March 23rd, 2012

Right now I am writing this during a meeting next door to the United Nations discussing the “Peoples Treaties” for Rio+20. These represent a parallel, civil–society driven process to highlight a range of issues and priorities not necessarily included or being addressed by the government delegates across the street in the negotiations going on now on the “zero draft.”

I was asked to speak on activities taking place around the topic of sustainable consumption and production, which is one of the critical negotiating themes in the zero draft and also one of the People’s Treaties. Sylvia Lorek joined the meeting via video phone from Germany, explaining progress on the development of ideas and priorities among this treaty team.

I gave a brief summary of some of the key topics being discussed in the UN negotiations, such as the 10 Year Framework of Programs, the Global Compact on SCP, SCP as a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), and the role of consumption/production within the controversial debate around the “green economy.” I also mentioned the recommendations the CSOs gave in the Panama  meeting on the 10YFP, specifically for the establishment of civil society focal points in each region to help coordinate efforts to build capacity in supporting national and regional initiatives and practices. I will cover some of these themes on Sunday in our session on consumption/production.

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