Serbia organizes "green economy" meeting at Rio summit

In the scope of the UN summit in Rio de Janeiro, Serbia has organized a meeting on green economy and sustainable development in the Adriatic and Ionian regions. The meeting was opened by Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic and co-chaired by Serbian and Slovenian Environment Ministers Oliver Dulic and Franc Bogovic. Serbia organizes "green economy" meeting at Rio summit Addressing the participants, Nikolic said that Serbia and the region were committed to improving the national and regional contribution to the broad global agenda of sustainable development. “We firmly believe that regional cooperation can make our voice stronger on the international scene and our actions more reliable and coherent, for the benefit of each of our countries,” he pointed out. Pointing to Serbia's commitment to follow the advanced European and global policy whose part is "green" and sustainable development, Nikolic underlined that help and support from regional and international actors was more than welcome. According Dulic, the Adriatic and Ionian regions can significantly improve cooperation between the countries involved, since the strategic ties provide opportunities for joint projects aimed at achieving sustainable economic and environmental development. “In the light of the main topic of Rio+20 Conference and together with international organizations, we can create a framework for transition to green and sustainable growth which encourages development, creates jobs, provides economic growth and reduces poverty,” Dulic said. Apart from Serbia, the Adriatic and Ionian regions includes Italy, Slovenia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Albania and Greece, and the meeting in Rio is the result of Serbia's chairmanship of the AII - which is now to be taken over by Slovenia. Dulic laid out a study on green economy and sustainable development, which, as previously explained, outlines the potentials and opportunities for opening 50,000 new jobs in the "green economy" over the next few years. The study was drafted by about 400 representatives of state institutions, the scientific and NGO sectors and UN bodies, in collaboration with the UN Development Program (UNDP) and the UN Environment Program (UNEP). “The UN system and international financial institutions should provide coherent and predictable financial resources for the implementation of activities in the field of sustainable development and green economy. This includes the implementation of multilateral agreements in the field of environment (protection) and sustainable development," the Serbian minister pointed out. Representatives of 191 countries, including 86 heads of states and governments, were brought together in Rio de Janeiro in order to reach historic “green planet” agreements that would pull billions of people out of poverty. The Serbian delegation is led by Nikolic, who will address the participants on Friday, the closing day of the conference, and the event is also attended by Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic. The Rio+20 Conference is taking place 20 years after the first Rio Earth summit in 1992, which paved the way for a global treaty on biodiversity, and the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gases, due to expire this year. Diplomats who have been negotiating for more than a year, drew up the 49-page draft text on Tuesday and will present it to leaders for adoption by the end of the summit on Friday. Oliver Dulic (Tanjug) Tanjug

Serbia organizes "green economy" meeting at Rio summit

Addressing the participants, Nikolić said that Serbia and the region were committed to improving the national and regional contribution to the broad global agenda of sustainable development.

“We firmly believe that regional cooperation can make our voice stronger on the international scene and our actions more reliable and coherent, for the benefit of each of our countries,” he pointed out.

Pointing to Serbia's commitment to follow the advanced European and global policy whose part is "green" and sustainable development, Nikolić underlined that help and support from regional and international actors was more than welcome.

According Dulić, the Adriatic and Ionian regions can significantly improve cooperation between the countries involved, since the strategic ties provide opportunities for joint projects aimed at achieving sustainable economic and environmental development.

“In the light of the main topic of Rio+20 Conference and together with international organizations, we can create a framework for transition to green and sustainable growth which encourages development, creates jobs, provides economic growth and reduces poverty,” Dulić said.

Apart from Serbia, the Adriatic and Ionian regions includes Italy, Slovenia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Albania and Greece, and the meeting in Rio is the result of Serbia's chairmanship of the AII - which is now to be taken over by Slovenia.

Dulić laid out a study on green economy and sustainable development, which, as previously explained, outlines the potentials and opportunities for opening 50,000 new jobs in the "green economy" over the next few years.

The study was drafted by about 400 representatives of state institutions, the scientific and NGO sectors and UN bodies, in collaboration with the UN Development Program (UNDP) and the UN Environment Program (UNEP).

“The UN system and international financial institutions should provide coherent and predictable financial resources for the implementation of activities in the field of sustainable development and green economy. This includes the implementation of multilateral agreements in the field of environment (protection) and sustainable development," the Serbian minister pointed out.

Representatives of 191 countries, including 86 heads of states and governments, were brought together in Rio de Janeiro in order to reach historic “green planet” agreements that would pull billions of people out of poverty.

The Serbian delegation is led by Nikolić, who will address the participants on Friday, the closing day of the conference, and the event is also attended by Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić.

The Rio+20 Conference is taking place 20 years after the first Rio Earth summit in 1992, which paved the way for a global treaty on biodiversity, and the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gases, due to expire this year.

Diplomats who have been negotiating for more than a year, drew up the 49-page draft text on Tuesday and will present it to leaders for adoption by the end of the summit on Friday.