Responsible Leadership For A Sustainable Future
RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP FOR A SUSTAINABLE
FUTURE
1.
We, the Leaders of the Group of Eight meeting in L’Aquila, express our
heartfelt solidarity to the people of Abruzzo affected by the tragic earthquake
which struck the region on 6th April 2009, and to all those around the world
who have been touched by natural disasters.
2.
We are determined to ensure sustainable growth and to tackle the
interlinked challenges of the economic crisis, poverty and climate change.
These challenges require immediate action and long term vision.
3.
Guided by our common values, we will address global issues and
promote a world economy that is open, innovative, sustainable and fair. To
this end, effective and responsible leadership is required. We are determined
to fully take on our responsibilities, and are committed to implementing our
decisions, and to adopting a full and comprehensive accountability
mechanism by 2010 to monitor progress and strengthen the effectiveness of
our actions.
4.
We remain focused on the economic and financial crisis and its human
and social consequences. We will continue to work together to restore
confidence and set growth on a more robust, green, inclusive and sustainable
path. This will include strengthening standards of integrity, propriety and
transparency for economic activities.
5.
We intend to secure our present and future prosperity by taking the
lead in the fight against climate change. We are committed to reaching a
global, ambitious and comprehensive agreement in Copenhagen. In this
respect, we call upon other industrialised countries and emerging economies
to actively engage, consistently with the principle of common but
differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.
6.
We renew all our commitments towards the poor, especially in Africa.
We are determined to undertake measures to mitigate the impact of the crisis
on developing countries, and to continue to support their efforts to achieve
the Millennium Development Goals.
WORLD ECONOMY
Economic and financial crisis: the way to recovery
7.
The world economy is experiencing the most severe economic and
financial disturbances in decades. After several years of very high global
growth, we have been facing challenging economic conditions, characterised
by financial turmoil, widespread recession, intense deleveraging, an abrupt
decline in international trade and growing unemployment and social
suffering. While there are signs of stabilization, including a recovery of stock
markets, a decline in interest rate spreads, improved business and consumer
confidence, the situation remains uncertain and significant risks remain to
economic and financial stability.
8.
We strongly reaffirm commitments undertaken at the London Summit
to take all necessary steps to support demand, restore growth and maintain
financial stability, including strengthening financial regulation and
International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and maintaining open markets
worldwide. We will continue to implement swiftly these decisions and call
on all countries to act decisively to reinforce the international economic and
financial system, and to work cooperatively and responsibly with regard to
the impact on other countries.
9.
We have taken stock of progress made to date to restore confidence,
stabilise the financial sector and provide stimulus to boost growth and create
jobs. Despite the current difficult conditions, we will continue to address
global challenges, including fighting poverty and climate change, with the
aim of establishing a more balanced and sustainable growth path,
underpinned by sound fundamentals and social inclusion.
10. The current financial and economic crisis has reinforced the need
generally for cooperation among key economies. The Heiligendamm
Dialogue Process (HDP), a topic-driven dialogue of the G8 with major
emerging economies – China, India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa –
established in 2007, has helped to fulfil this role by serving as a platform to
develop common understanding and shared responsibility in responding to
the challenges of the world economy concerning investment, innovation,
development and energy efficiency, which will be important for global
economic growth going forward. The dialogue has helped to gain a shared
understanding of these global challenges in order to find appropriate
responses. We endorse the results achieved until now and call for an
extension of this dialogue among equals.
Economic stimulus and financial stabilisation
11. Since the beginning of the crisis we have taken an unprecedented and
concerted action to ensure recovery and repair our financial systems. We
have coordinated our efforts with partners at various levels in response to a
crisis that has affected every corner of the world. We have taken forceful and
coordinated action to provide stimulus to economic growth. We have also
acted to restore confidence by providing comprehensive support to our
financial systems. While these necessary measures have an impact in the
short term on our public finances, we commit to ensure fiscal sustainability in
the medium term.
12. We note some signs of stabilisation in our economies and we believe
that the turnaround will be reinforced as our measures reach their full effect
on economic activity and contribute to improving confidence and
expectations. However the economic situation remains uncertain and
significant risks remain to economic and financial stability. We will take,
individually and collectively, the necessary steps to return the global
economy to a strong, stable and sustainable growth path, including
continuing to provide macroeconomic stimulus consistent with price stability
and medium-term fiscal sustainability, and addressing liquidity and capital
needs of banks and taking all necessary actions to ensure the soundness of
systemically important institutions.
13. We agreed on the need to prepare appropriate strategies for unwinding
the extraordinary policy measures taken to respond to the crisis once the
recovery is assured. These “exit strategies” will vary from country to country
depending on domestic economic conditions and public finances, and must
ensure a sustainable recovery over the long term. We welcome the analytical
work of the IMF which will assist us with this process.
Repairing the financial system
14. Repairing the financial sector, including stabilising financial markets
and normalising banking activity, is an urgent priority to ensure lasting
economic recovery. We are implementing swiftly the commitments made at
the London Summit and call on others to join our efforts to ensure global
financial stability and an international level playing field.
15. Besides ensuring access to liquidity, it is crucial to deal decisively with
distressed assets and to recapitalize viable financial institutions. We recognise
the importance of further international cooperation in dealing with impaired
assets, based on common principles and on an objective and transparent
valuation of these assets, and in assessing the adequacy of banking capital
and reserves, where necessary. Strong coordination on the principles
underlying public capital injections, their conditions, and incentives to
private interventions is also relevant. We ask the Financial Stability Board
(FSB) to continue monitoring developments in financial systems and to help
promote a coordinated approach, consistent with avoiding distorting
competition and regulatory arbitrage.
Further efforts in international tax and prudential cooperation and in
combating illicit financing
16. In this difficult time, the protection of our tax base and the efforts to
combat tax fraud and tax evasion are all the more important, especially given
the extraordinary fiscal measures adopted to stabilise the world economy and
the need to ensure that economic activity is conducted in a fair and
transparent manner. We are making progress in promoting tax information
exchange and transparency across the globe, which is helping to widen the
acceptance of internationally agreed standards on the exchange of tax
information and increase the number of bilateral agreements signed by
several jurisdictions. But there is no space for complacency: all jurisdictions
must now quickly implement their commitments. We cannot continue to
tolerate large amounts of capital hidden to evade taxation.
17. Echoing the call of the G-20, an appropriate follow up framework is
needed to fully benefit from this renewed emphasis on tax information
exchange and transparency:
a.
the OECD Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information
must implement a peer-review process that assesses implementation of
international standards by all jurisdictions and provides an objective
and credible basis for further action;
b.
since all countries monitored so far by the Global Forum have
committed to implement international standards on exchange of tax
information, efforts should now concentrate on implementing actual
information exchange and increasing the number, quality and relevance
of the agreements that adhere to these standards;
c.
participation to the Global Forum should be expanded;
d.
recognising the particularly damaging effects of tax evasion for
developing countries, concrete progress needs to be made towards
enabling developing countries to benefit from the new co-operative tax
environment, including through enhanced participation in the Global
Forum and the consideration of a multilateral approach for exchange of
information;
e.
criteria used to define jurisdictions which have not yet substantially
implemented internationally agreed standards on tax information
exchange and transparency should be revised as part of the peer review
assessment process to ensure an effective implementation of
international standards; and
f.
a toolbox of effective countermeasures for countries to consider for use
against countries that do not meet international standards in relation to
tax transparency should be discussed and agreed.
We ask the OECD to swiftly address these challenges, propose further steps
and report by the time of the next G20 Finance Ministers’ meeting.
18. We call on all jurisdictions to adhere to international standards in the
prudential, tax and Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of
Terrorism (AML-CFT) areas. To this end, we call on the appropriate bodies to
conduct and strengthen objective peer-reviews, based on existing processes,
including through the Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) process.
19. We are pleased with the progress being made by the Financial Action
Task Force (FATF) in improving the standards for combating money
laundering and the financing of terrorism and by the OECD on international
standards of transparency.
20. The fight against non-cooperative jurisdictions should also encompass
anti money laundering and terrorism financing, as well as in the area of
prudential regulations. We call on the Financial Stability Board (FSB) to
assess jurisdictions against international supervisory and prudential
standards. The FATF and FSB should report back by September on their
progress in identifying uncooperative jurisdictions.
21. We note that several countries are implementing voluntary compliance
strategies in order to repatriate assets held in non-cooperative jurisdictions,
and the need is felt to define a discussion framework for interested countries.
A common framework for balanced and sustainable-growth
22. Going forward, we need a strategy to comprehensively address long-
term issues and lead the global economy to stable, balanced and sustainable
growth. Achieving economic and social stability as a global public good
requires better governance. Regulatory reform will reduce room for excessive
leveraging and risk taking and promote sound capitalisation of financial
institutions. Common principles and standards on propriety, integrity and
transparency governing the conduct of international business and finance
help promote a healthy and sustainable economic system. The social
dimension of growth is also crucial in this effort, through the promotion of
employment opportunities, the creation and updating of skills and the
protection of the weakest through appropriate social safety nets and income
support.
23. Stable and sustained long-term growth will require a smooth
unwinding of the existing imbalances in current accounts. We recognise the
importance of working together to ensure the necessary adjustments in line
with the multilaterally agreed strategies, which include supporting strong
internal demand in surplus countries and increasing savings rates in deficit
countries through appropriate macroeconomic and structural policies. New
sources of growth will have to be supported by investments in infrastructure,
innovation and education to facilitate productivity growth, while ensuring
sustainable use of resources in a greener economy, within a context of open
markets. Greater macroeconomic policy coordination will also be needed to
help ensure that the burden of adjustment is fairly shared.
Financial and regulatory reform
24. We strongly support the work undertaken at the Washington and
London Summits for the reform of financial regulation, IFIs and the FSB. We
are fully committed to implement these decisions in a timely manner and we
urge other partners to join our efforts.
25. We emphasize the need for an enhanced global framework for financial
regulation and supervision, promoting consistency between accounting and
prudential standards and setting up adequate tools to address procyclicality,
as well as ensuring a comprehensive oversight of all systemically significant
entities and activities. We commit to vigorously pursue the work necessary to
ensure global financial stability and an international level playing field,
including on compensation structures, definition of capital and the
appropriate incentives for risk management of securitisation, accounting and
prudential standards, regulation and oversight of systemically important
hedge funds, standardisation and resilience of OTC derivative markets,
establishment of central clearing counterparties for these products, and
regulation and transparency of credit rating agencies.
26. We are fulfilling the commitments to provide resources to the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) and for trade finance. We have led efforts
to provide the IMF with the necessary resources to expand its lending
capacity and urge other countries to participate. We are also exploring ways
to substantially increase the IMF capacity for concessional lending and we
encourage the Fund to explore the scope for increased concessionality to low-
income countries. We remain committed to reforming the IMF to enable it to
carry out its critical role in the modern global economy. We support the
completion of the IMF quota review by January 2011 and the agreement on
the second phase of voice and representation reform in the World Bank
Group by the 2010 Spring Meetings. We welcome the actions being taken by
the World Bank and other Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) that
highlight their important countercyclical role in responding to the global
crisis. After comprehensively reviewing their capital positions, including a
thorough resource demand analysis based on agreed medium to long-term
strategies, we are prepared to consider additional financing needs.
Additional elements to be considered include a clearer division of labor and
collaboration among institutions, enhanced balance sheet flexibility, good
governance, better risk management, effective use of aid, progress on
promoting innovation, and an adequate focus on the world’s poorest.
Common Principles and Standards
27. For the market economy to generate sustained prosperity, fundamental
norms of propriety, integrity and transparency in economic interactions must
be respected. The magnitude and reach of the crisis has demonstrated the
need for urgent action in this regard. Reform efforts must address these flaws
in international economic and financial systems with resolve. This will
require promoting appropriate levels of transparency, strengthening
regulatory and supervisory systems, better protecting investors, and
strengthening business ethics. To address these issues we have agreed on the
objectives of a strategy to create a comprehensive framework, “the Lecce
Framework”, building on existing initiatives, to identify and fill regulatory
gaps and foster the broad international consensus needed for rapid
implementation. The Framework includes the areas of corporate governance,
market integrity, financial regulation and supervision, tax cooperation, and
transparency of macroeconomic policy and data. To ensure the effectiveness
of the Lecce Framework, we will make every effort to pursue maximum
country participation and swift and resolute implementation. We are
committed to working with our international partners to make progress, with
a view to reaching out to broader fora, including the G-20 and beyond.
28. We invite international organisations, in particular the World Bank, the
International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Trade Organisation (WTO),
the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Organisation for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), to enhance their
cooperation and to improve coherence.
Corruption
29. In this context we are determined to strengthen action on corruption,
which poses serious problems to the stability and security of societies,
undermines the institutions and values of democracy and jeopardises
sustainable development and economic prosperity. Reaffirming our previous
commitments, we will intensify our efforts to effectively fight against
corruption in all countries.
30. The ratification and implementation of international Conventions in
this field is a fundamental signal in this direction. We call for the ratification
of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) by all
countries and a strong and consistent follow-up of the Bali Conference by
ensuring effective implementation of UNCAC, including the development of
an effective, transparent and inclusive review mechanism. We will promote
adherence to and enforcement of the OECD Convention on Combating
Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions and
support of its permanent monitoring mechanism. We will fully enforce our
laws against bribery of foreign public officials and, consistent with national
legal principles, will rigorously investigate and prosecute foreign bribery
offences. We encourage other major economies to accede to the OECD
Convention as soon as possible.
31. International cooperation against corruption should be enhanced in
order to achieve effective results. We are therefore committed to update G8
anticorruption initiatives and further support outreach activities and
technical assistance to other countries.
32. We reiterate our previous commitments to deny safe havens to corrupt
individuals and their illicitly acquired assets, and to prevent corrupt holders
of public office from gaining access to the fruits of their illicit activities in our
financial systems. We will strive to improve international legal cooperation in
asset recovery investigations within the framework of the UNCAC, including
by seeking ways to facilitate informal cooperation and supporting
identification and dissemination of good practices. We will strengthen
cooperation on asset recovery, including through the Stolen Asset Recovery
initiative (StAR).
33. We encourage IFIs to adopt more transparent business practices,
including through enhanced internal safeguards, and enhancement of
measures to facilitate cooperation with national authorities in corruption
cases.
34. We also welcome the update of the Accountability Report: Implementation
Review of G8 on Anti-Corruption Commitments which was presented for the
first time in Toyako. We envisage making it a permanent tool which sets
examples on combating corruption and holds the G8 countries to the highest
standards of transparency and accountability. To this end, we appreciate the
assistance of the OECD in preparing our regular reports on anti-corruption
commitments. Going forward, we invite our major partners to prepare
similar reports on their anti-corruption commitments.
35. We continue to support the Extractive Industries Transparency
Initiative (EITI) to improve governance and reduce corruption in the
extractive sector. We will intensify efforts to promote validation by all
implementing countries and all companies operating in those countries. We
also strongly encourage EITI candidate countries to complete implementation
within their agreed timeframe and call on other developing and emerging
countries and their companies to adhere to the initiative.
Employment and social dimension
36. We are committed to tackling the social dimension of the crisis, putting
peoples’ concerns first. The impact of the economic crisis on labour markets
can undermine social stability. Therefore, good macroeconomic policies must
be linked to employment and social policies that reduce unemployment,
enable a quick re-entry into the labour market and prevent social exclusion.
We support the conclusions of the G8 Social Summit in Rome and the
London Jobs Conference to take further coherent actions to reduce the impact
of the crisis on employment and maximise the potential for growth in jobs, in
accordance with the following principles:
a)
promotion of active labour market policies to reduce unemployment,
enhance skills development and match jobs with labour market needs;
maintain income support for the unemployed; sustain existing employment,
including through partial unemployment schemes combined with training
provisions and temporary flexible work or other arrangements, such as
employment subsidies, in order to prevent lay-offs;
b)
ensuring the sustainability and effectiveness of social protection
systems as drivers of confidence and consequently of economic and
employment recovery;
c)
we invite international organisations, in particular the IMF, the OECD
and the ILO, to take into account the labour and social impact of their advice
and cooperation with governments.
37. Social and employment policies are a crucial pillar in the context of a
new global framework. Measures should provide income relief for people
and households and prevent long-term unemployment, with particular
reference to the most vulnerable groups, taking into consideration gender
issues. Advanced, emerging and developing countries as well as
international institutions should work together to ensure employment
oriented growth and promote social cohesion. Taking forward the ILO
Decent Work Agenda, building on the ILO resolution on “Recovering from
the crisis: A Global Jobs Pact”, is relevant to respond to the crisis at
worldwide level and advance the social dimension of globalisation.
Governments and enterprises should not use the crisis as an excuse to
diminish compliance with worker rights or to diminish worker protections.
We commit to promote employment and social protection on a global level
and the observance of internationally recognised labour rights as reflected in
the ILO declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights and its follow-up.
We also commit to address the human dimension of the crisis and to restore
growth on a stronger footing.
38. We support the decisions taken in London regarding the reinforcement
of resources for social protection for the poorest countries through voluntary
and bilateral contributions, including to the World Bank’s Vulnerability
Framework.
Green recovery
39. The emergency response to the economic crisis should not overlook the
opportunity to facilitate a global green recovery putting our economies on a
path towards more sustainable and resilient growth. Our fiscal stimulus
packages are increasingly investing in measures encouraging the creation of
green jobs and low-carbon, energy efficient and sustainable growth. These
include energy efficiency measures, investment in public transportation
infrastructure, incentives for fuel-efficient vehicles, research in alternative
sources of energy, support for renewable energy technologies, as well as in
enhanced CO2 reduction, recycling and disposal such as Carbon Capture and
Storage. We remain committed to enhance the environmental dimension of
budgetary measures and to reinforce efforts to promote clean energy and
energy efficiency. Along with the ongoing WTO negotiations on the
liberalization of environmental goods and services, we will intensify efforts
to make progress on the reduction or elimination of trade barriers on a
voluntary basis on goods and services directly linked to addressing climate
change, as agreed at the Toyako Summit. At the same time, we will ensure
proper regulatory and other frameworks facilitating transition towards low-
carbon and resource efficient growth. In this light, we call for a reduction of
subsidies that artificially encourage carbon-intensive energy consumption.
Energy security, global energy markets and investment climate in the
energy sector
40.
The current financial and economic crisis should not delay cost-
effective investments or programmed energy projects that would create jobs,
enhance energy security and help limit greenhouse gas emissions in the short
and medium term. We urge all countries and the private sector to adopt a
long-term view in planning their investments. We are committed to
promoting economic recovery together with a significant change in
investment patterns that will accelerate the transition towards low-carbon,
energy efficient growth models. We especially encourage more rapid
application of the many cost-effective technologies already available to
improve the energy efficiency of power generation facilities, buildings,
industry and transport. Accelerated investment in low-carbon technologies is
needed to minimize the existing and potential carbon lock-in represented by
capital stock in buildings, factories, vehicles and electric power generating
facilities.
41.
In this context, we reaffirm our strong commitment to implement the
St Petersburg Principles on Global Energy Security in our countries and call
on others to join us in this effort. We invite the major international energy
organisations to review and update their programmes and promote them in
light of the changing energy challenges.
42.
Unpredictable energy markets and highly volatile prices put at risk
the ability of the industry to plan and implement investments in new
infrastructures, consistently with long term demand dynamics. It is in the
interest of both producers and consumers to enhance transparency and to
strengthen their dialogue towards reducing excessive volatility in the market.
Fossil fuel producing, transit and consuming countries must work together to
increase stability and predictability of supply and demand patterns and
promote investments in the energy sector, including by supporting and
developing further predictable legal and regulatory frameworks. We
welcome the progress made and the follow up initiatives of the Jeddah and
London Energy Meetings in identifying obstacles to efficient energy markets.
We call for better coordination among the international institutions and for
the acceleration and strengthening of the existing initiatives towards a more
structured dialogue, based on the outcome of the London Energy Meeting,
between producing, transit and consuming countries, focused on improving
the investment climate, discussing ways to reduce excessive volatility of
prices and promoting energy security. To this effect we support the important
work undertaken by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the
International Energy Forum (IEF), including the activities of the High Level
Steering Group of the IEF. We ask experts within the IEF to assess different
options to reduce excessive volatility in oil prices.
43.
Besides stable and predictable regulatory frameworks, transparent
and well-functioning energy markets are essential prerequisites for reducing
investment risks and uncertainties both in producing and consuming
countries. We therefore emphasise the need for timely and reliable data on
demand, supply, stocks, spare capacity and investment plans. To this end, we
continue to strongly support the Joint Oil Data Initiative (JODI), managed by
the IEF, and call for all countries to cooperate in improving quality,
completeness and timeliness of data. We also strongly support the IEF’s work
on initiating the collection of annual data on investment plans. We believe
that greater transparency in gas markets is required. We therefore call upon
the IEF to examine the possibility of extending JODI-type activities to natural
gas.
44.
We encourage international initiatives to improve market
transparency and functioning and to address excessive price volatility in
commodities markets. In particular, we welcome recommendations by the
International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) on regulation
and supervision of financial derivative markets, and underline the
importance of accelerating their implementation by national authorities and
further cooperation between them and ask all countries to implement
IOSCO’s recommendations. We ask the IOSCO Task Force on Commodity
Markets to consider further possible specific improvements to the
transparency and market supervision of oil futures markets and make
specific recommendations.
Trade
45.
We reconfirm our commitment to keep markets open and free and to
reject protectionism of any kind. In difficult times we must avoid past
mistakes of protectionist policies, especially given the strong decline in world
trade following the economic crisis. Recovery needs a strong international
trade component to be viable and the relevant programmes must fully respect
our obligations and commitments to non-discriminatory treatment under
WTO and other international agreements. We will maximise efforts and steps
to promote and facilitate trade and investment.
46.
We stress the importance of fully adhering to the standstill
commitment and the commitment to rectify protectionist measures adopted
in London to avoid further deterioration of international trade, including
refraining from taking decisions to increase tariffs above today’s levels. We
will refrain from raising new barriers to investment or to trade in goods and
services, imposing new exports restrictions, or implementing World Trade
Organisation (WTO) inconsistent measures to stimulate exports. We ask the
WTO together with other international bodies, within their respective
mandates, to continue to monitor the situation and to report publicly on the
adherence to these commitments on a quarterly basis.
47.
We will continue to ensure that our share of the pledge taken in the
London Summit of $250 billion of support for trade finance is promptly made
available through our export credit agencies (ECAs) and investment agencies
and through Multilateral Development Banks. We support coordination and
cooperation in its implementation, and welcome exchange of information on
the measures taken in this regard. Cooperation among ECAs, such as
strengthening re-insurance schemes, is expected to play an important role to
this end.
48.
We commit to reach a rapid, ambitious, balanced and comprehensive
conclusion of the Doha Development Agenda on the basis of progress already
made, including with regard to modalities. We are engaged in a strengthened
dialogue with our major partners to this end and look forward to discussing
with them tomorrow.
Investment
49.
The current crisis has affected capital flows, including foreign direct
investments (FDIs), which represent an important source of financing and a
driver of economic growth and integration. We stress the positive role of long
term investments. We will work to reverse the recent decline in FDI, by
fostering an open, receptive climate for foreign investment, especially in
emerging and in developing countries.
50.
Aware of the global nature of the markets where our citizens and
businesses operate, and of the interrelated effects of our actions, we fully
stress our engagement against protectionist measures. In this light, we
welcome OECD’s efforts to monitor restrictions on investments and
encourage the ongoing joint work of the OECD Freedom of Investment
Roundtable (FOI RT) with the WTO, the United Nations Conference on Trade
and Development (UNCTAD) and the IMF, in this area.
51.
The interconnected nature of the crises we are facing and the
contribution investment can make in tackling them – for example, by
improving energy security, agricultural production, technology transfer and
development opportunities - calls for an improved investment framework.
Progress was made at the Toyako Summit on the basic principles contained
in Bilateral Investment Treaties and Free Trade Agreements that set the stage
for attracting investments. We now need to work with a wider group of
countries toward principles and instruments suited to a global scenario, that
foster predictability and stability of the investment framework and we stress
the important contribution that the Heiligendamm Dialogue has made in this
context to build common ground on the need for an open investment climate.
52.
To this end, we commit to enhance cooperation with our major
partners to agree upon shared principles which may serve as the basis for a
more structured and wider process towards an agreed common multilateral
framework in the long run creating a predictable and stable climate for
investment. To this end, we commit to work with our HDP/HAP partners to
produce in one year’s time a report on progress made in order to evaluate
possible common responses, including the feasibility of launching a process
with wide ownership, and with participation from relevant international
organisations such as OECD, UNCTAD, the World Bank, and other major
stakeholders.
53.
Conscious of the complementary role played by governments and the
private sector in reaching a sustainable growth, we call for enhanced efforts
to avoid wider consequences of the financial crisis and to promote
responsible business practices. To this end we promote the dissemination of
internationally-recognised voluntary Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
standards to raise awareness among our governments, citizens, companies
and other stakeholders. We will further promote and foster Corporate Social
Responsibility through encouragement of adherence to the existing relevant
international instruments, in accordance with our Heiligendamm
commitments. We also welcome the work of relevant international
institutions (ILO, OECD, UN Global Compact) to incorporate CSR into
business practices and encourage them to work together in a coherent way in
order to achieve synergy effects with existing CSR instruments.
Innovation and Intellectual Property Rights
54.
Innovation and knowledge are key factors for supporting the recovery
and putting the world economy on a more sustainable growth path. We
intend to accelerate innovation in relation to long-term challenges and to
encourage the development of new industries, companies and services that
will be decisive to create new sources of growth. We are committed to
implementing innovation policies in our countries, also through our stimulus
packages. We aim to foster research, entrepreneurship, human capital and
skills, green technologies and investment in infrastructure, including
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) networks.
55.
Innovation has also a major role in addressing global policy
challenges, such as environment protection, health and poverty. Stronger
international cooperation and more effective mechanisms for diffusion of
innovation in all its forms are needed, both in, and between, developed and
developing economies, including modernisation of public administration. In
this framework, we acknowledge the contribution made by the OECD
Innovation Strategy to the development of mechanisms for monitoring
changes in the innovation process, its diffusion and its impacts and
evaluating innovation policies.
56.
We also recognize the important contribution that the Heiligendamm
Dialogue has made to build common understanding on priorities of Partner
countries, on the socio-economic aspects of intellectual property, and on ways
to increase the efficiency of the international system to the benefit of all. The
Dialogue has reinforced a common understanding with Partner countries that
an enabling policy and business environment where intellectual property
rights (IPR) are respected is necessary to promote innovation, knowledge,
entrepreneurship and creativity.
57.
Innovation can be promoted via an effective Intellectual Property
Rights system. The increasing use of IPR at the international level has made
IP a key component in sectors as diverse as trade, industrial policy, public
health, consumer safety, environment protection and the internet. We
acknowledge the central role that the World Intellectual Property
Organisation (WIPO) plays in fostering an integral vision and coherent
development of the international IP system. We also reaffirm the importance
of Patent Cooperation Treaty and global patent harmonisation such as
Substantive Patent Law Treaty (SPLT) and acknowledge the expansion of
international patent collaboration including work-sharing initiatives such as
the Patent Prosecution Highway.
58.
Counterfeiting and piracy continue to pose a threat to the global
economy, public health and welfare. For this reason, we welcome the results
of work carried out by our experts, as reflected in the G8 Intellectual Property
Expert Group Report of Discussion. We stress the importance of enhanced,
inclusive, ambitious international cooperation to tackle counterfeiting and
piracy. The negotiations for the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement
(ACTA), which the participants should seek to agree as soon as possible,
represent an important opportunity to strengthen standards for enforcement
of IPR. With the same aim, we will continue strengthening bilateral and
multilateral cooperation among customs authorities through INFO IPR and
information exchange considering the model arrangement and capacity
building at the World Customs Organisation (WCO). Moreover, we
encourage governments and businesses to participate in the ongoing work of
the OECD as it examines further the economic impacts of counterfeiting and
piracy in Phase III of its study.
59.
Internet and the new technologies have created new opportunities
and business models for the creation and widespread distribution of digital
content that fosters increased knowledge, science, education and free speech.
At the same time, these technologies can provide a mechanism for digital
piracy. For this reason we consider it important to deepen our understanding
of the impact of the Internet and the new technologies on the worldwide
diffusion of digital piracy and counterfeit goods, as a component of strategies
aimed at ensuring that ICT fully serves the goal of fostering innovation and
creating sustainable economic growth and prosperity.
Sustainable use of natural resources: climate change, clean
energy and technology
60.
The interlinked challenges of climate change, energy security and the
sustainable and efficient use of natural resources are amongst the most
important issues to be tackled in the strategic perspective of ensuring global
sustainability. A shift towards green growth will provide an important
contribution to the economic and financial crisis recovery. We must seize the
opportunity to build on synergies between actions to combat climate change
and economic recovery initiatives, and encourage growth and sustainable
development worldwide.
61.
Science clearly shows that anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions –
mainly produced by the use of fossil fuels - are provoking dangerous climate
change, putting at risk not only the environment and ecosystem services but
the very basis of our present and future prosperity. The costs of inaction far
outweigh the costs of moving towards low-carbon societies. At the same time,
stable and secure energy availability is indispensable for social and economic
development; it is essential to ensure global energy security and energy
access in developing countries, particularly the most vulnerable. Immediate
and resolute action is needed by all countries to build on existing and new
technologies and to design and deliver innovative economic, environmental
and energy policies.
62.
We emphasise the paramount importance of technology development
and diffusion on a global scale in meeting these challenges and accelerating
the economic recovery, while moving towards a low-carbon society. It is
indispensable to encourage efficient markets, competitive frameworks and
consistent public policies, to enhance investments in energy efficiency, clean
technologies and renewable energies, which will in turn create opportunities
for businesses worldwide. We will take the lead in accelerating the transition
towards a low-carbon economy based on green, sustainable growth,
reflecting the need to lower dependence on traditional energy sources. We
reiterate the commitment made at the London Summit to make the best
possible use of our fiscal stimulus programmes, also in light of the
deliberations of the G8 Environment Ministerial in Siracusa and the G8
Energy Ministerial in Rome, and will ensure that such packages will
contribute substantially towards building new, cleaner economies that will
create new jobs and bring about a green and sustainable recovery. We call
upon other countries to join us in this endeavour.
Climate change and environment
Fighting climate change
63.
This is a crucial year for taking rapid and effective global action to
combat climate change. We welcome the decision taken within the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Poznan to enter
full negotiating mode, in order to shape a global and comprehensive post-
2012 agreement by the end of 2009 in Copenhagen, as mandated by the Bali
Conference in 2007. We must seize this decisive opportunity to achieve a
truly ambitious global consensus.
64.
We reconfirm our strong commitment to the UNFCCC negotiations
and to the successful conclusion of a global, wide-ranging and ambitious
post-2012 agreement in Copenhagen, involving all countries, consistent with
the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective
capabilities. In this context we also welcome the constructive contribution of
the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate to support a successful
outcome in Copenhagen. We call upon all Parties to the UNFCCC and to its
Kyoto Protocol to ensure that the negotiations under both the Convention
and the Protocol result in a coherent and environmentally effective global
agreement.
65.
We reaffirm the importance of the work of the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and notably of its Fourth Assessment
Report, which constitutes the most comprehensive assessment of the science.
We recognise the broad scientific view that the increase in global average
temperature above pre-industrial levels ought not to exceed 2°C. Because this
global challenge can only be met by a global response, we reiterate our
willingness to share with all countries the goal of achieving at least a 50%
reduction of global emissions by 2050, recognising that this implies that
global emissions need to peak as soon as possible and decline thereafter. As
part of this, we also support a goal of developed countries reducing
emissions of greenhouse gases in aggregate by 80% or more by 2050
compared to 1990 or more recent years. Consistent with this ambitious long-
term objective, we will undertake robust aggregate and individual mid-term
reductions, taking into account that baselines may vary and that efforts need
to be comparable. Similarly, major emerging economies need to undertake
quantifiable actions to collectively reduce emissions significantly below
business-as-usual by a specified year.
66.
We recognize that the accelerated phase-out of HCFCs mandated
under the Montreal Protocol is leading to a rapid increase in the use of HFCs,
many of which are very potent GHGs. Therefore we will work with our
partners to ensure that HFC emissions reductions are achieved under the
appropriate framework. We are also committed to taking rapid action to
address other significant climate forcing agents, such as black carbon. These
efforts, however, must not draw away attention from ambitious and urgent
cuts in emissions from other, more long-lasting, greenhouse gases, which
should remain the priority.
Promoting the role of markets to reduce emissions
67.
We believe that efficient markets, including carbon markets,
supported by stable and predictable regulatory frameworks, are central to
achieving these objectives. A wide range of competitive instruments and
mechanisms, such as emissions trading schemes and performance-based
regulation, constitute some of the most flexible and cost-effective means to
foster economically sound investments in energy efficiency, renewable
energy, clean and innovative technologies. Other measures, including, where
appropriate, incentives, fees, emission and other taxes, progressive reduction
of fossil fuel subsidies, consumer labelling, innovative financing mechanisms
and public-private partnerships, designed and applied consistently with our
international obligations, can also be useful in the context of policies that
promote green and sustainable development models and accelerate the
transition towards a low carbon society.
68.
The elimination or reduction of tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade in
environmental goods and services is essential to promote the dissemination
of cleaner low-carbon energy technologies and associated services worldwide.
Efforts should be intensified to ensure a successful outcome of the ongoing
WTO negotiations on the liberalisation of environmental goods and services.
Carbon leakage is an important issue to tackle. It must be addressed in a
WTO compatible way. We support the aim of a comprehensive global
agreement at Copenhagen, which we believe to be the most appropriate way
to deal with any carbon leakage issues that may arise.
69.
We support flexible, economically sound market-based approaches to
emission reductions. In particular, cap & trade schemes, where implemented,
have proved largely successful and improved understanding of the potential
advantages, critical issues and indicators. The use of market mechanisms,
including those under the Kyoto Protocol, provides opportunities to reduce
emissions cost-effectively, while facilitating technology diffusion, low-carbon
development and the involvement of emerging and developing countries.
With a view to building on these experiences and to facilitate action under the
global post 2012 agreement, we commit to:
a)
further explore, taking into account national circumstances, the
potential of carbon trading systems and their possible linkages;
b)
cooperate among us and with other countries to expand carbon markets
to the extent possible and reduce costs and align emission allowance trading
schemes, with a view to developing transparent carbon markets which would
expand to involve emerging and developing countries, including on a
sectoral basis;
c)
support the development, reform and enhancement of project,
programmatic and policy-based offset mechanisms, including the Kyoto
Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), in order to encourage
their use, enhance their effectiveness and environmental integrity, and
facilitate actions from developing countries under the global, post-2012
agreement;
d)
work with others to further develop market mechanisms under the
Copenhagen agreement to possibly include sectoral trading and sectoral
crediting mechanisms, to enhance the participation of emerging economies
and developing countries in the market ensuring environmental integrity.
70.
The private sector will continue to be an essential player in the efforts
to address climate change. To trigger a change in direction and mobilise
investments we will engage the private sector more actively, in order to bring
its expertise into the international framework and enhance information
exchange and partnerships between Governments and businesses.
71.
Sectoral approaches can be useful tools to facilitate progressive
involvement by emerging economies and reinforce economy-wide mitigation
policies of developed countries. Analysis has highlighted the potential to
curtail emissions by focusing on specific sectors and we welcome the ongoing
work of the International Energy Agency (IEA) and others in this respect.
72.
Attention should also be devoted to sectors, such as international
aviation and maritime transport, that represent a significant and growing
source of emissions and are characterised by a predominantly international
dimension. We will use our participation in ICAO, IMO and UNFCCC
processes to reach an agreed outcome for the post-2012 period to rapidly
advance towards accelerated emission reductions for the international
aviation and maritime sectors.
Technology development and research
73.
The development and deployment of technologies and know-how in
developed and developing countries will play a crucial role both in
mitigation and adaptation to climate change and in moving towards low-
carbon growth models. It is essential to substantially improve energy and
resource efficiency in key sectors, as well as to develop and disseminate low-
carbon technologies, in particular renewable energy. In this context, we stress
the critical role of an efficient system of intellectual property rights (IPR) to
foster innovation. Capitalizing on new technologies will require a major
scientific effort and policy initiatives. Building on our existing commitments
to urgently advance the development and deployment of clean energy
technologies, consistent with existing international obligations, we will:
a)
encourage and facilitate the development, deployment and diffusion,
particularly through the engagement and leveraging of critical private sector
investment, of advanced appropriate technologies in emerging and
developing economies, which permit a technological leap and avoid lock-in;
b)
further promote international participation and cooperation in R&D
activities and to this end we invite the IEA to further define its proposal for
an international low-carbon energy technology platform;
c)
promote technology roadmaps, such as those being prepared by the
IEA, to further the development and demonstration of innovative
technologies;
d)
work with developing countries to build capacity to support the
deployment, diffusion, demonstration and transfer of climate friendly
technologies.
74.
Recognising the importance of research and development, we
committed in Toyako to increase investment in basic and applied clean
technology research and development. We will intensify such efforts and
explore options to enhance global technology cooperation. We ask our
experts to assess progress in meeting these commitments, and report back by
our meeting in Canada in 2010. We will promote further national and
international fundamental research on the earth’s climate. We believe that
provisions on financing technology research, development, deployment and
diffusion should form an integral part of the post-2012 agreement.
Financing
75.
Financing is central to achieving an agreement at Copenhagen and
requires mobilisation of significant financial resources, both public and
private. Given its capacity to innovate, the private sector should play a
pivotal role in financing investments in new technologies. Public resources
should therefore seek to leverage private-sector financing, to support
research, development and demonstration of low carbon technologies in
order to accelerate the development and deployment of early stage
technologies, and to aid implementation of adaptation and mitigation
strategies in developing countries. To promote concerted efforts on
technology and financing, we:
a)
strive for greater predictability of international support and affirm our
intention to contribute our fair share, in the context of an ambitious deal in
Copenhagen;
b)
affirm that all countries, except Least Developed Countries (LDCs),
should participate in the financial effort to tackle climate change, according to
criteria to be agreed, and we support consideration of the proposal by Mexico;
c)
call for the elaboration and implementation of an effective financial
arrangement to support the post-2012 regime. We underline that mobilizing
financing for developing countries, through a broad range of financial
sources, including financial assistance, is required for adaptation and
mitigation, and to facilitate the transition to low-carbon economies. Financial
support needs to be efficient, effective and equitable and therefore linked to
results in terms of emission reductions and adaptation actions;
d)
will work to ensure that the governance of mechanisms disbursing
funds is transparent, fair, effective, efficient, and of balanced representation
among developed and developing countries. We stress the importance of
building on existing instruments and institutions, such as the Global
Environment Facility (GEF), multilateral development banks, adaptation
funds and bilateral assistance agencies and the Climate Investment Funds
(Strategic Climate Fund and Clean Technology Fund);
e)
promote public-private partnerships, in order to facilitate targeted and
efficient investments in research, development, deployment and diffusion of
clean technologies, while mobilising additional resources from the private
sector.
Adaptation
76.
Recognising that even implementing ambitious mitigation steps will
not avoid further climate impacts, we will define and implement effective
adaptation and capacity building policies. We are deeply concerned about the
consequences of climate change on development, ecosystem services, water
and food security, agricultural output, forests, health and sanitation,
particularly for LDCs and SIDS, but also for the poor and most vulnerable in
all countries. We underline the possible security implications of the adverse
impact of climate change and the potential for increased conflicts over scarcer
resources. We will address these issues in a spirit of partnership between
developed and developing countries and confirm our commitment to
effectively address adaptation in the Copenhagen agreement. We will, in
addition:
a)
mainstream effective adaptation strategies and risk assessments into
international cooperation programmes and assist developing States in
integrating adaptation efforts into national development plans and policies;
b)
significantly increase consideration of the role of ecosystems in
adaptation measures, with a view to improving resilience of ecosystems,
reducing vulnerability and underpinning new and sustainable growth
models;
c)
strengthen knowledge networks for adaptation and support for
research and capacity building related to vulnerability and impact
assessments as well as planning and implementation of adaptation measures;
d)
address the need for financing for adaptation through appropriate
bilateral and multilateral mechanisms.
Natural disasters
77.
To address the increased threats of natural disasters and extreme
weather phenomena caused by climate change, such as increased flooding,
storm surges, droughts and forest fires, we will act to improve risk
preparedness, prevention, monitoring and response times, particularly in
developing countries, by:
a)
defining common guidelines for disaster prevention and management
to be used in developing national plans, in collaboration with the UN
International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) and the World
Meteorological Organisation (WMO), building on the Hyogo Framework for
Action and on national experiences, as well as improving management of
risks, awareness raising and training of the population and civil protection
real-time response, such as logistical support for emergency situations;
b)
supporting the ongoing work on the development of the Global Earth
Observation System of Systems (GEOSS).
Forests and land degradation
78.
Aware that deforestation accounts for approximately 20% of annual
CO2 emissions, and that forests are an essential repository of biological
diversity and key to the livelihoods and rights of many people, we remain
engaged in seeking the reduction of emissions from deforestation and forest
degradation and in further promoting sustainable forest management
globally. We will:
a)
support the development of positive incentives in particular for
developing countries to promote emission reductions through actions to
reduce deforestation and forest degradation. Considering that these measures
will provide tangible results only in the medium term, it is also crucial to
undertake early action initiatives to urgently tackle drivers of deforestation,
and we will cooperate to identify innovative instruments in this respect,
including through initiatives such as UN programme on Reducing Emissions
from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, Forest Carbon Partnership
Facility (FCPF) and the Informal Working Group on Interim Finance for
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (IWG-IFR);
b)
continue to support efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and
forest degradation, including the role of conservation, sustainable
management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks, as set out in
the Bali Action Plan. We continue to support REDD and will consider the
inclusion of financial mechanisms within the future global agreement on
climate change;
c)
encourage cooperation and the use of synergies between the UNFCCC
and other international forest-related processes, and promote national
strategies developed in collaboration with relevant players, including
governments, indigenous peoples and local communities, civil society groups
and the private sector;
d)
enhance cooperation with partner countries to combat illegal logging
and trade in illegally-harvested timber, in accordance with our obligations
under international agreements and building on our previous commitments
and actions, including those under the Forest Law Enforcement and
Governance (FLEG) processes. We reaffirm our intention to promote
transparent timber markets and trade in legal and sustainably produced
timber. In that regard, we will follow up, where appropriate, with concrete
actions on the preliminary list of options presented in 2008 by the G8 Forest
Experts Report on Illegal Logging;
e)
reinforce international cooperation and information sharing for
sustainable forest management, including use of forest resources, prevention
and management of forest fires and monitoring of pests and diseases.
79.
We are deeply concerned about desertification and land degradation
in drylands, as both causes and consequences of climate change.
Acknowledging the substantial impacts of these phenomena on human well-
being, poverty, food security and the environment, we recognise the efforts of
the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and call upon the
Parties and existing funding mechanisms to strengthen synergies among the
Rio Conventions in the implementation of selected projects. Furthermore, we
will work with developing country partners to integrate effective Sustainable
Land Management (SLM) into relevant cooperation programmes and assist
them in integrating SLM into national development plans policies and
national climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Biodiversity
80.
Recognising the intrinsic value of biodiversity and its essential
contribution to economic and social well-being and the fundamental role of
ecosystem services in poverty reduction, in the achievement of the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), we:
a)
will reinforce our efforts to meet the 2010 Biodiversity Target to
significantly reduce the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional
and national level;
b)
underline the necessity to establish a vision and an ambitious and
achievable common framework for biodiversity beyond 2010, making use of
the synergies between climate change and biodiversity policies. To this end,
we endorse the “Carta di Siracusa” on Biodiversity as an effective means to
promote a long-term strategy to enhance the conservation of biodiversity.
81.
We also acknowledge that, despite international efforts to date,
including within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity
(CBD), the rate of biodiversity loss is increasing, exacerbated by climate
change and impacts of human activities. In order to reduce the negative
effects related to ecosystem degradation, including water and food scarcity
and on carbon sinks and to strengthen the conservation and sustainable use
of biological diversity, we will:
a)
strive to ensure that sustainable development policies take into
account the benefits of ecosystem goods and services, integrating the
conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity into all relevant sectors;
b)
work towards the completion of the negotiation on the international
regime on access to and benefit sharing of genetic resources by 2010;
c)
strengthen and broaden international, regional, national and local
activities to conserve biodiversity;
d)
continue to support the Potsdam Initiative launched in 2007 and in
particular the ongoing global initiative, “The Economics of Ecosystems and
Biodiversity”;
e)
further encourage the engagement of civil society, the business
community and other relevant stakeholders for biodiversity conservation
activities.
82.
Recognising the need for robust scientific assessment, and in order to
improve the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services,
we encourage the ongoing intergovernmental process under the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on the Intergovernmental
Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), striving to
complete this process at the earliest possible time.
Education for Sustainable Development
83.
We appreciate and encourage accelerating the ongoing international
efforts, in particular by the UNESCO and other organizations, in promoting
Education for Sustainable Development, as a life-long learning process
enabling communities to find new solutions to emerging social, economic and
environmental challenges.
Clean and accessible energy
84.
Together with climate change, long term sustainable development
models for all countries must also address the fundamental issues of energy
availability - particularly through clean energy - and energy poverty.
Fostering investments in energy infrastructures, energy efficiency,
diversification of the energy mix and technological innovation is key to
ensuring secure, clean and affordable energy to long term world needs, while
substantially curbing carbon emissions.
85.
We will support and improve international predictable legal and
regulatory frameworks as an essential prerequisite for well functioning
energy markets and for reducing investment risks and uncertainties in
producing, transit and consuming countries.
Energy efficiency, diversification of the energy mix and technology
86.
We recognise the need to scale up investments in energy
infrastructures and technological innovation, and to adapt regulatory and
institutional frameworks where necessary, to increase energy diversification
and improve energy efficiency, as the most cost-effective means of reducing
emissions and driving a green recovery while substantially improving energy
security. We reaffirm the significance of energy saving and efficiency
programmes. To this end we:
a)
commit to design and implement effective policies to improve energy
efficiency in all the main sectors of our economies, and to actively promote
conservation and energy efficiency among consumers;
b)
support the IEA’s ongoing work on identification and dissemination of
best practices, standards and recommendations for increasing energy
efficiency.
87.
We welcome the operational launch of the International Partnership
for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC), with a substantive agenda for
promoting energy efficiency, and:
a)
look forward to activities as envisaged in the IPEEC work plan to help
countries implement energy efficiency policies and to further information on
a Global Energy Efficiency Action Initiative, taking into account the 25
recommendations of the IEA, and ask IPEEC to report back to the G8 Summit
in France in 2011;
b)
ask IPEEC to incorporate the Sustainable Buildings Network,
successfully developed as an important result under the energy pillar of the
Heiligendamm Dialogue Process to exploit the potential of energy efficiency
in residential, commercial and industrial buildings, and with a view to
present its findings to the G8 Summit in France in 2011.
88.
A comprehensive strategy to ensure sustainable development and
long-term energy security must envisage a portfolio of different energy
sources. In the context of diversification of the energy mix, renewable
energies will play an essential role, as these meet the dual challenge of
reducing emissions and lowering fossil-fuel consumption and dependence.
We will:
a)
improve policy and regulatory frameworks in order to boost
investments in renewable energies, and promote their deployment and
diffusion also in emerging and developing countries;
b)
continue to support international cooperation and partnerships on
renewable energies. We note with interest the launch of the International
Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) which we invite to cooperate with other
international organisations to actively promote the deployment of renewable
energies;
c)
promote research and development of and investment in smart grids,
as a means to accelerate efficient and secure integration of renewable energy
sources and distributed generation into the electricity system and enhance
energy efficiency;
d)
support regional initiatives aiming at promoting renewable energy and
low carbon technologies, such as the Mediterranean Solar Plan and the Asia-
Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate;
e)
considering the importance of further developing sustainable
bioenergies and alternative fuels we welcome the work of the Global
Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) in developing a common methodological
framework to measure greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels and invite
GBEP to accelerate its work in developing science-based benchmarks and
indicators for sustainable biofuel production and to boost technological
cooperation and innovation in bioenergy.
89.
We witness that a growing number of countries have expressed
interest in nuclear power programmes as a means to address climate change
and energy security concerns. In the opinion of these countries, nuclear
energy can play an essential role, as it meets the dual challenge of reducing
greenhouse gas emissions and lowering fossil-fuel consumption. We reaffirm
that the fundamental prerequisite for the peaceful use of nuclear energy is the
international commitment to safeguards/non proliferation, safety and
security (3S). In close collaboration with the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA), we will continue to promote the development and
implementation of robust international treaties, standards, recommendations,
and monitoring procedures both at international and national levels. In this
context, we promote international collaboration at all levels, including cost-
benefit analysis, research, infrastructure and human resources development,
plant construction, operation, decommissioning and waste management, in
order to ensure the highest technically available safety and security standards
and accelerate further development and deployment of innovative
technologies. We stress the key role played by the IAEA in promoting the
highest standards of non proliferation, safety and security. We call on all
countries interested in the civil use of nuclear energy to engage in
constructive international cooperation.
90.
Considering the above mentioned challenges, the G8 Nuclear Safety
and Security Group (NSSG) will continue in its work to consider nuclear
safety and security issues. We welcome the initiative launched by the NSSG
on nuclear safety and security Education and Training, aimed at building
capacity in countries embarking on or expanding nuclear programmes.
91.
We are aware that despite effective diversification strategies, fossil fuels
will continue to be an essential component of the energy mix in many countries,
at least in the medium term. The development and deployment of innovative
technologies such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is therefore expected to
contribute substantially to reducing emissions. Reaffirming the commitment
made in Toyako for the launch of 20 large-scale Carbon Capture and Storage
demonstration projects globally by 2010, we will:
a)
accelerate the design of policies, regulatory frameworks and incentive
schemes focused on the development and deployment of CCS technology;
b)
encourage greater involvement of developing countries by promoting
collaboration and knowledge diffusion, also through IEA regional
roundtables;
c)
work to identify sources of financing for CCS demonstration projects;
d)
invite the IEA, together with the Carbon Sequestration Leadership
Forum (CSLF), to report on and further develop technology roadmaps and to
work with the private sector to accelerate the construction and operation of
demonstration projects. To this end, we welcome the work on criteria by the
IEA to facilitate tracking of global progress on these projects in view of an
update to be presented at our Summit in 2010;
e)
following the launch of the Global Carbon Capture and Storage
Institute (GCCSI) we invite it to actively cooperate with the ongoing activities
of the IEA and the CSLF to ensure that these efforts are mutually reinforcing;
f)
identify investment needs and overcome obstacles, including the
potential development of innovative partnerships with multilateral financial
institutions.
Combating energy poverty
92.
Access to modern energy services is essential for human and social
development, and for the achievement of the MDGs. Energy access and
availability are tightly interlinked with the improvement of living conditions,
both in rural and urban areas, providing for cleaner water, more effective
sanitation and health services, better education systems and other essential
services. Moreover, energy input for productive uses is crucial for job
creation and income generation.
93.
Noting that energy poverty remains widespread in many areas, most
notably in Africa and Asia, we support the launch, together with interested
countries, of the Expert-Level Working Group on Energy Poverty following
the proposal made at the G8 Energy Ministers Meeting in Rome, and
encourage it to submit a report before the 2010 Muskoka Summit. We are
committed to take swift, resolute action, with developing country
governments, international financial institutions, local communities and the
private sector. Building upon previous commitments, we will:
a)
promote the development of transparent national policies able to
effectively use public resources and attract and stimulate private sector
investments in rural electrification and the deployment of renewable energy
systems and alternative cooking technologies and fuels;
b)
encourage active involvement of local communities in rural
electrification programmes, through the deployment of appropriate
technologies and the development of skills and capabilities in cooperation
with the private sector;
c)
ensure that work to improve energy access contributes to put
developing countries on the path to low-carbon development, by reducing
high carbon lock-in, as well as supporting exploitation of new technologies,
improved energy security and off-grid access in remote areas;
d)
enhance capacity building initiatives, aimed at increasing energy
efficiency, diffusion of renewable energies and efficient use of natural
resources;
e)
enhance capacity building initiatives for the sustainable development
and deployment of oil, natural gas and electricity regional energy networks;
f)
stimulate the mobilisation of increased financing for energy access,
including through the improvement of investment conditions.
Development and Africa:
promoting sustainable and inclusive globalization
Responsible Leadership for Sustainable development
94.
In an increasingly interdependent world, all countries share common
interest and responsibility in addressing the challenges of growth and
sustainable development. Over recent years we have put these challenges at
the forefront of our Summits, launching ambitious initiatives cantered around
the internationally agreed development goals, focusing on the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs), and achieving important results.
95.
At a time of global economic crisis we are determined to assist
developing countries in coping with the impact of the crisis, which is having
a disproportionate impact on the vulnerable in the poorest countries, and to
work with them to achieve sustainable development, food security, good
governance, peace and security, in order to promote access to economic and
social opportunities for all and improve human security.
96.
Economic development and environmental protection are mutually
reinforcing. Lasting progress in eradicating poverty can only be achieved if
economic growth and climate change, through an ambitious agreement at
Copenhagen, are addressed jointly. We are committed to enhancing our
collaboration with partner countries in integrating low-carbon growth
strategies and effective adaptation measures into their national development
plans.
97.
We are determined to exercise and share leadership to promote
development through an inclusive approach to globalization. We call upon
major economies, developing countries, international institutions and other
global actors to work together with us to identify and implement collective
and individual responses and produce concrete results in the fight against
poverty.
98.
To improve transparency and effectiveness we decide to strengthen
our accountability with respect to G8 individual and collective commitments
with regard to development and development-related goals. We have asked
our experts to provide a preliminary report, attached as an annex, reviewing
our achievements up to now. Furthermore, we have tasked a senior level
working group to devise, in cooperation with relevant international
organizations, a broader, comprehensive and consistent methodology for
reporting with a focus on our activities in development and development-
related areas and with attention to results. A report will be delivered in 2010
at the Muskoka Summit in Canada. We also ask for an international
assessment, in 2010, on what is needed in order to achieve the MDGs.
A renewed commitment to development: assisting developing countries in
coping with the crisis
99.
Growth and employment in developing countries are seriously
threatened, jeopardizing progress achieved towards internationally agreed
development goals, including the MDGs. The global economic slowdown has
significantly reduced export revenues, private capital flows and remittances
to developing countries. Declining government revenues and lower
availability of external financing have also forced many governments in
developing countries to consider cuts in vital investments and social safety
net spending. This combination of external and fiscal pressure could
generate macroeconomic and social instability with lasting effects on present
and future generations. We must act now to prevent the economic crisis from
turning into a deeper social crisis. We note the potential of an effective UN
Global Impact and Vulnerability Alert System (GIVAS). We have therefore
resolved to act with major emerging economies, developing countries and
other relevant players to create the conditions for bolstering world trade and
investment, placing world growth on a more solid path and minimizing the
impact of the crisis on vulnerable populations.
100.
We reconfirm our resolve to implement the Monterrey Consensus and
the Doha Declaration on Financing for Development. In particular, despite
the severe impact of the crisis on our economies, we reiterate the importance
of fulfilling our commitments to increase aid made at Gleneagles, and
reaffirmed at Heiligendamm and Toyako. For Africa, this will include
increasing, together with other donors ODA by US$ 25 billion a year by 2010,
compared to 2004. The OECD-DAC estimated that the combined
commitments of G8 and other donors would increase overall ODA by around
$50 billion a year by 2010 compared to 2004. We will continue to provide debt
relief according to the Enhanced HIPC initiative, the Multilateral Debt Relief
Initiative and the Paris Club’s Evian Approach.
101.
At the London Summit we have agreed a substantial increase of
resources available through the International Financial Institutions (IFIs) for
crisis support and sustaining growth. As G8 we remain firmly committed to
the London decisions and their thorough and timely implementation. In
addition, we will consider ways to improve developing country governments
and private sectors’ access to credit, explore enhanced approaches to
sovereign debt restructuring based on existing frameworks and principles
and encourage lenders and borrowers to pursue sustainable lending practices.
We encourage non-DAC countries with high foreign exchange reserves to
enhance development-friendly investment. We ask the International Financial
Institutions to work with partner countries to strengthen capacities for debt
management and improve monitoring instruments for promoting long-term
debt sustainability.
102.
The financial crisis makes it doubly important that we improve the
effectiveness of our aid. We are firmly committed to implement the Paris
Declaration and the Accra Agenda for Action (AAA), to ensure development
effectiveness. Building on the results of the 2008 OECD Survey, we will
accelerate implementation of our aid effectiveness commitments, with a
strong focus on in-country implementation, to be reviewed at the 2011 Fourth
High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness. We stand ready to work with
partner countries, non-DAC donors and providers of South-South
cooperation to improve development results.
103.
We encourage developing countries to continue implementing
strategies that support inclusive and equitable growth and to further their
efforts to provide regulatory frameworks which favour the development of
sound and inclusive financial markets, private sector investment and
employment. We encourage and support social protection mechanisms and
safety nets to address the vulnerability of those who are hardest hit by the
crisis. Where appropriate, we may use a counter-cyclical approach that
allows for giving short term support to the most vulnerable people. We will
also consider whether it is necessary to review priorities in our country aid
programs, in the light of the current crisis.
104.
We commend the IFIs swift response to the crisis and urge them to
continue to coordinate their actions and expand financial support for
developing countries, also considering accelerated disbursement of already
approved funds and review of existing instruments. Therefore, we welcome
the World Bank’s establishment of the Vulnerability Framework.
105.
We welcome the report of our Africa Personal Representatives on
measures to strengthen the G8-Africa partnership and support the reform
process of the Africa Partnership Forum.
106.
We welcome the productive work of the Heiligendamm Process
Working Group on Development and Africa, which has contributed to build
a common understanding of development principles and we look forward to
further explore and implement common effective approaches that will best
benefit the needs of developing countries.
Building on Monterrey and Doha: a ‘whole of country’ approach to
development.
107.
National governments have the primary responsibility for ensuring
development, by engaging with their parliaments, local authorities, civil
society organizations and citizens in shaping appropriate policies, mobilizing
domestic resources and promoting their efficient and sustainable use. Yet a
renewed commitment to fight poverty requires increasing efforts by public
and private actors, from developed countries, emerging economies and
developing countries. We will continue to support partner countries’ efforts
to increase domestic revenues through modernized tax and customs
regulations, improved revenue collection capacities and effective fight against
tax evasion, illegal financial flows and corruption. We will enhance
cooperation on financial transparency and tax information exchange.
108.
Building on the Monterrey Consensus, as reaffirmed in the Doha
Conference on Financing for Development, we will promote a comprehensive,
“whole of country” approach to development. We will ensure stronger
synergies across all relevant policies and foster the conditions for all actors in
our country system – central and local governments, private sector,
philanthropy and civil society – to contribute effectively to partner countries’
development. We will work with partner countries to maximize the impact of
investment, trade, debt relief and sustainable debt financing, microfinance,
remittances, domestic resources of partner countries, as well as development
assistance, with a view to diversifying the mix of available financial resources
and gradually reducing aid-dependency. We call on the international
community to consider, where appropriate, broadening innovative financing
initiatives on a voluntary basis and note the work of the Leading Group on
Innovative Financing for Development. We will also explore the potential of
new innovative financing mechanisms, including new forms of voluntary
contributions by citizens and corporations.
109.
Building on this “whole of country” approach, we will explore the
feasibility and the relevance of a new assessment tool designed to fully
comprehend the various contributions to the sustainable development of
partner countries. Such a tool, taking into account a wide range of factors
such as government aid and non-aid policies, private sector and civil society
efforts, could also provide operational guidance on how to foster the
contributions of our country systems to development and maximize their
impact. In this respect, it could also constitute the basis for enhanced dialogue
between G8 and partner countries on how to improve respective policies. We
ask the OECD to elaborate further on this issue and report to our next
Summit in 2010.
Strengthening G8 and global initiatives to achieve the MDGs
110.
We are aware of our responsibility in pushing forward the
achievement of the MDGs, particularly in Africa. The interrelated nature of
these Goals calls for comprehensive, coordinated and complementary
development policies. These policies will be inspired by the principles of
sustainability, inclusiveness and gender equality as well as by the five pillars
of the Paris Declaration: ownership, alignment, harmonization, results-based
management and accountability. We will promote gender equality as a key
issue for aid effectiveness and to reduce poverty. We will frame our
initiatives within partnerships involving all relevant stakeholders at global,
regional and national level. In line with the AAA, where possible we will
build upon existing partnerships and ensure that these are effective and
inclusive, promote better coordination and division of labour, reduce
fragmentation of aid, be aligned to partner countries’ priorities and
strengthen these countries’ systems, with particular attention to specific
objectives and instruments for fragile and post-conflict environments.
Promoting Global Food Security
111.
Agriculture and food security should be placed at the core of the
international agenda. We welcome the Final Declaration of the G8 Ministers
of Agriculture who recently met in Treviso, and commit to continue working
with partner countries and international and regional organizations to foster
the conditions for ensuring sustainable access to sufficient, affordable and
safe food to everyone. The economic crisis dramatically changed the scenario
we faced when we last convened in Toyako. Although global commodity and
food prices significantly decreased in many regions, they remain high
compared with historical levels. As a consequence of spikes in food prices,
the number of people suffering from hunger increased by 100 million up to 1
billion and could significantly worsen as the global economic crisis unfolds.
Lower incomes and higher unemployment reduce the purchasing power of
the poor, worsening their access to food. The climate change impact on
agriculture and decreasing availability of water could aggravate the already
critical situation of food security, requiring broader adaptation and
mitigation efforts.
112.
In Toyako we agreed to undertake all possible measures to ensure
global food security, highlighting that the G8 had committed over US$ 10
billion since January 2008 for short, medium and long-term purposes, to
support food aid, nutrition interventions, social protection activities and
agricultural output increase. The monitoring report by our experts confirms
that from January 2008 to July 2009 US$ 13 billion have been disbursed and
that substantial additional commitments have been undertaken since the
Toyako Summit.
113.
With a view to ensuring a more food secure world, we commit to:
a)
stimulate sustainable growth of world food production, by promoting
increased investment in agriculture, including through development
assistance, and with particular attention to small-hold farmers; promote well-
functioning and transparent international, national and local markets as a
means to reduce the volatility of prices and combat speculation; work with
governments and regional organizations to strengthen national agricultural
research systems; increase investment and access to scientific knowledge and
technology, also by strengthening the role of the Consultative Group for
International Agricultural Research (CGIAR); encourage appropriate land
and natural resource management, the protection of biodiversity and the
adaptation to climate change.
b)
noting a growing trend of international agricultural investment,
including land leasing and purchases in developing countries, we will work
with partner countries and international organizations to develop a joint
proposal on principles and best practices for international agricultural
investment.
c)
foster a more efficient and coherent international agricultural and food
security architecture by: advancing the reforms of the FAO, the Committee
on World Food Security and other specialized agencies and their cooperation
at global, regional and country level; enhancing food aid effectiveness;
continuing to explore various options on a coordinated approach to stock
management; advancing trade negotiations to achieve a balanced,
comprehensive and ambitious conclusion of the Doha Round.
d)
support country-led and regional processes, such as the Comprehensive
Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), to promote
sustainable agriculture, the development of local markets and rural non-farm
economies, as well as to strengthen early warning systems, social protection
mechanisms and safety nets for vulnerable population groups.
114.
We will keep supporting an integrated approach to achieve global
food security, respond to emergencies and prevent future crises, building on
the UN Comprehensive Framework for Action (CFA). Pursuant to our
Toyako commitments, we welcome the progress achieved so far, in close
cooperation with the UN High Level Task Force on Global Food Security
Crisis (HLTF), towards establishing the Global Partnership for Agriculture
and Food Security (GPAFS). We also welcome the results of the recent
meetings of our Agriculture Ministers and Development Ministers on this
process. We call upon all stakeholders to join the Partnership and we pledge
to advance, by the end of 2009, in the implementation of the Global
Partnership for Agriculture and Food Security.
115.
In line with our comprehensive approach to development and
building on existing UN and other international and regional institutions, the
GPAFS should address food security by promoting sustainable agricultural
development, taking account of climate impacts, and building resilient
societies. The GPAFS should generate political momentum for a
comprehensive, inclusive, action-oriented and effective response to food
insecurity at national, regional and global levels. It should enable all relevant
stakeholders (e.g. consumers and producers, smallholders and women
farmers, civil society, private sector and academia) to share best practices,
coordinate actions and improve resource management.
Promoting sustainable access to Water and Sanitation
116. Many developing countries, particularly in Africa and Asia-Pacific, are
still far from achieving sustainable access to water and sanitation and
integrated water resource management, indispensable for sustainable
development. We are determined to generate political momentum at
international, regional and national levels for the internationally agreed goals,
including the MDGs and their targets on safe water and basic sanitation.
Climate change will have significant impacts on water resources management
and service provision. We will accordingly strengthen our efforts to support
improved water management to build resilience and drive adaptation, and
against desertification, support disaster risk reduction and enhance science-
based information provision, data collection and analysis.
117. We welcome the G8 water experts’ report on the implementation of the
Evian Water Action Plan. Despite clear advances, much needs to be done.
While recognizing that water and sanitation challenges require leadership,
investments, and action by governments, civil society and private sector in
developing countries, we will strengthen our support to partners on the basis
of their commitments, to improve resource management, governance, and
sustainable financing.
118. Together with African partners we will launch a strengthened Africa-
G8 water and sanitation partnership based on mutual accountability and
shared responsibility, to implement respective commitments on water and
sanitation and respond to the reciprocal call for improving joint work made
at the 2008 G8 and AU Summits. Within the framework of this partnership,
building on successful initiatives, we will support African partners to
implement their commitments to: prioritize water and sanitation within
national development plans; develop resource mobilisation strategies,
including national budget allocations and sustainable cost recovery policies;
involve all relevant stakeholders and promote programs to strengthen the
capacity of local actors and the monitoring of progress. G8 efforts will include:
supporting country-level coordination processes led by national governments
towards aid effectiveness; strengthening the capacity of local actors and
institutions, including regional organizations such as the AU and AMCOW;
reinforcing complementarities and synergies with existing multilateral and
regional initiatives. We will continue working with African partners at all
levels, with a view to achieve tangible progress in the advancement of the
partnership by the end of 2009.
119. For the Asia-Pacific region, we will continue implementing the Evian
Plan of Action with a particular focus on integrated water resource
management and work on key regional issues such as climate change
adaptation and transboundary river basin management.
Promoting Global Health
120. Since the Okinawa and Genoa Summits, with the launching of the
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, we have played a
critical role in supporting progress towards health-related MDGs. We have
made progress towards universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment,
care and support; Malaria; Tuberculosis; Polio and child mortality rates.
Despite these efforts, progress towards health-related MDGs, especially for
child mortality and maternal health is still off-track particularly in Sub-
Saharan Africa. In addition, the health situation is further aggravated by the
burden of non-communicable diseases.
121. In the current global financial crisis we reaffirm our commitment to
address the health needs of the most vulnerable, especially women and
children. In this regard, we encourage the WHO, World Bank and other
partners to monitor the impact of the crisis on health and advise on actions to
be taken at country and global level. In order to advance the goal of
universal access to health services, especially primary health care, it is
essential to strengthen health systems through health workforce
improvements, encompassing both health professionals and community
health workers, information and health financing systems including social
health protection, paying particular attention to the most vulnerable. We
reaffirm our commitment to address the scarcity of health workers in
developing countries, especially in Africa and we note the 2008 Kampala
Declaration and the Agenda for Global Actions launched by the Global
Health Workforce Alliance. We encourage the WHO to develop by 2010 the
Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel. We
will also begin to address substantial gaps in knowledge about how to
manage, organize and deliver health care in Sub-Saharan Africa through a
variety of strategies, including by developing networks of researchers and by
working with our African partners to establish a consortium of
interdisciplinary centres of health innovation. As an enabling first step in
developing the consortium, we will convene a planning meeting in late 2009
with African partners to establish a roadmap. We will work with partner
countries and international institutions to promote well-functioning
information systems. We also encourage multilateral institutions – including
WHO, World Bank, GFATM, GAVI, UNITAID and UN Organizations – to
continue to support health system strengthening. We encourage them to
further improve coordination with plans and processes in partner countries
and international health partnerships.
122. We promote a comprehensive and integrated approach to the
achievement of the health-related MDGs, also maximizing synergies between
global health initiatives and health systems. We will accelerate progress on
combating child mortality, including through intensifying support for
immunization and micronutrient supplementation, and on maternal health,
including through sexual and reproductive health care and services and
voluntary family planning . We warmly support building a global consensus
on maternal, newborn and child health as a way to accelerate progress on the
Millennium Development Goals for both maternal and child health, through
(i) political and community leadership and engagement; (ii) a quality package
of evidence-based interventions through effective health systems; (iii) the
removal of barriers to access for all women and children, free at the point of
use where countries chose to provide it; (iv) skilled health workers; (v)
accountability for results. We encourage the work of the WHO, WB, UNICEF
and UNFPA are doing to renew international efforts on maternal and child
health. We will implement further efforts towards universal access to
HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010, with particular
focus on prevention and integration of services for HIV/TB. We will combine
this with actions to: combat TB and Malaria; address the spread of Neglected
Tropical Diseases and work towards completing the task of polio eradication;
improve monitoring of emerging infectious diseases. In this regard, we stress
the importance of addressing gender inequality. We commend the strong
African leadership in addressing health challenges and welcome the launch
of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance on the occasion of the 64th UNGA in
September 2009.
123. We also recognize the need to strengthen the link between health sector
and other policies by promoting the strategic approach of “health as an
outcome of all policies”. We aim at addressing the key determinants of health
through mutually reinforcing policies across sectors such as poverty
reduction, food and nutrition, water supply and sanitation, education, gender
equality, employment, housing, justice, environment and science and
technology. We commit to counter any form of stigma, discrimination and
human rights violation and to promote the rights of persons with disabilities
and the elimination of travel restrictions on people living with HIV/AIDS.
124. We invite partner countries to increase and effectively use their
domestic financing for health in line with the principles of the Rome, Paris
and Accra Declarations. We recognize the critical role and contribution of the
Global Fund, WHO and the World Bank. We encourage them to assist,
together with other relevant actors in the design of comprehensive, robust
and well-costed country-led strategies and plans, building on experience such
as the International Health Partnership (IHP+) and other initiatives including
Providing for Health. We acknowledge the work of the Leading Group on
Innovative Financing for Development and the report of the High Level
Taskforce on Innovative International Financing for Health Systems, which
present a set of options from which countries and stakeholders can choose on
a voluntary basis to mobilize resources to strengthen health systems. A
number of G8 countries are considering and taking forward specific Leading
Group and Task Force recommendations.
125. We reaffirm our existing commitments, including the US$ 60 billion
investment to fight infectious diseases and strengthen health system by 2012.
Building on the decisions taken at St. Petersburg, Heiligendamm and Toyako,
we have established a follow-up mechanism to monitor the progress of health
commitments. We welcome the report submitted by our experts, highlighting
progress and proposing further actions, and we commit to further
improvements.
Advancing towards Education for All
126. Investing in education and skills development is crucial for a
sustainable recovery from the current economic crisis and for long term
development. We reaffirm the right to education for all. We favour an
integrated approach to education systems, prioritizing access to and
completion of quality primary education and also addressing post-primary
education, vocational training and skills development, and adult literacy,
according to partner countries’ specific needs. We support efforts to include
educational strategies within broader development policies, in the spirit of
the “Acting together” Oslo Declaration by emphasizing the principles of aid
effectiveness and division of labour.
127. We remain committed to the goals of Education for All (EFA) and we
welcome the progress made so far, but we recognize that decisive action is
still needed. We reaffirm that no country seriously committed to EFA will be
thwarted in the achievement of this goal by lack of resources. We continue to
paying special attention to countries affected by conflict or crises, girls,
children in rural areas, children with disabilities, working children and those
living or affected by HIV/AIDS. In this perspective, governments should
enhance the quality of education also through the recruitment, training,
retention and better management of qualified teachers. We welcome major
global campaigns to promote support for education, through international
events, such as the FIFA World Cup in 2010. We welcome the creation of an
international Task Force on “Teachers for EFA”, aiming to address the
“teacher gap”.
128. We reiterate our support to the Education for All - Fast Track Initiative
(EFA-FTI) as a good practice for aid effectiveness. We will continue to
facilitate the implementation, within 2009, of the EFA/FTI’s reform process
with specific attention on the most effective governance structures and
financing mechanisms. This process will be based on the preliminary findings
of the ongoing FTI evaluation. We, along with other donors, are committed
to a unified approach, mobilizing predictable bilateral and multilateral
resources in order to fulfil the financial shortfall estimated by the FTI at $1.2
billion over the coming 18 months, and to close gaps in education data, policy
and capacity to accelerate action on EFA. We welcome the report submitted
by our experts concerning progress on our support to EFA-FTI which shows
how education contributes to the whole MDG Agenda and is a key factor in
poverty reduction. We welcome the holding of the next FTI meetings in Italy
in autumn 2009.
Strengthening capacities and coordination mechanisms for peace and
security in Africa
129. Peace and security are prerequisites for sustainable development. Post-
conflict developing countries face particular challenges in reaching the MDGs
and need special assistance. We have assessed progress in the
implementation of our existing commitments to strengthen peacekeeping and
peace-building capacity in Africa. We will reinforce G8 programs, taking
action to:
a)
enhance coordination for peace support operations, recognizing the
leading role of the UN, and in particular the UN Security Council. We will
increase efforts to: coordinate material and logistical assistance, training, and
planning activities; assess with partner countries the causes of conflict to
produce clear and achievable mandates for peace operations and improve
peace-building efforts; integrate civilian, police and military components.
We will strengthen the role of the Africa Clearing House by examining with
the AU how a dedicated website and database on peace and security
activities might be established with G8 support to provide for continuous
information exchange and ensure better coordination, coherence and synergy
amongst our initiatives. We task our experts to elaborate further specific
proposals by the next Summit.
b)
provide assistance, including financial, for African-led peace support
operations, and work towards flexible and predictable funding. We commit
to help strengthen the African Union and Regional Economic Communities’
peacekeeping capabilities, including by assisting in the full operationalisation
of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) including the African
Standby Force (ASF).
c)
improve capacity building efforts and rapid deployment of capabilities,
focusing on: civilian and police expertise, including justice mediation and
reconciliation; humanitarian assistance; recovery and reconstruction. We will
support training of trainers activities and centres of excellence in Africa, and
assist in building international networks of training centres to achieve
common quality standards. In the context of the APSA we have assessed the
different initiatives which have been launched together with African partners,
including the training priorities for the ASF. We commit to address those
priorities, including on civilian and police components, complementing
ongoing donor initiatives.
d)
support maritime security capacity development in Africa. In this
respect, we welcome and support the growing interest of the African Union
and its member States in maritime security, which is a prerequisite for
development and must be strengthened to improve Africa’s trade and
investment climate.
e)
improve aid effectiveness in conflict and fragile environments. We are
strongly committed to implement the Accra Agenda for Action provisions on
adapting aid policies in fragile situations. Reaffirming the OECD-DAC
Principles for Good International Engagement in Fragile States and Situations,
we emphasize the need for assistance based on the principles of coherence,
coordination and complementarity, as reflected in the “3C Roadmap”
adopted at the 2009 Geneva Conference. We welcome the Conference’s
operational recommendations to implement these principles through whole
of system and whole of government approaches to fragile and conflict
situations.
f)
enhance work with the UN System, International Financial Institutions
and other donors, to build partnerships on peace and security. We welcome
the efforts of the UN-AU High Level Panel in producing a report on the
financing of AU-led peace support operations and commit to working with
the UN and AU to address the issues raised, emphasizing the importance of
regional dimensions, ownership and institutions for peace and security in
Africa. We call upon major emerging economies and other actors such as the
UN Peacebuilding Commission to develop a constructive dialogue to tackle
together conflict and post-conflict situations.
g)
encourage partner countries to take an integrated approach in
developing their security systems, based on the principles of rule of law,
good governance and human rights, and the strengthening of governmental
capacity to improve the provision of safety, security and justice.
Strengthening governance and the private sector for economic growth
Promoting effective governance
130. Democratic, effective and participatory governance is crucial for
economic growth and poverty eradication. Transparent and accountable
policy frameworks, the responsible use of political power and the rule of law
are essential determinants of sustainable development. We welcome and
support the strong commitment of the African Union to improve governance,
including through the NEPAD African Peer Review Mechanism. We
encourage timely implementation of its country Plans of action.
131. We remain committed to support capacity enhancement programs for
good governance, accountability and transparency measures in order to
foster democratic ownership of development agendas. In particular:
a)
Recalling the Okinawa Charter on the Global Information Society and
the Genoa G8 Action Plan for Digital Divide, we support further initiatives to
narrow the digital gap to underpin institution-building, the modernization of
public services and the strengthening of legislative and democratic processes.
b)
Recalling our Action Plan for Good Financial Governance in Africa, we
welcome the launch in 2009 of the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF)
as an important initiative to improve capacities and mobilize and efficiently
use domestic resources. We ask the African Development Bank, in
cooperation with the OECD, to systematically monitor the interaction
between aid flows, growth and domestic tax capacity development in Africa
and to report back to our next Summit. We will also support capacity
building for improved financial and legal systems, to provide for the
necessary tax reforms and for better international cooperation in the fight
against tax evasion. In this respect we encourage the OECD and other
relevant organizations to expand their work on tax havens on issues relevant
to developing countries.
c)
Recognizing the key role of the extractive industries for the
development and stability of many partner countries, we commend progress
made by the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and other
initiatives such as the Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG)
process for timber and the Kimberley certification process for rough
diamonds. We reaffirm our commitment and support for the full
implementation of these initiatives that can play a key role in increasing
public revenues, and reducing corruption, conflict and violence fuelled by
revenues from natural resources. We recommend the participation of further
countries and companies in these initiatives. We strongly encourage EITI
candidate countries to complete their validation process within the agreed
timeframe. In addition, we encourage all firms operating in the extractive
sector and in weak governance zones to adopt international corporate social
responsibility guidelines, such as the OECD Guidelines on Multinational
Enterprises. In this respect, and with reference to the Great Lakes Region, we
welcome the efforts of the International Conference on the Great Lakes
Region to tackle illegal exploitation of natural resources and encourage the
OECD, the United Nations and the Global Compact to work with the
Conference and engage with key stakeholders to further develop practical
guidance for business operating in countries with weak governance.
d) Recalling our recognition in the AAA of the crucial role of Civil Society
Organizations (CSOs), we encourage governments to adopt legislation which
is consistent with international laws and conventions, enabling civil society
organizations, including the media, to exist and operate freely and effectively.
e) Given the importance of the fight against bribery and corruption for good
governance, we urge all countries to adhere to the United Nations
Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).
Strengthening the private sector
132. A healthy, vibrant and competitive private sector is crucial for
promoting growth and poverty reduction. Sound macroeconomic and
regulatory frameworks must be pursued, along with adequate infrastructure
networks that can support regional integration. This is also the best incentive
for attracting investment and strengthening trade. We commend the work of
the Investment Climate Facility (ICF) for Africa as a model of African-led
reform. We welcome progress made by the Infrastructure Consortium for
Africa (ICA), the EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund as well as bilateral
financing initiatives. Functioning financial markets are a key to foster
economic growth. We strongly encourage public-private partnerships and a
wider use of risk-mitigation instruments that leverage resources toward
improving access to credit in developing countries.
133. In line with our “whole of country” approach to development, and
recalling the UN MDG Business Call to Action, we will favour the
comprehensive engagement of our private sector and civil society in
partnerships aimed at leveraging resources and expertise to strengthen
productive and trade capacities in developing countries. Reaffirming our
commitment to a swift, ambitious and balanced conclusion of the Doha
Round and the importance of promoting meaningful market access, we note
progress made towards achieving a collective effort on trade-related
assistance of $4 billion annually by 2010. In this respect, we welcome focus on
results and effectiveness of aid for trade initiatives addressing supply-side
constraints, especially the least developed countries, and strengthening
regional integration, and encourage our developing country partners to
integrate trade into their national development strategies.
134. Given the development impact of remittance flows, we will facilitate a
more efficient transfer and improved use of remittances and enhance
cooperation between national and international organizations, in order to
implement the recommendations of the 2007 Berlin G8 Conference and of the
Global Remittances Working Group established in 2009 and coordinated by
the World Bank. We will aim to make financial services more accessible to
migrants and to those who receive remittances in the developing world. We
will work to achieve in particular the objective of a reduction of the global
average costs of transferring remittances from the present 10% to 5% in 5
years through enhanced information, transparency, competition and
cooperation with partners, generating a significant net increase in income for
migrants and their families in the developing world.
