Fri, Jun 22, 2012 -
UNEP and EU's Committee of the Regions (CoR)
sign agreement at Rio+20 summit confirming
partnership on sustainable development
Institutions commit to promoting the role
of local and regional authorities in decision-making
in environmental protection
UNEP and CoR call cities and regions throughout
the world to join forces
Mercedes Bresso, President of Committee
of the Regions, European Union, and Amina
Mohamed, UNEP Deputy Executive Director,
sign the Memorandum of Understanding.
Rio de Janeiro, 21 June
2012 - The United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) and the European Union's Committee
of the Regions (CoR) signed today a Memorandum
of Understanding, signalling a new phase
of cooperation between the two institutions.
The agreement sets out a framework for strong
cooperation with the shared goal of achieving
a sustainable future. Both institutions
agreed to prioritise five areas namely:
multilevel environmental governance; green
economy and resource efficiency; climate
change mitigation and adaptation; biodiversity
and ecosystems management; and decentralised
cooperation for development. It reinforces
both institutions belief that there is a
need to strengthen the role of local and
regional authorities within the policy-decision
making process if this objective is to be
achieved.
The agreement was signed
during the United Nations Conference on
Sustainable Development in Rio (Rio+20)
at an event held jointly by the CoR and
the European Commission in cooperation with
UNEP. The MoU emphasises the importance
of placing sustainable cities at the heart
of the global strategy on sustainable development.
With cities responsible for consuming some
75% of the Earth's natural resources, the
purchasing and policy decisions at a local
level can assist the drive towards a green
economy and make a key contribution to achieving
the objectives of Rio+20.
Further Resources
Committee of the RegionsUN Conference on
Sustainable Development (Rio+20)Press Release
in PortugueseUNEP's Deputy Executive Director,
Ms Amina Mohamed, who signed the agreement
on behalf of UNEP, referred to the flagship
report "Green Economy: Pathways to
Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication"
which stresses the important role of cities
and regional authorities. She said, "If
a global transition to an inclusive green
economy is to be truly realised then all
cities and regions need to be part of this
paradigm shift. A key challenge, but also
an opportunity for Europe and for the world,
is catalysing energy efficiency in buildings
for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving
energy security, generating million of new
jobs as well as 'greening' existing employment
for many of the estimated 111 million people
working in the construction sector."
In the presence of the
EU Commissioner for Environment, Janez Potocnik,
President Bresso reinforced this perspective
stating that, "As representatives of
the European Union's cities and regions,
we seek ambitious targets and an effective
roadmap to a 'green economy' that must be
agreed worldwide. It is time to call for
a stronger institutional set-up in the global
governance of the natural resources of our
planet. And it is time to invest in cities
and regions as government actors capable
of driving growth, social inclusion and
environmental protection." She emphasised
that this would also contribute to the strategy
in dealing with the economic crisis.
Bresso also took the
opportunity to call upon cities and regions
throughout the world to join together and
develop a global network to share best practise
in urban sustainable development. Referring
to two initiatives launched by the European
Union - European Green Capitals and the
Covenant of Mayors - she said, "Today
we offer to make this partnership even broader
and stronger. We call to work together to
set a global playing field between the European
schemes and the similar ones available in
other parts of the world. This would allow
to benchmark and guide urban best practices
across continents, while respecting differences."
Notes to Editor:
About the United Nations
Environment Programme
UNEP, established in
1972, is the voice for the environment within
the United Nations system. UNEP acts as
a catalyst, advocate, educator and facilitator
to promote the wise use and sustainable
development of the global environment. To
accomplish this, UNEP works with a wide
range of partners, including United Nations
entities, international organizations, national
governments, non-governmental organizations,
the private sector and civil society.
More information on
the UNEP: http://www.unep.org
About the Committee
of the Regions
The Committee of the
Regions is the EU's assembly of regional
and local representatives. The mission of
its 344 members from all 27 EU Member States
is to involve regional and local authorities
and the communities they represent in the
EU's decision-making process and to inform
them about EU policies. The European Commission,
the European Parliament and the Council
are obliged to consult the Committee in
policy areas affecting regions and cities.
It can appeal to the EU Court of Justice
if its rights are infringed or it believes
that an EU law violates the subsidiarity
principle or fails to respect regional or
local power.
