3 Framework for programmes, Danish Environmental Protection Agency

Build on the Positive Trends - next steps in the global effort for sustainable production and consumption

3 Framework for programmes

In Johannesburg, it was discussed whether to develop one global programme for sustainable production and consumption. This was rejected. Instead, a more flexible decision was reached. The trick will be to prevent this flexibility from becoming a pretext to shirk responsibilities, using it instead to create space for dynamism and creativity.

The decision in Johannesburg implies, firstly, that a new framework for programmes should be drawn up, secondly, that all countries and international institutions should play an active role. In order to move forward, it is necessary to clarify under whose auspices and in what manner the framework is to be developed.

The UN Commission on Sustainable Development is the body responsible for the overall follow-up to the World Summit, and in this capacity it is the most logical institution in which to place responsibility for developing the framework.

However, the CSD has discussed sustainable production and consumption before. A series of decisions have also been taken, of which very few can be said to have had major practical implications. In other words, there appears to be a need for a fresh approach.

The route to such an approach lies in taking advantage of the flexibility of decisions from Johannesburg. The CSD should thus, as soon as possible, lay down the overall objectives for the next ten years of work on sustainable production and consumption. At the same time, it should be decided that a series of specified international organisations have to develop, by a clearly defined deadline, a particular programme for their own contribution towards achieving sustainable production and consumption, just as they ought to launch activities able to make a notable difference in the short term too. The countries of the world should draw up national programmes for sustainable production and consumption within the same time-frame.

Once the countries and international organisations have conceived their programmes, the CSD should discuss sustainable production and consumption again, among other reason to develop medium-term objectives for the effort and in order to table proposals for stronger cooperation between the various actors.

The EU has a special role to play in this enterprise. Together the EU member states make up the territory with the second-largest production and consumption in the world. The EU is also the world’s greatest trading power, and the top donor of development assistance. In other words, the EU’s decisions on how to accelerate the shift towards sustainable production and consumption have major global implications. This carries with it an obligation. The EU has to take the lead.