stakeholders Forum focused on identifying durable partnerships to promote sustainable development.
The Forum resulted in an outcome statement, ‘The SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (S.A.M.O.A) Pathway: Engaging for a Sustainable Future,' which calls on governments to use a human rights and development framework to underpin all action plans, and underscores environmental sustainability, economic justice, gender equality and human rights as critical components in pursuing sustainable development.
29 August 2014: The Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) pre-conference for Major Groups and other Stakeholders Forum focused on identifying durable partnerships to promote sustainable development. The Forum resulted in an outcome statement, titled ‘The SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (S.A.M.O.A) Pathway: Engaging for a Sustainable Future,’ which calls on governments to use a human rights and development framework to underpin all action plans, and underscores environmental sustainability, economic justice, gender equality and human rights as critical components in pursuing sustainable development.
The outcome document addresses, inter alia: gender equality; rights of persons with disabilities; youth empowerment; rights of indigenous peoples and traditional knowledge; environmental sustainability, climate change and disaster risk reduction (DRR); biodiversity and ecosystems, sustainable management of chemicals and wastes; renewable energy; sustainable economic development; and means of implementation (MOI), including capacity building and knowledge transfer to Major Groups and development and strengthening of partners within and across regions and levels.
In the outcome document, Major Groups and other stakeholders call for action on 13 issues. These include: affirming the stand-alone goal on gender equality in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); including the rights of indigenous peoples and disabled peoples in the S.A.M.O.A. Pathway implementation plan; urgent and ambitious action on adaptation, mitigation and loss and damage, with specific attention to the associated slow-onset issues of sea level rise and attendant issues; a ridge to reef approach on oceans; and a vulnerability index for SIDS.
At the Forum, over 250 representatives of Major Groups, civil society and other stakeholders received briefings on the SIDS conference and its relation to UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), the post-2015 discussions, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and Beijing+20, with the aim of encouraging participation in joint advocacy and partnerships to support implementation of the Conference outcomes. Group discussions took place with the Africa, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and South China Seas (AIMS), Caribbean and Pacific regions to discuss priorities and partnerships. Thematic consultations discussed climate change and DRR, sustainable economic development, social development and sustainable energy as well as inter-linkages and cross-cutting issues.
The Forum took place from 28-29 August 2014, in Apia, Samoa, in advance of the Third International Conference on SIDS. The conference will continue until 4 September 2014, on the theme ‘The Sustainable Development of SIDS Through Genuine and Durable Partnerships.’ UN Member States called for convening the conference at Rio+20 in June 2012, noting that SIDS are a special case for sustainable development in view of their unique vulnerabilities. [IISD RS Coverage of Major Groups Forum] [Outcome Statement]