Financing for Development - UN-High Level Intergovernmental Event

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Monterrey: lost opportunity or commitment to sustainable development? Monterrey, Mexico, March 18th, 2002: Greenpeace believes that the United Nations conference on Financing for Development which starts in Monterrey today, could be a lost opportunity to redress the failure of the world's governments to keep the promises they made ten years ago at the Rio Earth Summit. In Rio in 1992 the international community agreed to prioritise sustainable development i.e. development which does not reduce the ability of future generations to meet their needs and seeks to ensure environmental integrity, and social and economic equity. "In the ten years since governments committed to sustainable development the gap between rich and poor has widened and we are now facing the greatest threat to the environment through climate change," said Greenpeace campaigner Paul Horsman. "These facts demonstrate that governments have until now failed to take sustainable development seriously." The alleviation of poverty and the sustainable use of the environment go hand in hand, but little consideration has been given to environmental issues in the Monterey process. This conference takes place just five months before the Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development. "If sustainable development is not central in Monterey, how will governments reconcile development and sustainability in Johannesburg," said Horsman. "Furthermore, how credible will they be if they call for sustainable development in Johannesburg but merely pay lip service to its financing in Monterrey." The Monterey conference was meant to establish a dialogue between industrialised and developing countries to enhance the financing of sustainable development in a bid to meet the UN millennium declaration goals of reducing poverty by half by 2015. However, what remains in the "Monterey consensus" is only an ambiguous commitment of developing countries to follow the normal and rules set by the International Institutions (IFIs) against a promise of funds for development. Greenpeace has identified eight test cases which if adopted in Monterrey would contribute to putting the world back on the right track towards sustainable development. Of particular importance is that the IFIs and national governments should give priority to the funding for sustainable energy i.e. efficiency and renewable energy sources as a means to fight against poverty. Access to clean energy is a key driver for development which is sustainable in economic, social and environmental terms. At Johannesburg Earth Summit Greenpeace is calling for the launch of a massive uptake of renewable energy globally and for the two billion people who have no access to modern energy services. Contacts: Greenpeace campaigners in Monterrey Paul Horsman (English) ++52 818 054 1772; Rosa Moreno (Spanish)+52 818 705 4475; Juergen Knirsch (German)

Press releases

Monterrey: lost opportunity or commitment to sustainable development?

Monterrey, Mexico, March 18th, 2002: Greenpeace believes that the United Nations conference on Financing for Development which starts in Monterrey today, could be a lost opportunity to redress the failure of the world's governments to keep the promises they made ten years ago at the Rio Earth Summit.

In Rio in 1992 the international community agreed to prioritise sustainable development i.e. development which does not reduce the ability of future generations to meet their needs and seeks to ensure environmental integrity, and social and economic equity.

"In the ten years since governments committed to sustainable development the gap between rich and poor has widened and we are now facing the greatest threat to the environment through climate change," said Greenpeace campaigner Paul Horsman. "These facts demonstrate that governments have until now failed to take sustainable development seriously."

The alleviation of poverty and the sustainable use of the environment go hand in hand, but little consideration has been given to environmental issues in the Monterey process. This conference takes place just five months before the Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development.

"If sustainable development is not central in Monterey, how will governments reconcile development and sustainability in Johannesburg," said Horsman. "Furthermore, how credible will they be if they call for sustainable development in Johannesburg but merely pay lip service to its financing in Monterrey."

The Monterey conference was meant to establish a dialogue between industrialised and developing countries to enhance the financing of sustainable development in a bid to meet the UN millennium declaration goals of reducing poverty by half by 2015. However, what remains in the "Monterey consensus" is only an ambiguous commitment of developing countries to follow the normal and rules set by the International Institutions (IFIs) against a promise of funds for development.

Greenpeace has identified eight test cases which if adopted in Monterrey would contribute to putting the world back on the right track towards sustainable development. Of particular importance is that the IFIs and national governments should give priority to the funding for sustainable energy i.e. efficiency and renewable energy sources as a means to fight against poverty. Access to clean energy is a key driver for development which is sustainable in economic, social and environmental terms.

At Johannesburg Earth Summit Greenpeace is calling for the launch of a massive uptake of renewable energy globally and for the two billion people who have no access to modern energy services.

Contacts: Greenpeace campaigners in Monterrey Paul Horsman (English) ++52 818 054 1772; Rosa Moreno (Spanish)+52 818 705 4475; Juergen Knirsch (German)