BRICS+G A Dialogue on nsds, Sustainability & Growth Contact: Harald.Lossack@gtz.de Jan-Peter.Schemmel@gtz.de 0/21
Idea and Purpose Dialogue of a group of economically increasingly important countries on sustainable development strategies, sustainability and growth: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and Germany NOT a classical peer review or political review to start with but an informal technical exchange to ensure buy-in of all countries 1/21
Key elements of methodology Specifics of the dialogue Open-ended Roundtable-like (limited, high ranking participation) Multi-stakeholder (delegations consisting of: government, university, NGOs, business) All countries participate at an equal level 2/21
Guiding questions for the dialogue What is the state of the respective nsds? How are the nsds linked to sectoral policies and strategies (energy, natural resource use, social issues)? What are factors for success and failure of sustainable development strategies impact? What roles do / should the various stakeholders play to balance sustainability and growth? 3/21
Process Started mid 2004: ca. 1 year process up to date National preparatory conferences (summer 2005) International Conference (4./5. Sept., Berlin) Panel at the annual congress of the German NCSD (6. Sept., Berlin) 4/21
Impact 1 BRICS+G developed a group identity and awareness of their global responsibility and potential Perceived as very valuable learning experience providing insightful examples from other, similar important countries Contributions to national processes Feed-back into German & South African nsds Main theme for Brazilian annual environment conference 5/21
Impact 2 Demand by all partners to continue dialogue Discuss more specific topics (e.g. governance of nsds) Concrete multilateral co-operation projects, (common handbook for SD and initiatives in intl. negotiations BRICS+G dialogue conferences in the other countries (e.g. Brazil, India, South Africa) 6/21
Analysis of Methodology and Impact 1 An open dialogue on partly quite sensitive issues is possible Informality and technical character decisive High level participants in their personal capacities are key Equal participation of all parties and focus not only on one country ensures process is perceived as beneficial to all Importance of not falling into the developed-developing country scheme 7/21
Analysis of Methodology and Impact 2 Open ended character let participants decide what is important for them to learn Participants put strong focus on sustainability of growth and sector policies impact Focus on the spirit of nsds rather than on nsds documents High degree of ownership of process since it s dialogue-based Time is an important resource to build up trust and a learning community don t rush it 8/21
Challenges The major part of the BRICS+G did not perceive themselves as having already developed a nsds although some did so formally Although there are many common problems of the BRICS+G it takes time to learn about the others contexts & situations Identification of focus of discussions that is of interest to all Despite delegations being multistakeholder they were generally also pro-sustainability 9/21
Potential for Replication While focus was not on a peer review methodology it could well be used for such a review Particularly suitable for countries or issues that might be reluctant to take up the peer-review idea / to be dealt with in scope of such a review High potential for establishing a continuing learning group of partners supporting each other on sustainable development 10/21
BRICS+G A Dialogue on nsds, Sustainability & Growth For further information: www.bricsg.net 11/21