Date: 19 June 2012
Place: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
UNCRD-LAC was invited to participate in the World Summit of Federal States and Regions of Rio+20 in the context of the technical support provided by this Office to the Latin American Organization of Intermediate Governments (OLAGI) and the UNESCO Chair on Human Security and Regional Development over the past two years. This support included the implementation of a Forum in October 2011, which led to the development and adoption of the Valparaiso Manifesto entitled "Human Security in the Latin America Agenda with emphasis on Climate Change Adaptation and Risk management". The Manifesto, signed by the countries of the OLAGI, was officially registered at Rio+20 and presented at the Regional Preparatory Meeting of the UNCSD held in Santiago de Chile at UN/ECLAC on September 2011 (in which UNCRD-LAC also participated), and where countries agreed to a set of commitments on regional development and human security, emphasizing the importance of the theme in the Latin American agenda, and the crucial role of subnational and regional governments in achieving green economy;
The main purpose of this off site event was to build a platform for the mobilization of federated States, regions, provinces and other subnational authorities around the issues of a green economy and sustainable development
UNCRD-LAC's participation in this event provided an opportunity to: (1) Raising visibility on the work developed by UNCRD on capacity building at the regional/subnational level of government, and its support to the presentation of the Valparaiso Manifesto made by the OLAGI President; (2) Strengthening linkage with relevant organizations devoted to sub-national governance for sustainable development as OLAGI, FOGAR, nrg4SD and ICLEI; (3) Defining a preliminary agenda of activities under the Voluntary Commitment of Promoting Regional Development and the Valparaiso Manifesto; and, (4) Contributing to enhance understanding of the roles, challenges and potentials of sub-national governments in achieving sustainable development, and learning from concrete, practical, achievable and affordable solutions to attain green economy at the city and regional levels.
Participants: 110 representatives of sub-national entities from across the globe
Organizers: The State of Rio de Janeiro, ORU/FOGAR, the Network of Regional Governments for Sustainable Development (nrg4SD), and the Climate Group. UNCRD-LAC was invited to participate.
(Office: UNCRD Latin America and the Caribbean Office)