During the 40th anniversary of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), ministers and representative from close to 150 countries described the conference, known as Rio+20 as an opportunity to address the economic, social and environmental challenges in the context of sustainable development.
President of the UNEP Governing Council Federico Ramos de Armas, State Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment of Spain, said Green Economy was widely viewed by ministers and delegates as a pathway to achieving sustainable development, poverty eradication and decent job creation.
The president also underlined the fact there remained many challenges to realising that economy especially in developing countries in respect to the necessary finance, capacity and access to relevant technologies.
He noted concerns by some countries that there was a risk that a Green Economy might also lead to trade protectionism and signalled that it was vital that more engagement across all sectors of society and between countries would be important to address these risks.
Nevertheless, the president expressed the views of the vast majority of nations in terms of support for the Green Economy because of its potential opportunities for integrating the social, environmental and economic dimensions of sustainable development.
"Many of the activities under the Green Economy approach can provide new opportunities for women to become key players in the local economy, especially in the energy, land management and water sectors," he said.
The President's summary also reflected the views of ministers and delegates responsible for the environment on the issue of International Environmental Governance (IEG) as part of the broader challenge of reforming the Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development.
"While recognising UNEP's contribution to sustainable development, there is overwhelming support that urgent change is needed to the current system," he said.
There was also a high level of support for strengthening UNEP's mandate, authority and financial resources.
Over 100 countries, including members of the African Union and the European Union, have also backed an upgrading of UNEP to a specialized agency of the UN as part of the Rio+20 outcomes.
Delegates also supported greater involvement of major groups and stakeholders including local and regional authorities, women, indigenous peoples, young people and the private sector in any new institutional arrangements.
Mr Ramos de Armas said in his closing address to the governing council, time is not on our side. Rio+20 must take quick and immediate action to respond to the current environmental crisis.
Delegates stressed there should be a clear decision on the institutional framework for sustainable development and international environmental governance.
At the end of the governing council, governments also took several decisions on specific issues ranging from how best to bridge the environmental data gaps in the world and chemicals financing to a Ten Year Programme on Sustainable Consumption and Production.
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