nsr4SD Conference declaration
Network of Regional Governments for Sustainable Development (nrg4SD)
September 2003
Third Conference
Western Australia
Between 16 September and 19 September 2003, the Regional Government Network for Sustainable Development met in Fremantle, Western Australia on the occasion of its third Conference.
This Conference Declaration seeks to reaffirm the Gauteng Declaration and to articulate the purpose and outcomes of the Third Conference of the Network of Regional Governments for Sustainable Development.
The Governments assembled:
- Reaffirmed the Gauteng Declaration (attachment 1), particularly the commitment to sustainable development as outlined in Agenda 21 and the Rio Declaration, and the United Nations Millennium Declaration; and
- Reaffirmed particularly the call upon all Regional Governments to develop sustainable development strategies, and the call upon Heads of Government and international organisations to recognise and support the necessary and essential role of Regional Governments in the promotion of sustainable development and in the achievement of Agenda 21 and the Millennium Development Targets at all levels and spheres of Government; and
- Committed to the following action points
Action points
- Sustainable development strategies
- Developing regional sustainable development strategies that provide a vision and a framework for sustainable development within the region and continue to promote best practice in developing these strategies.
- Engaging all sectors of civil society in the development and implementation of strategies.
- Taking into account the global impacts of decisions made at regional government level.
- Developing common indicators of progress toward sustainability, informed by indicators developed at the international level.
- Renewable energies/climate change
- Actively contributing to the international conference for renewable energies in Bonn, June 2004 and ninth Conference of Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change in Milan, December 2003.
- Developing and sharing best practice in the field of renewable energies and climate change at the regional level.
- Working with local government
- Working in partnership with local government to implement regional sustainable development strategies including sharing best practice.
- Tourism
- Jointly promoting sustainable tourism between developed and developing regions.
- Responsible investment in tourism.
- Water
- Developing a program of work for the Network on sustainable water and sanitation provision at the regional government level to be presented at the forth conference of the Network.
- Operational structures
- Implementing the agreed work programme that sets out priority areas for the next two years. This includes increasing the membership of the network, with particular focus on engaging regions in developing countries.
- Legally registering the network as soon as possible.
Original document at Conference Declaration, nrg4SD, Third Conference, Western Australia, September 2003
