PM Lukšić at Rio+20 conference: Preservation and sustainable use of natural resources basis of Montenegro development

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Rio de Janeiro (21 June 2012) – The green, that is blue economy, is the concept that Montenegro, as an ecological state, is determined to implement. The three main sectors of the country's economic growth – tourism, agriculture and energy depend on the preservation of national resources and require responsibility and sustainability, Prime Minister Igor Lukšić underlined at the plenary session of the United Nations Rio+20 conference on sustainable development earlier today.

The green economy also requests better linking of education and labour market, introduction of lifelong learning, and the advancement of the education system based on entrepreneurship, innovations and research, he added.

Montenegro, in PM Lukšić's words, has defined preservation and sustainable use of its natural resources as the basis of its economic development. The implementation of the policy requires a strong institutional framework. In that context, he underlined the importance of the National Council for Sustainable Development, as a multi-stakeholder body which plays a vital role in linking the state and the society. The National Strategy on Sustainable Development also represents a successful framework for the long term planning and should include the green economy’s principles as the mechanisms for implementing sustainable development.

According to the Prime Minister, the cooperation with regional and international partners and the UN system in Montenegro is also significant.

"In that regard, Montenegro, as one of 50 countries, has supported the UN Secretary-General's initiative titled Sustainable Energy for All. Also, together with the UN Office in Montenegro, we are constructing the first UN building, which will be, in true sense, ecological, self-sustainable, energy efficient and a stimulating example as such ,' PM Lukšić pointed out.

The implementation of sustainable development policies is essential in handling the global issues such as population growth, unsustainable production and consumption, unemployment and poverty, PM Lukšić noted. It requires a strong political will and determination to improve standard of living, but not only in terms of economic growth, but of the quality of the environment as well.

“The mere statistics of economic parameters, such as the growth of GDP, without considering the perspectives of each individual, that is, each household, is a dead end,” he underlined.

The Prime Minister welcomed on that occasion the Final Document's guidelines which define how to initiate and implement changes in all fields with the view of achieving sustainable development and measurable results.

“The changes that will ensure the continuous economic growth with minimum of pressures on the environment. The changes that will create equal possibilities for social, intellectual and cultural development of each individual,“ PM Lukšić highlighted in his speech at the UN conference on sustainable development in Rio de Janeiro.