How to Achieve MDGsin 2015?

(within Limitation of Climate Change)(within Limitation of Climate Change)

by: Erna by: Erna WitoelarWitoelarUN Special Ambassador for in Asia and the Pacific 2003UN Special Ambassador for in Asia and the Pacific 2003--2007 *)2007 *)

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The Millennium Development The Millennium Development Goals (Goals (MDGsMDGs) ) areare AchievableAchievableNicknamed Nicknamed ““Minimum Development GoalsMinimum Development Goals””, many , many countries need to extend their targets countries need to extend their targets ““MDG MDG PlusPlus””, , ““Beyond Beyond MDGsMDGs””, etc., etc.MDG targets are lowest common global MDG targets are lowest common global denominator, but achieving it by 2015 will ensure denominator, but achieving it by 2015 will ensure total eradication of poverty by 2020 total eradication of poverty by 2020 ((J.SachsJ.Sachs))Disasters, war & conflicts, energy & food crisis Disasters, war & conflicts, energy & food crisis all are threatening the achievements of all are threatening the achievements of MDGsMDGs with with creation of new pockets of poverty & hunger, more creation of new pockets of poverty & hunger, more refugees, school droprefugees, school drop--outs, children mortality, etc. outs, children mortality, etc. Global Warming & Climate Change: even more Global Warming & Climate Change: even more threatening to the achievements of threatening to the achievements of MDGsMDGs……

Climate Change and the Climate Change and the MDGsMDGsIn the year 2000, Climate Change concerns was In the year 2000, Climate Change concerns was included as a Goal 7 target of the included as a Goal 7 target of the MDGsMDGs, yet , yet without a clear and time bound measurable without a clear and time bound measurable target / indicator. Many are still unaware of this.target / indicator. Many are still unaware of this.

Climate change presents significant threats to Climate change presents significant threats to achievements of achievements of allall the the MDGsMDGs; it also threatens ; it also threatens to set back countriesto set back countries’’ efforts to improve lives of efforts to improve lives of their citizens and to meet the their citizens and to meet the MDGsMDGs..

Both need simultaneous combating, because an Both need simultaneous combating, because an effective attack on poverty and the illeffective attack on poverty and the ill--effects of effects of climate change requires taking comprehensive climate change requires taking comprehensive action that encompasses both issues. action that encompasses both issues.

Climate Change and Climate Change and MDGsMDGs…… continuedcontinued

We canWe can’’t fight climate change without considering t fight climate change without considering the still rising energy needs of the poorthe still rising energy needs of the poor……..……. nor can we effectively address global poverty . nor can we effectively address global poverty without accounting for impacts of climate change on without accounting for impacts of climate change on agriculture, disease patterns, and violent weather agriculture, disease patterns, and violent weather events, all of which particularly impact the poor.events, all of which particularly impact the poor.The strength of The strength of MDGsMDGs lies in their interconnectedlies in their interconnected--ness and ability to address all root causes of ness and ability to address all root causes of poverty & inequalitypoverty & inequality……...... if people were guaranteed access to healthcare, .... if people were guaranteed access to healthcare, education and equality then the world would gain a education and equality then the world would gain a billion stronger, more educated & able citizens who billion stronger, more educated & able citizens who can constructively contribute to addressing climate can constructively contribute to addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation.change mitigation and adaptation.

Climate Change: a Global Equity IssueClimate Change: a Global Equity IssueClimate Change is often recognized as a global Climate Change is often recognized as a global equity issue: it's the worldequity issue: it's the world’’s poorest of the poor s poorest of the poor who contributed least to the atmospheric buildup of who contributed least to the atmospheric buildup of greenhouse gases, which are being hardest hit. greenhouse gases, which are being hardest hit.

These are also countries & sections of populations These are also countries & sections of populations who are the least equipped to deal with the harm who are the least equipped to deal with the harm they do face; both for lack of economic resources they do face; both for lack of economic resources and as a result of being geographically located in and as a result of being geographically located in higher vulnerability areas. higher vulnerability areas.

Wealthier nations and populations Wealthier nations and populations -- which have which have contributed the most to the atmospheric changes contributed the most to the atmospheric changes linked to global warming linked to global warming -- are experiencing fewer are experiencing fewer effects and are also better able to withstand them. effects and are also better able to withstand them.

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Mapping the Mapping the MDGsMDGs to Climate Riskto Climate Risk

Goal 1: Eradicate extreme hunger and poverty

Changes in natural systems and infrastructure will:

• Reduce the livelihood assets of poor people • Alter the path and rate of national economic growth• Undermine regional food security

Goal 2:Goal 2:Achieve Achieve universal universal primary primary educationeducation

Climate change could lead to a reduction in the ability Climate change could lead to a reduction in the ability of children to participate in fullof children to participate in full--time education by time education by causing: causing:

•• Destruction of infrastructure (such as schools) Destruction of infrastructure (such as schools) •• Loss of livelihood assets (increasing the need for Loss of livelihood assets (increasing the need for children to engage in incomechildren to engage in income--earning activities)earning activities)•• The displacement and migration of families The displacement and migration of families

(From the UN Millennium Campaign brochure “Climate Change and the MDGs”, Dec. 2007)

CLIMATE RISKCLIMATE RISKMDGsMDGs

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Mapping Mapping MDGsMDGs to Climate Riskto Climate Risk ……contcont..Goal 3: Promote gender equality

Depletion of natural resources, decreased availability of potable water, reduced agricultural productivity and increased climate-related disasters could:

• Place additional burdens on women's health • Increase women’s workload• Limit women's time to participate in decision-making and income-generating activities • Reduce the livelihood assets of women

Goals 4, 5, and 6:Goals 4, 5, and 6:Reduce child Reduce child mortality, mortality, improve improve maternal health maternal health and combat and combat HIV/AIDS, HIV/AIDS, malaria and malaria and other diseasesother diseases

Increased child mortality, reduced maternal health and Increased child mortality, reduced maternal health and the undermining of the nutritional health needed by the undermining of the nutritional health needed by individuals to combat HIV/AIDS are expected to occur individuals to combat HIV/AIDS are expected to occur as a result of climate changeas a result of climate change--induced: induced:

•• Extreme weather events Extreme weather events •• Increase in prevalence of certain vectorIncrease in prevalence of certain vector--borne and borne and waterwater--borne diseases borne diseases •• HeatHeat--related mortality related mortality •• Declining food security Declining food security •• Decreased availability of potable water Decreased availability of potable water

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Mapping Mapping MDGsMDGs to Climate Riskto Climate Risk ……contcont..Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability

Climate change will have a direct impact on environ-mental sustainability because it:

• Causes fundamental alterations in ecosystem relationships • Changes the quality & quantity of natural resources • Reduces ecosystem productivity

Goal 8:Goal 8:Develop a Develop a global partner global partner ship for ship for developmentdevelopment

Climate change could lead to conflicts over diminishing Climate change could lead to conflicts over diminishing natural resources, directly undermining the prospects of natural resources, directly undermining the prospects of global cooperation & partnership. Climate change could global cooperation & partnership. Climate change could also affect international trade & global financial system:also affect international trade & global financial system:•• increased frequency and severity of severe weather increased frequency and severity of severe weather events;events;•• loss of agricultural productivity in some regions; andloss of agricultural productivity in some regions; and•• loss of natural resources.loss of natural resources.Climate change limits the capacity of poor countries to Climate change limits the capacity of poor countries to produce / trade primary agricultural products in the world produce / trade primary agricultural products in the world market. Furthermore, increased mitigation & adaptation market. Furthermore, increased mitigation & adaptation costs will expand debt burden of poor countries.costs will expand debt burden of poor countries.

Environmental Sustainability:the root of achieving most MDGs.

7. Ensure environmental sustainability

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

2. Achieve universal primary education

3. Promote gender equality and empower women

4. Reduce child mortality5. Improve maternal health6. Combat HIV/AIDS,

malaria, other diseases

8. Develop a global partnership for development

The The MDGsMDGs are interare inter--related:related:working towards achieving environmental sustainability working towards achieving environmental sustainability

will make us closer to achievements of other Goalswill make us closer to achievements of other Goals

GG--7:7: Ensure Environmental SustainabilityEnsure Environmental SustainabilityAll Targets are also very interrelated All Targets are also very interrelated

Target 9: Integrate principles of sustainable development into country policies & programs, and reverse the loss of environmental resources. *)

Target 10: Halve by 2015, the proportion of people without sustain-able access to safe drinking water & sanitation **)

Target 11: Have achieved by 2020, a significant improve-ment in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers **)

*) Reduced CO2 emission & increased forest coverage are *) Reduced CO2 emission & increased forest coverage are among Target 9 indicators among Target 9 indicators climate change climate change mitigationmitigation

**) Water quantity/quality & urban slum are severely impacted **) Water quantity/quality & urban slum are severely impacted by climate change by climate change need need adaptationadaptation efforts efforts

How to Achieve How to Achieve MDGsMDGs in 2015?in 2015?Holistic approach Holistic approach at all levels of governance, at all levels of governance, from local to national to global. Interventions from local to national to global. Interventions should no be directed only to sectors relevant to should no be directed only to sectors relevant to the Goals, equally important are local infrastructure the Goals, equally important are local infrastructure investments, and legal empowerment of the poor. investments, and legal empowerment of the poor. Build synergiesBuild synergies:: when a single intervention can when a single intervention can achieve advances in multiple goals across sectors, achieve advances in multiple goals across sectors, itit’’s much more costs much more cost--effective and will catalyze effective and will catalyze achievements of these goals. achievements of these goals. More synergy More synergy needed to upscale pilot projects & good practices needed to upscale pilot projects & good practices to reach more regions, especially remote areas.to reach more regions, especially remote areas.MultiMulti--stakeholder approachstakeholder approach:: none of the Goals none of the Goals are achieved by governments alone, private sector are achieved by governments alone, private sector & civil society have been engaged in all of them for & civil society have been engaged in all of them for a long time & should continue to be so.a long time & should continue to be so.

How to Achieve How to Achieve MDGsMDGs in 2015in 2015 within Limitations of Climate Change?

Financing for climate change adaptation can be Financing for climate change adaptation can be integrated into existing & increased commitments integrated into existing & increased commitments to finance & develop capacities to meet the to finance & develop capacities to meet the MDGsMDGsIn financing for climate change adaptation it is also In financing for climate change adaptation it is also very important to take a holistic approach, include very important to take a holistic approach, include efforts to achieve efforts to achieve MDGsMDGs; like enable schools and ; like enable schools and clinics to continue to function in a sustainable way. clinics to continue to function in a sustainable way. Aid Effectiveness & Donor Harmonization need to Aid Effectiveness & Donor Harmonization need to be practiced at all levels in all efforts. There is a be practiced at all levels in all efforts. There is a need to jointly scale up and harmonize efforts, need to jointly scale up and harmonize efforts, knowledge & financial assistance to enable knowledge & financial assistance to enable allallleast developed regions to achieve their least developed regions to achieve their MDGsMDGs. .

ConclusionClimate Change mitigation and adaptation Climate Change mitigation and adaptation

are not just about technology and are not just about technology and infrastructure; itinfrastructure; it’’s about peoples about people’’s resilience s resilience and increased capacity to help themselves, and increased capacity to help themselves, itit’’s about the achievements of the s about the achievements of the MDGsMDGs..

ItIt’’s also about building partnerships for s also about building partnerships for everybodyeverybody’’s informed participation in s informed participation in

climate change mitigation and adaptation climate change mitigation and adaptation together with efforts to achieve other together with efforts to achieve other

Millennium Development Goals. Millennium Development Goals.

Thank YouThank You

**) Presented at the International Seminar on “Macroeconomic Impact of Climate Change: “Opportunities and Challenges”, convened by Bank Indonesia, Bali, August 1-2, 2008