29 January 2013: The UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) have published a framing paper on environmental sustainability in the post-2015 development agenda. The paper, including questions and background information, aims to inform the global thematic consultations on the topic, specifically the upcoming e-discussion on the World We Want 2015 platform.
The e-discussion, titled “Environmental Sustainability for the World We Want: Moving from the MDGs to Post-2015,” will take place from 4 February-1 March 2013, and is being hosted by UNDP and UNEP as co-leaders of the global thematic consultation. The e-discussion takes up four themes: Capitalizing on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and MDG 7 Achievements and Addressing the Gaps (first week); Addressing Development Challenges in a Changing World (second week); Framing Environmental Sustainability in the Post-2015 Development Agenda (third week); and Consensus and Divergence (fourth week), providing a wrap-up of the e-discussion overall.
Based on these themes, the paper addresses questions on, inter alia: building on lessons learned from MDG 7’s achievement; global trends and uncertainties that influence how environmental sustainability is framed in the international development agenda over the next 10-30 years; barriers and enablers for gradually moving towards environmental sustainability; and key characteristics of a conceptual framework for the post-2015 that can help drive a transition to an environmentally sustainable future.
The framing paper highlights that, while valuable, MDG 7 is mostly off-track for achievement by 2015, and the next set of development goals will need to be embedded into the broader sustainable development framework. The paper identifies elements that support successful integration of environmental sustainability in development, and presents underlying factors that explain shortfalls in achieving MDG 7 targets. The paper borrows conclusions from the 2010 “UNDG Thematic Paper on Environmental Sustainability” and the 2006 UNDP report “Making Progress on Environmental Sustainability,” and includes extracts of discussion notes submitted on the Post-2015 Environmental Sustainability Thematic Consultation website.
Environmental Sustainability is one of the 11 themes being addressed on a global level by the UN Development Group’s (UNDG) consultations on the post-2015 development agenda. Along with co-leaders UNDP and UNEP, the consultation is being co-hosted by the Governments of France and Costa Rica. [Environmental Sustainability Consultation Website] [Publication: E-Discussion Framing Paper: Environmental Sustainability for the World We Want: Moving From the MDGs to Post-2015]