Jessica McQuade - Motivations & Expectations

02 June 2012

Motivation to participate in the British Council Rio Delegation

It is a very unique opportunity to develop my understanding and gain examples of best practice across the world of sustainable development. I will be able to take this learning to both my community activism (which is supported by the British Council) and policy work in the third sector in Wales. I hope to be inspired and invigorated to continue action on sustainable development, sharing this with civil society and my community in Wales. I also hope to connect with like mind people from across the world, starting with British Council delegates, to share our stories and journeys to sustainability.

 

Expectations for Rio+20

 
Expectations of Earth Summit Civil society and grass roots projects are delivering sustainable development solutions to the problems we face. Policy makers need to take inspiration and lessons from this approach to help them to develop the policy responses needed. Policy makers need to see that the ecological, social, and economic crises we face are not independent problems but interrelated. To be able to achieve sustainability and the future we want, they need to be brave and go against the current system of governance and economy. This is a huge challenge for governments who are still stuck deep into the current systems. Unless policymakers of the world agree upon a common understanding of the challenge, it will be difficult for them to craft an effective and cooperative response.
 
Specific Objectives 
  1. Gather information on institutional reform to feed into Welsh Government’s Sustainable Development legislation. One of the key themes of Rio - institutional framework for sustainable development, is a key priority for the Welsh Government. The knowledge gathered on this issue with be inputted into the current consultation response and will be significant to our aims to develop legislation which helps to deliver a sustainable Wales.
  2. Share the work of civil society in Wales delivering sustainable development and gather best practice of civil society from across the globe to take back. In Wales we have a very active international and sustainable development civil society which are undertaking interesting projects to address SD within Wales and internationally. I want to share this with civil society from across world and also gather examples from them to share back in Wales.
  3. Raise awareness of Sustainable Development and Rio +20 with my community and also wider third sector and public in Wales. Blogging and twitter shared over many platforms e.g. Cardiff Transition through to WWF Wales and Oxfam. Traditional media coverage.
  4. Deepen and widen my knowledge and insight onto sustainable development, both conceptually and its delivery.