NEW ENVIRONMENTALISM REJECTS `HEAVY-HANDED' POLICIES IN MOST INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES, WORLD BANK OFFICIAL STATES IN SECOND COMMITTEE
Press Release
GA/EF/2692
NEW ENVIRONMENTALISM REJECTS `HEAVY-HANDED' POLICIES IN MOST INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES, WORLD BANK OFFICIAL STATES IN SECOND COMMITTEE
19951031 A new environmentalism was being implemented around the world that rejected the heavy-handed, command and control policies that were traditional in most industrial countries, a representative of the World Bank told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) this morning as it continued consideration of environment and sustainable development.That new approach, he said, was pro-development and pro-people, and recognized that real solutions would be found as implemented in communities, farms, corporations and families -- away from government offices. Implementing the new environmentalism required effective partnerships at the national and international levels, he added.
Addressing the implementation of commitments adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in its Agenda 21, the representative of India expressed regret that no significant steps had been taken in the developed countries to change their unsustainable consumption and production patterns. He said there was a reluctance among the industrialized countries to fulfil existing obligations in emissions of ozone- depleting substances or to take on additional obligations in view of the cumulative, potential impact on the climate of their industrialization and technology choices.
The representative of Benin was concerned that in contrast with two other UNCED-related conventions, on climate change and on biological diversity, the instrument on combating desertification had received fewer financial contributions. He noted that the secretariat of the desertification Convention was smaller than that of the other two conventions and called for equal treatment to be given to all conventions.
Statements were also made by the representatives of the Republic of Korea, Indonesia and Nigeria. A representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) also spoke.
Introducing reports of the latest sessions of the International Negotiating Committee on a Convention to Combat Desertification, its Chairman, Bo Kjellen, said that so far the Convention had been signed by 115 countries, and 10 States had already ratified it. He expressed the hope that the first Conference of the Parties would be held in 1997.
The Committee will continue its consideration of environment and sustainable development when it meets again at 3 p.m. tomorrow, 1 November.
Committee Work Programme
The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) met this morning to continue consideration of environment and sustainable development, including implementation of decisions of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro and the question of desertification and drought. (For background information, see Press Release GA/EF/2690 of 30 October.)
Statements
BO KJELLEN, Chairman of the International Negotiating Committee for the Elaboration of a Convention to Combat Desertification, introduced the reports on the sixth and seventh sessions of the Negotiating Committee. In the process of the follow-up to the Rio conference, the Convention was a key element, he said. Also, non-governmental organization participation was a cornerstone of the Convention, which had so far been signed by 115 countries. Ten States had already ratified it. He expressed the hope that the first conference of the parties would be held in 1997. The seventh session of the Committee had been productive and at the next session substantive negotiations would begin, including those relating to the Global Mechanism. Two institutions, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), had expressed interest in hosting that Mechanism.
He stressed that dissemination of the Convention was essential. He expressed concern over the situation of the voluntary funds, appealing to donor governments to contribute to them. New commitments had been made to those funds and he expected that they would be made available very soon.
The next session of the Negotiating Committee would be held in February in Geneva, he said. It was essential that those who would implement the Convention must participate in the negotiations as the instrument was centred on implementation at the local level. The ninth session would be held in September in New York, he added.
ROGATIEN BIAOU (Benin) said his Government was resolutely pursuing implementation of UNCED recommendations. With the help of the Netherlands, Benin had set up a centre on sustainable development. A Benin environmental agency had also been set up, which worked under the auspices of the ministries of the environment and of housing. Work on a national Agenda 21 continued, and its adoption was scheduled for 1996. Annually, two weeks in June were dedicated to sensitize people to environmental problems. A television project on environmental matters was also being produced. The Commission on Sustainable Development was trying to implement UNCED recommendations. However, a great deal remained to be done.
He expressed the hope that the preparatory process for the special General Assembly session in 1997 would lead to bold and productive decisions. He supported the convening of such a session in June 1997, prior to the substantive session of the Economic and Social Council and to the Assembly's regular session. Benin's ratification of the Convention to Combat
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Desertification should take place in the next few weeks, he announced. Reviewing other measures taken by his Government relating to the Convention, he cited initiatives aimed at preparing a national action programme to implement it. He thanked Germany for a generous contribution to help Benin organize a national forum in January 1996 on that programme.
It was high time to support the implementation of the Convention, particularly in Africa, prior to its entry into force he continued. He expressed disquiet over the decline in voluntary contributions to the funds of the Convention. Only three countries had paid contributions so far -- Japan, Canada and Denmark. He was also concerned that in contrast with the two other conventions, on climate change and on biodiversity, the desertification instrument had received fewer contributions; and the secretariat for that convention was much smaller than that of others. He called for equal treatment to be given to all Conventions.
HA YONG MOON (Republic of Korea) said his delegation was pleased with the progress made since the Rio conference. He said the Commission on Sustainable Development had been useful in promoting some of the conference objectives, and it should continue to act as a catalyst for intercessional meetings. Much more needed to be done to implement Agenda 21, and he hoped progress would be made on the question of financial resources and technology transfer.
He supported the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) work programme and urged it to continue in that direction. He noted the major progress made in combating desertification by the adoption of the Convention to Combat Desertification and Drought. His Government planned to ratify the Convention by the first half of 1996.
SHARAD PAWAR (India) said it was unfortunate that no significant steps had been taken in the developed countries to change their unsustainable consumption and production patterns. There was a reluctance among the industrialized countries to fulfil existing obligations in emissions of ozone- depleting substances or to take on additional obligations in view of the cumulative, potential impact on climate of their industrialization and technology choices. Despite commitments made at the Rio conference and other major conferences since then, he said there had been a continuous decline of official development assistance (ODA), incomplete tenth replenishment of International Development Association (IDA) resources and uncertainties about the eleventh. The resources of UNEP were also declining.
The initial promise and hope of the restructured Global Environment Facility (GEF) as the mechanism for redressing global environment problems had also not been adequately realized, he continued. Procedures for project approval were complex and time-consuming. It appeared, he said, that it was taking almost 24 months for a project to be approved. The GEF should concentrate on translating the conventions into action. He added that the time had come for results to be delivered on a large scale if GEF was to make any impact.
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Another cause for concern, he said, was the lack of progress on the transfer of environmentally sound technologies which, he added, should be made available to developing countries on concessional and preferential terms. It was unfortunate that the ad hoc working group on technology transfer of the Commission on Sustainable Development had not been allowed to continue after one year.
ANDREW STEER, a representative of the World Bank, said the imperative of implementing the Rio agenda remained as urgent as ever. Around the world a quiet revolution was taking place with environmental concerns being incorporated into government policies and investments in about 100 countries. The new environmentalism rejected the heavy-handed, command and control policies that were traditional in most industrial countries. The new approach was pro-development and pro-people. It recognized that real solutions would be found as implemented in communities, farms, corporations and families -- away from government offices.
The World Bank had recently completed a review of some of the innovative approaches adopted since the Rio conference, he continued. It highlighted hallmarks of the new environmentalism, including: setting priority carefully; vigorously promoting cost effectiveness; using market instruments where feasible; building constituencies for change; and incorporating environmental concerns from the onset. The Bank was supporting many governments in putting together new environmental programmes; 65 others had recently requested assistance. The Bank Group stood ready to help governments assemble financial and technical assistance packages to implement Agenda 21. Such packages included concessional market-based loans, guarantees for private flows, equity finance from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) -- a World Bank affiliate -- and analytical and advisory devices.
Implementing the new environmentalism required effective partnerships, he said. At the national level, government ministries must involve other departments. The Bank was carrying out a similar partnership with UNDP and UNEP in implementing the Global Environment Facility. It had rejuvenated the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research which would be meeting in Washington during the week. The UNDP and the World Bank were merging their efforts on water policies to form a global water partnership and were inviting other agencies to join them. He drew attention to attempts to
reduce funding for what he described as a key partnership -- the IDA, a concessional lending arm of the World Bank, and appealed to governments to support the agency.
ISSLAMET POERNOMO (Indonesia) said that despite their difficulties, developing countries had adjusted their development priorities to implement Agenda 21, with some establishing focal points to coordinate activities at the national level. He expressed disappointment that the implementation of the Rio commitments, particularly for financial resources and transfer of environmentally sound technology, had fallen far short of expectations.
The innovative work of the Commission for Sustainable Development had contributed to the increased awareness by the international community of the
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importance of sustainable development, he said. There should be coordination by the Commission with other United Nations agencies in formulating programmes. He supported proposals in the Secretary-General's report that the Commission undertake the preparatory process for the special General Assembly session on the outcome of the Rio conference.
JORGE WERTHEIN, a representative of UNESCO, said the organization's General Conference, now in progress, would examine the Director-General's proposals for the medium-term strategy for 1996-2001 and the programme budget for 1996-1997. Both at the medium- and short-term, UNESCO's approach to environmental and related issues would continue to follow a transdisciplinary pattern aimed at promoting synergy between the natural sciences, both basic and applied, and the social and human sciences.
Reviewing UNESCO's actions in the fields of the environment and sustainable development, he cited programmes in the areas of education and science. On the monitoring of global environmental problems, UNESCO was committed to participation in the United Nations system-wide programme "Earthwatch" under the leadership of UNEP. Also in the area of environment cooperation, UNESCO provided a chair at Columbia University for the purpose of addressing global environmental concerns in conjunction with social and economic factors.
ISAAC E. AYEWAH (Nigeria) said the most significant accomplishment of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Desertification was that it had generated international awareness of the drylands problem. The regional implementation annexes of the convention provided a framework within which regional and subregional organizations could play a key role by developing action programmes and sharing experiences. He stressed the need for the international community, especially donor countries, to support relevant action in Africa, in the context of the resolution concerning "Urgent action for Africa" which was adopted by the Negotiating Committee.
Nigeria was fully aware that the initiative and the efforts to combat desertification rested with national governments, he said. It was regrettable, however, that financial support to bodies in combating desertification had declined since the adoption of Agenda 21. He expressed the hope that the convention would enjoy universal support through the provision of technical and financial support as preparations for the first conference of the parties were under way.
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