Rio+20: Governance

What’s at Stake with Regards to Governance for “Rio +20”

In order to provide sustainable development with a solid and durable base for meeting future challenges, it is essential to achieve an ambitious outcome regarding the institutional framework for sustainable development, one of two official themes for Rio +20. Indeed, social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainable development are complementary, but the existing institutional framework has difficulty implementing the necessary synergies. Moreover, the environmental pillar is too weak: it is essential to develop a capacity for political leadership and management to meet the challenges. This diagnosis is very widely shared: This is why France will be committed with determination to this subject at Rio +20.

France’s Commitments with Regards to Governance for “Rio +20”

France, with its European partners, is committed to an ambitious outcome regarding governance for Rio +20. France will defend:
  strengthening international environmental governance by transforming the United Nations Program for Environment (UNEP) into a United Nations specialized agency for the environment based in Nairobi;
  strengthening international governance for sustainable development as a whole.

These reforms should provide an opportunity to better develop, within the new institutional framework, the role of civil society and non-state actors. This is a question of democracy as well as efficiency.