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IN THIS ISSUE
What is Sustainable Development pp. 2 - 3 Introduction to MGCY pp. 4 - 5 Developing your personal message pp. 6-8 Success Stories p. 9 Contacts p. 10
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Most of us will not be able to travel to Rio. However, the most important decision makers are us. Sustainable development is not just for politicians to handleas young people, we inherit the consequences of the decisions taken now. This is why it is important for each of us to think globally, act locally and raise our voice. Every action counts! This toolkit series will help you to:
Gain more practical knowledge about sustainable development Become informed about the background and happenings related to Rio+20 Take local action by joining other young people to make a real, lasting impact on shaping the brighter future we all want!
Thank you for taking the step to learn more about sustainable development, Rio+20, and you! Look out for webinars, videos and other information. We look forward to keeping you in the know!
Sustainable Development
Sustainable development is more than just caring about the environment or generating money through economic growth. It is the intersection of THREE pillars: ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMY and SOCIETY. Sustainable development is about balance and a holistic approach to development. This means that some things need to be preserved and sustained while others should be given the incentive to be developed. What needs to be sustained: People and Cultures Natural Resources Biodiversity Environment and Ecosystems What needs to be developed. Quality of Life Justice and Social Equality Equal Opportunity Institutions Fair Income Culture of Sustainability We should approach sustainable development by considering that everything is interconnected across generations and across countries.
This may seem daunting how do we keep track of everything? We all need to understand the principles behind sustainable development; principles such as equality, green living and social justice. Then, it will be easier to reach some agreement about what sustainable development truly is, and what the conditions necessary to achieve it are.
When we think of sustainable development, we must think of a system, where the decisions taken ensure that each component of the systemman, trees, environment, society, wealthis capable of flourishing without hindering the capacity of the other component to do so, whether in the present or in the future.
Systems Approach
Sustainability requires looking at everything as parts of a whole: the issues which we face are multiple and complex. We need a vision which addresses the wellbeing of people and the planet together.
There is no clear definition of sustainable development. SD truly occurs when economy, environment and society are in perfect harmony.
The most agreed upon definition of sustainable development comes from the Brundtland Report in 1987, a document which introduced the concept of sustainable development on the political agenda:
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Remember:
Sustainable Development is about you. Previously we mentioned what needs to be sustained and what needs to be developed. What items do you think should be sustained ? What items do you think should be developed? Make a list and discuss it with friends.
The Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY) is the official voice for young people in the UN sustainability negotiations, specifically the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and the Rio+20 Earth Summit. The MGCY is made up of organisations and individuals who care about the sustainability of our planet and actively want to participate in shaping the future. Through networking and collaborating with young people around the world, we develop policy recommendations for the official sustainable development process and participate in the negotiations to lobby for their adoption. In addition, the MGCY is a platform for youth involved in sustainability at a local level to share their ideas, tell their stories and voice their opinions.
The MGCY operates on the above principles. These principles guide our work in terms of policy and what we advocate for, and also how we work together.
The MGCY is open to every young person and the more people involved, the stronger our influence will be to inspire change. At the United Nations, we design the way the world works. We design the future.
Three Task Forces (TFs) have been established in line with the thematic discussions for Rio+20. The TFs are focused on The Organising Partners (OP) are the main liaison between the policy contributions and work with youth internationally to MGCY and UNDESA, the UN Department of Economic and So- develop and lobby for policy that reflects the voices, aspirations and concerns, of youth. cial Affairs, under which the CSD and Rio+20 fall. Their main role is to disseminate relevant data and information for the Working Groups MGCY to help facilitate activities that maximise youth Youth activism with the MGCY is facilitated through the participation. Working Groups (WGs). Different WGs have been estabFacilitation Team lished to enable young people with different interests to get involved in their own capacity. The WGs have a primary The Facilitation Team (FT) is the MGCY's decision-making focus of inspiring local action to help build the strength of body with the mandate to facilitate children and youth the youth voices in the process. participation and activities within the MGCY and
advocacy of policy amendments. There are three MGCY Task Forces aligned with the objectives of Rio+20 who work towards creating policy. The Task Forces are: Green Economy in the context of Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication. Institutional Framework (Governance) Objectives These Task Forces developed the MGCY contribution to the Zero Draft, which will become the primary negotiating text at Rio+20. Since then, we have been attending formal and informal negotiations to advocate for our points and influence policy. Heres an overview of the groups: Green Economy The Green Economy aims to create an economic model that fully integrates sustainable development and poverty eradication. MGCY believes it is a system that can improve human wellbeing and social equality within the carrying capacity of the planet. We have developed youth-specific policy recommendations, such as youth employment through green jobs for youth , and lobby for these to be adopted. Institutional FrameworkGovernance The MGCY believes there is a need for reform in the governance for sustainable development. We believe that the establishment of ombudspersons for future generations and the greater participation of all stakeholders provide concrete solutions to shift the focus of our decision-making from short-term benefits to the long-term interests of younger and future generations. Objectives The MGCY objective for Rio+20 is commitment to the implementation of sustainable development, guided by a number of goals. The MGCY are creating a vision of these goals that integrate existing arrangements, include the 7 critical issues and have an action oriented approach. The MGCY also advocates for improved monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
Join us now. Get involved! The MGCY is your platformthe platform for all youth! 5
How to talk about Sustainable Development and Rio+20 : Develop your own message.
Talking about sustainability can feel intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes easier. You do not have to be an expert to spread the word. Sustainability affects all of us, so relating your cause to that of others is already easier than you may first think! First, know some quick facts about sustainable development and Rio+20! 1. People participate in Rio+20 through the 9 Major Groups. The UNCSD Major Group of Children and Youth (MGCY) focuses on engaging young people in the Rio+20 process and tangible sustainable actions after Rio. Sustainability includes a protected environment, prevents climate change, respects all living beings and creates positive social change for us now and in the future. There are seven critical issues that are going to centre discussions at the conference. These are: Jobs, Oceans, Energy, Water, Food, Cities and Disasters. (Note: see the 7 issues explanation graphic on the next page which explains the importance of each issue. You can even use it as a handout!)
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Next, know where to direct people for more information. Everyone processes information differently, and having a clear way to access resources is always helpful. The best place to direct people with internet access is the Rio +20 official website for Children and Youth: uncsdchildrenyouth.org. If internet access is not available, share the country overview drafted by outreach team leaders about the issues instead. After you are familiar with quick facts and you know where to directs The next installment of our toolkit will tell you all you need to know about Rio+20! The Rio+20 conference is focused on nations renewing their commitments to sustainable development. Two main themes will be discussedhow to have a "green" economy and how to create a good framework for sustainable development. You can do some background checks yourself on:
http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/index.html
learn a bit more about the topic so that you feel more confident
Know WHO your
audience is
Know WHERE your
After you are familiar with quick facts and you know where to direct people for further information, you can start developing a strategy for how to talk to people about sustainability and Rio. Key elements you should think about are:
WHERE
WHAT
Where is your audience located? It may not be necessary to talk about consuming less in a place where there is not enough for people to consume.
What does your audience already know? One way to open up a conversation is to start by talking about what information you find interesting as information.
Be ready to give more, or less, information, depending on who you are talking to (this is where knowing where to direct people for additional information comes in handy!)
You do not have to be an expert. Just talk about what you know.
Instead, it may be more appropriate to speak about how to deal with waste in ways that are easier on the earth.
People become interested in what you believe in, so speak about sustainable development from your own experience and perspective. This will make you more comfortable speaking about it.
You decide the information you want to use to open up the dialogue; you know best what makes the most sense in your area of the world.
Talking about sustainable development does not have to be discussed formally, just speak as you would with friends, comfortably, in a language which you all understand.
GET INSPIRED: Take a look at this video that communicates why Rio+20 is important. http://vimeo.com/37579437
Prems story:
Educate the Children, Reforesting Nepal
Everyone has the
One of the main issues affecting the environment is deforestation. Read about Prem Bahadur Boharass reforestation project in Nepal: I believe that every child has potential capacity to make a difference in his/her own life, school and community where they live - Prem Bahadur Bohara, Earth Child Institute Nepal Prem heads the NGO Earth Child International (ECI) Nepal, that works with the community and local schools to restore the environment. In 2012, ECI Nepal launched the Green School Campaign. The campaign aims to educate and inspire young people to plant 100, 000 trees before June. According to Prem, the key is to empower young people through practical education and skills toward green and healthy lives. Informing youth in a way that relates to their personal experience, allows Prem to be successful in his work. Here, climate change is considered as a global issue but we know we need to tackle it locally, says Prem.
heard. I am afraid to go out in the sun now because of the holes in the ozone. I am afraid to breathe the air because I dont know what chemicals are in it. I used to go fishing in Vancouver with my dad until just a few years ago we found the fish full of cancers. And now we hear about animals and plants going exinct every day vanishing forever. In my life, I have dreamt of seeing the great herds of wild animals, jungles and rainforests full of birds () Coming here today, I have no hidden agenda. I am fighting for my future. Losing my future is not like losing an election or a few points on the stock market. I am here to speak for all generations to come. I am here to speak on behalf of the starving children around * You dont know how to fix the holes in our ozone layer. * You dont know how to bring salmon back up a dead stream. * You dont know how to bring back an animal now extinct. * And you cant bring back forests that once grew where there is now desert. and butterflies, but now I wonder if they will even exist for my children to see. Did you have to worry about these little things when you were my age? All this is happening before our eyes and yet we act as if we have all the time we want and all the solutions. Im only a child and I dont have all the solutions, but I want you to realise, neither do you!
about complex issues like sustainable development by connecting them to their own experience.
You can address
Here is an example of how to deliver a strong message for sustainable development. This is an A Strong Message... extract from the powerful speech given by Severn Suzuki Cullis, who raised her voice about her future 20 years ago at the plenary of the first Earth Summit:
The girl who silenced the world - at the age of 12, Severn Suzuki Cullis addressed the plenary of the first Earth Summit (1992) with a powerful message. You can see her whole speech here: http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=uZsDliXzyAY
the world whose cries go unheard. I am here to speak for the countless animals dying across this planet because they have nowhere left to go. We cannot afford to be not
If you dont know how to fix it, please stop breaking it!
Im only a child yet I know we are all part of a family, five billion strong, in fact, 30 million species strong and we all share the same air, water and soil borders and governments will never change that. Im only a child yet I know we are all in this together and should act as one single world towards one single goal.
THANK YOU
This completes the first section of our Rio+20 toolkit series.
Learn more about Rio+20 and gather more resources in Part 2 of our series. Part 2 will tell you all about Rio+20 , tips and tricks for lobbying and more!
CONTACT US
If you are interested in getting involved, taking action, or simply knowing more about what were doing, feel free to contact any of us for more information: MAJOR GROUP FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH Website: http://uncsdchildrenyouth.org/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/UNCSDYouthCaucus Twitter: @MGCY_UNCSD EARTH CHARTER INTERNATIONAL Website: http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EarthCharter Twitter: @earthcharter EOTO WORLD Website: http://www.eotoworld.org/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EOTOWorld Twitter: @EOTOWorld
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