Co-Chairs,
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates and representatives,

1. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

2. At the outset, allow me to reaffirm the role of the Bureau in the leadership and management of the process, in line with resolution 64/236, and to express the appreciation of the Group for the agreement reached on a concrete proposal for a roadmap for the preparatory process towards June 2012.

3. Regarding the way forward, for the Group of 77 and China it is important to have a dynamic, effective, transparent and inclusive process from this PrepCom-2 up to the Conference.

4. The Group of 77 and China considers that the preparations would benefit from an early start to the consideration of a draft outcome document, and stands ready to make concrete proposals in a constructive and pro-active manner.

Co-Chairs,

5. It is worth remembering that the objective of the Conference is to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development, to assess the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development, and to address new and emerging challenges. This objective remains of utmost importance, in the same level of the themes selected.

6. As we are all aware, diverging views remain on how to enhance the efficiency of the current United Nations system in the area of sustainable development. In this regard, the Group of 77 and China understands that the 2012 Conference should be aimed at renewing and enhancing political commitment and increasing efforts to ensure that the current institutions involved in implementing the sustainable development agenda in the UN system become more effective, including through, among others, the promotion of synergies among them and the provision of an adequate level of financial resources. At the same time, we would need to address how the institutional framework for sustainable development at all levels can be strengthened to accelerate the achievement of the sustainable development agenda in all three of its dimensions.

7. To that end, the G77 and China strongly reiterates that the three pillars of sustainable development should be addressed in a coordinated, integrated and comprehensive manner and that the UN economic, social and environmental activities should not be dealt with in isolation. The UN should play a central role in the international economic, social and environmental governance.

8. There is not, at this moment, a common understanding of what a "green economy" approach entails, as well as of its potential risks, costs and benefits, which is necessary for our discussions to move forward towards the full implementation of the commitments concluded 18 years ago in UNCED. Clearly, there is no need to redefine sustainable development, which has proved its value as a basis for our work. The Group of 77 and China strongly believes that our discussions around the green economy can only prove fruitful in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradications, as has been agreed.

9. In order for the benefits of applying "green economy" as a concept to outweigh the risks, it should be firmly rooted under the paradigm of sustainable development, respecting the policy space of each country to define their own paths towards sustainability in their economy and society, in accordance with their own circumstances and priorities. Social inclusion and decent jobs, trade related concerns, transition costs and impacts and avoiding "green protectionism" should be seriously considered and addressed so as to ensure a meaningful outcome at the 2012 UNCSD for developing countries and be able to generate a common vision to guide our future.

Co-Chairs,

10. The Group of 77 and China is deeply concerned that severe challenges still remain in achieving the goals of the three pillars of sustainable development, particularly in the context of the current global crises. At the same time, there is a need to address new and emerging sustainable development issues that arise, including from ongoing current global crises and challenges and those that we will inevitably face in the future. These include the financial and economic, food and energy crises and the challenges, including those relating to climate change, biodiversity, desertification, water scarcity, frequency of disasters and the need to prepare and recover from disasters. All of these crises and challenges have significant and, in some cases, unforeseen impacts on the standards of living, the achievement of the MDGs and the health of those in developing countries, particularly the most vulnerable.

11. The discussions on new and emerging challenges should focus on preventing new crises, achieving sustainable development, eradicating poverty and addressing inequalities. It should also be based on the principles enshrined in paragraphs 2 and 7 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, including the sovereign right of countries to exploit their own resources pursuant to their own environmental and developmental policies and that States have common but differentiated responsibilities At the same time, these issues should be examined in the context of the other objectives of the Conference, which are to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development and to assess the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development.

12. The success of our common efforts is closely linked to the means available to ensure effective implementation. The issue of the means of implementation must be underscored, as a global responsibility, given the global nature of the challenges the world faces today. Therefore, the provision of new and additional resources is crucial to enhance the United Nations capabilities in the area of implementation. In this regard, it is imperative to increase the United Nations regular budget resources allocated to all mandated development activities, including those related to sustainable development, in order to ensure predictable and adequate funding.

13. The Group of 77 and China calls for the fulfillment of all official development assistance-related commitments, including the commitments made by many developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent of gross national income for official development assistance by 2015, as well as the target of 0.15 per cent to 0.20 per cent of gross national income for least developed countries, and urge those developed countries that have not yet done so to make concrete efforts in this regard in accordance with their commitments.

14. There is an urgent need for the international community to adopt an effective, equitable, durable and development oriented solution to the debt problem of developing countries, particularly through total debt cancellation, and increased concessional financial flows.

15. The lack of progress in implementing the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation Agreements on technology transfer is a serious priority issue. The shortfall of technology transfer and dissemination should become the focus of the international community and the UN System, including at the highest political level. This should include the full implementation of the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity Building, but should also go well beyond this, so as to attain the goals contained in Chapter 34 of Agenda 21.

Co-chairs,

16. The Group of 77 and China is looking forward to the opportunity offered by this meeting to exchange views and proposals in a constructive spirit and to gain a better understanding of the diversity of views towards finding common ground for progress. Allow me to reiterate to you and the members of the Bureau the full assurances of our cooperation and support.

Thank you.