DRAFT RESOLUTIONS ON CLIMATE PROTECTION, NATURAL DISASTER REDUCTION INTRODUCED IN ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL COMMITTEE
Press Release
GA/EF/2737
DRAFT RESOLUTIONS ON CLIMATE PROTECTION, NATURAL DISASTER REDUCTION INTRODUCED IN ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL COMMITTEE
19961029 Draft resolutions on protection of the global climate and the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction were introduced this morning in the Second Committee (Economic and Financial).The draft texts were introduced by the representative of Costa Rica, on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China. Colombia, on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, was a joint sponsor.
The draft text on the protection of the global climate for present and future generations of mankind would have the General Assembly urge Member States and parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to pay promptly and in full for 1996 and 1997 the contributions required for the trust fund for the core budget of the Convention.
The draft resolution on the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction would have the General Assembly call upon Member States, relevant intergovernmental bodies and all others involved in the Decade to extend financial and technical support for Decade activities. The Secretary-General would be requested to ensure the availability of resources for the activities related to the preparation of the closing event of the Decade and appeal for additional voluntary contributions to its Trust Fund.
In addition, the draft would have the General Assembly reaffirm that the secretariat of the Decade would continue to serve as the substantive secretariat for the preparation of the closing event.
The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. today to begin consideration of the question of human settlements, under its agenda item on sustainable development and international economic cooperation.
Draft Resolutions
The draft resolution on the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (document A/C.2/51/L.4) is sponsored jointly by Costa Rica, on behalf of the Group of 77 developing countries and China, and by Colombia, on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. By the draft, the General
Assembly would call upon Member States, relevant intergovernmental bodies and all others involved in the Decade to extend financial and technical support for Decade activities, in order to ensure implementation of the International Framework of Action for the Decade. In particular that would involve translating the Yokohama Strategy for a Safer World: Guidelines for Natural Disaster Prevention, Preparedness and Mitigation and its Plan of Action, into concrete disaster reduction activities. The Assembly would also call on the Secretary-General to ensure adequate consideration and involvement of the International Framework of Action in the evaluation and overall review and appraisal of the implementation of Agenda 21 of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) by the General Assembly in 1997.
The Secretary-General would be requested to ensure the availability of resources for the activities related to the preparation of the closing event of the Decade and appeal for additional voluntary contributions to the Trust Fund for the Decade. The General Assembly would reaffirm that the secretariat of the Decade would continue to serve as the substantive secretariat for the preparation of the closing event and request the secretariat to convene the first meeting of the preparatory committee not later than the special session of the Assembly to review Agenda 21.
The draft would also have the Assembly stress the need for synergy between the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States and that of the Yokohama Strategy and its Plan of Action as they related to natural disaster reduction. The Assembly would also request the Secretary-General to submit a report on the implementation of the International Framework of Action for the Decade to the Assembly's fifty-second session.
The draft on protection of the global climate for present and future generations of mankind (document A/C.2/51/L.6), also sponsored jointly by Costa Rica, on behalf of the Group of 77 developing countries and China, and by Colombia, on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, would have the Assembly urge Member States and parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to pay promptly and in full for 1996 and 1997 the contributions required for the trust fund for the core budget of the Convention.
The Assembly would welcome the administrative arrangements regarding personnel and financial matters established in the context of the transitional arrangement for administrative support to the secretariat of the Convention for 1996-1997. The Assembly would also welcome the arrangements made for the provision of conference services to the conference of the Parties to the Convention and its subsidiary bodies for 1996 and 1997.
Second Commmittee - 3 - Press Release GA/EF/2737 19th Meeting (AM) 29 October 1996
The Assembly would note with appreciation contributions made to the extrabudgetary funds established under General Assembly resolutions 45/212 and 47/195 and would call upon Member States that were Parties to the Convention to also contribute generously to the trust fund for participation in the Convention process, as well as trust funds envisaged for supplementary activities.
The Assembly would decide to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-second session the item entitled "Protection of global climate for present and future generations of mankind" and to consider at that time the reviews, requested under Assembly resolution 50/115, of the institutional link between the United Nations and the Convention secretariat and the financial arrangements for the sessions of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention.
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