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"ANDY" WAS A LEADING JUNIOR climber in the United Kingdom in the mid 1990s. He won the British junior comp series three years in a row and onsighted numerous low-end 5.13s on rock. The pressure was on for him to move up to international level, even though the coaching support wasn't there. Andy kept pushing and pushing, until one day it all began to fall apart. His knuckles became swollen, but he ignored the pain and continued training. Soon, his joints hurt every time he touched a hold and he was forced to stop. Andy couldn't face a year of rest and the laborious rehab, so he hung up his rock shoes and hasn't put them on since.
Strength training is the most difficult and sensitive component to incorporate into a young climber's training program. Most serious young climbers want to get strong as quickly as possible, but rushing strength training may disrupt the ability to learn good technique, as well as increase the risk of injury. The flip side is that any young climber who wishes to do well needs to take advantage of a critical productive age window for strength building. When is it safe for young people to start strength training? What sort of methods should be prescribed, and how much rest is necessary? This article combines the consensus views of many climbing coaches with mainstream sports research in order to develop a model for safe training practice for young climbers. First, it is vital to look at some of the fundamentals of exercise physiology and the development of young people.
Girls invariably climb better than boys until they reach their early teens. Junior girls below the age of 13 tend to be leaner, stronger and more agile than their male counterparts. The growth spurt, which occurs at the onset of puberty, usually accounts for significant improvements in boy's sporting performance. They develop a wider shoulder girdle, gaining biomechanical advantages for steeper climbing. Puberty also causes boys to lose fat and girls to gain it (25 percent is the average body-fat level for 17-year-old girls and 14 percent for boys of the same age). This development is natural, and most of us know the risks of young female climbers who attempt to over-compensate. Although the growth spurt usually occurs slightly earlier in un-trained girls (ages 10 to 12) than in untrained boys (12 to 14 years), menarche (first menstruation) occurs significantly later in female athletes than in non-athletes.
The effect of the muscle-cell patterns to which we are predisposed from birth comes into play at puberty. In adults, muscle-fiber type may be biased toward either strength or endurance activities, but children are far less physiologically specialized. For this reason, a child who wishes to reach his or her peak in climbing would be unwise to specialize greatly in his or her training until the mid to late teens.
The heart stops growing at roughly 20 years for both sexes, but experts speculate that there might be adverse effects of heavy exercise until this age. In general, aerobic endurance exercise is better than anaerobic exercise for the development of youngsters. Children have a higher anaerobic threshold than adults, which means it takes more time and effort for them to get pumped, but once they do, they have less capacity to hang in there, since their muscles tolerate less lactic acid. Kids seem to have unlimited amounts of energy when climbing. In crude terms, this is because they can't get as tired, and hence they need less recovery time.
Children have an undeveloped response to the fatiguing effects of exercise. Their urge is often to get up and have another go, even when they might be dangerously fatigued. This is where disciplined coaching is valuable. Additionally, because children produce more body heat than adults relative to their mass, their sweat glands are significantly less able to cope and they are prone to overheating. Great care must be taken to cool off between routes, especially indoors or when it's hot. Children also suffer more from voluntary dehydration than adults because their thirst levels are often out of synch with fluid requirements and they forget to hydrate.
Ironically, while many adults enjoy climbing because it is non-competitive, most kids are simply oblivious to this notion. For so many youngsters, climbing is all about competitions, and while some may thrive in that arena, others are crushed by it. Sports psychologists suggest that peers are far more likely to influence the psychological and emotional development of a young athlete than the sport itself. Studies show that parents and coaches who encourage young people in their sports by interacting with them in a positive, subtle manner will enhance their confidence and enjoyment, which, in turn, may assist their performance. Negative or overtly pushy behavior often has the reverse effect.
Very little specific research data is available on incidences and causes of child injuries in climbing, or indeed in mainstream sports. Researchers agree, however, that the juvenile injury rate in sports is rising due to higher rates of participation and competitiveness. High-impact, repetitive sports (which include bouldering or hard sport climbing) place major shock loads on the cartilage plates at the end of each bone. Some studies show that excessive strain on these plates before they have fully calcified may lead to the stunting and distortion of long bones. Further research has indicated that osteoporosis may be linked to excessive physical activity during the critical early years of bone growth. Bouldering and strength training have often been blamed for causing injuries in young climbers, when the reality is that poor supervision or incorrect practices have actually been the cause. As with many other sports, young athletes who want to reach a competitive level need to train for strength. The key is to train strength safely and progressively in accordance with a long-term plan.
Before prescribing a strength-training program to any junior, assess the individual's level of commitment and maturity. Will this climber train safely in the absence of a coach? If not, the coach must work hard to sell the importance of warming up and come down hard on those who throw themselves at dynos or don't rest adequately. With more responsible junior climbers, the coach's role can be to plan training sessions that a young climber can carry out without supervision.
The following plan is for the progressive implementation of strength training and overload into a young climber's training schedule.
Under 13
Bouldering sessions: After a thorough warm up, the focus should be skills acquisition rather than strength building. Stick mainly to vertical walls to minimize overload on the upper body. Overhanging bouldering should be confined to a short period of 30 minutes maximum and should be carefully supervised. Avoid surfaces that are steeper than 25-degrees overhanging.
Key rules: Take long rests between attempts and don't try the same move too many times. Problems should be flashed, or completed very quickly. Emphasize controlled movement with good form, and avoid cutting loose, or powerful slaps or dynos. Avoid using sharp or tweaky holds, and favor rounded holds. The half (open) crimp is the safest utility grip for overhanging climbing.
Practice crimping and hanging on vertical walls only. Use these sessions to ingrain steep-rock body positions (twist-lock, outside-edge, flag, drop knee, etc.) Remember that physiologically, the best time to learn motor skills is during early childhood, whereas peak strength gains occur during the late teens and early 20s. It is also vital not to push too hard too soon, in order to avoid mental burnout. Success develops a positive and confident attitude, as well as providing the first critical foundation of low-intensity training upon which to build.
Gym work: Sessions should develop a foundation of general body strength. They should include body-weight exercises only, such as push-ups and sit-ups and repetitions should be kept between 15 and 30, with no more than three sets. Pull-ups should be conducted with a foot on a hold, stool or bungee to provide off-weight assistance. Avoid campusing, free weights and hang boards.
Maximum frequency: One strength session, plus a maximum of two endurance climbing sessions per week. Never prioritize strength in microcycles—that is, a block of training with a set theme that lasts between four and eight weeks.
13 to 14 years old
Bouldering sessions: At this age, climbers can place more emphasis on bouldering on overhanging walls for strength, but should still avoid dynos and campus-style, footless climbing. Cutting loose is OK occasionally, but avoid dropping onto straight arms. Increase total time spent on overhanging walls to one hour but take a 10-minute break for every 15 minutes of steep bouldering. Surface angle can increase to 35 degrees. Use the half crimp as the utility grip, but introduce, with great caution, a small amount of crimping and hanging on overhanging problems. Introduce short-term goal setting.
Gym work: You may carefully introduce hang boards to gym sessions to provide a more specific focus, but keep reps high and sets very low. Optimum exercises are pullups on a bar (aiming for less assistance from feet), hanging knee raises, and two-armed fingertip hangs. Introduce them progressively. Three sets of 15 (with assistance) is optimum for pullups and knee raises and three sets of six to 10 seconds for hangs. A very light foundation of general weight training is also advisable to prevent muscular imbalance and ensure that the antagonist (opposition) muscles are trained. Weight should be set at 50 to 70 percent of maximum overload for 15 to 25 reps. Three sets maximum per exercise. Seek additional advice from a qualified gym instructor. A minimum requirement is to do three sets of pushups (10 to 20 reps) twice a week, in order to train antagonist muscles. The importance of antagonist training cannot be over-stressed.
Maximum frequency: Two specific strength sessions per week during strength phases, and no more than four sessions total. Two antagonist sessions per week. You can prioritize strength in microcycles, but keep phases short (four weeks or less) and to no more than three per year.
15 to 16 years old
Bouldering sessions can now include powerful moves and dynos, but continue to avoid campus-style, footless moves. Cutting loose is OK, but emphasize control and good form—body tension is a major priority. Total time spent on overhangs can be increased to 90 minutes, but continue with the short breaks every 15 minutes. Surface angle can increase to 45 degrees. Crimping and hanging can be used extensively.
Introduce goal-setting: For example, to improve bouldering by a grade and/or to win a bouldering competition in six months time or at the end of a periodized program. A periodized training schedule will involve a series of short training phases, or microcycles, organized into a collective program with an overall theme or priority. For example, four weeks endurance, four weeks power, four weeks power-endurance, rest and peak. These programs may typically run for anything between two and eight months.
Gym work: Introduce power exercises like pullups at speed, with selective use of campus exercises, such as touches—in which the climber hangs with both hands from a low rung, pulls up and touches a high rung, drops back down and then repeats, leading with alternate arms—are best. Go easy with ladders and avoid double dynos. Attempt front levers or high leg raises for body tension. Number of sets can increase to five or six and optimum number of repetitions is now between four and six, for pure strength gains. An inverted pyramid structure will organize overload correctly to maximize strength gains. It is vital to maintain the same attention to antagonist muscles, so continue the pushups.
Maximum frequency: Three strength/power sessions total per week during strength phases, and two antagonist sessions. Increase the length of the strength/power phase to six weeks and run up to four per year.
17 years old and up
Bouldering: You should now introduce the most powerful dynamic or campus-style moves. Increase time spent on overhanging problems to the maximum level for adults. The increments may range from 90 minutes to three hours, depending on session structure and use of intermittent breaks. Problems can also be grouped to create "system style" workouts on overhanging panels (crimpy problem, then pinch problem, then undercling problem, etc.). Long-term goal-setting should now be introduced.
Gym work: Introduce high-impact campus exercises such as ladders and double dynos. These must be practiced correctly and with appropriate rest structure. Avoid the harshest forms of maximum overload training, such as weighted bouldering or campusing until a climber is 18, when bones and connective tissues are closer to full development. Maximum recruitment sets (one to two repetitions) can now be introduced at the tip of the pyramid. The purpose is to organize overload correctly to maximize strength gains. Climbers may be tempted to increase the weight in antagonist training and use exercises like bench press or shoulder press to gain strength. These methods can result in excessive muscle mass/weight.
Maximum frequency: Four strength/power sessions total per week during strength phases. Increase strength/power phase to eight weeks and run up to four per year.
Research suggests that the younger an athlete, the more he or she should emphasize endurance training rather than strength. Endurance training provides the foundation for building strength and power safely. Longer, aerobic endurance and stamina training is less stressful to the young athlete than more intensive middle-distance anaerobic endurance training. Younger climbers must remember to be very strict with rest intervals between bursts of effort during anaerobic training.
With younger climbers (8 to 12 years old), allocate approximately 10 to 15 minutes for cooling off and hydrating for every half hour of climbing.
Incorporate phases of full rest into the overall periodized program for juniors. The younger the climber, the longer and more frequent these should be.
For endurance-climbing sessions of over an hour, take an electrolytic replacement drink.
Junior girls may be tempted to reduce their caloric intake during training. Thoroughly explain the dangers. Girls who allow their fat levels to fall below 16 to 18 percent risk injury and may temporarily cease menstruation, as well as becoming susceptible to anorexia nervosa. Dieting may seriously impair long-term progress and athletic improvement.
The strength-training plan outlined in this article is generic and can be adapted to the specific requirements of individuals. If only Andy, our case-study junior climber, had adopted a similar approach. The most talented juniors who want to stand on podiums and onsight 5.14s will always be tempted to jump the gun. Make sure that they are fully aware of the associated risks. There is room for more research on the subject of training for young people, especially in climbing. Above all else, focus on technique, build a firm foundation of endurance before attempting to gain strength, always make time for antagonist training, keep the pressure down and most of all, have fun!
The Children's Lifetime Physical Activity Model (C.L.P.A.M) (Corbin et al 1994).
The Physical Activity Model for Adolescents (Sallis et al 1994).
E.W.Brown & C.F.Branta 1988 : Malina et al (1978,) Barker (1981).
Scanlan & Lewthwaite, Kabara & Morris, Rogol, Wells & Plowman, Loucks, Micheli, Brown (all 1988)
Loucks (1988). Health Education Authority Literature Review (1997) Williams (1989) Sharp (1989).
Neil Gresham is a London-based writer and trainer. He has just released a two-part instructional DVD, Masterclass.


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|Data Dictionary:
|ACS 2009 (1-Year Estimates)
you are here: choose a survey survey data set table details
Survey: ACS 2009 (1-Year Estimates)
|Data Source:
|U.S. Census Bureau
Data set: American Community Survey 2009 (ACS09)
|B25077. Median Value (Dollars) [1]
Universe: Owner-occupied housing units
Table Details
|Median Value (Dollars)
|Universe: Owner-occupied housing units
Relevant Documentation:
|Excerpt from:
|Social Explorer; U.S. Census Bureau; American Community Survey 2009 Summary File: Technical Documentation.
|ACS 2009-1yr Summary File: Technical Documentation -> Appendix A. Supplemental Documentation -> 2009 Subject Definitions -> Housing Variables -> Value -> Median and Quartile Value
The median divides the value distribution into two equal parts: one-half of the cases falling below the median value of the property (house and lot, mobile home and lot, or condominium unit) and one-half above the median. Quartiles divide the value distribution into four equal parts. Median and quartile value are computed on the basis of a standard distribution. (See the "Standard Distributions" section under "Appendix A".) Median and quartile value calculations are rounded to the nearest hundred dollars. Upper and lower quartiles can be used to note large value differences among various geographic areas. (For more information on medians and quartiles, see "Derived Measures".)

subset: commoncrawl


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尺寸290 平方米
Floor No.2
- 适合家庭/儿童
- 互联网/无线网路
- 厨房
- 空调
- 洗衣机/干衣机
- 电视机
- 有停车场
- 游泳池
Accommodation summary
|Carrer de la Falguera, 07420 Sa Pobla, 西班牙
The exteriors of the house are fantastic. You can enjoy the chlorine, 8x4m swimming pool with a depth ranging from 1m to 2.40m. The private garden has a surface of 400m2. There, you will find 1 outdoor shower, as well as 8 sunbeds and 2 umbrellas. The furnished 20m2 porch is the perfect place to share unforgettable after-eating talks with family and friends. It also has 1 furnished 30m2 terrace where you can relax in the comfortable rocker. One side of the porch features 1 fixed barbecue, where you can dazzle your guests with delicious dishes cooked outdoors. The privacy of the property is partial and there are 2 outside parking spaces and another one inside a garage.
In this property the air-conditioned living room and furnished dining room are in the same area. The living room is the perfect place to disconnect watching satellite television, listening to a CD or watching a DVD movie. In the dining room you can enjoy never-ending dinner parties with your loved ones. The property's modern kitchen is great because it has everything you need to prepare any dish you intend to, including electric stove; in this area you will find a large island and direct access to the garden. There is 1 washing machine, 1 dryer and 1 ironing board. In this property there are 4 bedrooms available to you, 2 located on the ground floor (1 with 1 double bed and one with 2 single beds) and 2 on the first floor (1 with 1 double bed and the other with 2 single beds). All 4 bedrooms have wardrobes and air conditioning. There are a total of 4 bathrooms in the house, 2 on the ground floor (1 of them in suite with shower and the other with bathtub) and 2 on the first floor (1 with in suite shower and the other with shower). This property has air conditioning / heating in the living room and bedrooms and 1 crib for little ones, in case you need it. One of the special features of this property, which will allow you to relax and unwind from the daily routine, is the indoor Jacuzzi located in a room in the first floor.
The residential complex lies just 4.5 km from Sa Pobla, where you can find everything you might need during your vacation. The town of Pollença is also nearby (10.6 Km) and is a lovely town worth visiting where you will enjoy its cobbled streets and all the shops there. You can also climb to the Calvari, an old church that is in the upper town, where you can enjoy spectacular views. Just a 20 minute drive away, you will also get to Ses Casetes des Capellans and Picafort. The promenade of Ca'n Picafort has a lot of life and contrasts with the tranquility of Platges de Muro. On the beaches of Can Picafort you can practice a great variety of water sports such as windsurfing, kite surfing or jet skis. We also recommend you to visit the area of Alcudia and Pollensa, where you will find beautiful coves with crystalline waters.
Note: This property's rent is carried out based on the Spanish legislation, specifically Law 29/1994 of 24 November on urban leases. For this reason, the property will be available for seasonal use. In this contract the lessee will not be offered any kind of tourist services. This contract only consists of the cession of the use and enjoyment of the property.
The consumption of air conditioning is charged separately (the owner has an individual meter).
Pets are not allowed at this property.
The holding of events is not allowed at this property.
Beach: 12 km - Playa de Muro / Alcudia
Airport: 60 km - Son Sant Joan de Palma de Mallorca
Golf course: 7.9 km - Golf Pollensa
Town: 5 km - Sa Pobla
Train station: 5 km - Sa Pobla
Bus stop: 5 km - Sa Pobla
Ferry: 17 km - Alcúdia
Hospital: 15 km - Chiron Playa de Muro (private)
住宿规定Check-in: 4 pm
Check-out: 10 am
Very late check-in (from 24 pm) has an extra cost of 50 €
Damage deposit of 300€ will be left cash on arrival (will be returned cash on your departure day).
Air conditioning is be paid apart: 0.25 €/kW
Pets are not allowed
|Check-in before
The host cancelled the booking, this review is automated.
Really enjoyed our stay great location. Well equipped kitchen for self catering. Would stay again as such a quiet family location. Owner lovely and welcoming.
Really nice stay in Can Picafort. We would recommened to other people. Good bed, lots of comfort and a very very nice terrace. We will come back next year.
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The host cancelled the booking, this review is automated.
Everything was perfect. Nice Finca and good communication.
We was very satisfied with the house. One interesting things, was that the stove was heatest on number 1 in stead of 6! It´s takes two days to get that information.
Will strongely recommended the house.
Kindly Regards
Ulla Qvickstrom
Stockhollm, Sweden
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text: Fully assembled and ready to use, makes the NRG Sporty Table Cart the most convenient table cart on the market today. Use this table cart to transport your massage table easily and safely to your clients, your office, and more... No assembly or difficult instructions to deal with. Just unpack your cart, place it on level ground, unfold the handle, place your massage table on the cart, lift the handle, and you're ready to go. Available in Black.


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UK NGO's Joint Rio+20 Narrative
The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development - 4-6 June 2012
1 November 2011
The authors of this joint narrative are voluntary, development and environmental organisations and trade unions. Most co-signatories are members for the BOND- Development and Environment Group (BOND-DEG). However, some organisations have co-signed in an individual capacity. This narrative represents a consensual view of the organisations involved. However, it does not bind any organisations to the views expressed and each is free to develop its own views and policies:
ICE Coalition
Peace Child
Stakeholder Forum
WildLaw UK
Article 19
World Future Council
East London Green Jobs Alliance
Green Belt Movement
cynnal cymru sustain wales
green economy coalition
Gaia Foundation
2. The Green and Fair Economy. 5
3. Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development. 8
4. Sectoral Issues. 10
BOND-DEG - UK NGO's Joint Rio Narrative
"You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete."
-R. Buckminster Fuller
1. Introduction
Our vision is of a Green and Fair Economy.
This must be achieved through a just transition.
It must deliver a better quality of life for all within environmental limits, now and into the future.
Humanity faces critical decisions. The scale of our current economic crisis will soon be overshadowed by the impending environmental crisis in both impacts and costs. Over the past 50 years our current global economic model has failed to deliver the sustainable society that we need.
The concept of sustainable development that was elaborated at the first Earth Summit in Rio in 1992 still provides a compelling vision of the transformation that needs to be made. But implementation of that vision has fallen far short.
Operating within planetary boundaries is a necessary precondition for sustainability. But at present the world is pressing harder against ecological limits and we have already breached the safe operating or boundaries for three of nine key planetary systems (climate change, biodiversity loss and excess nitrogen and phosphorus production).[2]
At the same time inequality and unfairness is growing between and within countries. Poverty has increased in absolute terms, and the gap between rich and poor is growing. Furthermore, the world's population is increasing rapidly (a projected 9 billion by 2050 from 7 billion now) increasing the demand for resources and adverse impacts such as pollution and waste.
The UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) to be held in Rio in June 2012 (Rio + 20) presents world leaders with a unique opportunity for change. We need to revive the original Rio momentum and launch the transformation towards a truly sustainable global economy that promotes true prosperity for all in a socially just and equitable way now and into the future,while acknowledging and respecting environmental limits; that is the Green and Fair Economy. This will require bold political leadership and engagement of all parts of society to bring about the necessary transformation of the global economy. It will require fundamental reforms in political systems and institutions and a shift in values and behaviours.
Minor modifications of present policies within an essentially business as usual model of the economy cannot bring about the scale of transformation needed. Developed countries such as the UK need both to transform their own economies by creating more sustainable pathways for the future; and help developing countries find a greener and more equitable pathway for their own future development.
All parts of society need to be engaged in the transition, and will be affected by the changes. So the transition must be managed in an open and co-operative way that ensures a just and fair transition to the sustainable green economy. We need common value and language and new politics to shape and guide the transition in a harmonious and equitable way. Only then will we create the trust required to build socio-environmental security and resilience, now and into the future.
2. The Green and Fair Economy
The Green Economy needs to be a fair one, with all that this implies. To this end, the social dimension of sustainable development needs to be given greater emphasis. The basic preconditions for this are: social cohesion, fairness, including inter-generational fairness, fair redistribution and solutions for social problems such as growing inequality, lack of access to a whole range of resources, poverty and unemployment.
The Green and Fair Economy should not be used as a euphemism for green growth to promote the business as usual agenda of growth at all costs. Rather we must acknowledge key environmental limits/planetary boundaries, and this does require us to rethink our growth pattern and help define pathways for sustainable development.
The transition to a Green and Fair Economy and a sustainable future is fundamental to the process of change, in developed and developing nations. Seeing it as a just transition is about recognising and planning fairly and sustainably for the huge changes that climate change policies will have for the whole economy. There are key conditions to ensuring a just transition to a green and fair economy, these include:
Access to Information and Stakeholder Engagement - In line with Rio Principle 10 and the Aarhus Convention, all individuals should have access to environmental information, be able to participate in decision-making processes and have effective access to judicial and administrative proceedings. This includes inclusive and effective consultation processes between all stakeholders (government, business, trade unions, voluntary, development and environmental organisations) on the changes required in transitioning to a green and fair economy.
Investing in People - The transition must also ensure the creation of quality jobs and decent work, investments in communities, investments in relevant education/training and skills programmes and strong and efficient social protection systems in the transition to a sustainable economy. General Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) programmes must be given higher priority and support.
Respect for Labour and Human Rights - Democratic decision-making and respect for human and labour rights are essential in order to ensure the fair representation of workers' and communities' interests.
Improving Financing and Investment for Sustainable Development - Financial decisions and investments must begin to flow towards restoring our environment and generating a better quality of life for all. This means reforming subsidies, taxation and public sector financing to meet environmental and societal needs rather than just GDP growth; driving investment towards new private sector markets; and putting an end to short-term market speculation.
An Earth-centred Governance Approach - For development to be truly sustainable it needs to be founded on Earth-centred principles which promote the long-term health and integrity of the Earth, recognising that Earth has limits within which humans must live, and respecting the inherent rights of all life on Earth of present and future generations.
The Green Economy means many different things to different people. The broad spectrum can create confusion. However, a singular definition will be next to impossible to agree with such a large, diverse group of stakeholders. Furthermore, the economic, political, cultural and environmental context of each country needs to be taken into account, and there is no one prescriptive model. Instead, principles for a Green and Fair Economy should be agreed, and which will act as a decision-making framework in practice. Underpinning measures/mandates for greening the global economy should also be discussed and agreed at Rio+20. These should include:
Measuring progress in the just transition;
Educating for the green and fair economy;
Fiscal measures for the green and fair economy;
Investing for the green and fair economy;
Regulating for the green and fair economy;
Targets and goals for sustainable development in different sectors of the economy that can feed into the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) review in 2015, and any new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs - see Section 2 below for further details).
Specific initiatives to be put forward at Rio+20 on the Green and Fair Economy include:
Beyond GDP - The current reliance on economic growth and GDP as an indicator of success has led to perverse outcomes. It has not delivered fair levels of well-being for society or individuals. GDP is an inadequate metric through which to gauge well-being over time. Instead we need to reassess our common values, making decisions that lead to a green and fair economy around what we really value. There is an important distinction between assessing current well-being and assessing sustainability.
Sustainable Management of Natural Resources and Capitals - The poor management and regulation of natural assets and ecosystems leads to increasingly frequent and severe regional and global crises, and is a major factor behind food, water and energy insecurity (see Section 3 below for further details on these securities). Outcomes from Rio+20 must ensure that national development strategies take full account of the state of natural assets and ecosystems and their role in sustaining human and animal well-being and economic activity; actively investing in their conservation and enhancement to avoid a devastating and irreversible global crisis.
Fiscal Reform - True environmental costs of production and consumption must be internalised into accounting models in order to address the causes rather than simply the symptoms of environmental degradation. The polluter pays principle should be adopted in practice in standard accounting and reporting practices for both business and governments, so that these costs can be reflected in market valuations and environmental impact assessments. Furthermore, green taxes should be used to incentivise positive behaviours and discourage harmful ones. For example, an internationally agreed mechanism to raise finance from international transport. A global Financial Transaction Tax (FTT) should be implemented, with a significant proportion of the revenue raised used to support long-term efforts to fight climate change in developing countries and implementing sustainability programmes. Lastly, all subsidies that undermine sustainable development should be eliminated, particularly those underpinning fossil fuel use and unsustainable agricultural and fishery practices.
Sustainable Public Procurement - Governments must use public procurement as a leadership and leveraging tool to promote the green and fair economy. All public procurement contracts should include specifications for labour and environmental sustainability standards.
A Declaration on Planetary Boundaries - Rio+20 is an opportunity to formally recognise key environmental limits - such as planetary boundaries - within which we must remain, and the thresholds that we must respect in order to maintain the sustainability of our planet. Rio+20 should begin the process of creating a 'Declaration on Planetary Boundaries' which outlines key principles and shows political commitment by attendees to this concept.
A Convention on Corporate Sustainability - All corporations must be mandated to report on their environmental impacts and contribution to wellbeing, or explain why they are not doing so. There should be a commitment at Rio+20 in the form of a Convention on Corporate Sustainability to develop national regulations which mandate the integration of material sustainability issues in the Annual Report & Accounts; and therefore providing effective mechanisms for investors to hold companies to account on the quality of their disclosures.
Global Convention on Rio Declaration Principle 10 -Access to environmental information, participation in transparent decision-making processes, and access to judicial and administrative proceedings should be basic rights for all, at all levels of decision-making, including local, national and international processes. Rio+20 should support a proposal for a Global Convention on Access to Information based on Principle 10 of the 1992 Rio Declaration. There could also be regional replications of the Aarhus Convention in other parts of the world.
3. Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development
It is vital that form must follow function for any reform of the institutional framework for sustainable development. It is important that Rio+20 should seek to improve the integration of the different elements on sustainable development; social, environment and economic. Furthermore, a renewed emphasis must also be place on Principle 10 of the 1992 Rio Declaration. Transparency, access to information, public participation in decision-making, accountability and access to justice are fundamental and necessary elements for effective and legitimate governance.
Integration of the different sustainability pillars could be effectively achieved through the creation of a Sustainable Development Council (SDC) at the top of the UN system. It would report directly to the General Assembly (on the same level with Security Council), and integrate and strengthen the work currently done separately in the UN's Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD). It should be charged with driving forward global action on all aspects of sustainable development, promoting the transition to a green and fair economy, and initiating action on new and emerging issues such as food and energy security. Below this, a Sustainable Development Board (SDB), answering through ECOSOC to the new SDC, would merge the boards of UNDP/the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food programme (WFP), bringing those agencies together in engaging individuals, allocating funding, delivering programmes and most importantly scrutinising outcomes against the criteria of both sustainable development and wellbeing. Horizontally linking nations, the SDB would facilitate an exchange of information from North to South, engendering co-operation, while also de-linking the concepts of well-being and material wealth.
In addition to the horizontal integration of sustainable development across the UN (and national) structures, there is also a need to strengthen the environmental pillar of sustainability giving it equal political weight to social and economic pillars within the UN system. Rio+20 must consider either strengthening the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), or upgrading it to either a UN Environment Organisation (UNEO) or World Environment Organisation (WEO). Either way, this reformed/upgraded UNEP must have universal membership with civil society represented on the governing body. It must also be given greater powers and an additional mandate to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. Its portfolio and funding must also be expanded to support sustainable development activities and partnerships at the regional levels.
Specific initiatives to be put forward at Rio+20 on the Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development include:
Sustainable Development Goals - In August 2011, Colombia submitted a proposal to the UN to introduce Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It sees these as a possible foundation for building international political commitment at Rio, providing measurable 'tangible goals' for the sustainable development debate. The SDGs would address the Agenda 21 aims produced at Rio 20 years ago. The SDGs would apply in all countries, and therefore act as a complementary, successor framework to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which end in 2015 and focuses mainly on the Global South. Furthermore, SDGs would also shift the centre of gravity away from the economic (poverty reduction) pillar of the MDGs and more towards the environmental and social pillars of sustainable development. For example, by providing measurements against metrics of planetary boundaries, and a strong focus on consumption patterns in the Global North. However, the SDGs should not detract from the urgent need for a post-2015 framework that focuses on poverty or from funding for that agenda.
National, Local and Regional Governance - National Sustainable Development Strategies need to be revived and refreshed with full engagement and support from business and all parts of civil society. These strategies should be underpinned with route maps outlying national actions towards a green and fair economy. Advisory bodies such as Councils for Sustainable Development need to be adequately resourced to play their full part in bringing forward new thinking and maintaining pressure for progress.
Reform of International Financial Institutions - There must be better incorporation of sustainable development parameters in the existing International Financial Institutions, particularly in terms of funding, operations, strategic plans, objectives and implementation. Additionally, Rio+20 should pursue further reforms to strengthen the efficiency of the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Planetary Boundaries Institution - As part of the Declaration on Planetary Boundaries, a Planetary Boundaries Institution (PBI) should be given the role of promoting and developing the principles of the Declaration.
High Commissioner/Ombudsperson for Future Generations - The needs of future generations are a crucial element of sustainable development, but are not represented in the relevant decision-making processes. In order to remedy this situation and ensure that long-term interests are heeded, it is proposed that a High Commissioner/Ombudsperson for Future Generations be created at UN and national levels.
International Court for the Environment - Environmental problems extend across international boundaries, but there are few effective international institutions to deal with them properly. Strengthening international environmental law mechanisms are essential to securing sustainable development. The Rio+20 outcome document should accordingly recommend the establishment of an International Court for the Environment (ICE). This would build trust, harmonise and complement existing legal regimes and provide clarity and access to justice as well as redress.
4. Sectoral Issues
There are also specific sectoral and thematic issues that must be discussed at Rio+20. These issues have reached a point of urgency and require immediate attention. The issues include, but are not limited to:
The water, energy and food securities nexus - Global trends such as population growth and rising economic prosperity are expected to increase demand for energy, food and water, which will further compromise the sustainable use of natural resources and equitable access. This pressure on resources could ultimately result in shortages which may put water, energy and food security for the people at further risk, hamper economic development and poverty reduction, lead to social and geopolitical tensions and cause lasting irreparable environmental damage.
Ensuring the resilience of basic ecosystems services through the integration of common challenges and solutions of these securities is vital; which should be coupled with principles of fair and secure access to water, energy and food for all people.
· The Blue Economy - Healthy oceans provide tremendous economic, social, and environmental benefits that directly support livelihoods around the globe, and further support life-sustaining processes for the planet. Consideration and inclusion of these services at Rio+20 is imperative to ensure the global community can continue to rely on the marine environment on which it so essentially depends.
· Sustainable Agriculture and Food-Rio provides a key opportunity to set us on a new global course for food and agriculture. There is a need for urgent, radical reform of the global food system. As climate change is predicted to be a major driver of future food poverty, it is the duty of the planet's decision makers to take steps to avoid this coming catastrophe. This requires an understanding of the complexities of our planet's ecosystem services, the way in which they interact with one another and our impacts on them.
While these issues are seemingly environmental, they are, at heart, issues of fairness. Our current activities (e.g. fossil fuel and water consumption, use of chemicals and forest clearance) are reducing the planet's ability to sustain life. Our current food system is broken in that it allows widespread hunger, obesity, obscene waste, animal cruelty and appalling environmental degradation. It is a system that was set up with the primary purpose to deliver profit for an elite few. Through increased efficiency, reducing wastage and sharing best practice we have the ability to feed everyone on the planet without devoting any more land to food growing. Yet, at the moment estimates state that one in seven people on the planet go hungry everyday. So not only are we destroying our own only life support system, we are doing so in a highly inequitable manner.
UN policies and programmes and Rio+20 provide an opportunity for global leaders to agree on humane and sustainable agriculture policy and practice, with a focus on agro ecological approaches and recognising the fundamental role of small scale farmers in providing food for those most in need, the majority of which are women. In addition to improving the efficiency of food systems and reducing waste, a focus should be on improving production. These goals can be achieved in part through sharing of knowledge, best practice and technology.
Animals are important to biodiversity and they have an important role in maintaining the healthy balance of life on earth. Rio+20 outcomes must acknowledge the role of animals and their welfare within greener agriculture systems and wider society.
Renewable Energy - Our current models of energy production are driving dangerous climate change. Addressing energy access through locally appropriate renewable technologies therefore enables development and catalyses a global shift away from fossil fuels. By installing enough renewable energy, the cost of investment will continue to fall until it becomes competitive with fossil fuels, thereby making renewables the default choice. The necessary levels of investment will not be delivered by market forces alone, especially around the decentralised systems the International Energy Agency predicts will dominate future spending, meaning public policies and investment will play a pivotal role.
UN initiatives and Rio+20 are both opportunities that should not be missed, and policies should be based on the extensive research that exists on the most effective way to catalyse the uptake of renewable technology. Meanwhile, outcomes must ensure that the necessary energy transformation respects the principles of a green and fair economy. Communities and civil society must be central to all policies at each stage and on all levels (global, national and local level). This provides legitimacy and longevity through local ownership, as well as protection from environmentally and socially harmful technologies and practices which would not deliver sustainable development.
The installation, operation and maintenance of renewable energy is far more labour intensive than our large-scale, centralised fossil fuel-powered energy systems. Therefore pursuing a policy of renewable energy access that respects labour and human rights can create the quality of jobs and training programmes that are necessary for a sustainable economy in both the Global North and South.
Population dynamics and lack of access to sexual and reproductive health and rights - Population dynamics, including growth, urbanisation and migration, interact with the environment to influence availability of natural resources, biodiversity, climate change and other key Rio+20 priorities. Ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health programmes that respect and protect human rights would enable all women and couples to plan and space their children as they wish, offering scope to achieve population stabilisation and contribute to poverty alleviation, gender equality, environmental sustainability and other important aspects for sustainable development.
Urbanisation and Planning - Taking population dynamics into account, including population growth, urbanisation, migration and ageing, will help focus the sustainable development agenda. Between 1995 and 2005, the urban population of developing countries grew by an average of 1.2 million people per week, or around 165,000 people every day. By the middle of the 21st century, it is estimated that the urban population of these countries will more than double, increasing from 2.5 billion in 2009 to almost 5.2 billion in 2050.[3] In 2008, developed nations were about 74 percent urban, developing nations were 44 percent urban and for the first time the world's population was evenly split between urban and rural areas. The urban areas of the world are expected to absorb almost all the population growth expected over the next four decades while at the same time drawing in some of the rural population.[4] While the overall proportion of the world's population living in slums has fallen in the last decade from one quarter to one third,[5] the population of slum dwellers in absolute numbers has continued to rise to in excess of 1 billion today.[6] Efficient and inclusive urban mobility is essential for economic and social development since it enables citizens to access goods, services, jobs, markets, education opportunities and social contacts. Yet, urban planning and management has been unable to either cope with the growth thus far or address urban challenges. So without improved capability for urban planning and greater political vision and support, this future increase is likely to cause significant socio-environmental problems for our cities and towns. The rapid urbanisation and growth of cities must be addressed so that there is fair access to resources as well as sustainable resource use. This means green and low impact development in cities, growing urban food networks, increasing urban biodiversity, reducing pollution, recycling resources, and managing land-use through robust and inclusive planning systems focussed on the delivery of sustainable development, operating within environmental limits and enabling social justice.
Bond is the UK membership body for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in international development - www.bond.org.uk
[2] Rockström, J et al. Planetary boundaries: Exploring the safe operating space for humanity. Ecology and Society [online] 14, 32 (2009). www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol14/iss2/art32.
WHO Urban Population Growth URL: http://www.who.int/gho/urban_health/situation_trends/urban_population_growth_text/en/index.html
UNDESA Population Division (2010) World Urbanisation Prospects, The 2009 Revision, Highlights. URL: http://esa.un.org/unpd/wup/Documents/WUP2009_Highlights_Final.pdf
The Economist, Slum Populations: Slumdog Millions, March 24th 2010. URL: http://www.economist.com/node/15766578
[6]UN-HABITAT, Former Executive Director, Statements and Speeches, 'Urban Housing Challenges and Opportunities in Developing Countries http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=1345&catid=14&typeid=8&subMenuId=0 [accessed 03.07.2011]
Issued: 10 November, 2011