130^th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and Related Meetings

Geneva, 16-20.03.2014

Standing Committee on Sustainable Development,

Finance and Trade

„TOWARDS RISK-RESILIENT DEVELOPMENT: TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION

DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS AND NATURAL CONSTRAINTS”

INTERVENTION

by Deputy Valeriu Andrei Steriu

Member of the Steering Committee of the Romanian IPU Group

Mr. Chairman,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to take the floor.

In the recent decades, an inefficient usage of natural resources has put a great pressure on our planet, posing a threat to security of supply. The pressure on resources is growing if we think that current demographic trends will lead to a continued population growth, with a global population estimated at about 9 billion people in 2050.

Currently, the world’s population consumes the Earth's natural resources at a rate which cannot be sustained. This creates challenges and uncertainties for the economy and society and causes environmental degradation at the global level. Increased demand for goods and services and resource depletion leads to increased costs of essential raw materials, minerals and energy, generating more pollution, more waste, more global GHG emissions and causing land degradation, deforestation and loss of biodiversity.

Today’s growth cannot be discussed exclusively in economic terms, regardless of the environmental health implications. Experience has proven that economic growth which determines serious environmental problems affect negatively the growth itself.

To get an efficiently usage of resources we need to change ourselves. It is not to consume less but to consume otherwise.

At the same time, population dynamics - the increasing of world population, migration and urbanization - have a direct effect on food security and the health of eco-systems in many parts of the planet.

There is also a social dimension of sustainable development, which must be duly taken into account.

Inequalities and the barriers associated to them reduce the efficiency in poverty eradication processes, can harm the stability and sustainability of economic growth, and can increase the risk of instability and violent conflict, being also a main driver of internal and international migration. The unsustainable management of natural resources creates also an inequitable access to natural resources. Sustainable development itself embodies inter-generational equity by ensuring essential resources for future generations.

Reducing inequalities will require an integrated approach based on efficient and participatory accountability mechanisms to achieve a full implementation of measures, promote equality and address inclusive economic growth patterns - catalyzed by predictability and transparency, innovation and political will -, which will link the business sector with all social actors.

The fight against natural and social disasters require knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety and resilience at all levels.

Thank you for your kind attention.