24 September 2014
UN Partners Discuss Raising Global Demand for Sustainability
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A day prior to the UN Climate Summit 2014, a high level discussion, on the theme 'Towards a Deforestation-Free Future: The Demand-Side Challenge,' discussed how to generate and increase demand for products and services that contribute to land-based climate change mitigation, as well as sustainable development overall.

The event identified the need to address the imbalance between the supply of sustainable production on one hand, and private sector initiatives and innovative finance, as related to demand for sustainable production and supply chains, on the other.

UNDP UNEPunorcid22 September 2014: A day prior to the UN Climate Summit 2014, a high level discussion, on the theme ‘Towards a Deforestation-Free Future: The Demand-Side Challenge,’ discussed how to generate and increase demand for products and services that contribute to land-based climate change mitigation, as well as sustainable development overall. The event identified the need to address the imbalance between the supply of sustainable production on one hand, and private sector initiatives and innovative finance, as related to demand for sustainable production and supply chains, on the other.

The UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN Office for REDD+ Coordination in Indonesia (UNORCID) and other partners convened the event, which brought together panelists from UN agencies, governments and the private sector.

In discussions during the event, participants noted that REDD+ and other sustainable land use options contribute to climate change mitigation among other benefits, while supporting development. However, speakers highlighted a number of challenges in engaging consumers and the private sector in demanding more sustainable supply chains. In order to address such challenges, presenters underscored the importance of: secure land tenure and use rights for smallholders; government commitments to transparency and accountability; the correction of distortions and accounting for externalities; and the movement of sustainability out of the corporate social responsibility arena and into companies’ core business practices.

The event featured the Indonesian climate change programme as a good practice example, highlighting its ambitious target to achieve a 26-41% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2020. In order to attain this target, it was pointed out that Indonesia has built a strong national REDD+ programme that is engaging the private sector, including for instance, palm oil producers. [UN Webcast] [UNDP Statement]


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