16 March 2012: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has presented a summary of the Report of the High-level Panel on Global Sustainability to an informal plenary session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) convened for that purpose. The report, titled “Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing,” presents recommendations for eradicating poverty and reducing inequality, while combating climate change.

In his presentation, Ban noted that the report makes 56 recommendations under three main headings: empowering people to make sustainable choices; working toward a sustainable economy; and strengthening institutional governance. He highlighted four key points from the report, which are the need to: adopt the “nexus approach,” stressing that food, water, and energy security are linked and must be pursued together; change how progress is valued and measured; improve the international institutional architecture; and bring together relevant actors, including civil society, scientific community, the private sector, and regional and local authorities. Ban urged that recommendations requiring immediate action be included in the outcome document of the upcoming UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20).

Noting that science needs to play a central role in policy-making, Ban promised to strengthen the relationship between the UN and the global scientific community. He also mentioned the possibility of a global sustainable development outlook report that would periodically assess progress toward the goals of sustainable development and low-carbon prosperity. He further called for public support globally, to realize the vision of a sustainable world that guarantees human well-being and preserves the planet for future generations.

The General Assembly Vice-President, Milan Jaya Nyamrajsingh Meetarbhan, delivering remarks on behalf of the Assembly President, noted that as the Rio+20 Preparatory Committee would begin the first round of negotiations on the Rio+20 outcome on 19 March, the current informal Assembly meeting was an opportunity to discuss how the report could feed into the Rio+20 process and also advance the sustainable development debate. He urged governments to “work cooperatively to find inclusive, durable solutions to global challenges, because ensuring sustainable development is our responsibility.”

In subsequent discussions, countries offered mixed reactions to the report, with some praising it for its “bold initiative,” and others expressing concern at a lack of concrete recommendations on ways to ensure the implementation of the Mauritius Strategy, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and Agenda 21. Ban urged countries to keep the ambition high in the run-up to Rio+20.

The High-level Panel on Global Sustainability was launched on 9 August 2010 to “reflect on and formulate a new vision for sustainable growth and prosperity, along with mechanisms for achieving it.” It was co-chaired by Tarja Halonen, President of Finland, and Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa. The report was submitted to the Secretary-General on 30 January 2012. [Event Webpage] [Event Webcast] [UNGA Press Release] [Secretary General’s Comments] [Global Sustainability Panel Report]