|
|
Address of UNDP-Administrator Mark Malloch Brown on the
occasion of the panel discussion "Learning from Community Action
- Biodiversity and the Millennium Development Goals"
Wednesday, 19 May 2004 - German Permanent Mission to the United Nations
Thank
you Mr. Ambassador. Distinguished guests, Delegates to the Permanent Forum
on Indigenous Issues, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, and Friends,
I am very pleased, as Administrator of UNDP, to address you on this auspicious
occasion as we open this Global Dialogue on Biodiversity and the Millennium
Development Goals.
Our reason for coming together today is two-fold. First, we are gathered
at the German Mission to the UN to commemorate the "International
Day for Biodiversity" - an important day in the international calendar
which is officially held on May 22nd each year. To mark this occasion
we will spend the afternoon discussing some of the most pressing issues
facing the global community today related to our planet's biological resources
and poverty reduction. We are also gathered here to recognize the finalists
and winners of the Equator Prize 2004 and the remarkable work they are
doing to promote conservation and development.
Holding this event on the International Day for Biodiversity is especially
significant for UNDP because it underscores our strong focus on, and dedication
to, environmental issues.
It is very heartening to see that the linkage between poverty alleviation
and environmental sustainability is becoming increasingly clear and appreciated.
For UNDP, and for our partner organizations [for example, in the Equator
Initiative our partners are: government of Canada and Germany, BrasilConnects,
Conservation International, IDRC, IUCN, The Nature Conservancy, Television
Trust for the Environment (TVE), UN Foundation] the link between the environment
and poverty alleviation has long been an area of intense interest and
concerted effort.
Impact of Environmental Degradation on the Poor
Although it is an issue of global concern and urgency, the need to connect
conservation and poverty alleviation efforts is especially pressing in
the developing world. It is in the poorest nations that people depend
most intimately on the natural environment for their livelihoods - for
food, medicines and income.
Given this linkage, it is from the poorest nations themselves that many
of the most effective and realistic sustainability solutions will likely
come. One of our goals at UNDP - through programmes such as the Equator
Initiative - is to work with local people to ensure that their experiences
inform and drive the policies that affect them.
Today you will hear stories and experiences from Equator Prize Winners
from Colombia, India and Namibia. These impressive local initiatives exemplify
the powerful role that community action can play in conservation and development.
The goal of real sustainable development can truly be achieved through
the hard work and commitment of local communities such as these.
The MDGs
The Millennium Development Goals, or MDGs, are derived from the United
Nations Millennium Declaration of September 2000, where they were adopted
by over 189 nations.
These ambitious goals lay out a practical and far-sighted roadmap for
achieving sustainable development for the global family. The local stories
and lessons that you will hear today remind us that the MDGs must be given
life and be rooted in human experience if they are to be achieved.
On the international stage, the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity
are increasingly seen as vital to the full achievement of the poverty
reduction targets laid out in the Millennium Development Goals and to
wider sustainable development because poverty and biodiversity are intimately
linked. As I mentioned, the poor, especially in rural areas, depend on
biodiversity for food, fuel, shelter, medicines and livelihoods. Biodiversity
also provides the critical 'ecosystem services' on which society depends,
including air and water purification, soil conservation, disease control,
and reduced vulnerability to natural disasters such as floods, droughts
and landslides. Biodiversity loss exacerbates poverty, and likewise, poverty
is a major threat to biodiversity.
Ultimately the success of this shared vision will be measured at the
local level. Although the MDGs are couched in international language,
their achievement will be highly dependent on the success of local struggles
to battle poverty and biodiversity loss. Together we must assist communities
in this challenge.
We are also reminded today that much of the global community's successes
in promoting sustainable development have been achieved through effective
partnerships - partnerships with governments, NGOs, community organizations,
and the private sector.
For instance, today's event would not have been possible without, in
particular, the dedicated effort and significant contributions of GTZ,
BMZ: the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development,
the German Mission to the United Nations, GEO Magazine, as well as Canada,
Capacity Building International and the UNDP-GEF Small Grants Programme.
Indeed, Germany has been a strong leader in the field of sustainable
development and, in particular on Biodiversity issues. Speaking on behalf
of UNDP, I would like to formally acknowledge and thank them for their
commitment and dedication to these vital issues.
I am also delighted that Equator Prize winners for 2004 are here with
us:
- Mr. Ezequiel Vitonás, Proyecto Nasa, Colombia
- Dr. Vanaja Ramprasad, Green Foundation, India
- Mr. Benny Roman, Torra Conservancy, Namibia
And that the following distinguished panelists will also join us later:
- Dr. Thomas Lovejoy President, Heinz Center,
- Dr. Mark Plotkin, Director, Amazon Conservation Trust,
- Ms. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Executive Director, Tebtebba Foundation,
- Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, Director, Earth Institute at Columbia , and
- Prof. Dr. Manfred Niekisch, First Vice-President of the German League
for Nature and Environment will be speaking.
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you all to today's event
and thank you for your attendance. Welcome.
|
|
|