The UNEP Major Group of Children & Youth (UNEP MGCY) is one of the stakeholder groups that has a voice in the UNEP GC/GMEF. In addition to environmental ministers and delegations from the UN member states, young people have a seat in plenary sessions and ministerial roundtables and may speak on the invitation of the chair. This position paper includes messages collected from young people from across the planet, with the help of the UNEP Tunza network and related collaborative platforms. It serves as a guide for UNEP MGCY representatives, who are responsible to represent not only themselves through their statements, but our entire generation.
The drafting of this position paper started online. Young people were invited to join thematic working groups, which communicated via e-mail and audio conferences and used collaborative electronic tools. The working groups reflect the themes of the UNEP long-term strategy on the engagement and involvement of young people in environmental issues (the Tunza Strategy), which are the same themes as the UNEP subprogrammes.
Throughout the entire process, social media was used to inspire and invite as many young people as possible to join an inclusive drafting process. In February 2013, some of us continued to improve the document when we met in Nairobi in the UNEP Tunza International Youth Conference 10-14 February, and in the Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum 16-17 February. We will present our positions to UNEP, Governments and other Major Groups.
PART A:
Children & Youth responses to the themes of the Global Ministerial Environment Forum
Theme 1)
Implementing Rio+20: A strengthened environmental pillar of sustainable development
The UNEP MGCY emphasizes that a healthy environment is the foundation for sustainable development. This is important on local, national, regional and international levels. In terms of international environmental governance, we welcome the spirit and decisions from Rio+20 aiming to strengthen and upgrade UNEP.
Following up after Rio+20, Children & Youth believe that the following needs to be done to strengthen the environment in the context of sustainable development:
- Development of Action Plans according to the Rio+20 outcome document at global, regional and national levels.
- Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation should be carried out to follow up the Action Plans.
- Youth mobilization is vital for healthy environment as we know that the world is rich in its youth population. Youth are the vibes of change and need to be actively involved in all levels to implement Rio+20 outcomes.
- The strenghtened and upgraded UNEP needs to become a greater organization than UNEP has ever been so far. UNEP needs to fully take on the challenge to deliver superior performance and make a distinctive impact with lasting endurance. UNEP’s performance must be measured relative to its mission and ambitious mandate, with focus on outputs and meeting the ultimate goal of global environmental sustainability. As long as the environment is declining, UNEP must work even harder and track its trajectory with rigor. We call on UNEP to establish a baseline for great performance and be disciplined to constantly improve. Every department and office inside UNEP must strive to become an arena of greatness with self-motivated people on board.
- Establish an ombudsperson for future generations with a UNEP specific mandate within UNEP, and similar in other UN agencies, to advise the institution on a long-term perspective for its policy-guidelines, actions and programmes.
- Rio+20 agreed that Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be adopted. Children & Youth fully support this and pledge to engage actively in the entire process from identification to implementation as far as we are given the opportunity. Governments should invite young people in SDG processes locally and nationally. UNEP should play an active role in the SDG process, collaborate closely with other UN agencies and not hesitate to take on leading responsibilities.
- UNEP should support the water-food-energy-security nexus.
- UNEP should recognize that Children & Youth have a lot to contribute to the 10 Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production.
- UNEP should recognize important linkages between Human Rights and the Environment, and conflict and environment to promote peace.
- A World Environment Court was a proposal in the Rio+20 process that was unfortunately not included in the outcome document. We still believe that states who are party to international environmental agreements need to be held accountable for their commitments. Compliance mechanisms must be strengthened.
- Stronger governance of the global commons is needed. Children and Youth called for this throughout Rio+20 process but it was not mentioned in the text. UNEP should keep working for the establishment of a transparent and participatory trusteeship for the transitional governance of the global commons until they are adequately governed by legally binding rules, based on a sense of shared responsibility and the principles of subsidiary and intergenerational equity.
- Rio+20 agreed to establish a High-Level Forum (HLF) on Sustainable Development. UNEP must play an active role in this HLF and ensure that the environmental pillar of sustainable development is addressed with great understanding by all negotiators. As the environmental anchor organization in the UN system, UNEP has a great responsibility to ensure this and cannot expect others to take the lead. Always fully promote collaboration and avoid competition between different parts of the UN system.
- UNEP should become a model organization within the UN system in terms of civil society participation. Children and youth should be involved throughout the entire organization. On the policy level, Major Groups and Stakeholders should have seats in the Committee of Permanent Representatives. On the programmatic level, all UNEP divisions and all subprogrammes should collaborate systematically with civil society, including children and youth.
Theme 2)
Implementing a green economy as an important tool for achieving sustainable development
The Rio+20 outcome document makes clear that the green economy will be important for achieving sustainable development.
The UNEP MGCY believes that the following aspects will be important when implementing a green economy:
- Economic: will implementation of green economy enhance financial status?
- Social: can the techniques easily be demonstrated or introduced at local level? individually or community based?
- Mental: have we prepared the targeted people mentally for implementation of green economy?
- Geographical: we know that our world will soon be in crisis of food and water, it is very important to address the geography and topography of the certain areas of implementation.
- Education for sustainable development, both formal and non-formal, will be an important tool for implementation of the green economy. UNEP and Governments should support the engagement of young people in the green economy this way.
- Reducing youth unemployment through the creation of green jobs was one of our lobby points at Rio+20 and remains highly relevant. Youth unemployment shall be reduced through the creation of green jobs with a living wage and stronger consideration of the impact of employment policy on youth and the environment. Governments can employ youth to implement decisions from the UNEP Governing Council on the national and local levels.
- An integrated approach is required to the conservation of ecosystems and species, particularly threatened ones. This was another MGCY lobby point at Rio+20 which is not sufficiently covered in the outcome document. UNEP plays a crucial role in ensuring compliance with international conventions and agreed international standards to ensure that the consumption of natural resources is below regeneration rates. Natural resource impact labeling should be mandatory for every industrial product.
- Green, fair and people-centered agriculture is crucial for sustainable food systems as a part of the Green Economy.
- The “Blue Economy” is an important term that many countries used throughout the Rio+20 process but that didn’t make it into the text. UNEP MGCY supports that strong legislative and executive actions are required of governments to protect our oceans through the promotion of a blue economy. The depletion of finite water resources must be stopped, and long-term food security should be ensured for fisheries-dependent communities. UNEP should support the establishment of a global network of marine protected areas and “no-take-zones”.
PART B:
Children & Youth responses to the proposed UNEP Medium Term Strategy and Programme of Work
UNEP Subprogramme 1) Climate Change
Recommendations to Governments
Children & Youth call on Governments to:
- Make an action plan in accord to the climate change policies.
- Introduce and reinforce climate laws.
- Generation of “LAPAs” (Local Adaptation Plans of Action) to develop a system of adaptation planning at local level.
- Identify and claim the vulnerable groups including the flora and fauna.
Recommendations to UNEP
The UNEP long-term strategy for the engagement and involvement of young people in environmental issues (Tunza strategy), adopted at the UNEP Governing Council in 2009 and valid for 2009-2014, mentions that UNEP will do the following to engage young people in combating climate change:
a. Promote a United Nations-wide campaign “UNite to combat climate change.”
b. Use the Tunza conferences and workshops to promote actions to tackle climate change
c. Participate in the “Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign”
d. Organize an international children’s painting competition
e. Conduct surveys on young people and climate change
f. Develop a Tunza recognition programme
g. Finance environmental projects
h. Use UNEP publication and websites to promote youth awareness on climate change.
Children & Youth call on UNEP to continue to implement the Tunza strategy in the coming years.
Children & Youth Plan of Action
In the next two years, young people will contribute to combat climate change in the following ways:
UNEP Subprogramme 2) Disasters and Conflicts
Introduction
MGCY feels that coupling conflict with disasters is inappropriate. Disasters and Conflicts are very much different and there is critical danger in this title. It can mistakenly assume that conflict only occurs due to "natural disaster," thus putting blame on climate change disasters (i.e. Hurricane Sandy) for poverty and leaving governments/economy out of the question/analysis. Although all of these groups overlap, disasters and conflicts are very different issues which call for very different solutions. Conflicts are not exclusive to disasters, but also occur over access to resources and land, and although conflict can be violent, it can also be "silent" (i.e. poverty, env hazard exposures).
Recommendations to Governments
MGCY calls on Governments to:
- Increase capacity building activities at ground level.
- Promote early warning systems.
- Food and Water storage system for emergency use during the disaster induced crisis.
Recommendations to UNEP
First and foremost, UNEP needs to recognize that disasters and conflicts should not be coupled.
The UNEP Tunza strategy 2009-2014 is not very comprehensive when it comes to disaster and conflict:
“a. Use education and awareness for disaster preparedness
b. Participate in environmental processes
c. Support disaster and conflict mitigation project.”
UNEP should prepare a new Tunza strategy for 2015-2020 and make sure to address peace/conflict and natural disasters separately.
Children & Youth Plan of Action
In the next two years, young people will contribute to making subprogramme 2 successful by addressing peace/conflict and natural disasters separately. Peace/'security' was recently recognized as the 4th dimension and we, as youth, need to focus to make it happen.
UNEP Subprogramme 3) Environmental Management
Recommendations to Governments
MGCY calls on Governments to:
- reinforce Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before implementation of any projects.
- Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES)
- Rainwater harvesting plant installation during the construction of any buildings or else give no permission for construction.
Recommendations to UNEP
MGCY calls on UNEP to scale up its work on environmental governance and to help Governments do the same.
UNEP should continue to implement the activities related to Environmental Management in the 2009-2014 Tunza strategy:
“a. Organizing exchange programmes
b. Implementing the UNEP/Bayer Young Environmental Envoy Programme
c. Facilitating internships
d. Training youth leaders
e. Organizing targeted train-the-trainer workshops
f. Organizing nature and sport camps
g. Volvo/UNEP Adventure Programme.”
Children & Youth Plan of Action
In the next two years, young people will contribute positively to environmental management and help UNEP implement subprogramme 3 successful by:
UNEP Subprogramme 4) Environmental Governance
Introduction
Recommendations to Governments
MGCY calls on Governments continue supporting the strengthening and upgrading of UNEP in line with paragraph 88 in the Rio+20 outcome document and beyond.
Recommendations to UNEP
MGCY calls on UNEP to show leadership and to be an environmental anchor organization in the UN system that steers the world on course.
When it comes to children and youth participation in environmental governance, UNEP should implement the actions in its 2009-2014 Tunza strategy:
“a. Participate in the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum
b. Organize the Tunza youth gathering
c. Facilitate youth participation in global and regional environmental negotiations
d. Support youth inclusion in national delegations
e. Enhance the role of the Tunza Advisory Council and the Junior Board.”
Children & Youth Plan of Action
In the next two years, young people will contribute to making subprogramme 4 successful. The UNEP Major Group of Children & Youth will continue to keep young people informed throughout the year about opportunities to engage in policy-design at UNEP, and strive to ensure active and effective youth participation in UNEP conferences. Important annual events will be the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC/GMEF) in February, preceded by a Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum (GMGSF) and six Regional Consultation Meetings (RCMs).
UNEP Subprogramme 5) Chemicals and Waste
Introduction
Recommendations to Governments
MGCY calls on Governments to:
Recommendations to UNEP
We wish to remind UNEP about its promises made in the Tunza strategy for 2009-2014:
“a. Implementing the Ozzy Ozone programme
b. Strengthening the children’s environmental health initiative with UNICEF and the World Health Organization.”
Children & Youth Plan of Action
In the next two years, young people will contribute to making subprogramme 5 successful by:
UNEP Subprogramme 6) Resource Efficiency
Introduction
Recommendations to Governments
MGCY calls on Governments to:
Recommendations to UNEP
MGCY calls on UNEP to:
In line with the Tunza strategy 2009-2014, UNEP should:
“a. Strengthening the UNEP/UNESCO YouthXchange project on sustainable consumption
b. Using the Tunza subregional, regional and international conferences, workshops and seminars to promote sustainable consumption
c. Using publications and the website to promote sustainable consumption
d. Building the capacity of youth leaders to promote sustainable consumption.”
Children & Youth Plan of Action
In the next two years, young people will contribute to making subprogramme 6 successful by:
UNEP Subprogramme 7) Environment under Review
Introduction
As young people we welcome the addition of a seventh subprogramme in UNEP, since Environment under Review is a very important part of UNEP’s mandate and deserves visibility, priority and coordinated action.
Recommendations to Governments
MGCY calls on Governments to:
Recommendations to UNEP
MGCY calls on UNEP to add subprogramme 7 in the next Tunza strategy for 2015-2020.
MGCY calls on UNEP to involve children and youth and all the other Major Groups in environmental assessments and knowledge production.
Children & Youth Plan of Action
In the next two years, young people will contribute to making subprogramme 7 successful by:
Cross-cutting issues and other areas
Developing a new Tunza strategy for 2015-2020
Together with the Tunza network we want to not only be consulted, but take the lead in drafting the 3rd UNEP long-term strategy for the engagement and involvement of young people in environmental issues, to be adopted in the UNEP Governing Council 2015 for the period 2015-2020. This drafting process should start immediately in order to make sure that it is inclusive.
Improving UNEP’s coordination of children & youth issues
The UNEP Tunza office and the Major Groups and Stakeholders Branch are currently both responsible for youth engagement in UNEP. This leads to overlap and fragmentation. The offices need to collaborate more closely and preferably be merged into one office.
Seed funding from UNEP to environmental projects by children and youth
Young people are creative and have a lot of potential to make a difference in their communities on environmental issues that are relevant and that we are passionate about. Often we need just a little encouragement and a small economic contribution to be able to make something remarkable. UNEP should provide seed funding directly to environmental youth NGOs for their projects.
Conclusion
As young people who will enter adulthood in a time of global transformations in the economy, education, communication, demographics, technologies and the environment, we believe that the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has a task more relevant than ever. We are committed to contribute with energy and passion to improving UNEP’s performance overall. We are doing this because we share UNEP’s vision of global environmental sustainability, and together we can steer the world on course. .jpg)
