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Info Service on UN Sustainable Development (Sept24/02) Penang, 23 Sep (Kanaga Raja) — World leaders gathering at the United Nations headquarters in New York on 22 September adopted by consensus a potentially “game-changing” Pact for the Future together with its two annexes pledging concrete actions “to protect the needs and interests of present and future generations.” The Pact reaffirmed the principles of the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, including the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities as set out in principle 7 of the Declaration. The negotiation process went through five revisions of the text with ambassadorial level engagement, and many proposals submitted by Member States. In the 56-page document, the world leaders said: “We are at a time of profound global transformation. We are confronted by rising catastrophic and existential risks, many caused by the choices we make. Fellow human beings are enduring terrible suffering. If we do not change course, we risk tipping into a future of persistent crisis and breakdown.” “Yet this is also a moment of hope and opportunity. Global transformation is a chance for renewal and progress grounded in our common humanity. Advances in knowledge, science, technology and innovation could deliver a breakthrough to a better and more sustainable future for all. The choice is ours,” they added. “We believe that there is a path to a brighter future for all of humanity, including those living in poverty and vulnerable situations. Through the actions we take today, we resolve to set ourselves on that path, striving for a world that is safe, peaceful, just, equal, inclusive, sustainable and prosperous, a world in which well-being, security and dignity and a healthy planet are assured for all humanity,” they further said. “This will require a re-commitment to international cooperation based on respect for international law, without which we can neither manage the risks nor seize the opportunities that we face. This is not an option but a necessity. Our challenges are deeply interconnected and far exceed the capacity of any single State alone. They can only be addressed collectively, through strong and sustained international cooperation guided by trust and solidarity for the benefit of all and harnessing the power of those who can contribute from all sectors and generations,” the world leaders emphasized. The Pact, along with its annexes the “Global Digital Compact” and the “Declaration on Future Generations”, was adopted by consensus, despite a last-minute proposal for an amendment by a small group of countries, including the Russian Federation, Belarus, Iran, Syria and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, according to media reports. Speaking at the Summit of the Future on 22 September where the Pact was adopted, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said:”The Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations open pathways to new possibilities and opportunities.” “I welcome these three landmark agreements – a step-change towards more effective, inclusive, networked multilateralism.” “I have been fighting for the ideas in them since the first day of my mandate. And I will be totally committed to their implementation until the very last day,” he said. “We have unlocked the door. Now it is our common responsibility to walk through it. That demands not just agreement, but action. Today, I challenge you to take that action,” the UN chief added. In the Pact, the world leaders committed to 56 actions in the areas of sustainable development and financing for development; international peace and security; science, technology and innovation and digital cooperation; youth and future generations; and transforming global governance. “We will advance implementation of these actions through relevant, mandated intergovernmental processes, where they exist. We will review the overall implementation of the Pact at the beginning of the eighty-third session of the General Assembly through a meeting at the level of Heads of State and Government. We are confident that, by then, we will be well on course towards the better and more sustainable future we want for ourselves, our children and all the generations who will come after us,” they said. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Under the heading of “Sustainable development and financing for development” in the Pact, the world leaders said: “In 2015, we resolved to free the human race from the tyranny of poverty, hunger and want and to heal and secure our planet. We promised that we would leave no one behind. We have made some progress, but the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals is in peril. Progress on most of the Goals is either moving too slowly or has regressed below the 2015 baseline. Years of sustainable development gains are being reversed. Poverty, hunger and inequality have increased. Human rights are under threat, and we run the risk of leaving millions of people behind. Climate change, biodiversity loss, desertification and sand and dust storms, pollution and other environmental challenges pose serious risks to our natural environment and our prospects for development. “We will not accept a future in which dignity and opportunity are denied to half the world’s population or become the sole preserve of those with privilege and wealth. We reaffirm that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is our overarching road map for achieving sustainable development in all three of its dimensions, overcoming the multiple, interlinked crises that we face and securing a better future for present and future generations. We recognize that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. Sustainable development and the realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. We reaffirm that gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls is an essential prerequisite for sustainable development. We cannot achieve our shared ambitions for the future without addressing these challenges with urgency and renewed vigour. We are committed to ensuring that the multilateral system can turbocharge our aspirations to deliver for people and planet, and we will place people at the centre of all our actions.” In this regard, the world leaders pledged to “take bold, ambitious, accelerated, just and transformative actions to implement the 2030 Agenda, achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and leave no one behind.” “We reaffirm that the Sustainable Development Goals are a comprehensive, far-reaching and people-centred set of universal transformative Goals and targets. We reiterate our steadfast commitment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development, working closely with all relevant stakeholders. We recognize that the 2030 Agenda is universal and that all developing countries, including countries in special situations, in particular African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States, as well as those with specific challenges, including middle-income countries and countries in conflict and post-conflict situations, require assistance to implement the Agenda. We will strengthen our actions to address climate change. We reaffirm the principles of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, including the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities as set out in principle 7 thereof,” they said. In this context, the world leaders decided to: “(a) Scale up our efforts towards the full implementation of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Paris Agreement; (b) Fully implement the commitments in the political declaration agreed at the Sustainable Development Goals Summit in 2023; (c) Mobilize significant and adequate resources and investments from all sources for sustainable development; (d) Remove all obstacles to sustainable development and refrain from economic coercion.” On the issue of poverty, the world leaders committed to place “the eradication of poverty at the centre of our efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda.” They said eradicating poverty, in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is an imperative for all humankind. In this regard, they decided to: “(a) Take comprehensive and targeted measures to eradicate poverty by addressing the multidimensional nature of poverty, including through rural development strategies and investments and innovations in the social sector, especially education and health; (b) Take concrete actions to prevent people from falling back into poverty, including by establishing well-designed, sustainable and efficient social protection systems for all that are responsive to shocks.” The world leaders also pledged to “end hunger and eliminate food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition.” “We remain deeply concerned that one third of the world’s population remains food-insecure, and we will respond to and tackle the drivers of food insecurity and malnutrition.” In this regard, they decided to: “(a) Support countries and communities affected by food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition through coordinated action, including through the provision of emergency food supplies, programmes, financing, support to agricultural production, by building national resilience to shocks and by ensuring that food and agriculture supply chains function, and markets and trade channels remain free and accessible; (b) Assist countries in debt distress to manage volatility in international food markets and work in partnership with international financial institutions and the United Nations system to support developing countries affected by food insecurity; (c) Promote equitable, resilient, inclusive and sustainable agrifood systems so that everyone has access to safe, affordable, sufficient and nutritious food.” The world leaders also committed to “close the Sustainable Development Goal financing gap in developing countries.” “We are deeply concerned by the growing Sustainable Development Goal financing gap facing developing countries. We must close this gap to prevent a lasting sustainable development divide, widening inequality within and between countries and a further erosion of trust in international relations and the multilateral system. We note ongoing efforts to address the financing gap, including through the Secretary-General’s proposal for a Sustainable Development Goal stimulus,” they said. In this regard, the world leaders decided to: “(a) Provide and mobilize sustainable, affordable, accessible, transparent and predictable development finance from all sources and the required means of implementation to developing countries; (b) Continue to advance with urgency towards a Sustainable Development Goal stimulus through the Secretary-General’s proposal at the United Nations and in other relevant forums; (c) Scale up and fulfil our respective official development assistance commitments, including the commitment by most developed countries to reach the goal of 0.7 per cent of gross national income for official development assistance and 0.15 to 0.20 per cent of gross national income for official development assistance to least developed countries; (d) Continue discussions on the modernization of measurements of official development assistance, while adhering to existing commitments; (e) Ensure that development assistance is focused on and reaches developing countries, focused in particular on the poorest and most vulnerable, and take further actions to strengthen its effectiveness; (f) Create a more enabling environment at the global, regional and national levels to increase the mobilization of domestic resources and enhance the capacities, institutions and systems of developing countries at all levels to achieve this goal, including through international support, to increase investment in sustainable development; (g) Implement effective economic, social and environmental policies and ensure good governance and transparent institutions to advance sustainable development; (h) Strengthen ongoing efforts to prevent and combat illicit financial flows, corruption, money-laundering and tax evasion, eliminate safe havens and recover and return assets derived from illicit activities; (i) Promote inclusive and effective international tax cooperation, which contributes significantly to national efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, as it enables countries to effectively mobilize their domestic resources, and stress that the current international tax governance structures need improvements. We are committed to strengthening the inclusiveness and effectiveness of tax cooperation at the United Nations, while taking into consideration the work of other relevant forums and institutions, and will continue to engage constructively in the process towards developing a United Nations framework convention on international tax cooperation; (j) Explore options for international cooperation on the taxation of high-net-worth individuals in the appropriate forums; (k) Support developing countries to catalyse increased private sector investment in sustainable development, including by promoting inclusive and innovative finance mechanisms and partnerships and by creating a more enabling domestic and international regulatory and investment environment, and through the catalytic use of public financing; (l) Scale up support from all sources for investment in increasing productive capacities, inclusive and sustainable industrialization, infrastructure and structural economic transformation, diversification and growth in developing countries; (m) Secure an ambitious outcome at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in 2025 to close the Sustainable Development Goal financing gap and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.” As regards the issue of trade, the world leaders pledged to “ensure that the multilateral trading system continues to be an engine for sustainable development.” “We are committed to a rules-based, non-discriminatory, open, fair, inclusive, equitable and transparent multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization at its core. We underscore the importance of the multilateral trading system contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. We reiterate that States are strongly urged to refrain from promulgating and applying unilateral economic measures not in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations that impede the full achievement of economic and social development, particularly in developing countries,” they said. In this regard, the world leaders decided to: “(a) Promote export-led growth in developing countries through, inter alia, preferential trade access for developing countries, as appropriate, and targeted special and differential treatment that responds to the development needs of individual countries, in particular least developed countries, in line with World Trade Organization commitments; (b) Work towards concluding the necessary reform of the World Trade Organization; (c) Facilitate accession to the World Trade Organization, especially for developing countries, and promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation.” CLIMATE CHANGE & THE ENVIRONMENT On the issue of climate change, the world leaders committed to “strengthen our actions to address climate change.” “We are deeply concerned at the current slow pace of progress in addressing climate change. We are equally deeply concerned at the continued growth in greenhouse gas emissions, and we recognize the importance of the means of implementation and support for developing countries, and the increasing frequency, intensity and scale of the adverse impacts of climate change, in particular on developing countries, especially those that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. In pursuit of the objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and of the Paris Agreement, we reaffirm the importance of accelerating action in this critical decade on the basis of the best available science, reflecting equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances and in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty,” they said. In this regard, the world leaders decided to: “(a) Reaffirm the Paris Agreement temperature goal of holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change, and underscore that the impacts of climate change will be much lower at the temperature increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius compared with 2 degrees Celsius and resolve to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius; (b) Welcome the decisions adopted at the twenty-eighth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, including the decisions adopted under the United Arab Emirates consensus, which includes the outcome of the first global stocktake of the Paris Agreement, at the fifth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement; (c) Further recognize the need for deep, rapid and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in line with 1.5 degrees Celsius pathways and call on parties to contribute to the following global efforts, in a nationally determined manner, taking into account the Paris Agreement and their different national circumstances, pathways and approaches: tripling renewable energy capacity globally and doubling the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030; accelerating efforts towards the phase-down of unabated coal power; accelerating efforts globally towards net zero emission energy systems, utilizing zero- and low-carbon fuels well before or by around mid-century; transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science; accelerating zero- and low-emission technologies, including, inter alia, renewables, nuclear, abatement and removal technologies such as carbon capture and utilization and storage, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors, and low-carbon hydrogen production; accelerating and substantially reducing non-carbon dioxide emissions globally, including in particular methane emissions by 2030; accelerating the reduction of emissions from road transport on a range of pathways, including through development of infrastructure and rapid deployment of zero- and low-emission vehicles; and phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that do not address energy poverty or just transitions, as soon as possible; (d) Recognize that transitional fuels can play a role in facilitating the energy transition, while ensuring energy security; (e) Further emphasize the importance of conserving, protecting and restoring nature and ecosystems towards achieving the Paris Agreement temperature goal, including through enhanced efforts towards halting and reversing deforestation and forest degradation by 2030, and other terrestrial and marine ecosystems acting as sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases and by conserving biodiversity, while ensuring social and environmental safeguards, in line with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework; (f) Reaffirm our resolve to set, at the twenty-ninth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, a new collective quantified goal from a floor of 100 billion United States dollars per year, taking into account the needs and priorities of developing countries; (g) Reaffirm the nationally determined nature of nationally determined contributions and article 4, paragraph 4, of the Paris Agreement, and encourage parties to the Paris Agreement to come forward in our next nationally determined contributions with ambitious, economy-wide emission reduction targets, covering all greenhouse gases, sectors and categories and aligned with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as informed by the latest science, in the light of different national circumstances; (h) Significantly enhance international cooperation and the international enabling environment to stimulate ambition in the next round of nationally determined contributions; (i) Recognize that adaptation finance will have to be significantly scaled up to implement the decision to double adaptation finance, to support the urgent and evolving need to accelerate adaptation and build resilience in developing countries, while emphasizing that finance, capacity-building and technology transfer are critical enablers of climate action and noting that scaling up the provision and mobilization of new and additional grant-based, highly concessional finance and non-debt instruments remains essential to supporting developing countries, particularly as they transition in a just and equitable manner; (j) Further operationalize and capitalize the new funding arrangements, including the Fund, for responding to loss and damage; (k) Protect everyone on Earth through universal coverage of multi-hazard early warning systems by 2027, including through the accelerated implementation of the Early Warnings for All initiative.” The world leaders also pledged to “accelerate our efforts to restore, protect, conserve and sustainably use the environment.” “We are deeply concerned about rapid environmental degradation, and we recognize the urgent need for a fundamental shift in our approach in order to achieve a world in which humanity lives in harmony with nature. We must conserve, restore and sustainably use our planet’s ecosystems and natural resources to support the health and well-being of present and future generations. We will address the adverse impacts of climate change, sea level rise, biodiversity loss, pollution, water scarcity, floods, desertification, land degradation, drought, deforestation and sand and dust storms,” they said. In this regard, the world leaders decided to: “(a) Achieve a world in which humanity lives in harmony with nature, conserve and sustainably use our planet’s resources and reverse the trends of environmental degradation; (b) Take ambitious action to improve the health, productivity, sustainable use and resilience of the ocean and its ecosystems, and conserve and sustainably use and restore seas and freshwater resources, as well as forests, mountains, glaciers and drylands, and protect, conserve and restore biodiversity, ecosystems and wildlife; (c) Promote sustainable consumption and production patterns, including sustainable lifestyles, and circular economy approaches as a pathway to achieving sustainable consumption and production patterns, and zero-waste initiatives; (d) Accelerate efforts to address the pollution of air, land and soil, fresh water and the ocean, including the sound management of chemicals, and work towards the conclusion of an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, with the ambition of completing negotiations by the end of 2024; (e) Implement the framework to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and implement all multilateral environmental agreements; (f) Protect our planet and address global environmental challenges by strengthening international cooperation on the environment and by implementing and complying with multilateral environmental agreements.” Meanwhile, the world leaders also pledged to “plan for the future and strengthen our collective efforts to turbocharge the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by 2030 and beyond.” “We remain steadfastly focused and committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. We will sustain our efforts to build the future we want by addressing existing, new and emerging challenges to sustainable development by 2030 and beyond,” they said. In this regard, they decided to: “(a) Significantly advance progress towards the full and timely achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by 2030, including through strengthening the role of the high-level political forum on sustainable development as the main platform for the follow-up and review of the sustainable development agenda; (b) Invite the high-level political forum, under the auspices of the General Assembly, to consider in September 2027 how we will advance sustainable development by 2030 and beyond, as a priority and at the centre of our work.” +
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