Tuesday

21st Mar 2023

Opinion

Prosperity for many or misery for all?

  • Climate change - one of the challenges that poses a serious threat to sustainable development (Photo: Marina and Enrique)

This week, world leaders will gather in Brazil for the Rio +20 Summit to decide what kind of future we want. Twenty years after the original earth summit, the theme is the green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication.

Why is the conference important and why the aspirations for a 'green economy'? A green economy is one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

Growth in a green economy is driven by investments that reduce pressures on the environment and the services it provides us, while enhancing energy and resource efficiency.

Or put simpler, to quote an African diplomat: it is our own survival strategy. The green economy is a means to sustainable development; a strategy to get prosperity for people and the planet, today and tomorrow. There can be no sustainable development without social equity; no growth without proper management of our natural resources that our economies depend on. We need sustainable development to achieve prosperity for many instead of misery for all.

We have made quite some progress since 1992, but clearly not enough. Millions are still hungry every day. If we carry on using resources at the current rate, by 2050 we will need the equivalent of more than two planets to sustain us, and the aspirations of many for a better quality of life will not be reached.

The poorest in our societies will suffer most if we use our resources unsustainably as their lives and livelihoods depend very directly on water, land, seas, forests and soil. There are new and emerging challenges that pose a serious threat to sustainable development – from climate change and increasing water scarcity to low resilience to natural disasters and biodiversity and ecosystem loss.

However, we have the tools to tackle these challenges and turn them into opportunities.

Many countries can leapfrog to efficient technologies and systems that will permit them to exploit their resources, from forests and biodiversity to land and minerals, in ways that are sustainable and capable of supporting increases in consumption. Between 70 and 85% of opportunities to boost resource productivity are estimated to be in developing countries. Countries that learn to use their natural capital in a smart and sustainable way will be the winners of tomorrow.

The transformation to a greener economy could generate 15 to 60 million additional jobs globally over the next two decades and lift tens of millions of workers out of poverty, according to a report by the International Labour Organisation.

This is why the European Union will continue to fight for Rio 20+ to result in a focused and ambitious outcome. We want to start something irreversible; something that has real impact on people's lives. This is a conference about people; about us, about our future.

We have suggested goals and targets for key natural resources which underpin a green economy: water, the oceans, land and ecosystems, forests, sustainable energy, and resource efficiency including waste. These goals are essential for sustainable growth and inextricably linked to the issues of food security, poverty reduction and social development. These goals would drive the private sector to invest, spur technological innovation and create employment.

One of the desired outcomes of Rio is that all listed and large private companies should include sustainability in their annual reporting, or else explain why they don't. The World Bank has already launched an interesting initiative where companies would use natural accounting mechanisms in their statistics. This could be the start of a new reality, where natural capital counts and sustainability has a value. But it is clear change will not happen without everyone on board. Not only do politicians need to be convinced – we also need businesses, civil society and individuals involved.

While many countries are in better shape today compared to twenty years ago, the world's poorest will still need help getting access to education, the right infrastructure and skills. This is why the EU remains the biggest donor of aid in the world. In 2011 we gave 53€ billion in development aid – more than half of the aid in the entire world. And this is why we will stick to our promises.

Despite the current financial crisis, the EU countries recently reaffirmed this commitment, which would translate into an important additional development aid by 2015, including for projects related to the Rio outcome.

So what kind of future do we want? Here's the answer from 17-year old Brittany Trilford from New Zealand, winner of the Future We Want competition and who will address leaders in Rio: "Frankly, I’d be happy to just have a future. To have that guaranteed. It’s not right now."

It's not only about the future of Brittany's generation and generations to come. It is already about us, it is our own future we put at stake if we fail to tackle the problems of finite resources, unsustainable development and mass poverty. Let's not waste our chance to choose the kind of future we want – while we still can.

The writer is the European Union's Environment Commissioner

Disclaimer

The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author's, not those of EUobserver.

Gloomy message kicks off EU's green week

EU environment commissioner Janez Potocnik has opened the bloc's 2011 Green Week, calling on Europeans to alter their behaviour in a collective effort to improve resource efficiency.

Why can't we stop marches glorifying Nazism on EU streets?

Every year, neo-Nazis come together to pay tribute to Nazi war criminals and their collaborators, from Benito Mussolini to Rudolf Hess, Ante Pavelić, Hristo Lukov, and of course Adolf Hitler, in events that have become rituals on the extreme-right calendar.

Why the EU double standards on mental help for asylum seekers?

In many EU member states, access to services is dependent on successful refugee status determination. Until then, asylum seekers may not be able to get housing, education, or jobs and can also face significant barriers to receiving psychosocial support.

Corporate lobbying and the delay of the EU's Reach directive

The European Commission has delayed publishing its proposal to revise the Reach regulation, a key part of the European Green Deal's chemicals strategy. Centre-right political pressure, backed up by corporate lobbying, seems to have been behind the decision to delay.

How far will we — and the EU — let AI go?

Airbnb has already patented AI software that can supposedly predict a person's traits and their actions based on data it holds on them from social media. That could determine how much a consumer pays — or even gets a booking.

Why can't we stop marches glorifying Nazism on EU streets?

Every year, neo-Nazis come together to pay tribute to Nazi war criminals and their collaborators, from Benito Mussolini to Rudolf Hess, Ante Pavelić, Hristo Lukov, and of course Adolf Hitler, in events that have become rituals on the extreme-right calendar.

How far will we — and the EU — let AI go?

Airbnb has already patented AI software that can supposedly predict a person's traits and their actions based on data it holds on them from social media. That could determine how much a consumer pays — or even gets a booking.

Latest News

  1. EU fears Tunisia turmoil will spark migrant boat departures
  2. 'Symbolic' Putin indictment gets some EU backing
  3. 'Final warning' to act on climate change, warns IPCC
  4. 'No one is unemployable': the French social experiment
  5. Why can't we stop marches glorifying Nazism on EU streets?
  6. Op-ed debate: Should NGOs be subject to stricter transparency regulation?
  7. 'Forever chemicals' industry hit by perfect storm
  8. EU summit zooms in on global roles This WEEK

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic and Baltic ways to prevent gender-based violence
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Economic gender equality now! Nordic ways to close the pension gap
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Pushing back the push-back - Nordic solutions to online gender-based violence
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: The Nordics are ready to push for gender equality
  5. Promote UkraineInvitation to the National Demonstration in solidarity with Ukraine on 25.02.2023
  6. Azerbaijan Embassy9th Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting and 1st Green Energy Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us