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International Summits

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 September 2012

Tuesday, 18 September 2012

Ceisteanna (183)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Ceist:

183. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the reason the Rio Summit failed to consider private sector initiatives as part of environmental solutions, and if private sector initiatives will be considered and promoted as part of next year's Irish EU Presidency; the reason it was a feature of Rio+20 that EU countries were required to co-ordinate their preparations only through the Ministries of the Environment and not alongside foreign Ministries; his views that foreign Ministries would have better linked the MDGs, Sustainable Development Goals and developing countries' environmental issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39281/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development which took place in Rio de Janeiro in June, marked the twentieth anniversary of the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development and the tenth anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development. The goal of the Summit was to secure renewed international political commitment for sustainable development, with a focus on the promotion of a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication. The Minister for the Environment took the lead in coordinating Ireland’s approach to the Summit, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was also actively engaged in the national consultation process before the Summit and through Irish Aid remains closely involved in the follow up to Rio+20. In line with our priorities in international development, and Ireland’s strong focus on the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, we ensured that effective responses to hunger and poor nutrition in developing countries were prioritised at the Rio meeting. The private sector was actively involved in the preparations of the Rio Summit and the Summit itself and its key role in achieving sustainable development is highlighted throughout the outcome document, “The Future We Want” which, inter alia, states that:

We acknowledge that the implementation of sustainable development will depend on the active engagement of both the public and the private sectors. We recognize that the active participation of the private sector can contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including through the important tool of public-private partnerships

With regard to the follow up to the Rio Summit, Ireland is working closely with the European Commission, the European External Action Service, the Cypriot Presidency of the EU and other Member States and through the UN to ensure the outcomes of Rio such as the process to develop Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), are addressed in the context of the upcoming 2013 UN General Assembly Event on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in a coherent and integrated manner. In this context the Irish Presidency of the EU will be centrally engaged in agreeing a common EU position for the 2013 UN General Assembly Event on the MDGs and in seeking to develop an EU position on the Post-2015 development framework, taking into account both MDGs and SDGs.

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