SPAC Working Group
report on CSD-12
By Veena Ramani, ISF
April 19-30, New York. Though sustainable
production and consumption (SPAC) was not one of the thematic areas
under discussion at the 12 session of the Commission on Sustainable
Development (CSD-12), discussions relating to SPAC were very much
in evidence in meetings and events held throughout CSD-12. 
Water and Food—Sustainable production and consumption patterns
The world is currently running out of water to increase food production
to match population growth. This scarcity is being fueled by demand
for water intensive food items and unsustainable production patterns.
These are some of the trends noted in "Water:
More nutrition per drop", a report produced by the Stockholm
International Water Institute and the International Water Management
Institute, and released at a side event at CSD 12. The report focuses
on providing practical sustainable "win-win-win" solutions
by presuming synergies between production and consumption, between
food and environment and between consumer preferences and production
potential.
The Marrakech Process on sustainable consumption and production
The government of Sweden organized a side event on sustainable production
and consumption in order to highlight the importance of the issue
through the thematic cycle, which is currently being pursued by the
CSD. Titled "The Marrakech Process: Towards a ten-year framework
of programmes on sustainable consumption and production", the
event featured 14 presentations detailing the "Marrakech process".
Marrakech + 2 planned
The government of Costa Rica announced that the 2nd International
Expert Meeting will be organized in Costa Rica in September 2005.
Regional consultations
Regional representatives reported on the "expert meetings"
conducted on Latin America and the Caribbean and Asia and the Pacific.
The Latin America and Caribbean region will be creating a Regional
Council focusing on sustainable production and consumption. As the
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) had
been called upon to create a specific regional strategy on SPAC, the
participants expressed the hope that they could act as the regional
focal point for the "Marrakech Process" in the region.
It was also announced that regional meetings on SPAC were being organized
in Africa and Europe during 2004. The first regional meeting in Africa
will be held in Casablanca in May 2004. A follow up meeting will be
held in Tanzania in December 2004. It is planned that the meeting
reports will be presented during the 2004 session of the African Ministerial
Conference on the Environment (AMCEN).
The regional European meeting on SPAC will be held in Belgium between
November 25 & 26 2004. In preparation for this meeting, the EC
has already prepared an inventory of policies and tools on sustainable
consumption and production at a regional level, and is conducting
stakeholder consultations on the same. This inventory will be a key
input into the regional meeting.
UNEP and DESA also mentioned holding talks with the Economic and
Social Commission of Western Asia to consider the possibility of holding
a regional meeting in the region. However, in the discussion of regional
consultation, any mention of North America was conspicuous by its
absence.
Not an intergovernmental process
DESA reiterated that the Marrakech process and would not result in
any binding agreements. Implementation of the international and regional
strategies would be the responsibility of the national governments
involved.
Stakeholders
The side event also included presentations highlighting the key roles
played by the business sector and consumers in achieving sustainable
production and consumption patterns.
Website and database
DESA & UNEP unveiled two internet related tools to facilitate
the 10 year framework process, a webpage
dedicated to the Marrakech process, and a database
on sustainable consumption and production initiatives.
SPAC Caucus meetings
The sustainable production and consumption caucus met five times
during CSD 12. The caucus considered the importance of SPAC as a cross-cutting
issue that could be used to consider the interlinkages between various
sectors like water, sanitation, human settlements, energy, and agriculture.
It was felt that this could be the subject of a useful statement/paper
by the Caucus. The caucus also discussed the "Marrakech process"
in some detail, especially focusing on the side event on the topic
organized by the government of Sweden. The lack of civil society participation
and involvement in this process was a common concern that was raised
repeatedly. Finally, the Caucus also discussed military production
and consumption—an issue that received particular attention
this year at CSD.
Military production and consumption at CSD 12
The issue of military production and consumption received renewed
emphasis at this year's CSD. The opening statement made by the NGO
major group to the CSD stated, "The global political reality
of wars, armed conflict, and militarization of the world destroys
human settlements and diverts resources and political will from implementing
sustainable development." This statement was received favorably
by the Costa Rican delegation. Dr. Bernardo Monge of the delegation
visited the morning meetings of the Sustainable Development Issues
Network and discussed with NGOs present, his country's experiences
in not having an army and diverting funds thereof to sustainable development
projects.
Worldwatch reception
On April 29th, Worldwatch Institute hosted a reception at the UN
to honor UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Børge Brende,
Minister of the Environment of Norway and Chairman of the CSD 12.
Both Annan and Brende made speeches on consumption, along with the
Environment Ministers of Norway, Brazil, and South Korea, and the
Director of UNEP.