Leadership Dialogue 2

 

Leadership Dialogue 2: Achieving a sustainable and inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic

 

Friday 3 June 10:00 - 13:00 CEST

Languages: AR, ZH, EN, FR, RU, ES

Co-Chairs: Indonesia and Germany

Moderator: Nozipho Tshabalala

Leadership Dialogue 2 background paper PDF >

Speaker list here >

Panelist bios here >

See below a summary of Leadership Dialogue 2 

Key messages for action

1. Strengthen the global value chain to ensure a resilient global economy; this includes creating access to and enhancing capacities of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries, SIDS, and LDCs.

2. Use sustainable consumption and production and circular economy in accelerating the transformation of global value chains. Recommendation to establish a global dialogue on Sustainable Consumption and Production, that could lead to a global Roadmap on Circular economy for all stakeholders.

3. Support businesses at the forefront in driving the shift to circularity. This could be supported by a global circularity protocol to set clear targets and track progress through a transparency mechanism.

4. Recognize the influence of consumers in transforming global value chains; they should have access to relevant information in order to make sustainable consumer choices.

5. Importance of the food sector for sustainability and also as part of the solutions for overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic; this will require shifting harmful subsidies, increasing investment in sustainable practices and empowering small holder farmers.

6. Building back better must include green and energy transitions. We need real climate actions, that ‘walk the talk’, not only mere commitments.

7. Vital role of women and girls as well as the involvement of youth and the vulnerable in advancing sustainable development; this will require access to education, capacity building, and regulatory framework; the knowledge of indigenous people and local communities should be better taken into account.

8. As the digital economy and solutions for sustainable development including e-commerce platforms have grown in importance, we need an inclusive platform to address the digital divide and illiteracy everywhere, whilst managing the potential negative impacts of digitalization amongst others on energy consumption.

Download Key Messages PDF >

Panelist summary

Dominic Waughray

Dominic Waughray, Senior Advisor to the CEO, World Business Council for Sustainable Development | Bio

QuestionUrgent system-wide transformations of high impact sectors are required to accelerate the shift to more sustainable consumption and production. Business has been preparing an action agenda for Stockholm that seeks to be transformational. What are the key messages coming out of that agenda?

Response - main message: Three priority areas of action for the private sector include developing an accountability and transparency mechanism to monitor progress from business on science-based targets; developing a global circularity protocol to harmonize concepts, standards, and metrics on circular economy; and developing skills to stimulate the growth of innovative jobs.

Reem Al-Saffar

Reem Al-Saffar, Co-founder and Executive Director of MENA Youth Network | Bio

QuestionStrengthened cooperation on access to green technologies, including digital technologies, is fundamental to accelerate green recovery processes. What are your key messages for decision makers of this generation in the context of covid recovery and a sustainable future?

Response - main message: Countries need to invest in youth, their greatest asset. Accountability is key to move from commitment to action. Ensuring access to green technologies is critical for climate action; along with circular economy systems; capacity building; and greater digital connectivity, particularly in rural areas.

Gonzalo Muñoz

Gonzalo Muñoz, Chairman of the board of TriClos | Bio

Question: What are the three top actions for transforming high impact sectors that small and medium-sized enterprises can play?

Response - main message: SMEs from developed and developing countries must put purpose and nature at the centre of their value chains and business plans. Tools like the SME Climate Hub can help them get there.

Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko

Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Development, African Union Commission | Bio

Question: The sectors that you lead for the Africa Union are key to an inclusive and sustainable Covid recovery. How do you see the alignment of this recovery with longer term sustainability of agriculture, rural development and the blue economy, especially in the context of Africa?

Response - main message: This is the moment for Africa to fulfil its true potential. A key priority will be to invest in the transformation of the agricultural sector ensuring its sustainability, but also its contribution to poverty eradication, food security and nutrition. Regional instruments like the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program and partnerships like the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition are supporting this transformation.

David Boyd

David Boyd, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment | Bio

Question: How can the human right to a clean environment play a role in supporting transformations of economic sectors with large climate, nature or pollution footprints?

Response - main message: Harnessing the full power of the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment can catalyse the economic transformations we need to tackle the current environmental crises.

Carlos Manuel Rodriguez (Costa Rica)

Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility | Bio

QuestionWe need to massively mobilize and scale up financing for development and environment, aligning public and private portfolios with SDGs, NDCs and the post-2020 biodiversity targets. What is your one key message to funds & foundations to support the recovery to align with a healthy planet?

Response - main message: Mobilizing and scaling-up financing for sustainable development will not suffice if we do not change our principles and re-design the social contract to protect the human, financial and natural capital.

Joan Carling

Joan Carling, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Indigenous Peoples Rights International | Bio

Question: Innovative solutions exist among Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Can you share an example of an innovation that can be brought to the table in support of a healthy planet?

Response - main message: Indigenous people teach us the importance of leading sustainable lifestyles, working in cooperation and solidarity, through reciprocal relations with nature, and away from a profit-centred approach.

Janez Potočnik

Janez Potočnik, International Resource Panel co-chair and Special advisor on sustainability to European Commissioner for the Environment & Oceans and Fisheries | Bio

Question: As co-chair of the International Resources Panel, you have been highlighting the imbalance and inequity in resource use and sustainability. Tell us how we can address this imbalance from a system perspective and what role can “sufficiency” targets play here?

Response - main message: Cleaning the supply side in a ‘business-as-usual’ economic model will not make this model right. We must re-design systems of production and consumption based on principles of responsibility and equity. This means that in high-income countries we need to promote both resource efficiency and sufficiency.

We must maximize well-being for all by optimizing human needs rather than maximizing profit. If we want to avoid the extinction of elephants in nature, we will need to first extinct the elephants in this room.

Download Panelists' Questions PDF >

Download Panelists' Main Messages PDF >


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