On 5th June
2012, World Environment Day, and only 2 weeks before Rio + 20, the Geneva
Environment Network, as part of UNEP (United Nations Environment Program), held
a high level discussion on green economy, the development agenda post 2015 and
the challenges facing us in the near future.

It is widely
accepted that we know much more about environmenal risks and the consequences
of current practices than 30 years ago. We now have a lot more data; scientific
research has improved; many resources are used more efficiently. However, the
total global output of carbon emissions is still rising. In 2011 it peaked at
400 ppm (parts per million), despite big efforts to cut the use of coal, gas
and oil.

The Environment
Network focussed part of their discussion on what has gone wrong in global
strategy to tackle this problem. The panel criticised the amounts spent subsidising
practices which result in high levels of greenhouse gas emissions, instead of investing
in green economy and creating jobs in associated emerging technologies. The UNEP
wants to rethink subsidy investment. Capitalism has may have resulted in growth,
but it also wastes land and resources. For this reason, we need to rethink
“capitalism”, and how we measure growth in the future.

The
environment goals of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio, although admirable in their
intent were not progressed quickly enough due to the slow pace of
intergovernmental negoatiations and the difficulties in implementing subsequent
action on a global scale.  In order to
see real sustainable change, action must come from communities themselves – crucially
for Soroptimist International, this means real responsibility must be placed in
the hands of women, with appropriate investment. The Sustainable Development Goals agreed at the Rio+20 Conference
last week will have to take the development agenda forward post 2015 and the
end of the Millennium Development Goals – such ambition requires resources and
whole hearted committment.

Sascha Gabizon from the Women of Europe for a Common
Future had this to say on the role of women within the sustainable development
agenda: Women’s poverty is often difficult to measure, as work in the domestic
sector is usually unpaid. Women own less than 2% of land yet are responsible
for the food security of countless communities around the world. She also
argued that MDG 7, target 10 (sanitation) has
been too technically defined: it is not enough to have toilets built. Water
sources have to be protected from pollution. This requires far greater action.

A lot of hope is set on women taking part in the „new“ economy,
particularly in terms of energy production. A big part of the energy supply of
the future will be decentralised (off grid energy) which can be generated
quickly and produced locally through solar, wind and water energy. There is
potential for women to become change agents in this area, through local clean
energy production.

There is no
alternative to green economy – this was agreed on this panel. However, it is
difficult to change established patterns. Green economy has to start on
domestic level and build upwards. This is where the value of Soroptimist
International’s global network of grassroots clubs can make all the difference
in, and to, the world.

Activities:

Have a  look
at SI International Programme Director Hillary Ratcliff’s CSW Blog Special! Solar Cookers, March 2012

Have a look at SI Assistant Programme Director, Anusha Santhirasthipam’s CSW blog, “Unlocking Rural Women’s Potential”, March 2012.