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7/30/2019 (FGMeeting)Merve

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A Green Economy &Sustainable Development

for Timor-Leste


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Content of this PresentationI. Background Information on Rio+20

Why Rio+20 is important

II. The Concept of Sustainable Development Definition of SD

Principal Objectives & Pillars of SD Indicators & Measures of SD

III. The Concept of Green Economy Why does Timor-Leste need to adopt a Green Economy approach? What are the current pressures for Timor-Lestes sustainable future? Alleviating Poverty through Sustainable Development

IV. Strategies towards SD and Timor-Lestes Development Pathway What is National Sustainable Development Strategies and its principles? TLs Development Pathway Conceptual Framework for SD Key Sectors involved in promoting SD Steps taken in TL towards SD TLs challenges and advantages to achieve SD

V. The Way Forward Group Discussion


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What today is about ? Timor-Leste is attending Rio+20 in June 2012

Interviews with stakeholders are completed

A Final Stocktaking Report will be developed based oninterviews and this consultation

The outcomes of this preliminary workshop will feedinto the Final Report

The Final Report will be submitted to the Rio+20conference

New opportunities for Timor-Leste to access technicaland financial support for SD


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Background Information Since 1972, every 10 years the United Nations facilitates world high level

conferences on environment and human development and how toachieve both of them at the same time (without one damaging theother).

United Nations Conference on SD 1992 & Rio+20. 172 Heads of Stategathered to talk about how to reduce environmental degradation whileincreasing human wellbeing

United Nations - Millennium Summit, 2000 special needs for Small

Island Development States (SIDS) countries rapidly & in fully by 2015

World Summit on SD in 2002, highlighted SIDS are special case &require int. support; each government of SIDS have to take the lead inthe path towards SD in their countries.


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Why Rio+20 is important?While in the last decade, while many improvements in

human wellbeing have been made (e.g. child mortality,infrastructure, services)

The Environment has been degraded. 60% of theWorld Ecosystems are now degraded (put images andfind example).

In many countries of the world the environmentaldegradation is leading to increased poverty.


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Definition of SD The most often-quoted definition of sustainable

development is: the development that meets the needs ofthe present without compromising the ability of future

generations to meet their own needs

It contains within it two key concepts: the concept of 'needs', in particular the essential needs of the

world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given;and

the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology andsocial organization on the environment's ability to meetpresent and future needs."


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Sustainability is about... Protecting Nature and managing it sustainably

Thinking long-term

Understanding systems within which we live

Recognizing the limits

Taking-up creativity

Pr

inciples


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Pillars of SD

Environment

Economic

Social


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Main Objectives of SD Securing economic development

Ensuring social equity and justice

Protecting the environment Preserving & managing natural resources in a

sustainable way

Avoiding unsustainable patterns of consumption &

productionAlleviating poverty

Achieving MDGs 1 & 7


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Introducing SD IndicatorsFew examples of the indexes that integrated environmental sustainability and human well-being into account:

(1) Gross National Happiness (GNH): Bhutan Example

Economic Wellness: Environmental Wellness Physical Wellness: Mental Wellness: Workplace Wellness: Social Wellness Political Wellness

Four pillars of GNH The promotion of equitable & sustainable socio-economic development Preservation and promotion of cultural values Conservation of the natural environment Establishment of good governance

= Quality of life,psychological, material &spiritual wellbeing


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Introducing SD Indicators (cont.)(2) Ecological Footprint (EF): Human consumption of

natural resources with earths ecological capacity toregenerate them. (explanatory picture, comparativeexample of few countries)

(3) Happy Planet Index (HPI): an index of human

wellbeing & environmental impact. Measured byGross Domestic Product & Human DevelopmentIndex. (who uses it? And some examples)


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What is a Green EconomyDefinition: Public and private

investments that:

Reduce pollution Energy efficient Resource efficient Protect Biodiversity Enhance Ecosystems

services (food, buildingmaterials, watertreatment, floodprotection,

Promote Social equity


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What can governments do to

enable a Green Economy? Increase government expenditure on sustainable

development

Green procurement by the government (stimulatedemand for green products and services)

Use of taxation instruments such as levies on pollution

A legal framework that facilitates green economyactivity and regulates harmful forms of productionand consumption is also necessary.

Green Jobs creation


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Examples of Green Economy

Success Stories (I) Sustainable urban

planning in Brazil:Curitiba

Rapid growth of urban areas presentsboth environmental and socio-economic challenges to residents,businesses and municipalities. InBrazil, the population density in thecity has increased three-fold from1970 to 2008 but through itsinnovative approaches in urban

planning, city management, andtransport planning going back as faras the 1960s, Curitiba has been able togrow in population withoutexperiencing typical congestion,pollution and reduction of publicspace (that have high economic costs)At the same time, the average greenarea per person increased from 1 kmto over 50 km.


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Success Stories (II) Solar Energy in Barbados

Barbados overreliance on importedfossil fuels has become one of the

islands major environmentalconcerns. The Barbadiangovernments National StrategicPlan of Barbados for 2006-25 isdesigned to rectify this dependencyby increasing the countrysrenewable energy supply, with a

particular focus on raising thenumber of household solar waterheaters by 50 per cent by 2025. Solarwater heaters are now a widely usedrenewable energy technology inBarbados, with installations innearly half of the islands dwelling

units.


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Success Stories (III) Waste Management in

Republic of Korea

Waste management andrecycling in the Republic ofKoreas has not only reduced

waste generation, but has alsoencouraged reusing waste as anenergy resource. Over the past

years, targeted policies havesignificantly increased therecycling rate while creatingthousands of jobs in anendeavour to build a ResourceRecirculation Society.


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Success Stories (IV) Renewable Energy in China

China is taking considerable steps to

shift to a low-carbon growth strategybased on the development of renewableenergy sources. The outline of 11th Five-year Plan (2006-2010) allocated asignificant share of investments to greensectors, with an emphasis on renewableenergy and energy efficiency.

The Plan projects that the per-unit GDPenergy consumption by 2010 should havedecreased by 20 per cent compared to2005. In addition, the Chinesegovernment has committed itself toproducing 16 per cent of its primaryenergy from renewable sources by 2020.


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NSDS is an instrument to encourage countries tointegrate environmental, economic and social

objectives into their decision making processes byeither elaborating new policies and strategies forsustainable development, or modifying or adaptingexisting policies and plans.

National Sustainable Development Strategies


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Principles of NSDSNSDS has five principles:

(1) Country ownership & commitment

(2) Integrated economic, social and environmentalpolicy across sectors, territories and generations

(3) Broad & effective participation

(4) Development of necessary capacity &enabling

environment(5) Focus on outcomes of implementation


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Currently TL does not have NSDS as required by United Nations Development

for Economic & Social Affairs (UN-DESA), 2005 BUT a National DevelopmentStrategy (NDS) in place.

Does TLs NDS integrate environmental sustainability filter to all sectors?

TLs NDS defines three different aspects of TL development prospect(2011 2030).

These three areas are:

(a) Social Capital (education, health, social inclusion, environment & culture &heritage)

(b) Infrastructure Development (electricity, roads, water & sanitation, &telecommunication)

(c) Economic Development (agriculture, rural development, petroleum,

tourism & private sector investment).

TL Development Pathway


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Current Pressures

Timor-Leste

Unsustainablefarmingpractices

PoorInfrastructure

Poverty

Highdeforestation

rates

Climate Change

UnemploymentRate

RapidUrbanization

HighPopulation

Growth

LandDegradation


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Poverty and Sustainable Development Poverty and hunger still remain as big challenges in TL

Poor people heavily rely on the environment for their livelihoods

Environmental degradation and unsustainable use of resourcescan negatively affect the poor peoples lives and lead to increasedpoverty

THEREFORE

Environmental laws, policies & regulations should consider thosewho are heavily dependent on the environment!


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How can we introduce SD into Timor-Lestes

current development strategy?

Human Wellbeing&Poverty Reduction

-Basic materials-Security,-Health,

-Freedom of choiceand action

Natural Resources & Ecosystemservices

-Food, water, fuel, air, forestproducts

- Climate regulation, soil

conservation, water catchment

Direct Drivers of

Change- Changes in land use,climate, technology,agricultural practices

(into of. fertilizers,foreign or hybrid

seeds)

Indirect Drivers of Change-Population, economic pressures andreforms, sociopolitical, science andtechnology, cultural and religious


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Major Sectors to take the lead

for SD in Timor-Leste

Key Sectors

Agriculture

Forestry Fisheries& Biodiversity

Urban and rural

development andmanagement

The

Government

Private SectorCivil Society

Donors

Instrumental Actors

Tourism &Recreation

Energy

Infrastructure& transport

Natural Resources(Minerals, oil and gas)

Trade &Economy

Finance


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Steps taken so far... TL - National Development Strategy, 2011-2030

Rio Conventions ratified by the GoTL, Kyoto &Montreal Protocol & Vienna Convention

National Adaptation Plan of Action &NBSAP

Environment Basic Law has been approved


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Structural Challenges... Introducing environmental sustainability into the governmentpriorities: infrastructure, agriculture and services

Lack of long term vision

Attraction towards short term economic gains and underestimatinglong term economic and human cost.

Lack of stakeholders participation in policy making

Institutional problems lack of coordination between stakeholders lack of communication between ministries lack of information sharing lack of human resources ineffective chain of command and distribution of roles Lack of commitment and understanding of the importance of SD for

human wellbeing and poverty reduction


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Does Timor-Leste have advantages? TL is a biodiversity hotspot and has relatively pristine natural

resources

Petroleum Fund which could finance the transition

A new country and has the chance to integrate SD into itsstrategic plan

Has the opportunity to take lessons learned by other countries

Has the chance of adopting existing technologies

Can have a leading role encouraging SD among the fragile

developing states As a developing county, TL can benefit from the existing aid

agencies and can apply for and utilize external funding forimplementing SD projects

Can act as a model for other countries in the region


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OUR NATION OUR FUTURE

Timor-Lestes Vision


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The Way Forward..

Group Discussion

Trade and Economy

Natural Resources

Finance

InfrastructureTransportEnergyRural and Urban Development

Tourism

Agriculture

Forestry

Fisheries

Biodiversity

Them

aticGroups


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Discussion Themes Successes and Failures

How can we upscale good practices that arealready working in TL

What are the entry points and potential areas to

invest and improve SD practices

Recommendations

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