Contraction and Convergence News

Report to the United Nations for the 2012 Rio+20 Conference

as part of the Sustainable Development in the 21st Century project

implemented by the Division for Sustainable Development of the

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs

Draft March 4, 2012

Building a Sustainable and Desirable

Implications of systematic caps on natural resources

A lasting prosperity requires a much closer attention to the ecological limits of economic activity. Identifying and imposing strict resource and emission caps is vital for a sustainable economy. The contraction and convergence model developed for climate-related emissions should be applied more generally.

Declining caps on throughput should be established for all non-renewable resources. Sustainable yields should be identified for renewable resources. Limits should be established for per capita emissions and wastes. Effective mechanisms for imposing caps on these material flows should be set in place. Once established, these limits need to be built into the macro-economic frameworks.

Robert Costanza, Carol Franco, Ida Kubiszewski
Institute for Sustainable Solutions, Portland State University

Gar Alperovitz
The Democracy Collaborative & Department of Government & Politics,
University of Maryland

Herman Daly
School of Public Affairs, University of Maryland

Joshua Farley
Department of Community Development & Applied Economics,
& Gund Institute for Ecological Economics, University of Vermont

Tim Jackson
Sustainable Lifestyles Research Group,
University of Surrey, UK

Juliet Schor
Department of Sociology, Boston College

Peter Victor
Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, Canada

Ronald Colman
Genuine Progress Index Atlantic, Nova Scotia, Canada

One Earth submission UN CSD - Questionnaire to Major Groups
Attachment D - Green Economy Vanessa Timmer to: UNCSD2012

The green economy must contribute to the goals of sustainability. The overarching goal of the green economy should be defined in the context of a fair and socially just economic system that meets the needs of all people within the ecological carrying capacity of the planet.

The green economy needs to be a new economy, with new models, mindsets and metrics based on a systems approach. Issues such as poverty, climate change, soil erosion, and the loss of biodiversity are emergent properties of unsustainable consumption and production patterns. In order to address the root causes of these symptoms, a holistic—or systems—approach to problem solving is necessary.

The green economy must be an economy that moves away from the destructive economic expansion paradigm (at least in rich countries where per capita eco-footprints are above sustainable levels) to one that recognizes ecological limits and that enables people to meet their basic needs, along a global framework of ‘contraction and convergence’.

We must transform the nature of our impact on the world’s ecological systems. This will mean using innovation to shift from linear patterns - that consume resources and produce wastes – to cyclical patterns where our actions contribute to ecological and social resilience. This will involve reshaping our identity and recognizing humanity’s potential to support our planet and ensure that it thrives.

III. Green Economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication.
Framing the context of the green economy, challenges and opportunities

25. Implementing Green economy has to be seen as one of the means for achieving sustainable development, which must remain our overarching goal. It should be based on the Rio principles, in particular the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and precautionary principle and should be people-centred, human rights based and inclusive, providing opportunities and benefits for all citizens and all countries.

26. We view the green economy as a means to achieve sustainable development, which must remain our overarching goal. We acknowledge that a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication should be within the limits of the carrying capacity of the planet and human capital. It should increase resource efficiency and sufficiency, phase out the unsustainable consumption and production patterns, and move the world toward low-carbon economies.

27. Achieving world-wide Green Economies, and with that resource justice, means also a scheme of
contraction and convergence for over- and under-consumers of natural resources and waste disposal.

No More Meaningless Goals! Negative Lessons from MDGs:

Absolutes, NOT Percentages

More Ambitious and Bold

For both North and South

Define Metrics

Contraction and Convergence

Sustainable Development Goals for Rio+20
Ashok Khosla, Development Alternatives, IUCN, IRP & Club of Rome

Carrying Capacity and Ecological Limits - Living within the carrying capacity of the Earth, recognition of the achievement of basic needs and livelihoods within ecological limits, and a move away from economic expansion, especially in developed nations, under a framework of contraction and convergence guaranteeing geopolitical stability. This policy recommendation was put forward in relation to the Green Economy in the context of Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication for the Earth Summit 2012 by One Earth, Stakeholder Forum and EPF.
Green Economy
In the Context of Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication

21 January 2012 - 148 Days Left to make submissions . . . .

Sustainable and equitable economies must be based on ethical values and global responsibility

Values for respect for nature, spirituality, culture, harmony, solidarity, community, caring and sharing

Value of the global common goods

Sharing worldwide whilst aiming for individual and societal wellbeing within the context of ‘buen vivir16’ (good living)

Sharing means a more equitable distribution: eradicating poverty and changing and reducing excessive consumption patterns, in two direction, contraction and convergence policies. The need for eliminating not only not only extreme poverty, but also extreme wealth, in order to remain within the caring capacity of the planet

Due value to and responsibility for common goods as an ongoing ethical, social and legal challenge for the local, national and international communities in charge of guarding these commons

Women’s Global Rio+20 Compilation Position Statement
UN Conference on Sustainable Development

ANPED is active in the degrowth movement, and asks for contraction and convergence referring the use of natural resources and emissions of waste (incl CO2). Industrialised countries have to contract their economies, to give "space" to developing countries. Just for social and environmental equity reasons. Please add your thoughts on this and good ideas on how to achieve this!

Quotas or not? Resource capped economies?
Posted by SDIN group Rio+20 on April 22, 2011 at 5:06pm

View Discussions
A member Jan Juffermans stated: "Its time for fair sharing nature's interest by using quota's. See Living Planet Report 2010. Fair Footprints is a matter of Human Rights".

This is one of the main discussions in the NGO society. Do we, and if yes, how promote a fair share quota for national/regional economies? ANPED is active in the de-growth movement, and asks for contraction and convergence referring the use of natural resources and emissions of waste (including CO2). Industrialised countries have to contract their economies, to give "space" to developing countries. Just for social and environmental equity reasons.

Please add your thoughts on this and good ideas on how to achieve this!

Sue Riddlestone said:

Hi Leida and Jan,
This is exactly what we mean by one planet living. Living happy, healthy lives within our fair share of the world's resources and leaving space for wildlife and wilderness. The projects we have been working on for twenty years - and I am sure those of others - show how it is possible for a developed country person to live within a fair share and have a BETTER quality of life. And it can be done cost effectively. And so everyone all around the world could have one planet living. If everyone lived like the average European it would be three planet living, like the average American five planet living, like the average Bangladeshi, third of a planet living. So we need a form of contraction and convergence but it has to be something to look forward to and that is what we have been working so hard to show.

One planet living is our positive and aspirational campaign for Rio+20, we are going to call for every country to pledge to have a plan to enable their citizens to achieve one planet living and convening a dialogue to develop solutions to overcome policy barriers to one planet living. Let us know if you back this!

▶ Reply
Permalink Reply by John Bunzl on April 27, 2011 at 3:35pm
Yes, this is a worthwhile objective. But it can, firstly, only be achieved by international agreement and, secondly, such agreement is unlikely to emerge from governments by themselves since they only see their own narrow national interests.
So it requires, I believe, a process by which global citizens can both agree such policies and use their votes in a way that drives their respective governments to support them. One such process could be the Simultaneous Policy (Simpol) http://www.simpol.org But there may be others.

▶ Reply
Permalink Reply by Peter Adriance on April 27, 2011 at 10:26pm
Hi Sue - One Planet Living seems an inspired approach to me. It embodies both the practical and moral imperatives of living on one's fair share of the planet's resources. At the core of it is the recognition that we are all living on a single planet and have both rights and responsibilities as citizens of that planet. I find the One Planet Living approach appealing because it covers so many practical aspects while stressing the positive benefits of Contraction and Convergence as an alternative to the many unsustainable practices in place today. Thanks for all your good work to make it a reality! - Peter

Rio Plus 20 SDIN

The green economy must contribute to the goals of sustainability. The overarching goal of the green economy should be defined in the context of a fair and socially just economic system that meets the needs of all people within the ecological carrying capacity of the planet. The green economy needs to be a new economy, with new models, mindsets and metrics based on a systems approach. Issues such as poverty, climate change, soil erosion, and the loss of biodiversity are emergent properties of unsustainable consumption and production patterns. In order to address the root causes of these symptoms, a holistic—or systems—approach to problem solving is necessary. The green economy must be an economy that moves away from the destructive economic expansion paradigm (at least in rich countries where per capita eco-footprints are above sustainable levels) to one that recognizes ecological limits and that enables people to meet their basic needs, along a global framework of ‘contraction and convergence’. We must transform the nature of our impact on the world’s ecological systems. This will mean using innovation to shift from linear patterns - that consume resources and produce wastes – to cyclical patterns where our actions contribute to ecological and social resilience. This will involve reshaping our identity and recognizing humanity’s potential to support our planet and ensure that it thrives.
One Earth - Rio+20

Carrying Capacity and Ecological Limits - Living within the carrying capacity of the Earth, recognition of the achievement of basic needs and livelihoods framework of contraction and convergence guaranteeing geopolitical stability.
Earth Partners Foundation and Stakeholder Forum - Rio+20

A green economy calls us to: -
Make sustainability a political priority

Think in terms of systems, and act on the high leverage points (structures and mindsets);
Develop a bold, new economic vision that plans for the long term and provides for future generations ;
Live within safe ecological margins, and redefine our relationship to the natural world and to each other;
Address unjust disparities of wealth and income;
Prioritize meeting the needs of the world’s poor (in both high- and low-income countries) while simultaneously reducing the unsustainable Ecological Footprint of the world’s rich along a global framework of ‘contraction and convergence’
Redefine prosperity in more than simply economic and consumptive terms, and adopt new measures of progress and wellbeing;
Recognize that a country cannot “go at it alone”, and that reciprocity and cooperation is a key pillar of global wellbeing.

Candadian Earth Summit Coalition - Input to Rio+20

1. Roadmaps with Action Plans at a global, national and civil society level. We support existing proposals for flexible and simple Roadmaps, Action Plans and Sustainable Development Goals as a main operational outcome of Rio+20. It is proposed that Action Plans or Roadmaps include:

A Vision ‐ in line with the Objective of the Conference ‐ to enable citizens to achieve one planet living and a green economy and live happy, healthy lives within the natural limits of the planet, wherever we live in the world, and leave sufficient space for wildlife and wilderness.
Principles drawn from existing international agreements, see Principles for a Green Economy
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Indicators. Based on Sustainable Consumption and Production, what citizens need and contraction and convergence of resource use to one planet living. SDGs could include: sustainable energy; sustainable transport; zero waste to landfill through circular economies; sustainable materials; food security – sustainable and humane agriculture and fisheries; sustainable water; biodiversity and land use; culture & community; Green Economy – equity, fair trade and the local economy; and health & happiness.
Process to develop them in partnership with civil society.
e) Education and training based on Vision & SDGs. One Planet training will be launched at Rio+20.
Support of “Intergovernmental Panel(s) on Resources” to provide scientific evidence of resource availability, resource consumption and safe planetary boundaries and a “Solutions Bank” of peer reviewed solutions for sustainability.

One Planet Living ‐ a Proposal for Rio+20 UNCSD 2012
submitted by BioRegional and Partners

So, what does a focus on a green economy mean in real terms? It means quantifying the value that our ecosystems bring our economies so that we see how important they are as a national asset to the economy and to people. It means that we start scrutinising our budgetary allocations with that in mind so that we can start investing in and restoring in those ecosystems. It means recognising that the shift from a brown economy to a green economy is going to require that we prepare our societies and our workforces with the necessary skills and social protection floors as we make that transition. It means recognising the notion of contraction and convergence in terms of those countries with a high ecological footprint and those with a small ecological footprint -- and thus sharing the costs and the benefits derived from our environment more equitably.
Business on the Road to Rio Plus 20

With Vegan Agriculture Network's publication of this article and the Living Centre's incredible menu of upcoming veganic permaculture design courses, 2011 is shaping up to be an informal and year of veganic permaculture as a synergistic complement to the International Year of Forests. This also means that 2012 will be a wonderful follow-up year to launch the first International Veganic Permaculture Convergence (understanding "convergence" in this title to also represent the idea of contraction and convergence), in synchronicity and solidarity with the 2012 Rio+20 Earth Summit and the COP-18 Climate Summit.
Permavegan Rio Plus 20

Consumption: How many planets would I need?
There are many ways of looking at our ecological or carbon footprint. If you are looking at carbon footprints you could start by thinking about C02 Contraction and Convergence – C&C calculates that given we have a global population of seven billion. If you divide that up each person can emit up to two tonnes of CO2 a year. At that rate our planet could sustain it. But the problem is that our population is rising and so then that fi gure would have to be reduced still further.
Road to Rio + 20