Rio+20: accountability and implementation as key goals

Date
2011-08
DOI
Authors
Muñoz, Miquel
Najam, Adil
Version
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
Over the past two decades, the Global Environmental Governance (GEG) system has grown and evolved, making much progress in incorporating sustainable development as the central goal of environmental governance, and delivering scores of new international institutions, legal instruments, declarations and financial mechanisms. However, the GEG system lacks the crucial components of accountability and implementation as part of its core operating system. The authors argue that the upcoming Rio + 20 meeting provides the perfect opportunity to help bring about these much needed changes to strengthen the GEG and help achieve its ultimate goals. The authors propose a set of four accountability-enabling mechanisms: 1. Improved metrics and reporting mechanisms. 2. Transparency mechanisms. 3. Compliance mechanisms. 4. Capacity building. The authors also propose a set of four enabling institutional arrangements: 1. Compendium of best (and worst) practices. 2. Registry of commitments. 3. Renewed focus for CSD. 4. A global “Aarhus” instrument.
Description
This repository item contains a single issue of Sustainable Development Insights, a series of short policy essays that began publishing in 2008 by the Boston University Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future. The series seeks to promote a broad interdisciplinary dialogue on how to accelerate sustainable development at all levels.
License
Copyright 2011 Boston University. Permission to copy without fee all or part of this material is granted provided that: 1. The copies are not made or distributed for direct commercial advantage; 2. the report title, author, document number, and release date appear, and notice is given that copying is by permission of BOSTON UNIVERSITY TRUSTEES. To copy otherwise, or to republish, requires a fee and / or special permission.