DEVELOPED COUNTRIES MUST TRANSFER TECHNOLOGY TO DEVELOPING STATES, COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IS TOLD
Press Release
ENV/DEV/347
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES MUST TRANSFER TECHNOLOGY TO DEVELOPING STATES, COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IS TOLD
19960418 Developed countries should actively increase the developing world's access to environmentally sound technology, the Commission on Sustainable Development was told this afternoon as it undertook a general discussion of critical elements of sustainability.The representative of China told the Commission that technology should be transferred to the developing countries on a preferential basis and that environmental protection should not be used as a barrier to trade.
The representative of the Republic of Korea expressed support for increased public participation in the implementation of Agenda 21 -- the blueprint for sustainable development adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). Broad public participation, together with greater accountability, was essential, he said.
The representative of Italy, speaking on behalf of the European Union, suggested that the Commission encourage States to endorse education and information programmes to reinforce awareness of sustainable development; increase participation by major groups in sustainable development policies; develop the role of national commissions for sustainable development; and encourage synergy between non-governmental organizations, unions and the private sector.
The representative of the United States said that in following up on the World Summit for Social Development, the Commission on Sustainable Development should be careful not to duplicate the work of the Commission on Social Development. The United States supported the chapter of Agenda 21 on education and was eager that it not become the forgotten priority of UNCED, he said.
The representative of Cuba urged a strengthening of South-South cooperation in the area of technology and scientific know-how. Also, the issue of protection of intellectual property should not become a barrier to the transfer of technology to developing countries, since developing countries needed access to sound technology in order to become competitive in the international marketplace.
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The representatives of the Netherlands, Sweden, Canada, Venezuela, and Denmark also made statements.
When the Commission meets at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 19 April, it would continue its discussion of cross-sectoral issues with particular reference to critical elements of sustainability and the review of cross-sectoral clusters in "Agenda 21".
Commission Work Programme
The Commission on Sustainable Development met this afternoon to continue its discussion of cross-sectoral issues with particular reference to critical elements of sustainability and the review of cross-sectoral clusters in "Agenda 21" -- the blueprint for sustainable development adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) . (For background on reports before the Commission, see Press Release ENV/DEV/346, issued today.)
Statements
GUISEPPE JACOANGELI (Italy), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that the Union had undertaken a series of initiatives to facilitate the participation of major groups in implementing environmental policies. The European Commission had established a "general consultative forum" on the environment, which produced principles for sustainable development; a network of implementation and enforcement authorities was focusing on exchanging information and experience in the implementation of environmental legislation; and steps had been taken to implement the Beijing Platform for Action adopted by the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women.
He suggested that the Commission recommend that States take into account the following priorities: education and information programmes to reinforce awareness of sustainable development; increasing participation by major groups in sustainable development policies; developing the role of national commissions for sustainable development; encouraging synergy between non- governmental organizations, unions and the private sector; and assisting non- governmental organizations and major groups.
HANS J. VAN ZIJST (Netherlands) said that national needs assessment strategies should include the views of the private sector. The availability of financial means was crucial to any assessment of technological needs. As important stakeholders, national and international financial institutions should play an important role in formulating such strategies.
BO KJELLEN (Sweden) said that his Government attached a special importance to education. The early introduction of compulsory primary education had been a key factor in lifting Sweden out of poverty in the nineteenth century. It was essential to Sweden's effort to build a sustainable society. The new curricula in Sweden made direct reference to global approaches to the environment. At the university level, environmental considerations were being integrated into teacher training, economics, technology, industrial design and tourism. Education may be the key to survival in the next century. The world needed a "learning society"; learning throughout life was the heartbeat of society.
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JOHN FRASER (Canada) said that poverty was one of the most widespread and destabilizing problems facing mankind. It struck the most vulnerable, including women, children and the disabled. That was why it called for concerted counteraction involving both urban and rural development efforts.
Canada accepted all the recommendations put forward by the Secretary- General which were designed to relieve poverty. It also ascribed great importance to the explicit linkages established by the Secretary-General between poverty and environmental degradation. The reduction of poverty was a clear priority.
He noted the role of non-governmental organizations in disseminating information at the local level. The UNCED had succeeded because of its open and participatory nature. The Commission should, therefore, recommend that the Economic and Social Council continue the roster status of those non- governmental organizations which had been accredited to UNCED.
He also stressed the importance of integrating systemic sustainable development issues in all development planning. Canada also believed that the United Nations should leave the making of trade rules to the World Trade Organization.
MARK G. HAMBLEY (United States) said that the Commission on Social Development was the body designated to follow up the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development (Copenhagen, 1995). The Commission, therefore, needed to ensure that there was no duplication. In efforts at alleviating poverty, there was a need to focus on programmes which had substantial input from the community, particularly from women.
He welcomed the report on major groups and suggested that all countries that had participated in UNCED should continue to encourage the participation of non-governmental organizations. However, funding for the participation of such non-governmental organizations should not come from the United Nations regular budget. The status of those non-governmental organizations should remain that of inclusion on the roster of the Economic and Social Council.
The United States supported the chapter of Agenda 21 on education and was eager that it not become the forgotten priority of UNCED. Education and public awareness were the key to fostering a strong public mandate for sustainable development.
WANG BAOQING (China) said that the most important priority for the Commission should be to implement the commitments entered into at UNCED. The 80 per cent of the world's population living in the developing world was only using 20 per cent of its resources. Developed countries should actively increase the developing world's access to technology and investment. Environmental concerns should not be used as an artificial barrier to trade.
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The developed world should provide new resources to facilitate the achievement of sustainable development in the developing world; technology should be transferred on a subsidized and preferential basis.
The United Nations should work to enhance the developing countries' ability to absorb and use new environmentally sound technologies, he said. China was developing measures to protect intellectual property. Agenda 21 should be implemented on an equitable basis.
CARMEN VELASQUEZ (Venezuela) said that for two decades her Government had worked to increase the level of environmental education of its population. The central pillar of this policy of raising consciousness was the urgent need to protect national resources, including biological diversity. By actively involving local authorities, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, Venezuela had managed to institute new programmes at 80 educational institutions.
Venezuela's Government was working with some 250 non-governmental organizations to promote recycling, she said. An environmental awareness programme was also under way with the Caroni indigenous group. Active exchanges were under way with other Latin American and Caribbean countries.
MYUNG CHUL HAHM (Republic of Korea) said that the eradication of poverty was a prerequisite for sustainable development. Inter-agency cooperation within the United Nations system was the best way to approach that issue. Combating poverty involved promoting sustainable livelihoods. Interventions in that area should be geographically focused and should target specific social and economic groups.
The effective implementation of Agenda 21 would depend on the creation of sustainable development strategies. Decision-makers must understand the essential link between environmental protection and economic development. For many decades, environmental protection had been met with suspicion. Today, there was a growing awareness that sustainable development strategies could ensure economic development while protecting a comfortable and safe environment.
Regarding the role of major groups, the Republic of Korea was pleased to see increased public participation in the implementation of Agenda 21. Broad public participation, together with greater accountability, was essential. The Commission should do more to encourage the direct involvement of major groups in every aspect of the Agenda 21 follow-up.
OLE PLOUGMANN (Denmark) supported the earlier European Union statement made by the representative of Italy. He said that the Danish Government had initiated a campaign as part of the efforts to promote action at the local level to incorporate concerns for Agenda 21. That campaign had been a
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success. Since its initiation, about a third of the local authorities in the country had started implementing programmes that took Agenda 21 into account or were contemplating such work. The main problem facing many developed societies was the need to change consumption and production patterns. It was crucial that business owners and others change their daily habits towards more sustainable patterns. Local Agenda 21 in Denmark attempted to strengthen that process. Denmark had also produced a pamphlet on implementation of Agenda 21.
JORGE MARIO GARCIA FERNANDEZ (Cuba) said that his country had been supporting the work done by the Commission since its inception two year ago. Cuba had established a Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment and had launched cross-sectoral programmes to advance that cause.
He said that there was a need to strengthen South-South cooperation in terms of technology and scientific know-how. Steps must also be taken to promote accords on scientific know-how. In addition, the issue of protection of intellectual property should not become a barrier to transfer of technology to developing countries. If developing countries did not have access to sound technology, they would be unable to become competitive in the international marketplace. Also, as long as the industrialized countries continued subsidies to certain sectors, the developing countries would continue to be unable to compete in those sectors.
Mr. JACOANGELI (Italy), speaking on poverty, said that the fight against poverty was a key priority in sustainable development. The eradication of poverty demanded the development of transparent, efficient and accountable institutions and public administration; basic education and health programmes; capacity-building and professional training; safe water supplies; food security and the reversal of land degradation; and support for women. The coordination of follow-up to the Copenhagen Summit should fall primarily to the Commission, he said.
On the topic of capacity-building, he said that the ability to implement Agenda 21 was directly proportionate to the capacity of people and institutions. The European Union attached great importance to the enhancement of human, scientific, technological, organizational, institutional, and resource capabilities of countries. Since UNCED, new trends were emerging in development cooperation which assigned a central role to capacity-building.
The Union believed that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) should continue efforts on strengthening the capacity of developing countries in planning and policy-making. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) should concentrate on its catalytic role in disseminating information and assisting in the establishment of networks of scientific institutions on environmentally sound technologies.
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The European Union was convinced that levels of population, together with consumption and production patterns, widespread poverty and inequality were among the major factors undermining sustainable development. The population of the world would reach 10 billion by 2030-2040. Sustainable development policies must take that fact into account.
The empowerment of women was a cornerstone of population and development policies; education was one of the most important means of empowering women. The non-governmental sector had a special role to play in the implementation of sustainable population and development policies. Access to reproductive health services, including family planning, was essential.
While Governments had the major responsibility for their own population and development policies and programmes, there was a need for international cooperation in regard to population, in the context of sustainable development, he continued. Those efforts should focus on developing human resources, improving infrastructure and increasing use of family planning.
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