About SD21
This is a summary of the main findings "Sustainable Development in the 21st Century" (SD21) project. It draws on a series of studies that were prepared under a United Nations project, co-funded by the European Commission. The project also intended to prepare a substantive contribution to the debate at the United Nation Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD or "Rio+20") in 2012, which takes stock of the changes having occurred since the Earth Summit in 1992, and provides a clear vision and way forward for the international community, national governments, partnerships and other stakeholders in implementing the sustainable development agenda in an integrated manner.
This summary takes a step back from the many initiatives of the past 20 years in terms of sectoral assessments, scenario exercises, strategies and reports linked
with sustainable development, green economy and
green growth, in order to analyze them under the twin imperatives of long-term sustainability and development imperatives. Throughout, it provides an entry point to more detailed analysis and findings contained in the technical reports produced under the project. Those reports are available from the UN website.1
The approach to SD21 is based on the idea that for sustainable development to progress, its political nature has to be recognized. Decisions and courses of actions that are chosen every day by governments and international institutions are ultimately the outcomes adtof confrontations of different "world views" – reflecting different visions and interpretations of principles such as economic efficiency, equity, solidarity, empowerment, and justice, different views regarding how sustainable development should be pursued, and different views on the means through which specific issues (e.g.food security, climate change mitigation) should be addressed. Often, agreed courses of actions reflect a "mix" of different world views, sometimes resulting in inconsistencies and incoherence. Difficult issues are typically left "under the rug" for the benefit of reaching politically palatable consensus, resulting in watered- down blueprints that do not address systemic issues.
In order to reflect a broad range of views on sustainable development issues, the SD21 project instituted an expert process to support informed policy discussions. The working tracks created under the project mobilized individual experts and institutions from a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds. More than 70 leading experts participated in the discussion on food and agriculture. The analysis of sustainable development scenarios was a collaborative effort of 49 global modellers and scenario analysts. The studies on energy systems, land use and cities were based on inputs from large and diverse groups of experts.
SD21 has also encouraged a range of studies undertaken outside of the project by leading
researchers, analysts, think-tanks, and other international organizations, in support of UNCSD. Those studies provide particular perspectives and specialized information on a wide range of important issues. The present summary will help policy makers, analysts and the interested public alike to better understand the context of these other reports, including the ways in which their recommendations can or cannot be combined for informed decision-making.
This summary does not seek to be normative or prescriptive. Instead, it brings together salient scientific and political facts and illustrates important issues that would need to be addressed going forward. In other words, it provides a frame of analysis against which other, more normative or prescriptive reports can be read. This will hopefully help forge a better understanding and help overcoming the current gridlock on most divisive issues.
This summary also illustrates how identifying commonalities and differences and working on ways to address them may not only be a necessary condition for progress in some cases, but also a promising way for concerted action.
This summary presents selected findings from the SD21 study reports.
Food and agriculture: the challenge of sustainability
Assessment of implementation of Agenda 21
Assessment of implementation of the Rio Principles
Challenges and ways forward in the urban sector
Building a sustainable and desirable Economy-in- Society-in-Nature
Perspectives on sustainable energy systems for the 21st century
Lessons learned from sustainable development scenarios
Sustainable land management for the 21st century
All the reports are accessible at http://www.un.org/ esa/dsd/dsd_sd21st/21_reports.shtm
~A.
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