GFDD/Funglode Showcases its ReCrearte Program at the UN as a Model for Sustainability and the Empowerment of Local Communities

GFDD & Funglode partnered with the NGO Committees on Financing for Development and Social Development to hold a panel discussion entitled Do we have the Courage to Put People and Planet First? The Challenges of Financing for Development during the Intergovernmental Negotiations on the Post-20I5 Development Agenda on Friday May 22. The lunchtime event, which was moderated by Barbara Adams, Senior Policy Advisor of the Global Policy Forum opened the
event before a packed auditorium comprised of civil society representatives, UN Member State delegates and UN agency representatives. Invited speakers included H.E. Ambassador David Donoghue, Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations, Jamil Ahmad, Deputy Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) New York Office, Miguel Aldaz, Lead Specialist for the Offi­ce of Partnerships at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Marc
Jourdan, GFDD’s UN Representative & Environmental Programs Coordinator. Barbara Adams welcomed the attendees before reminding them of the purpose of the event which was a call to action for people “to respect the planet and not use all of its resources”.

Ambassador David Donoghue, Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations, made the first intervention confirming that “we do have the
courage to put people and planet first”. Referring to the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) currently being negotiated at the UN, he stressed that “this is the first occasion where we are giving concrete expressions to sustainable development”. The ambassador mentioned that the zero draft of the SDGs would be ready for dissemination to the public on July 31 and would contain a four page declaration, the goals and targets, means of implementation
and follow up and review process for the new development agenda. Commenting on the language of the document, he pointed out that it should be clear enough to be understood by people on the street but also used by politicians. Referring to the upcoming Financing for Development conference in Addis Ababa this July, Ambassador Donoghue commented that the two processes were working together, and that several of the July SDG negotiation sessions would follow up on and implement the outcomes of
the financing meetings in Ethiopia.

Next,
Jamil Ahmad of UNEP reflected on the work that the agency is doing to motivate investment by governments and other relevant stakeholders, so as to finance the environmental pillar of the post 2015 development agenda. He emphasized that we have “already trespassed over the ecological tipping point of our planet” and called for the need to “spend less resources with more efficiency”.  Pointing to several of UNEP’s initiatives including
Partnership for Action on Green Economy, the 10 Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production (for which UNEP acts as Secretariat) and the Poverty – Environment Initiative, Jamil Ahmad  stated the need to change our lives around and noted the
importance of “investing strategically for the future, producing more efficiently, consuming more sustainably, and distributing more equitably”.

Miguel Aldaz of the IDB discussed his organization’s various partnership projects for development, providing examples of initiatives within the Latin American and Caribbean region that promote the environmental pillar of sustainable development through local development projects and highlight the
need to go beyond traditional sources of finance to meet the financing requirements of the 21st century. Referring to the role that the IDB office of partnerships plays in the financing for development world he explained that “development challenges in Latin America were so complex that they needed more than one actor”. Miguel Aldaz stressed that what the IDB looks for in stakeholders is innovation. He explained that the organization works in bilateral ways, using the
example of a recycling project in Colombia which managed to bring Coca Cola and Pepsi together for the first time.

Finally, GFDD’s UN Representative, Marc Jourdan, highlighted the evolution of ReCrearte, the foundation’s recycled art program. He showcased how the initiative has promoted the sustainable development of local communities across the Dominican
Republic through the involvement of vulnerable groups such as children living in poverty, senior citizens and prison communities, to successfully reach out to over 2,000 people. “The program aims to raise awareness of the three principles of solid waste management: reduce, reuse, and recycle” he stated. Concluding with some comments on the role of civil society within the Post 2015-Development Agenda, he emphasized the “need to pressure governments into action
at the regional, national and international level and by showcasing best practices of environmental sustainability projects (such as ReCrearte) that put people and the planet at the center of the discussion”.

Following the speaker interventions, the moderator Barbara Adams opened up the discussion for questions from the audience. The session was particularly animated covering a wide range of issues including the evolution of the green economy, the aversion of
financial markets to address sustainability and the relationship between governments and corporation.

About the event:
The world we live in has enough financial resources. The key challenge is a shortage of sustainable capital willing to invest in people and planet. According to Roberto Bissio, executive director of Social Watch, the combined sales of the top 200 corporations exceed the combined economies of 182 countries bar the 9
biggest.  This shows us where the global wealth is concentrated.

The World Meteorological Organization has indicated that 2014 was the hottest year to date globally. The more we ignore planetary boundaries, the warmer it gets and the more people are pushed into poverty. We can no longer make wrong choices for people and planet. This side event urges the Addis Ababa conference on Financing for development to set the world in the right direction, asking the question:
“Do we have the courage to put people and planet first in order to achieve the overarching goals of poverty eradication and sustainable development?”

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said “Ours is the first generation that can end poverty and the last that can take steps to avoid the worst impacts of climate change”. Come join us to discuss these issues as responsible global citizens who care about our fellow human beings and our
mother earth.

About the NGO Committee on Financing for Development:
The NGO Committee on Financing for Development at the United Nations advocates for a worldwide economy that is environmentally and socially sustainable, ethical, and people-centered. Guided by the 2002 Monterrey Consensus, it urges policymakers to support development strategies that end global poverty and advance human rights. The committee seeks international financial
systems that are fair and truly representative of all people. It is motivated by the moral imperatives underlying the United Nations Charter and the missions of the organizations we represent.

About the NGO Committee for Social Development:
The NGO Committee for Social Development is dedicated to raising awareness and holding discussions on social development issues taken up by the United Nations (UN) System and in particular by the UN
Commission for Social Development. The Committee also advocates on social development issues in other forums such as the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, the Commission on the Status of Women, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and the General Assembly. Committee members keep one another informed and deliver group statements to the UN voicing ideas and positions on key social development issues. In addition, the Committee is focused on reviewing the outcome of
the World Summit on Social Development.

Related links:
http://www.r3crearte.org/
http://www.ngosonffd.org/
http://www.ngosocdev.net/
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015