Stakeholder Forum Network News: Engagement in post-Rio+20 and post-2015 processes

Participatory democracy is the idea that involving all stakeholders, at every level, will result in better informed, and more thoroughly deliberated, decisions being taken. It means that all stakeholders will thereby take greater ownership of the outcome and then be active in the delivery of policy on the ground, optimally in partnership with governments and other stakeholders.

Broadly, any modalities of stakeholder engagement should fulfil three functions:

1) participation and expression,

2) expert input and decision shaping and

3) review and accountability.

Derek Osborn, President of Stakeholder Forum, looks at the role of the United Nations in advancing sustainable development. In particular, the article in Environment Magazine summarises the outcomes of key UN conferences, while highlighting the need for policies to be implemented at a national, local and sectoral level.  

As administrators of the Global Network of National Councils for Sustainable Development (NCSDs), Stakeholder Forum will be engaging Councils from across the world at the European Environmental and Sustainable Development Advisory Councils (EEAC) Working Group meeting in Berlin from the 23-24 May, as well as in the preparation of a briefing paper exploring the work of a number of NCSDs from regions outside of Europe.

On 17 April, Stakeholder Forum in partnership with the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) and Business Fights Poverty held an event to look at how the private sector is engaging with the current Post 2015 Development Agenda and sustainable development goals process.