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em>As the global commitment to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) approaches its deadline in 2015, and as the UN environmental forums are formulating “sustainable development goals”, the European Commission is proposing a common approach to end poverty and ensure sustainability. The Jakarta Post’s Desy Nurhayati talked to the European Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs, on this issue. Below are the excerpts of the interview:

Question: What have the MDGs achieved so far?

Answer: The MDGs have been a powerful tool in mobilizing the world in the fight against poverty, but tackling poverty remains a top priority as well as other global challenges such as climate change, resource scarcity, environmental degradation and social inequalities. It’s a huge achievement because it concentrates on particular critical issues […] but to make [the MDGs] more successful we need to continue until 2015 to achieve the goals as much as possible, so that we encourage and replicate the idea of having global goals that we can measure.

Eradicating poverty and ensuring that prosperity and well-being are sustainable are two pressing
challenges.

What will be the EU’s contribution to the post-2015 agenda?

Taking the EU and member states collectively, the EU is the world’s largest provider of official development assistance, amounting to €53 billion in 2011, or half of the global total.

The EU [European Union] is also the most significant trading partner for developing countries, as well as a key source of technology, innovation, investment and entrepreneurship. Together, these elements have meant that the EU has been able to make a significant contribution to the achievement of the MDGs. For post 2015, we will overall have the same amount that we had in the previous period, with a slight increase.

At the Rio+20 Conference [on the environment] in 2012, the international community agreed to step up action on key sustainability challenges and started the process for the formulation of sustainable development goals. Our proposal, the Communication [“A Decent Life for All: Ending Poverty and Giving the World a Sustainable Future”] outlines some key actions to that end.

What are the main elements of the Communication?

The Communication takes stock of MDG achievements and addresses the need to implement the main Rio+20 outcomes and commitments through actions at the EU and international level.

It further addresses the fact that the follow-up to the Rio+20 Conference and the MDG review and future development agenda processes are currently running on two separate tracks.

The Communication recommends that, as soon as possible, these processes should converge and be integrated into a single overarching framework for post-2015. The overall objective should be to ensure a “decent life for all” by 2030, ending poverty in all its dimensions [economic, social, environmental] and giving the world a sustainable future.

The framework should cover basic human development [as well as], drivers for sustainable and inclusive growth and development to ensure structural transformation of the economy.

[These are] needed for the creation of productive capacities and employment, the transition to an inclusive green economy capable of addressing climate challenges, and the sustainable management of natural resources.

The framework should also address justice, equality and equity, as well as the empowerment of women and gender equality.

Who will benefit and how?

This would apply to all countries and benefit every citizen of the world. The Commission suggests global goals representing commitments by all countries [...] in order to increase domestic ownership and accountability.

Within the EU, the follow up to Rio+20 will implement commitments for sustainable development at EU and member state level, in particular through the Europe 2020 Strategy.

What are the next steps?

To further elaborate thinking on the goals, the EU should continue its open dialogue with all relevant stakeholders. [...]

The EU needs to engage fully in forthcoming international processes. An EU common approach will be needed by mid-2013.

What we need to highlight is that eradicating extreme poverty across the globe in a single generation is within reach.

It is not a question of resources, but rather of having the political will and the right framework.

The next two years will be critical for the international community to prove the ambition is there. The EU is determined to play a decisive role and the Communication is a first step in this direction.