UN forum launched to boost sustainable development

A UN sustainable development forum has been set up to provide “political leadership grounded in solid science”, secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said during an inauguration ceremony on Tuesday.

The high-level political forum (HLPF) has replaced the UN’s Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), which was launched after the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, with the aim of promoting sustainable growth and a responsible use of the planet’s finite resources.

Speaking at the launch of the forum, Ban said, “This forum can be the catalyst for a strengthened global partnership for sustainable development, providing political leadership grounded in solid science.”

He added that to strengthen the efforts made towards a more sustainable future, a scientific Advisory board, which includes experts from various fields, has been created by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

UN general assembly president John Ashe said, “We have created this HLPF for the express purpose of delivering more effectively on our aspirations and agendas at a time when we realize that the practice of sustainability provides the only real bridge from our past to our present and our future, and from our planet to our peoples and our prosperity.”

Together with the French government, the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) recently organised a conference that looked into the role tourism can play in the sustainable development of small islands.

Tourism – particularly ecotourism – was in fact one of the six areas that the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) identified as crucial to sustainable growth for emerging economies.

Further reading:

Conference calls for sustainable tourism as key factor for island development

The six industries that are crucial to sustainable economic development

PRI study: ESG factors influence countries’ economic development and sovereign debt

Kenya prepares to host major ecotourism event