Introduction

oung people from the European Union and EU Neighbouring States gathered from 27th August to 2nd September 2011 at the European Youth Congress and Advocacy Training held in Izola, Slovenia. The Congress was part of Peace Child Internationals Road to Rio+20 project, sponsored by the European Commission, and is part of the build up to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) to be held in June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro. This document is the result of the discussions that took place during the Congress and forms part of the process of developing a global youth position ahead of Rio+20. Attendees of the Congress represented different youth organisations with strong perspectives on issues like sustainable development, the green economy and intergenerational justice. This youth statement relates to, and builds upon the European Commissions Communication on Rio+20 (COM2011-363), the Zero Draft Declaration of the 64th Annual UN DPI/NGO Conference and recent statements and position papers resulting from regional youth meetings across the world. This statement aims to raise awareness amongst government, UN negotiators and other stakeholders in the Rio+20 process of young peoples concerns about the themes and objectives of this conference and to inject a sense of urgency into the global dialogue. The young people Europeans represented at the Congress agreed to focus their suggestions on the following: 0. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Redefine concepts of development and progress National Transition Plans to a green economy; Open Global Knowledge Community (Technology transfer) Economic leverages (Pricing mechanisms) Education for sustainability and the green economy The role of youth at all levels in the transition to a green economy

Redefine concepts of development and progress

Traditional indicators for measuring development, such as GDP, have failed to capture the multitude of challenges to sustainable development and countries progress on tackling them. Underlying our recommendations in all other areas is a new concept of development, based on a broader range of parameters that more accurately reflects the importance of environmental and social issues, in addition to economical ones.

We call for a change of approach and an acceleration of the transition to a green economy. We support the call for the preparation of National Transition Plans (NTPs) by all Member States by the end of 2014, within the framework of a global agreement made at Rio+20 setting the overall targets and objectives for these plans. The preparation and implementation of these NTPs must include all government levels and all stakeholders in civil society. We further call for cooperation between Member States and UN agencies to ensure the coordination of national and global efforts in order to achieve the global transition to a green economy by the end of 2030.

National Transition Plans to a green economy

We need to make the transition towards a green economy now. In order for this transition to be successful, available sustainable technologies and knowledge must be made accessible to all. While we call for an increase in support for research into green innovation, we must also recognise and utilise the invaluable potential of traditional, local and indigenous practices and experience. All this knowledge needs to be made readily accessible to all stakeholders so it can be adapted to the characteristics and needs of specific situations and stakeholders. Of paramount importance to this objective is to review international and national intellectual property regulation systems and to do away with elements of them that are frustrating equal access to these key knowledge resources. We therefore call for the introduction of an Open Global Knowledge Community. This online, user-generated content platform is to enable an exchange of practices and technologies across and within global regions. We further believe that the increased participation of scientists, researchers and experts in decision-making processes is essential to ensure informed, innovative policies.

Open Global Knowledge Community

In spite of all the efforts towards changing the general mindset on sustainability issues, the transition to a green economy cannot be efficiently implemented without an effective economic policy, creating incentives for all stakeholders to change their behaviour towards more sustainable activities. In times of economic crisis and budgetary constraints, we need to use the available financial resources more efficiently. We therefore call for the urgent shift of resources from the brown economy to the green economy, by refocusing subsidies and tax systems. At the same time, it is our moral duty to ensure the social dimension of sustainable development by including disadvantaged groups in the green economy. We therefore call for supported employment for socially, economically and politically disadvantaged groups, in particular youth, people with disabilities, rural communities and people affected by the impacts of climate change.

Economic leverages

Governments have consistently failed to re-orient education towards sustainability and, as a result, young generations lack the necessary awareness of their generational challenges, including how to build and operate a green economy in their lifetimes. Our vision for a sustainable future is a world where everyone has the opportunity to benefit from education and learn the values, behaviour and lifestyles required for positive societal transformation. The potential of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) can be fulfilled by building a broad coalition that engages all stakeholders and reforms educational frameworks to deliver ESD at all curriculum levels primary, secondary, tertiary, teacher training and lifelong learning both through curriculum reform and public campaigning. Links should be provided to international processes that make a universal scaling-up of ESD a reality by 2015.

Education

In 2002 the Youth Caucus at the UN Conference for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg (Rio+10) called upon governments to see youth as a resource, not as a problem. We would like to remind all stakeholders of this call and ask them to take advantage of the endless resourcefulness of the youth and our motivation to make the necessary changes towards a sustainable common future. We call for increased and more meaningful participation of youth in the decision-making processes that will shape our future, during the preparation and negotiation stages as well as the implementation process. We call for better and more timely communication with youth through open access to information, online media and appropriate language. We further call for support for youth-led green entrepreneurship and green job creation for youth, which would tackle high youth unemployment rates and facilitate the transition to a green economy.

Youth

We, delegates of the European Youth Congress 2011, are focusing our recommendations on the five key areas presented in this statement. We understand that the EU deals with different challenges and opportunities than other regions. We therefore urge that these issues be tackled at the EU and member state levels, while also recognizing that all EU countries need to contribute to global reform and support progress in other parts of the world. By implementing the suggestions from this statement and increasing awareness on the green economy and institutional framework issues we believe Rio+20 is going to be a success. We want individuals, governments, businesses and NGOs to take note that this is Our Future, Our Planet, Our Time.

Conclusion

Redefine concepts of development and progress

Objectives Develop a more inclusive measurement of development, by the end of 2012 Toolbox 1. Establish a set of alternative indicators to measure development in EU countries by June 2012, to be presented at the UN summit 2. Research and introduce a balanced set of indicators taking into account a broader range of parameters (HDI, Gross National Happiness and other indexes) through a high-level UN consultation 3. Adopt Millennium Consumption Goals with short term (2020) and medium term (2025) targets, to be reviewed periodically with procedures similar to the MDGs

Promote international cooperation and encourage multiplication of best practices related to Sustainable Consumption and Production, by the end of 2012

National Transition Plans to a Green Economy (NTPs)

Objectives Ensure the global transition to a green economy by 2030 1. Ratify a global agreement at Rio+20, setting the targets and bottom-lines for the NTPs 2. Member States are to develop their NTPs by the end of 2014 3. Member States are to implement their NTPs by the end of 2030 Enforce Member States commitments and coordinate efforts towards transition on a global level 1. Develop a framework of incentives and sanctions 2. Provide mutual assistance with developing and implementing the NTPs, in particular towards the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Build ownership of the process and content of the NTPs 5. Ensure participation across all levels and groups of society, in particular but not limited to the nine Major Groups Toolbox 4. Analyse and evaluate existing transition initiatives on national and local levels 5. Ensure broad-based participation through cooperation with and consultation of local, national, regional and international actors

3. Install an international prize fund to sponsor the implementation of the best NTP by an LDC 4. Adapt the traditional UN sanctions (including suspension of voting rights) to the NTP processes

0. Member States are to educate their population, in coordination with the UN Regional Information Centres (UNRIC) 1. Install active consultation processes

Open Global Knowledge Community

Open Global Knowledge Community
Objectives Improve the access of all stakeholders to both innovative green technologies and traditional, local and indigenous practices and experience 1. Ensure the international intellectual property regulative system supports the global transition to a green economy 2. Increase the effective and equitable availability of technologies, knowhow and knowledge to all stakeholders 3. Toolbox Review intellectual property rights policies at all levels in order to increase affordable accessibility Review the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS); Abolish article 27 (3) b of the Agreement and its implementations in national IP legislations Launch an online, user content-based platform for the exchange of best practices by the UN starting up from the Rio +20 Ensure the functional access of rural and urban poor communities to the platform Ensure effective consultation at all stages of the process Enhance their participation at committees and meetings

4.

5.

6.

Ensure policy-making processes are based on scientific consensus and practical experience 1. Increase participation of scientific and practice-based experts in policymaking processes Improve the local applicability and transplantation of innovative green technologies and traditional, local and indigenous practices and experience 2. Increase financial support for research on new methods and technologies to implement the transition to a green economy 3. Increase attention and financial support for the adaptation of existing green technologies to local needs and characteristics

7. 8.

4. Evaluate and multiply existing public and private funding programmes for green research and development 5. Use of the platform with the purpose of increasing the attention on the needs for adaptation 6. Set a standard for evaluation processes

Economic leverages
Economic Leverages Objective Refocus financial incentives from the brown economy to the green economy 1. Completely phase out brown economy subsidies by end of 2017 2. Strengthen subsidies for green and sustainable investments and behaviour 3. Green national tax systems in order to favour and support green businesses Reinforce supported employment for socially, economically and politically disadvantaged groups In particular for youth, people with disabilities, rural communities and people affected by the effects of climate change Strengthen financial subsidies for sustainable rural development 1. Introduce funding programmes for the sustainable development of rural areas, the protection of biodiversity and the encouragement of organic production, as part of the proposed EU Directive on Sustainable Development Toolbox 4. Evaluate current financial policies and tax systems on their levels of support for either brown or green economies 5. Provide subsidies for energy efficient buildings and households 6. Provide subsidies for sustainable transport by end of 2014

Introduce financial incentives for green job creation for disadvantaged groups by 2014 Provide funding for occupational trainings towards green jobs for disadvantaged groups

0. Raise awareness about existing funding programmes and how to access them 1. Assist in accessing funding through consultation and expertise advice

Education for Sustainable Development

Objectives Reform existing educational frameworks to integrate ESD 1. Build the capacity of educational systems at all levels, by the end of 2015 2. Adjust content, approaches and objectives of educational programs to the existing and emerging challenges of sustainable development Build a broad coalition engaging all stakeholders to deliver ESD and reach out to the general public 3. 4. Toolbox Reform training schemes of future and current teaching staff Integrate skills development and experiential learning in formal education, in order to empower young people as active citizens Develop financial incentives for educational systems, academic institutions and youth organisations which invest in ESD Engage and raise awareness of the general public on SD through public information campaigns Multiply opportunities for learning experiences outside of the classroom in maximizing the potential of civil society organizations Create roadmaps at the international (UN) and national levels to achieve universal primary education Adopt a new implementation plan to build on and to promote the DESD objective beyond 2014, including through dedicated funding

5.

1.

2.

Accelerate and intensify international processes to scale up ESD

0.

1.

Youth
Youth Objective Improve and encourage meaningful 4. participation of youth in decisionmaking processes and their 5. implementation 1. Provide financial support for youth to attend high-level conferences 6. 2. Standardise youth participation in decision-making processes 7. 3. Engage youth and increase their awareness of upcoming conferences 8. Toolbox Increase funding for youth participation Organise scholarships and reward schemes for youth who contribute to a green economy and sustainability Reserve speaking and questioning time for youth at conferences Introduce quotas for youth organisations to attend Organise youth meetings parallel to official meetings 9. Create a youth-friendly central point of information on high-level conferences 10. Introduce advertising campaigns that address the interests of youth 3. Ensure youth are provided with the most recent documents and information before meetings 4. Create a globally accessible network that provides documents and outcomes of meetings 5. Facilitate online streaming of conferences to reach more youth 6. Provide summaries in understandable terminology for youths 2. Scholarships and awards for youthled green entrepreneurship, as well as providing consultative support 3. Facilitate green businesses by providing them with the necessary tools to engage young people in their activities through internships

Use more effective communication methods between youth and institutions 1. Strengthen communication techniques and contact between youth and institutions 2. Provide information in a comprehensive way for young people

Improve financial support for the active employment of young people in the transition towards a green economy 0. Provide funding for youth-led green entrepreneurship and youth research centres on green economy and sustainable development 1. Provide financial incentives for green businesses providing internship opportunities and entry-level jobs for young people

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European Youth Congress Slovenia, 2011