Global Environmental Governance in 2050

Bangkok, (World Conservation Congress)—A recent high-level roundtable concluded that without a strong commitment from Asian leaders and their respective societies, the future of environmental governance would be at stake.  The rapid growth in population coupled with sustained economic growth will present a major challenge with regards to environmental and social factors.

Organized by COM+: Alliance of Communicators for Sustainable Development, in the framework of IUCN’s (World Conservation Union) Conservation Congress, the roundtable debate included the Minister of Environment from Costa Rica, Carlos Manuel Rodriguez; the former Minister of Environment from Indonesia, Emil Salim;  Meena Rahmann, Chair of Friends of the Earth International; Ian Johnson, World Bank Vice President for  Sustainable Development; and Lawrence Tubiana, a Former Environmental Advisor to French President Jacques Chirac.

The high-level roundtable discussed the future of international environmental governance based on different scenarios for 2050.

Janet Boston, a senior producer of the “Earth Report Series” from Television for the Environment (TVE), set the stage of the debate by asking the question of “how Environmental Governance would look like in 2050”.

According to Tubiana, “A certain form of World Environment Organization (WEO) should be in place. I don’t know if it is going to be a broadening of the United Nations Environment Program, which is UNEP’s mandate, or what shape it is going to take.  But I am sure that we will be moving in that direction.”

“I am optimistic,” said  Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, “that 2050 will have much less poverty than today, better management of environmental resources, and climate change impacts will be mitigated.”  He added that by 2050 “we may have the possibility of implementing a global system for the valuation of ecological services.”  However, he warned that “rich countries need to contribute in leveling the play field in areas such as trade and change in consumption and production patterns.”

With regards to a potential WEO, Rodriguez said, “I see the WEO as an umbrella of already existing organizations.”

Meena Rahman, Chair Person of Friends of the Earth,  argued that “there were no reasons to be optimistic,” and emphasized that “we were frustrated by the results of the Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development, and realized that only through a fight can we make progress in areas such as indigenous peoples rights and water privatization.”  She added that “nothing happened since Rio in 1992 because governments embraced a neo-liberal agenda, which represents the interest of big powers.”

According to the NGO leader, “today nobody speaks for the South, nobody questions the paradigm of war and occupation.”

The former Environment Minister of Indonesia Emil Salim, pointed out that by 2050 the population in Asia will reach 5.4 billion people, from a total world population of 9 billion.

According to Salim not only Asian countries will be leading with regards to population increase, but also because of the expected sustained economic growth.  According to Salim, India, China, and Indonesia will be among the top performers.

“The globe in 2050,” Salim said, “will be a very different one, with Asia rising, Europe in decline, and only the US balancing Asia.” He concluded that “in part, the future of environmental governance is linked to what kind of development path Asia will follow, if it is one that is dependent on fossil fuels for energy production or the alternative path of renewable energy.”

Ian Johnson, the Vice President for Sustainable Development at the World Bank, agreed with Salim, and said that “by 2050, the world economy will be at $135 trillion, 4 times more than today.  With these growth rates by 2050, 40% of world income would be in low and middle income countries, twice their share of 20% today.”

Ian Johnson, World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development, warned that issues of equity between rich and poor countries need to be addressed.  He emphasized that "Today, 80% of global GDP goes to only 20% of the world's people."

But he warned that issues of equity between rich and poor countries need to be addressed.  He emphasized that “Today, 80% of global GDP goes to only 20% of the world’s people.”

The high-level roundtable on International Environmental Governance was one of three roundtables, or ‘Futures Dialogues’, hosted by COM+ during the World Conservation Congress.  The two other Dialogues focused on the questions “Is the future renewable?” and “How can new technology help society to be more sustainable?”.

The 3^rd IUCN World Conservation Congress, held in Bangkok, November 17 – 25, attracted over 4,000 participants – civil society, the private sector, international organizations, and governments – from around the world.  With over 300 sessions to choose from, the Congress focused on four central themes – ecosystem management; health, poverty, and conservation; biodiversity loss and species extinction; and markets, business, and the environment. 

Mr. Valli Moosa of South Africa, was elected as the new President of  IUCN, to replace outgoing President Yolanda Kakabadse, who served 8 years at the helm of the Union, which is made up of over 1,000 governmental and non-governmental member organizations.  Moosa has served on a number of national and international bodies, including the UNEP Governing Council, the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment, and the South African Business Trust.  He became Minister of Constitutional Affairs in President Nelson Mandela’s cabinet in 1994, and was appointed Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism of the Republic of South Africa in 1999.  Valli also served as a key negotiator during the drafting of South Africa’s new Constitution, and mediated the 1992 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg and the 5^th IUCN World Parks Congress in Durban.

In addition to the ‘Futures Dialogues’, COM+ hosted the following press events:

• Launching of the World Bank’s new Green mini-Atlas – a survey of the most pressing environmental problems around the world; and

§         ‘Conservation Reports’ – journalist training for 16 major Asian TV stations, providing an opportunity for broadcasters to engage with the international community to build awareness of environmental issues locally and internationally.

For more information, please see the websites:

www.complusalliance.org

www.worldbank.org/sustainabledevelopment