NGO Caucus on Sustainable Production & Consumption

 

 

 

 

 

On Information for Decision-making on Sustainable Development

 

Presented by Jeffrey Barber, Citizens Network for Sustainable Development

 

To the Ad Hoc Working Group Meeting of the Commission on

Sustainable Development, 14 March 2001, United Nations

 

Lack of public awareness

I would like to draw attention to one important indicator of sustainable development that has perhaps not received as much attention as it should in these discussions.  Yet this indicator is one overall measure as to the successful implementation of Agenda 21.  This is the indicator of public awareness and knowledge about sustainable development.  It is addressed by Principle 10 in the Rio Declaration stating that “States shall facilitate and encourage public awareness and participation by making information widely available,” and that “effective access to judicial and administrative proceedings, including redress and remedy, shall be provided.”  However, this has not been sufficiently addressed in the discussion on Information for Decision-making.

                                                                                                                   

Lack of awareness of sustainable development by citizens is one of the main factors in the current failure to implement Agenda 21, because without awareness there can be no wide political support among citizens. 

 

Some say that citizens are simply not interested, that they are more concerned about their own immediate needs and concerns.  However, the truth is that the vast majority of the world’s citizens, in both developing countries and in the information-rich developed countries, have no knowledge or understanding of the concept of sustainable development.  They do not know that it is an option for them and they do not know what significance it has to their quality of their life.   Even in cases where information and indicators are available, without basic awareness and knowledge of the significance of sustainable development, there can be no meaningful access to information and certainly no participation in decision-making by citizens.

 

Improving public awareness

The need to expand public awareness and knowledge of sustainable development should be one of the main priorities in this discussion of Information for Decision-making, not to mention the upcoming Rio+10 assessment of progress.  Without the knowledge and political support and engagement of citizens around the world, there will be no sustainable development.  Considering this, the discussion about indicators, access to information and public participation is an academic exercise.

 

To improve this situation, we would like to see inclusion of the following points in the Possible Elements paper:

1. To invite the Secretariat to prepare an assessment of various options for strengthening the worldwide application of Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration regarding public awareness and access to information.  This should include legally binding and non-legally binding options, discussed in cooperation with other relevant intergovernmental organizations, such as UNEP and UNECE, and presenting this assessment for CSD10.
2. To note that national leaders need to actively communicate to their citizens the significance of sustainable development, what it means to their quality of life in the communities in which they live.  Since Rio, few national leaders have taken seriously this need, in contrast to communicating the importance of economic growth, investment and trade.
3. To point out that the mass news media need to take responsibility to actively inform the public about sustainable development.  Currently the news media practice a virtual boycott of news about sustainable development.  While the public may receive information about the environment or social and economic issues, these are treated as separate, unconnected topics.  The concept of sustainable development and the linkages among environmental, social and economic problems and solutions is typically not considered “news-worthy” – in contrast to the latest tragedy, fashion or scandal.  This needs to change, especially with broadcast news, in which the public airwaves are being used.
4. To encourage explorations of ways in which multinational corporations can provide greater public transparency about their practices, especially in countries without the infrastructure to monitor, assess and require compliance to performance standards.  Public information about multinational corporate practices and impacts is necessary to adequately assess whether the increasing flows of FDI contribute to sustainable development or undermine it.  Such public information is also necessary in promoting corporate responsibility.  One of the weaknesses of the Global Compact, the OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises and many other voluntary initiatives is a lack of monitoring, reporting and verification.  The possibilities for improving this situation need to be explored in greater depth and the United Nations can help promote this exploration. 
5. To request a study of the impacts of advertising on sustainable development, especially in developing countries.  This was requested by the G77 during the 7^th Session of the CSD, yet it received little response.  Yet unsustainable consumption patterns are identified by Agenda 21 as the major cause of environmental degradation.  Mass advertising is well-known to be one of the major forces promoting unsustainable consumption patterns, promoting a definition of quality of life and social status based on consumerism rather than citizenship.  Some describe this situation as disinformation on sustainable development.  While not acknowledged as such, advertising is also one of the main obstacles to the implementation of sustainable development.  How to improve this situation also needs to be explored.  One step forward would be to conduct the G77’s proposed study of advertising impacts.

 

Most of us agree that the purpose of sustainable development is, or should be, to improve the quality of life for everyone.  To achieve this we need informed leaders making the right decisions.  However, we also need informed citizens who understand how these decisions affect their current and future quality of life.