French Speaking Environmentalists and Ecologists ahead of Rio+20

Fondo

1. The United Nations General Assembly, in its Resolution A/64/236 of December 24, 2009, called for the organization of a conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2012 – the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) Rio+20.

2. Some 200 million people on every continent speak French. Based on this shared language, the Francophone movement has given rise to an institutional structure: the International Organisation of la Francophonie (OIF).

3. Unlike in Rio (1992) and Johannesburg (2002), the International Organisation of la Francophonie will take part officially in this multilateral conference. To prepare for this, it has undertaken several major activities in order to organize its participation and that of its member countries.

4. To make possible and efficient the participation of French speaking people at Rio+20 and in the follow up to the Declaration, it is important to:
a. Provide support (methodological, logistical and expertise) to French speaking people involved in environmental and ecologist organizations, movements, and Green networks, in order to build a portal and/or other means of communication and exchange;
b. Share their views and development priorities in regards to the preparatory aspects of Rio+20 and its follow up ahead of and after the Rio+20 Conference at international meetings and have them taken into account in resolutions;
c. Ensure a real opportunity to participate in the overall United Nations preparatory process.

5. Meeting in Sao Paulo, Brazil, for the 2nd Global Greens Meeting on May 1-4, 2008, ecologists along with signatory movements, noting the development of Green parties in Francophone countries and the success of the network of Jeunes Verts Francophones (Green Francophone Youth) established in Nairobi in 2007, decided to initiate a networking of French speaking environmentalists and ecologists – the Réseau Écologiste Francophone (RÉF).

6. It is time for Global Greens to implement the diffusion of ecological ideas in several languages, including French.

Resolution

At the 3rd Global Greens Congress in Dakar 2012, the Global Greens resolve to encourage the creation of a network of French speaking people involved in environmental and ecologist organizations, movements, and networks.

This network aims to:
1. Create a first network with the list of French speaking participants to the 3rd World Congress of Green  Parties gathered in Dakar on April 1, 2012, and broadcast the creation of the RÉF through a tab on the Global Greens Network website (http://www.globalgreens.org/ggn) announcing a Facebook page, a Twitter link and a blog for the exchange of ideas to stay up-to-date with the Framework Agreement on Climate Change from Rio+20;

2. Establish permanent relationships between French speaking people participating in international and regional meetings by promoting exchanges and updates on the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012 (Rio+20), and after Rio+20.

3. Create a network of elected French speaking ecologists and Greens in order to participate in Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) activities and meet with the competent authorities of the International Organisation of la Francophonie (OIF) to ensure that they take into account the principles and core values of the Charter of the Global Greens.