ECO Singapore Delegation to UNCSD

ABOUT Environmental Challenge Organisation (Singapore)

Environmental Challenge Organisation (Singapore), or ECO Singapore, is a not-for-profit social enterprise. ECO Singapore aims to establish a voluntary environmental movement, thereby creating opportunities for active involvement by Singaporean youths, instilling a sense of commitment and awareness of environmental issues and global hazards. By providing youths a holistic approach towards environmental issues, ECO Singapore’s mission is to encourage youths to take initiative and choose to live environmentally sustainable lifestyles.

ECO Singapore was registered in 2002 under the Registrar of Societies, Singapore, and is primarily run by volunteers. ECO Singapore’s main differentiating factor is its promotion of environmental issues in a more holistic manner. It achieves this by sharing its expertise, resources and volunteer pool with existing local and regional environment groups.

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT (IAD)

The IAD of ECO Singapore plays a vital role in generating awareness of global environment concerns and its impact on Singapore.

IAD’s objectives include:
1. Raising awareness of international environmental concerns on a national level, including how individual behaviour has worldwide implications;
2. Gaining a better understanding of how international policies are crafted and implemented; and
3. Providing an avenue for Singaporean youths to represent the nation in various international conferences and participate in consensus-building on an international platform

IAD’s planned projects for the year 2009 are to:
1. 17th session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) to be held in May 2009 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, United States of America
2. 15th Conference of Parties (COP-15) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to be held from 5 to 18 December 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark
3. Regional conferences and activities partnering the Asia-Europe Foundation on sustainable development and other environmental issues
4. Local educational workshops, talks and activities with special focus on sustainable consumption, and the production and repercussions of our current consumer lifestyles

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The concept of sustainable development emerged at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in 1972, when the link between the environment and human development began. Population growth, resource use and its environmental and social consequences were becoming more tangible. At the same time, extreme poverty and massive inequalities was widespread. There was therefore a realization that action had to be taken to tackle such problems.

Our Common Future or the Brundtland Report published in 1987 provided a rationale for action, defining sustainable development as “meeting the needs of the current generation without compromising those of the future generation.” Issues discussed ranged from agriculture and climate change, to drought and desertification; all within the context of sustainable development. Many of the issues are interrelated and are considered holistically.

SINGAPORE’S ROLE IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPEMENT

As Singapore becomes more globalised, it is necessary that we realise that sustainable development can be achieved through close multilateral cooperation. As a responsible global leader, Singapore is in a unique position to take leadership in establishing a strong framework for sustained development locally and regionally.

In 2008, the Singapore Government recently formed the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development to recognise the need to develop a holistic, sustainable social and environmental strategy for Singapore. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong further emphasised that ‘sustainable development would continue to be a priority for Singapore going forward’.

The current aims of the committee are to articulate a clear national framework and strategy to achieve a sustainable yet comfortable standard of living by developing Singapore as an Eco-Hub – an innovative thought-centre and hub for urban and environmental sustainability.

THE UNITED NATIONS COMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (UNCSD)

The United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) was established by the UN General Assembly in December 1992 to ensure effective follow-up on the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The Commission is responsible for reviewing progress of implementation of Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development; and for providing policy guidance following the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI) at local, national, regional and international levels.

The CSD is conducted in 2-year cycles, meeting every year, for review and policy sessions which focus on clusters of thematic and cross-sectoral issues. The 16th review session and 17th policy session tackle issues such as drought, agriculture, land and rural development. Special sessions are also held on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and water and sanitation.

The CSD has opened its sessions to encourage participation from both governmental and non-governmental actors, and supports a number of innovative activities, such as the Partnerships Fair, the Learning Centre and a series of panels, roundtables and side events. The Commission also features dialogues among Ministers and major groups such as youths, business and industry, scientific and technological community, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), farmers, and indigenous people, among others.

CSD-17 in 2009, while focusing on the same thematic issues will be the focus of discussion as in CSD-16, will be entering the Policy year, where feedback, suggestions and findings by all parties will be considered and entered into policy after consensus is reached. Opinions aired and best practices shared during CSD-16 in 2008 will be reviewed after 1 year of implementation, and follow-up will be rigorously pursued as part of the policy cycle.

YOUTH PARTICIPATION AT THE CSD

The Youth Caucus advocates a more sustainable world, based on present circumstances and the disparate needs of children and youth around the world. This encompasses the Millennium Development Goals, set out as targets for the improvement of the human condition.

Under the structure of the Youth Caucus, youths from around the world interact and share their concerns, ideals and suggestions with each other. The outcomes of the discussions are presented during the ministerial dialogues and have been well supported by government delegates.

The Youth Caucus organised a booth at the Side Events area at UNCSD-16 to improve communication and promote partnerships between various major groups, professionals and government delegates. The Youth Caucus also participated in events conducted by other major groups on official plenary sessions to learn from their experiences and tap on their knowledge.

The Youth Caucus also proposed a guideline for the Youth Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Youth MDGs are aimed at chartering the progress and impact of the MDGs on the youth.

Representatives of youth advocate groups from different countries are also sent to take part in the UNCSD process, bringing to the Youth Caucus a diversity of experiences in government dialogue sessions, lobbying for causes, proposing innovative solutions, analytical knowledge and skills.

ECO-UNCSD DELEGATION PROGRAMME DETAILS

The annual programme is separated in 3 parts, namely the pre, during and post trip segments.

The one-year cycle begins with pre-trip preparation, which includes a selection process and training programmes for delegates. The team will then proceed to the 2-week conference while updating and communicating with local youths via a blog. Upon returning to Singapore, the team will organise and conduct sharing workshops to promote the concept of sustainable development. The knowledge gained is compiled into a report and submitted to relevant ministries, NGOs, and those within ECO Singapore’s Network. In addition, the information is also made available to the public for reference upon request.

The conference directly exposes students to the mechanism of an international conference and the details involved in policy formulation, implementation and review. Upon their return, delegates will share their experiences and knowledge about the pressing issues involved in promoting sustainable development with its relevance to Singapore.

The post- and pre-trip programmes aim to engage students in discussions regarding international environmental issues. The programme content will be focused on macro-governmental policy issues on land and water with relevance to youths and Singapore. The programmes seek to complement the current tertiary education curriculum, which promotes global environmental awareness and responsible world citizenship.

PRE-TRIP PREPARATION FOR ECO-UNCSD Delegation

SELECTION PROCESS

The selection process aims to identify suitable candidates. Candidates would be assessed based on their writing ability, public speaking and personal skills. The selection is conducted by the ECO Singapore EXCO.

The IAD sent invitations to tertiary institutes to inform interested students of the selection process. Individuals would have to submit an essay based on the thematic issues such as land or water and sanitation to qualify for the first round of selection. Shortlisted students would be invited to a workshop where discussions and presentations are conducted. The workshop ends with a negotiation conference, which was a simulation of the United Nations conferences. The ECO Singapore EXCO team would then finalise the choice of the successful candidates.

Selection Criteria for ECO-UNCSD18 team members are as follows:

1^st Round (Essay Writing deadline on 16^th February) –Selects participants based on their analytical capabilities and understand of concepts related to Sustainable Development through essay writing

2^nd Round (Selection workshop on 28^th February) – Selects participants based on their public speaking ability and the ability to work in teams and with strangers through analysing, proposing and presenting policies as a team

3^rd Round (Selection Workshop on 7^th March) – Selects participants based on their diplomatic skills and ability to go beyond their comfort zone to propose and adopt collaborative efforts instead of adopting a confrontational approach within sessions that mimic multi-party talks between major groups in the United Nations

The selection process also provides ECO with a good opportunity to reach out to more youths through discussions held during the selection process. In 2009, the selection process brought together a group of 30 enthusiastic and interested individuals in Singapore Management University and who engaged in fruitful exchange of ideas and benefited from the workshop. As a result, the discussions have become part of the training programme for delegates.

Pre-trip training and preparation:

As part of the preparation for the conference, the selected team had to undergo a series of trainings, meeting and preparations by ECO Singapore prior to the 2-week conference in the United Nations Head Quarters in New York, Manhattan.

Participants have been briefed on preparations for UNCSD-18, actual action plan on UNCSD-18 and after-event work. Participants have also been trained by volunteery professionals on diplomacy, presentation, communication and media skills as well as personal grooming/ etiquette.

The training programme is vital in preparing delegates for segments with governmental officials and experts. The comprehensive coverage of skills will also enable delegates to maximise their networking opportunities during the conference.

The first training programme was conducted on 14^th March 2009 from 2.00 p.m to 5.00 p.m. The three-hour training programme covered briefing on UNCSD-18 as well as image and media management, networking and protocol. Since then, 4 other training and meeting sessions had been conducted.

The training programme also prepared delegates by building on their understanding of the topics to be discussed. The team had conducted independent research and report writing on local and Asian policies and issues related to Agriculture and Land which are related to UNCSD-18’s theme in order to build up contextual knowledge and writing skills. With the knowledge gained, delegates will be able to engage in more fruitful and in-depth discussions with their peers in the Youth Caucus. All documents with relevance to UNCSD were made available to the delegates as part as ECO Singapore’s resource building programme.

It is hoped that the nurturing of these individuals will reap greater rewards when delegates impart their knowledge to other youths and apply these skills in their other projects.

The Team Members for UN-CSD18 are as follows.

Tan Mei Jia

I’m probably better known as “the crazy environMENTAL one la!” among my friends, which is really quite who I am. I’m “crazy”, because I’m almost perpetually on high (my friends don’t know how to deal with me sometimes, haha), and “environMENTAL”, because I direct most of my high energy levels to helping save the environment! It’s either “eh don’t throw that! Recycle!” or “don’t waste so much paper can?” you’ll never fail to hear, and I’m hoping to bring these small steps to the bigger arena, where the REAL changes take place. Join me and the awesome CSD18 team (YAY LOVE YOU GUYS) and track our progress on the ECO Singapore’s CSD blog, where we will post updates and interesting finds you’ll never see in official publications! Get involved, because that’s the best way to help save OUR future!

Leong Jang

Born in Europe, raised in Singapore, educated in Australia & USA, worked in Asia and the Middle East; Leong Chia Jang a.k.a. LJ is a water treatment engineer who is interested in investigating global “green technologies” that improve the quality of life without adverse impact on the environment.

So… the above was me trying to sound mature and level-headed… but… it’s time to come out of the closet~!
もうばれました！＝P

My alter ego… whom you can call… not LJ… nor LG (the korean electronics brand)… but… “aLgae”… is finally ready to meet the world as an amateur light-green-greenie!  =)

Previously I’d been rather reluctant to acknowledge myself as a greenie, due to peer-teasing and immediate associations made to violent activists.  Ask yourself… doesn’t that make you a little “racist” and ignorant?  Isn’t that akin to devout muslims being wrongfully generalized to be affiliated to Al-Qaeda?

Nonetheless, I recently had an epiphany… I realise it is precisely because I didn’t educate my friends and family about COP15, that they could only relate greenies to the extremists they saw featured on TV; thereby leading to the serious misconceptions regarding the capacity of our work!

Hence, now I’m determined to start flooding my friends with the details of our actions and thoughts at UNCSD18, to sensitize and engage them.  It is only right that the greenie bug, carried by strong globally-united youth voices, shall conquer the world at a faster rate than the Facebook Fever~!

Kudos to my COP15 comrades (Amira, Eleina, Eileen, Gabriel, Hu Ching, Mel, Ping, Sye Yuet, Wilson, Yi Tao, Zhe Yu, Zhi Kai) and can’t wait to start the greenie invasion with the UNCSD18 team!

Hoe Jia Wen

My ideal self would work for Greenpeace, boycott all transportation and be a vegetarian. Not quite there yet, but I’m working on it! I look forward to this conference as a way to contribute, as a way to learn about worldwide environmental policies to bring back to Singapore, and also as a way to learn about inter-governmental negotiations in general. I hope to cradle my newfound knowledge back and spur the people around me to have an ideal environmental self they can work towards.

Shanthakumar Bannirchelvam

I believe that each time we stand up for something we believe in, we send forth a tiny ripple of hope. When we all stand up for what we believe in, our ripples combine to form a current that can overcome the greatest challenges of our time. I hope to use the UN CSD to send out a current, and to make sure that it gets back to Singapore! As youth, we should be the most concerned about the policy debates on the environment, as it is our future that is being drawn up. Hopefully, we can work together as a generation to bring about meaningful change on  this vital issue.

Dewi Anggraini

I am Dewi (pronounced “They-We”: They as in those who contantly live as if there is no limit to the Earth’s carrying capacity and we, the environmentalists!). Yes, we are worlds apart but there is a need to always bridge this gap and won them over! Let’s keep our hopes alive - the world is to be a better place today and for generations to come! Joining UN CSD, I hope to use this as a good platform to spread the env message to the non-converteds. I also hope to bring home new ideas on transportation for my work. And yes, my favorite quote: Only when the last tree has been cut; Only when the last river has been poisoned; Only when the last fish has been caught; Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten. (Proverb, American Indian).

Jamie Neo

My name is Jamie and I AM A YOUTH! As youths I believe that the onus is on us to provide a direction for the future of our world and the environment in which this future will exist within. Though we may be looked upon as being too naive or too young to truly comprehend the complexities of creating a sustainable future. It is because of this very simplistic and child-like (NOT CHILDISH!) optimism that gives us the motivation to try our best in spite of the challenges we face! (: Hence, a word of encouragement to all. No matter how small or insignificant you think your or your actions may be, every bit counts! While the idea of sustainable development may seem esoteric to most, it is not! Hence, we look forward to bringing you very practical tips to help you do your part every day. ITS TIME TO WAKE UP EVERYONE, ITS TIME FOR A YOUTH REVOLUTION!

Caleb Lim

I have always been that superficial greenie, endeavouring not to take a plastic bag whenever I have very few items, trying to remember to turn off the power supply of my Mac when I’m not using it and turning off the lights when they are not in use. However, I want to move beyond that and find out what sustainable development and other linked environmental issues really are and what their relevance is in today’s society. I wish to have a world where everybody works together and shares expertise, knowledge and best practices on how to make this world a better and greener place. Utopia, I know, but we are youths. The youth can make changes to this world we live in, and I am one of them.

Lee Zhe Yu

Zhe Yu has been a passionate greenie (and humanitarian) since young. Concerned with the current ills of global (economic) development especially with regards to the massive inequity that exists in the world. Realizes that climate change is the most severe global issue affecting mankind and yearns to find solutions that will promote true sustainable development for all. Desires for a new age of multilateralism, internationalism and global citizenship to solve the many interrelated global problems ranging from biodiversity conservation to chronic poverty, overfishing, deforestation, hunger and fair trade.