THE JAKARTA 12: ASIA-EUROPE AGENDAS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT There is a myriad of sustainable development concerns in Asia and Europe that deserve attention of policy-makers, programme implementers, academics, researchers, nongovernment activists, multilateral institutions, development aid agencies, media and other stakeholders in our common future. The conference “1/3 of Our Planet: What Can Asia and Europe Do for Sustainable Development?” provides twelve key messages on what the two regions can jointly accomplish in the following fields: community-based natural resource managements, national sustainable development strategies, cross-border environmental protection, education for sustainable development, sustainable finance, climate change and the Clean Development Mechanisms (CDMs) of the Kyoto Protocol, access to environmental information, sustainable urban transport, hazardous chemicals, biodiversity conservation, energy security and tropical forest management. This section provides the main ideas arising from each of the twelve workshops organised in the conference by leading institutions from Asia and Europe. It provides an overview of the discussions in the conference, indicating the width and breadth of the dialogue between the two regions on sustainable development.1 Therefore, “The Jakarta 12: Asia-Europe Agendas for Sustainable Development” are as follows: “Community-Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM): challenges and opportunities” The management of ecosystems by the state, local governments and/or private enterprises, is often carried out by neglecting the basic rights of indigenous people and local communities living in those areas. By not recognising the rights and practices of indigenous peoples often results in the ecosystems becoming even more threatened. History and research demonstrate that indigenous people and local communities are capable of managing natural resources in sustainable ways. For this reason, mainstreaming CBNRM in policy making and multilateral agreements is essential for the sustainability of natural resources and the improvement of community livelihoods. Action needed includes a campaign to gain recognition of cultural and social values and political support, development of the market and economic incentives, and organisational and management skills. The support the government gives to CBNRM can be an indicator of governance. Workshop Hosts: KEHATI-the Indonesia Biodiversity Foundation Global Environment Facility- Small Grants Programme “Implementing the National Strategies for Sustainable Development: how well have Asia and Europe met this Millennium Development Goal?” European countries have integrated Sustainable Development (SD) principles in their development policies earlier and have practical lessons for Asia. Asian countries, given its development challenges and diversity are sources of new innovations for Europe. SD is more a process than simply meeting targets. Continuing education and dialogue side by side with practical partnerships should continue. Workshop Host:
Further details on the individual workshop discussions, main recommendations and workshop agenda can be found in the next chapter.
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Earth Council Asia-Pacific in collaboration with Asia-Pacific Forum for Environment and Development Institute for Global Environmental Strategies “Cross-border Environmental Protection in Central Europe and Northeast Asia” Cross-border environmental co-operation needs sophisticated concepts taking into consideration different general conditions and must be aware of predetermined approaches due to different characters of borders (e. land or marine demarcations) as well as of related specific environmental problems. Workshop Host: Hanns Seidel Foundation-Korea “A Partnership Approach to Education for Sustainable Development” It is necessary to: (1) identify Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) linkages in all international agreements and communicate results to ministers of education; (2) strengthen and ensure widest participation in ESD institutional mechanisms at all levels; (3) ensure that all conferences on sustainable development (SD) should have ESD components; and, (4)co-operate and share models of good practices and guidelines on the development of scenario building and forecasting. Workshop Hosts: United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation-Bangkok Hanns Seidel Foundation-Indonesia United Nations University-Institute of Advanced Studies United Nations Environment Programme Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO “The Business Case for Sustainable Finance and Financing Environmental Conservation: Public Or Private? ” The triple bottom line (economic prosperity, environmental sustainability & social equity) is a genuine source of additional business opportunity for banks. Most banks however limit their sustainability engagement to risk management dimensions. On the question of using private or public financing environmental conservation: (1) community based solutions is the core ingredient of efficient schemes to reward farmers for environmental services; and, (2) many conservation projects fail to quantify real environmental benefits. Workshop Hosts: Regional Institute of Environmental Technology International Finance Corporation Rewarding Upland Poor for Environmental Services “Planet, People and Profit: fostering sustainable development and addressing climate change through Clean Development Mechanisms” To ensure that CDMs plays a relevant role in global greenhouse gas reduction, clarity about the post-2012 climate policy regime should be achieved as soon as possible. Voluntary buying of post-2012 Certificate of Emissions Reductions (CERs) would be an important sign. Moreover, price transparency and a larger role of NGOs to achieve CDM projects with sustainability benefits should be promoted by governments. Countries
should ensure transparent and quick CDM project approval processes by their Designated National Authorities (DNAs). Workshop Hosts: Hamburg Institute of International Economics Pelangi Indonesia “Access to Environmental Information in Asia” Access to information should be promoted as a universal right and a strategic policy instrument for promoting environmentally sustainable economic growth and sound consumer choices. As the Rio Declaration recognised in 1992, “access to information” is an essential principle to promote sustainable development. The Aarhus Convention proved useful in promoting access to information in European countries along with the Kiev Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs). Systems for access to information should be designed to support a broad range of specific uses and users. Access to information can be considered as a universal right as well as an instrumental device to achieve other objectives including environmentally sustainable economic growth. Costs associated with information disclosure should be also looked at such as time, staff and other resources. Critical policy relevant information is difficult to obtain. Education of the general public, as well as use of the media for broadly publicising these issues, is essential. Workshop Host: Asia–Pacific Forum for Environment and Development “Sustainable Urban Transport in Asia: learning from Europe?” There is no “silver bullet” (a single solution) for creating sustainable transport networks and Europe does not have “solutions”. Asian cities are growing at a faster rate than in Europe but they have demonstrated that they can put in strong systems possibly quicker than Europe. Transport development cannot occur in a vacuum and transport and urban planning (land use) must go hand in hand. Asian cities find this a challenge. Behaviour change in mobility but need strong incentives but there is a strong interest in all aspects of transport by both decision makers and the public participation is a crucial part of the decision making process. Stimulating competition between cities and politicians creates champions. Workshop Hosts: ADB-Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities Partnership for Sustainable Urban Transport in Asia Program International Union of Public Transport “Hazardous Chemicals: can their spread in the biosphere be controlled? The key message is that addressing problems associated with acute toxic pesticides is the most pressing need. Despite campaigns by non-government organisations (NGOs), researchers, and others, the overuse and misuse of pesticides is still high and affects public health. A broad approach including industry, trade, agriculture, environment and health authorities will be required. Co-operation between developing and industrialised countries is necessary in order to correct the problems now experienced.
Workshop Hosts: Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency/ Swedish Environmental Secretariat in Asia Pesticides Action Network Asia-Pacific Swedish Chemical Inspectorate ”Integrating Biodiversity Conservation into Livelihoods and Landscapes: the application of the ecosystem approach in Europe And Asia” The ecosystem approach is vital for biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihoods. It is recognised by governments and international conventions, but implementation of the approach presents major challenges. Operationalising the ecosystem approach across Europe and Asia requires synthesising experiences of implementation to guide integration into legislation and policy at appropriate levels and across sectors. Workshop Hosts: Birdlife Indonesia The World Conservation Union Commission on Ecosystem Management ASEAN secretariat
“Energy Choices and Risks for the 21st Century” The acceptance and operational establishment of Renewable Energies (RE) is a necessity. Fossil fuels need to be phased out as unsustainable. Energy efficiency is also cost-effective method of reducing dependence on fossil fuels and needs to address both production and consumption The Asia-Europe region should be the catalyst for the international community for achieving these objectives. Workshop Host: European Renewable Energies Federation “The Roles of Improved Tropical Forest Management in Climate Change Mitigation and Sustainable Development” The lack of laws and enforcement of existing laws in Asian countries, and the lack of incentives prevent the widespread application of sound forest management system ie reduced-impact logging. It is recommended to establish clear and locally adaptable guidelines for best harvesting techniques supported by independent research, including permanent sampling plots, and training programmes. This should be integrated with programmes for alternative forest uses and income opportunities targeted at local communities in and around forestlands. The inclusion of avoided deforestation and forest management for non-Annex I countries into future mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol should be of high priority. The scope for certification schemes to support sustainable forest management is thought to be limited. Workshop Hosts: University of Hyogo QUEST, University of Bristol Institut Teknologi Bandung