The relationship
between economic development and environmental degradation was first placed on
the international agenda in 1972, at the UN Conference on the Human
Environment, held in Stockholm. The Rio Earth Summit was held in 1992
Earlier this year in April, I was invited by
the Swedish Government (Lena Ek, Swedish Minister for the Environment and
Gunilla Carlsson Minister for International Development Cooperation) to participate and speak
at the one of the High level panel on Sustainable Living during
the Stockholm+40 Partnership Forum on Sustainable Development in Sweden,
an event that marked the historical 40th anniversary of the first UN Conference
on Human environment held in 1972 in Stockholm as well as a preparatory meeting
for the UN Rio+20 Conference At the event
500 participants - young people, researchers, decision-makers and
representatives of the business community and civil society from 72 countries -
had the opportunity to meet , listen to and participate in panel discussions,
seminars, workshops and not the least conversations during the breaks. Young
people were seen as an integral part in moving towards a more sustainable
society.
But this conferences isn’t
enough. We need a more radical change in moving forward as the ‘old way’ of
doing things hasn’t helped. This radical change must also start inwards as well
as at local and national levels.
The Occupy movement and the Arab
Spring have thoughts us so many things. My country Nigeria last year witnessed
a transformation in the electoral process when young people rallied around and
where effectively engaged in the electoral processes from mobilization, to
civic education to monitoring of the elections as citizen journalists and as
voters. We were involved, and we even made getting involved fun. We saw for the
first time what the power of young people combined with access to technology
and information can lead to the radical change we all so desired.
Earlier this year in April, I was invited by the Swedish Government (Lena Ek, Swedish Minister for the Environment and Gunilla Carlsson Minister for International Development Cooperation) to participate and speak at the one of the High level panel on Sustainable Living during the Stockholm+40 Partnership Forum on Sustainable Development in Sweden, an event that marked the historical 40th anniversary of the first UN Conference on Human environment held in 1972 in Stockholm as well as a preparatory meeting for the UN Rio+20 Conference At the event 500 participants - young people, researchers, decision-makers and representatives of the business community and civil society from 72 countries - had the opportunity to meet , listen to and participate in panel discussions, seminars, workshops and not the least conversations during the breaks. Young people were seen as an integral part in moving towards a more sustainable society.
But this conferences isn’t
enough. We need a more radical change in moving forward as the ‘old way’ of
doing things hasn’t helped. This radical change must also start inwards as well
as at local and national levels.
The Occupy movement and the Arab
Spring have thoughts us so many things. My country Nigeria last year witnessed
a transformation in the electoral process when young people rallied around and
where effectively engaged in the electoral processes from mobilization, to
civic education to monitoring of the elections as citizen journalists and as
voters. We were involved, and we even made getting involved fun. We saw for the
first time what the power of young people combined with access to technology
and information can lead to the radical change we all so desired.
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