Global Conference on Implementing Inter generational Equity: Bringing Future Perspectives to the Status Quo

UNEP and the World Future Council are co-hosting a "Global Conference on Implementing Intergenerational Equity” from 4-5 July 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. The two-day conference will bring together a wide range of civil society, including youth representatives, environmental lawyers, academics, human rights and governance experts and existing Ombudspersons for Future Generations. The event is designed to broaden awareness and understanding on intergenerational equity, and consider what are the new mechanisms or tools to effectively take into account future generations. The outcomes of the conference will be fed into the UNSG report on Intergenerational Solidarity and Future Generations, due to be completed by in July and presented to the General Assembly this August. Conference on “The Post-2015 development agenda and Sustainable Development Goals – what roadmap beyond the Millennium Development Goals and Rio+20?”  

UNEP and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation co-hosted a two-day consultation bringing together key stakeholders, thinkers and policymakers on 6-7 June to discuss the Post-2015 Development Agenda and the SDGs processes. The meeting brought together 35 participations from 11 countries. The meeting provided an opportunity for African stakeholders to voice their perspectives on the Post-2015 development framework, and on the SDGs formulation process. Guided by the question “What SDGs for Africa?” the consultation aimed at initiating a participatory stakeholder engagement in the Post-2015 and SDGs development process in Africa.

The main conclusions of the meeting were that the Post-2015 development framework should address the inequalities and “leave no one behind”; and should not be an excuse to fail to address globally binding treaties on certain issues, especially on environment. There is an urgent need to harmonize the global agenda with national and local plans and priorities to ensure ownership and sustainability of outcomes. More meaningful and full inclusion of African civil society in the process of developing the African common position is needed as opposed to leaving this process to UN agencies. The space for stakeholders’ engagement should be expanded as the current space for participation is not enough, and there is still one concern which is on how to engage with the African Union process – what opportunities for participation.