Catpaw – diary of an angry cat

I just raided the United Nations web site for Sustainable Development. I was curious about their goals and what they pretend to achieve. I can’t leave this story alone. I’m fascinated with their minimal grasp of reality.

Here is what their goals are (on paper at least):

• Integration of the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development in policy-making at international, regional and national levels;

• Wide-spread adoption of an integrated, cross-sectoral and broadly participatory approach to sustainable development;
• Measurable progress in the implementation of the goals and targets of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.

What more giggles? Here is what they are supposed to do achieve these goals:

• Facilitate intergovernmental negotiations, consensus-building and decision-making through the provision of substantive support to the work of the CSD and other related bodies;
• Provide technical assistance, expert advice and capacity building to support developing countries and countries with economies in transition in their efforts to achieve sustainable development;
• Facilitate inter-agency and inter-organizational cooperation, exchange and sharing of information, and catalyze joint activities and partnerships within the United Nations system and with other international organizations, governments and civil society groups in support of sustainable development;
• Promote and facilitate monitoring and evaluation of, and reporting on, the implementation of sustainable development at the national, regional and international levels;
• Undertake in-depth strategic analysis to provide policy advice to the USG/DESA, UN system and intergovernmental for focusing on cross-cutting and emerging sustainable development issues.

Let’s see –

• facilitate consensus building -hmmm… bulldozing 700,000 people out of their home? violently throwing farmers off their land? Yup that counts!
• adoption of an integrated, cross-sectoral and broadly participatory approach? – hmmm… Zimbabwe ruled by one of the most brutal dictators currently around. Oh yea.. that counts as participatory governmental experience.
• Provide technical assistance, expert advice? hmm… They are the proud owners of a completely destroyed infrastructure, 11,000% inflation and crumbling cities. Absolutely this counts as expertise.
• Measurable progress in the implementation of the goals and targets? hmmmm – complete destruction of a once vibrant society with a great deal of potential.

Stumble it!