Environmental Audit CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by the Deputy Prime Minister

Thank you for your letter of 6 February about Rio+20. I apologise for the delay in responding.

At the Liaison Committee we discussed briefly how the government was implementing the Rio+20 outcomes. As requested, this letter sets out more detail on the outcomes of the summit and updates you further on progress.

The key outcome from Rio+20 was agreement to develop Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which are “coherent and integrated” with the post-2015 development framework. The UK favours a single set of post-2015 goals focused on the eradication of poverty, to be achieved through sustainable development. We need to finish the job of the Millennium Development Goals, securing the building blocks of open economies and open societies, which include the absence of conflict, effective institutions, transparency and the rule of law. We also need to address the challenges of resource scarcity, environmental degradation and climate change. I discussed the need for this integrated approach during my recent visit to Mozambique and Ethiopia, and the International Development and Environment Secretaries have worked together to ensure a joined up approach in Europe.

The UK is playing a key role in shaping the framework. As you know, in his personal capacity, the Prime Minister is co-chairing the UN High Level Panel on the post-2015 development agenda, which will report to the UN Secretary General in May. The UK Government is also a member of the UN Open Working Group on SDGs, in a team which includes The Netherlands and Australia. This group met for the first time earlier this month and I understand the first meeting was open and productive.

In addition the General Assembly is setting up an intergovernmental committee on sustainable development finance, as agreed at Rio+20 The group is due to report by the end of 2014. Again, the Government is actively engaged and has nominated a strong UK candidate for membership. As you know, we are committed to spending 0.7% of our Gross National Income on development assistance and it was confirmed in the budget statement that we will meet this target this year.

At Rio+20 we achieved international recognition of the concept of “GDP+” and the importance of corporate sustainability reporting. As I reported to you at the Liaison Committee meeting, this Government is committed to incorporating natural capital within our system of national accounts by 2020. Also, the new regulations I announced in Rio that will mandate quoted companies to report on their greenhouse gas emissions will take effect this October. This is a cross-government effort.

With regards to the Rio+20 agreement on institutional reforms to better integrate sustainable development in the UN system, a new High Level Political Forum is being established to replace the Commission on Sustainable Development. We are working closely with our EU and international partners to ensure that the reforms are implemented in a timely, cost-effective, and coherent way. Again, the UK supported implementation of the commitment to strengthen and upgrade the UN Environment Programme at its Governing Council meeting in February. Finally, the UK is working with an EU task force to implement the Rio+20 decision on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity, particularly in “high seas” Marine Protected Areas.

Rio+20 set the direction and renewed commitments towards achieving more sustainable development. Progress is being driven forward by the whole of government on these. I am sure you will agree that progress it being made and that our government is leading by example in the work of a range of Government departments. We are playing an influential role in many UN processes and institutions.

I hope you find this letter useful.

19 April 2013