COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CONCLUDES FOURTH SESSION
Press Release
ENV/DEV/365
COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CONCLUDES FOURTH SESSION
19960506 The June 1997 special session of the General Assembly -- which will review progress in implementing the commitments of Agenda 21 of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) and strategies for future years -- should focus on practical decisions, the Commission on Sustainable Development decided Friday afternoon, as it adopted 24 decisions and completed the work of its fourth session.Commission Chairman Rumen Gechev (Bulgaria) told the Commission that at the current session the Commission had completed its review of all chapters of Agenda 21, consistent with its multi-year, thematic programme of work. The Commission is charged with monitoring progress made by governments and the international community in implementing Agenda 21, the programme of action for global sustainable development.
The Commission also recommended that the Assembly special session: recognize unmet objectives in Agenda 21's implementation, along with reasons for that failure; re-energize commitments to sustainable development; raise the profile of issues which had not been sufficiently addressed at UNCED (such as urban issues, transportation, renewable energy and risk management); and define priorities for the years after 1997.
This year's session was the first to review the follow-up to UNCED regarding oceans and seas. In that connection, the Commission welcomed the considerable progress made in recent negotiations, including the recent Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land- Based Activities, and the 1995 Agreement relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks.
The Commission today decided to periodically review all aspects of the marine environment, with the results considered by the General Assembly under a new, consolidated agenda item on "oceans and the Law of the Sea".
Regarding protection of the earth's atmosphere, the Commission urged Governments that had not yet done so to join the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change, with a special emphasis on the Berlin Mandate. The Commission expressed concern at the rapid growth of the transportation sector and associated high levels of urban air pollution.
Also this afternoon, the Commission approved a draft decision, orally introduced by the Chairman, on "proposals for the medium-term plan for the period 1998-2001", by which it requested intergovernmental bodies to take into account decisions of the Commission, particularly the outcome of the 1997 special session.
The Commission also approved a decision contained in the report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests, by which it recommended to the Economic and Social Council that the IPF hold its third session in Geneva from 9 to 20 September, and its fourth session in New York for a period of two weeks in 1997. The Commission also approved a statement of programme budget implications regarding those meetings.
Speaking on the adoption of decisions today, the representative of the United States recalled that his Government had not affirmed a commitment to the 0.7 per cent target for official development assistance (ODA), believing that preoccupation over ODA sometimes detracted from other issues.
A representative of the European Union expressed regret that the Commission had not called for the formation of regional and sub-regional fisheries management organizations. Such organizations were essential to the sustainability of global fish stocks and the widest possible adherence to the United Nations Agreement on Straddling and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks
The representatives of Trinidad and Tobago, Morocco, Belarus, Italy (on behalf of the European Union) and Costa Rica (on behalf of the Group of 77 developing countries and China) also spoke this afternoon.
Commission Decisions
By its decision on demographic dynamics and sustainability (document E/CN.17/1996/L.1) the Commission underlined the importance of the full and equal participation of women in all aspects of sustainable development planning and programmes, as called for in the Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women and emphasized the need for governments to integrate women, on an equal basis with men, in decision-making regarding sustainable resource management and the development of policies and programmes for population and sustainable development. It also urged governments, United Nations system organizations and non-governmental organizations to mainstream a gender perspective, including gender-sensitive analysis, as an essential step in the development and monitoring of sustainable development policies.
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Also the Commission suggested to the Economic and Social Council that it examine the division of labour between the Commission on Population and Development and the Commission on Sustainable Development in the future consideration of the issue of population and sustainable development, taking into account the link between chapter 5 of Agenda 21 and chapter 3 of the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action.
Under the terms of the draft decision on Combating poverty (document E/CN.17/1996/L.2) the Commission stated that since the general problem of poverty in developing countries, particularly in the least developed countries, was related to political, economic and social marginalization, all efforts to eradicate absolute poverty and reduce overall poverty within the context of sustainable development must be accompanied by mechanisms that would effectively address those issues.
It suggested to the Economic and Social Council that in its future work, the Commission should focus attention on the interlinkages between poverty and the environment.
The Commission also adopted the draft report of its fourth session (document E/CN.17/1996/L.3) and the provisional agenda for its fifth session (document E/CN.17/1996/L.4).
The Commission also adopted a draft decision (document E/CN.17/1996/L.5) by which it decided to devote its Inter-Sessional Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group meeting, to be held from 24 February to 7 March 1997, in New York, to assist it in undertaking the review for the special session of the Assembly.
By the draft decision on information provided by governments and organizations (document E/CN.17/1996/L.6) the Commission noted that, in the period following the UNCED, States were being confronted with a growing number of reporting requirements in the field of sustainable development. In order to reduce duplication of work, it requested the Secretary-General to provide the Commission at its fifth session with proposals for streamlining national reporting in the field of sustainable development. The country profiles could be the initial step towards streamlining reporting requirements.
By the terms of the draft resolution on major groups (chapters 23-32 of Agenda 21) (document E/CN.17/1996/L.7) the Commission encouraged governments and international organizations to actively support the initiatives of major groups aiming to make contributions to the 1997 review.
It encouraged governments to involve major groups' representatives in the preparations for the 1997 review process at the national level and to favourably consider including major group representatives in national delegations to the fifth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development,
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and, as appropriate and in accordance with the appropriate rules of procedure, to the special session of the General Assembly in June 1997. It further invited the General Assembly, through the Economic and Social Council, to ensure, in conformity with Assembly resolution 50/113, appropriate arrangements for the most effective contribution to and active involvement of major groups, including non-governmental organizations, in the special session of the Assembly in 1997.
The Commission further requested efforts by governments, United Nations organizations and other bodies to develop simple and accessible information materials related to Agenda 21 so as to assist people at the local level in taking a more active role both in assessing social, economic and environmental conditions, and in participating in decision-making processes for sustainable development at the local level.
By the draft decision on international institutional arrangements (document E/CN.17/1996/L.8) the Commission recommended that ever-closer links be established between the work of the Commission and other relevant subsidiary bodies of the Economic and Social Council so as to ensure that the Commission can contribute to and/or draw on the relevant output of other bodies in a timely manner and to avoid duplication of work.
It also recommended that the 1997 review give special attention to post- UNCED institutional arrangements in order to ensure their continued relevance and increased effectiveness in the years to come. The preparatory work for the special session of the General Assembly should examine the institutional implications for forging new alliances for sustainable development between the United Nations and other major organizations relevant for sustainable development, in particular the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Bretton Woods institutions, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), as well as between governments and civil society.
By its decision on promoting education, public awareness and training (document E/CN.17/1996/L.9) the Commission reaffirmed that education, public awareness and training were critical for promoting sustainable development. The Commission emphasized the value of traditional knowledge; technical and vocational training; and the role of public awareness in changing unsustainable production and consumption patterns and lifestyles. The Commission also underlined the important role that the media and the advertising industry could play in changing unsustainable patterns of production and consumption.
The Commission urged the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the UNEP to implement recommendations leading towards a broad alliance for education for sustainable development. It urged
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governments to advance education and training for sustainable development, and called upon developed countries, international organizations and the private sector to promote education in developing countries through the provision of financial and technical support.
By its decision on national mechanisms and international cooperation for capacity-building in developing countries (document E/CN.17/1996/L.10) the Commission stressed the need to keep capacity-building as one of the central objectives of programmes in developing countries. The Commission urged governments and international organizations to share experiences in capacity- building and called upon governments and international organizations to assist developing countries in strengthening their capacities in planning and policy- making for sustainable development.
Regarding integrating environment and development in decision-making (document E/CN.17/1996/L.11) the Commission recognized that the primary responsibility for such integration lay with national governments. The Commission requested organizations of the United Nations system and others to exchange information on sustainable development "best practices". It also called on governments to review national legislation in the light of the need to implement international legal agreements and conventions related to sustainable development.
By its decision on information for decision-making (document E/CN.17/1996/L.12) the Commission invited governments to test, develop and use indicators of sustainable development. It expressed its appreciation for the conclusions of the meeting on common and compatible systems of access to data, and requested the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development to establish a sustainable development home page on the World Wide Web.
The Commission's decision on international instruments and mechanisms (document E/CN.17/1996/L.13) recognized the value of identifying generally recognized principles of international law as they pertained to sustainable development. The Commission decided to keep the issue under review for further consideration at the 1997 Special Session of the General Assembly. It stated that flexible approaches were important to international law-making, as they allowed international consensus and recognized the positive role of framework conventions and non-legally binding instruments.
The Commission stressed the importance of compliance and monitoring mechanisms of international agreements, including reporting requirements. It recommended the exploration of more effective participation by major groups in the elaboration of international legal instruments in the field of sustainable development.
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By its decision on the transfer of environmentally sound technologies, cooperation and capacity-building (document E/CN.17/1996/L.14) the Commission recognized that new and efficient technologies would be essential to increase the capabilities of countries, in particular developing countries, to achieve sustainable development, sustain the world's economy, protect the environment and alleviate poverty. The Commission also recognized that the level of technology transfer and technological transformation required to accelerate progress towards cleaner, more efficient systems of production in many developing countries and countries with economies in transition could be realized through financial support and partnership arrangements with donor countries and agencies.
The Commission urged governments to adopt environmental legislation that would enhance the successful diffusion of environmentally safe technologies in their countries. The Commission encouraged governments, the private sector and industry to promote technology transfer to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms. The Commission urged business organizations to create greater demand for technology and technological innovations aimed at changing methods of production, including improving efficiency in the use of energy and natural resources.
By its decision on trade, environment and sustainable development (document E/CN.17/1996/L.15) the Commission called on governments to facilitate coordination between trade and environment officials. It called on the WTO to address the relationship between WTO provisions and trade measures for environmental purposes. The Commission also recognized that improved access to markets, finance and technology could assist developing countries in meeting multilaterally agreed targets.
The Commission on Sustainable Development noted that no available evidence had suggested that environmental policy had a significant detrimental impact on competitiveness. It firmly rejected the use of "green countervailing duties" or other protectionist or trade measures inconsistent with provisions of the WTO to compensate for the negative competitiveness effects of environmental policies. Finally, the Commission stressed that it would be inappropriate to relax environmental laws in order to encourage foreign direct investment or to promote exports.
In adopting its decision on changing production and consumption patterns (E/CN.17/1996/L.16) the Commission stressed that there must be an appropriate balance in the attention given to both the supply side and the demand side in the context of changing unsustainable consumption and production patterns. The Commission stated the necessity of changes in consumer lifestyles, particularly in the industrialized countries. It stated that eco-efficiency
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should not be a substitute for changes in unsustainable lifestyles of consumers.
The Commission reaffirmed that the major cause of continued degradation of the global environment was unsustainable consumption and production patterns, particularly in industrialized countries. It stressed the need for more efficiency in energy use as well as the need for improved market access, particularly for developing countries and countries with economies in transition.
The Commission recognized that industrialized countries should take the lead in demonstrating that resource-efficient, low-pollution consumption and production patterns and sustainable lifestyles were feasible, desirable and essential for progress. It expressed the view that designing and implementing eco-efficiency as well as product-related strategies could be useful in reducing the energy and materials intensities of production and consumption.
The Commission urged governments to achieve more sustainable patterns of production and consumption; continue efforts to reduce pollution and the generation of waste and to increase efforts to promote continuous improvements in the energy and materials intensities of production and consumption; explore the implications of eco-efficiency for policy development; give more attention to the role that media, advertising and marketing played in shaping consumption and production patterns; and implement optimal mixes of regulatory, voluntary, economic and social instruments to make production and consumption patterns more sustainable.
By its decision on the review of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (document E/CN.17/1996/L.17) the Commission recommended that the Secretary- General take into account the need to continue to provide substantive secretariat support to intergovernmental and inter-agency processes related to the monitoring, review and coordination of implementation of the plan of action. It called on the Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development to continue to act as a liaison and focal point for agencies of the United Nations system in the plan of action follow-up. The Commission also requested that Department to look into modalities for mobilizing resources for effective implementation of the Programme of Action.
The Commission stressed the important role of the private sector in investment for sustainable development in small islands, particularly in the infrastructure and tourism sectors. That action should be based on a sustainable development strategy that integrates economic, social and environmental policies and regulatory frameworks to promote appropriate private investment.
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By its decision on financial resources and mechanisms (document E/CN.17/1996/L.18) the Commission emphasized that ODA flows should be examined, particularly with respect to their levels and allocation; and that there was a need to analyse external capital flows to developing countries in order to better understand their impacts on sustainable development. The Commission decided to study trends in capital flows, especially those directed to developing countries, including the connection between private foreign investment and levels of ODA.
Also, the Commission decided to study the impact of subsidies on sustainable development with a view to providing a better basis for policy makers to abolish those that had negative impacts. The Commission decided to carry out a cross-country performance review to identify how conservation trust funds could be made more cost-effective mechanisms for environmental conservation. Regarding innovative mechanisms for financing sustainable development, the Commission called for examination of possible roles of insurance companies and alternative banking in financing sustainable development.
By its decision on the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (document E/CN.17/1996/L.19) the Commission recommended a draft resolution to the Economic and Social Council for adoption at its 1996 substantive session.
By that text, the Economic and Social Council would recommend that the General Assembly call upon UNEP to establish the clearing-house mechanism described in the Plan of Action. It would request the UNEP Executive Director to submit to its Executive Governing Council proposals on an inter- organizational group to develop the clearing-house data director; on the means for that group to access relevant databases of the United Nations system; and on the outline of a pilot project on the development of the clearing-house's source category component on sewage.
By the terms of the draft decision on International cooperation and coordination (document E/CN.17/1996/L.20) the Commission recommended that the Economic and Social Council approve that there should be a periodic overall review by the Commission of all aspects of the marine environment and its related issues as described in chapter 17 of Agenda 21 and for which overall legal framework was provided by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. In order to address the need for improved coordination, the Secretary-General should be invited to review the working of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) sub-committee on oceans and coastal areas with a view to improving its status and effectiveness.
By the decision on interlinkages (document E/CN.17/1996/L.21) the Commission stressed the importance of a sound scientific and socio-economic
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knowledge base upon which appropriate responses to atmospheric pollution could be formulated, and encouraged national participation in and support for international programmes of relevant scientific, technical and socio-economic research, monitoring and assessment. It also urged multilateral financial institutions to use their investment strategies, in cooperation with interested recipient countries, for the development and dissemination of environmentally-sound technologies, provided such considerations did not constitute new barriers and conditions to accessing financial resources. It also encouraged governments to address the growing problem of transboundary air pollution and, in particular, risks caused by persistent organic pollutants.
By the decision on the implementation of international fishery instruments (document E/CN.17/1996/L.22) the Commission stressed the importance of the effective conservation and management of fish stocks and recommended the implementing of the recently adopted international instruments relating to fishing.
It also recommended that in the preparations for the World Food Summit, the crucial contribution of sustainably managed fisheries should be taken into consideration.
Under the terms of a draft decision on the protection of the oceans, all kinds of seas, including enclosed and semi-enclosed seas, and coastal areas and the protection, rational use and development of their living resources (document E/CN.17/1996/L.23) the Commission emphasized the need for the development and implementation of integrated coastal and marine area management plans to deal with issues relating to the coastal marine environment. It requested the organizations of the United Nations system to contribute to public education on coral reefs and other marine ecosystems and urged the international community to strengthen existing institutional mechanisms and knowledge bases in those areas. It also urged action in launching local or national coral reef initiatives as part of their integrated coastal development and management.
The Commission also encouraged States, individually and through the International Maritime Organization, and other relevant United Nations agencies and programmes, to continue to take measures to address the environmental effects of shipping. In addition, it encouraged states to continue relevant national and regional reviews of the need for additional measures to address the issue of degradation of the marine environment.
Commission Officers and Membership
Rumen Gechev (Bulgaria) served as Chairman of the Commission; Paul de Jongh (Netherlands), Adam Vai Delaney (Papua New Guinea) and Daudi Ngelautwa
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Mwakawago (United Republic of Tanzania) served as Vice-Chairmen. Mr. Delaney also served as Rapporteur.
The Commission membership for 1996 is as follows: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
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