SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: A future worth choosing.

Months ago, with the objectives of 1) formulating a new vision for sustainable growth and prosperity without overstepping planetary boundaries; and 2) stimulating a broad dialogue towards the Rio+20 Summit (to be held later this month), the UN Secretary General appointed a high-level team to prepare a report, which aims to be a framework for sustainable development at a global level. These are some of the guidelines presented:

• Progress towards sustainable development. Unprecedented prosperity vs. a stressed planet. 

We live in the greatest inequality between rich and poor (1 billion people in poverty)

Demand for resources will increase exponentially, as the world's population rises to nearly 9 billion people by 2040. The number of middle-class consumers will increase by 3 billion by 2030. By that year, the world will need at least 50% more food, 45% more energy and 30% more water than it does now.

• The current global development model is unsustainable. 

The three main causes of unsustainable development:

 lifestyles

 the modes of production and consumption

 and the effects of population growth.

The paradigm of sustainable development is still valid, but it has not been put into practice because:

 Lack of political will; short-termism

 has not been incorporated into economic policies

Critical environmental thresholds impose new limits on supply or are 

will cause irreversible damage to ecosystems and human communities.

Eradicate poverty, reduce inequality and make growth inclusive and production and consumption more sustainable, while combating the effects of climate change and respecting other planetary boundaries.

It is urgent to build a new democratic governance; respecting human rights to empower people and encourage the choice of sustainable options. Promote change in attitudes towards nature, in demographic dynamics and in consumption and production patterns.

 Promote gender equity; reproductive health; decision-making on reproduction

 promote jobs linked to sustainable activities, particularly for women and young people;

 Universal primary and secondary education, create a Global Fund for Education;

• Empowering people to make sustainable choices:

• establish product labeling schemes without creating trade barriers;

• implement a second green revolution that doubles food production under the principles of sustainability; 

• clean and safe energy for all.

Adopt a new approach that places the sustainability paradigm at the centre of the global economic debate and demonstrates that the costs of inaction are much greater than the costs of action.

 Incorporation of environmental and social costs in the production of goods and services; 

 Account for and determine the costs of exclusion and social inequality to define ways to address them.

 Promote tax reforms, credit systems and the adjustment of subsidies that encourage the application of sustainable criteria in investments and financial transactions;

•  Promoting a sustainable economy

 Increase resources for adaptation and risk reduction

 Measure development beyond gross domestic product (GDP) and establish a new index or set of indicators for sustainable development; through integrative institutions and policies, 

 Plan for the long term, considering the interactions between national problems such as food and energy security and access to clean and sustainable water for all inhabitants.

 Adopt global sustainable development goals and implement periodic reports to evaluate results.