SECOND COMMITTEE BEGINS CONSIDERATION OF CONVENTION TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION AND DECADE FOR NATURAL DISASTER REDUCTION

Press Release
GA/EF/2796

SECOND COMMITTEE BEGINS CONSIDERATION OF CONVENTION TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION AND DECADE FOR NATURAL DISASTER REDUCTION

The international community must take precautionary action in the battle against desertification, the representative of Italy told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) this morning as it considered the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction and the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

Speaking on behalf of the President of the First Conference of the Parties to the Convention to Combat Desertification, he said desertification and drought added to the food insecurity of a growing world population, swelled the slums of unmanageable cities and contributed to strife, civil unrest and conflicts. The commitments, resources and experience of developed countries were needed in responding to that environmental threat whose effects were felt far beyond affected areas. Success depended on the establishment of a broad coalition among the parties to the Convention, multilateral and bilateral institutions and the representatives of civil society.

The lack of resources had bedeviled previous attempts to address crises related to desertification and drought, the representative of the United Republic of Tanzania said. Speaking on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, he said the Convention could not be effective unless the affected countries, particularly those in Africa, were assisted in the areas of capacity-building. Their efforts would not succeed unless the donor community committed itself to provide additional resources to the affected countries.

The representative of Iceland said desertification and rangeland degradation -- resulting from human activities such as deforestation and excessive livestock grazing -- had caused the loss of half of the country's soil cover. Iceland was experiencing large-scale erosion and loss of vegetation cover. While Iceland's case of desertification might not fall under the definition of the term as qualified in the Convention, it was a global problem that called for global action and leadership.

The representative of Luxembourg, speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated States, said proliferation of natural disasters showed the value of international cooperation. Phenomena such as El Nino had both

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regional and global consequences. Early-warning measures must be created and enhanced, and regional and subregional frameworks for the prevention of natural disasters should be established.

Mexico's representative said the hurricanes "Pauline" and "Rick" had led his country to comprehend the importance of strengthening national and international strategies for preventing national disasters. Those hurricanes were part of the "El Nino" phenomenon, whose fallout had already been felt in other parts of the world. The international community should address the impact that El Nino would have and coordinate measures to mitigate those effects.

Statements were also made by the representatives of Benin (on behalf of the African Group), Marshall Islands, Japan, Botswana (on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Madagascar, Israel, Tunisia, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Norway, Republic of Korea, Ghana, Turkey, China and Niger. A representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Office to Combat Desertification and Drought also spoke.

The Director of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction Secretariat, Philippe Boule, and the Executive Secretary of the Convention to Combat Desertification, Arba Diallo, made introductory statements.

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. today to conclude its consideration of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction and the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

Committee Work Programme

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) met this morning to consider, under the general heading "environment and sustainable development", the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa, and the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.

The Secretary-General's report on the implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification (document A/52/549) contains information concerning action taken to implement General Assembly resolution 51/180 of 16 December 1996, which concerns that treaty; summarizes the substantive results of the first session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention; and outlines the institutional administrative and financial implications for the United Nations of the decisions of the Conference of the Parties.

The report states that as of 15 October, instruments of ratification, approval or accession had been deposited by 113 States. At the first session of the Conference of the Parties, many other States and a regional integration organization had indicated that they had initiated their internal processes for ratification, acceptance or accession to the Convention and expected that they would be completed in the coming months.

The first session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention was held at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in Rome, from 29 September to 10 October. The Conference adopted without a vote 29 decisions and two resolutions aimed at setting in motion the process needed to promote the effective global implementation of the Convention and its contribution to sustainable development.

The Conference of the Parties agreed on the functions and modalities of the Global Mechanism for the mobilizing of financial resources for the Convention's implementation. It was decided that the Mechanism should be housed at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Rome with the collaboration of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and other relevant international organizations, which would play major roles in the implementation of the Convention.

The Conference also requested the General Assembly to consider the following:

-- endorse the institutional linkage between the Convention's Permanent Secretariat and the United Nations and provide for its review (decision 3/COP/1);

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-- request the Secretary-General to authorize the head of the Interim Secretariat to use in 1998 the Special Voluntary Fund and the Trust Fund (decision 8/COP/1);

-- request the inclusion of the second session of the Conference of the Parties and meetings of its subsidiary bodies in the calendar of conferences and meetings for 1998-1999 (decision 4/COP/1);

-- approve the conference servicing costs for the duration of the institutional linkage of the Convention's secretariat to the United Nations (decision 4/COP/1); and

-- request the transfer of any amounts remaining in the Trust Fund and the Special Voluntary Fund as of 31 December 1998, respectively, to the Supplementary Fund and the Special Fund, which would be established pursuant to the rules of the Conference (decision 8/COP/1).

The Committee also has before it the Secretary-General's report on the final phase of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (1998-1999) (document A/52/560), which provides an overview of the status of implementation of activities of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, an elaboration of the action plan for the period 1998-1999, as well as options for disaster reduction in the twenty-first century.

The report addresses the issue of the preparatory phase for the final event of the Decade and also provides a forward-looking overview on the status of the synergies with other major strategic concerns of the United Nations system. A review of regional and global activities of the Decade is also provided, as well as a summary of activities of organizations of the United Nations system relating to the Decade.

Financial support from governments and relevant United Nations organizations for the activities of the secretariat's Decade in the next two years is crucial to the success of the final phase of the Decade, according to the report. Member States must agree on the form of the final event for the Decade. The Scientific and Technical Committee of the Decade has proposed to devote the high-level segment of the substantive session of the Economic and Social Council in 1999 to the issue of disaster reduction and future institutional arrangements for the twenty-first century.

The Secretary-General's report on Improved effectiveness of early-warning systems with regard to natural and similar disasters (document A/52/561) evaluates the applicability of early-warning concepts for improving preparedness and minimizing risks from natural and similar disasters that had adverse effect on the environment.

Five international expert groups on early-warning, convened by the secretariat of the Decade in the context of the International Framework for

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Action, examined scientific knowledge and public practices that could contribute to more accurate and timely short-term forecasting and warnings about natural and similar disasters.

The report also considers early-warning measures as they apply to various types of hazards, the use of technology and the importance of local community involvement in determining the efficacy of early-warnings, particularly in developing countries and those with special circumstances that increase their vulnerability to disasters.

According to the report, the objective of early-warning is to empower individuals and communities threatened by natural or similar hazards, to act timely and appropriately to reduce the possibility of personal injury, loss of life and damage to property or fragile environments.

It concludes that risk assessment provides the basis for an effective warning system at any level of responsibility. It identifies potential threats from hazards and establishes the degree of local exposure or vulnerability to hazardous conditions. That knowledge is essential for policy decisions which translate warning information into effective preventive action, it adds.

Statements

PAOLO COPPINI (Italy), speaking on behalf of the President of the First Conference of the Parties to the Convention to Combat Desertification, said desertification and drought added to the food insecurity of a growing world population in the next millennium. It forced environmental migrants from their ancestral grounds. It swelled the slums of unmanageable cities and contributed to strife, civil unrest and conflicts. The cost of not combating desertification was simply too high and the international community would be better off by taking precautionary action. The commitments, resources and experience of developed countries were needed to respond to an environmental threat whose multiple effects were felt far beyond affected areas.

On institutional linkages and administrative support for the Convention, he said they would secure an established framework of rules and regulations, appropriate administrative support services and accountability of the head of its secretariat to the Secretary-General. That would greatly facilitate the financial and personnel operations of the secretariat. The Assembly should endorse the linkages of the Convention secretariat to the United Nations. The task of combating desertification and mitigating the effects of drought remained a daunting one. The establishment of a broad coalition amongst the parties, the multilateral and bilateral institutions and representatives of civil society would lead to success.

HAMA ARBA DIALLO, Executive Secretary of the Convention to Combat Desertification, introduced the Secretary-General's report on its

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implementation. He said the First Conference of the Parties adopted many important decisions. After reaching agreement on the function and modalities of the Global Mechanism, the Conference agreed that IFAD would house it. It also invited IFAD to work together with the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme to ensure the operation of the Global Mechanism. The UNDP had been invited to nominate the director of the Global Mechanism, who would be hired by IFAD. The objective of the Global Mechanism was to increase the resources to implement the Convention while efficiently using existing resources.

Decisions were also taken on support for regional plans of action in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Mediterranean region, he said. Besides the Conference of the Parties, there were also several parallel events, including a press seminar and a forum of mayors, which were important in broadening the coalition of civil society in implementing the Convention.

PHILIPPE BOULLE, Director, International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction secretariat, said the impact of hazards on a given community was visibly on the rise. Better knowledge and understanding of natural phenomena were required to successfully prevent disasters. Disaster reduction was indeed largely a scientific and technological discipline. But science and technology alone would not yield the required results. The human factor must be taken into account in developing disaster prevention strategies. Rapid urbanization, environmental degradation and increased industrial activities made the risk of major disasters even higher. Economic losses from natural disasters alone had reached $240 billion in the biennium 1995-1996. The number of major natural disasters in the last 10 years was four times as high as in the 1960s.

He said the situation called for vigorous global action against disasters. The world could no longer wait for disasters to occur and then only engage in relief activities. Disaster reduction must become an essential element of sustainable development policies and economic planning. The escalating cost of responding to disasters and compensating victims for losses incurred was becoming too high for governments and local authorities to cope with. The only affordable solution was to invest in prevention and mitigation measures. The present tendency of relying exclusively on a response-oriented approach to disasters needed to be replaced by strategic planning in prevention. Hazards might not be stopped but they could be avoided or mitigated.

KATINDA KAMANDO (United Republic of Tanzania), speaking on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said the implementation of the Convention could not be effective unless the affected countries, particularly those in Africa, were assisted in the areas of capacity-building. Those countries required aid particularly in acquiring the knowledge and skills needed in combating desertification and drought. That called for the intensification of cooperation in scientific research and transfer of

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technology. Furthermore, the efforts to combat desertification and drought would not succeed unless the donor community committed itself to provide additional resources to the affected countries. Lack of resources had bedeviled previous attempts to address desertification and drought-related crises, most notably the 1977 Plan of Action on the matter.

Among the most important commitments of affected parties under the Convention was the development of national action programmes, he said. Through those programmes, those countries would identify causes of desertification and develop action programmes to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought. The decision pertaining to the collaborative institutional arrangement involving the UNDP, IFAD and the World Bank in support of the Global Mechanism was a timely one. For such collaborative institutional arrangements to be effective, those three organizations should, as soon as possible, establish the "facilitation committee" for the Global Mechanism foreseen in the relevant decisions and collaborate fully in a spirit of partnership.

HENRI SCHUMACHER (Luxembourg), speaking on behalf of the European Union and Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Cyprus, said the international community must press ahead with implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification in the countries affected and also at the United Nations level. Close cooperation between the United Nations and the countries affected was essential. Any measure intended to combat desertification also contributed to the fight against poverty and supported efforts made to ensure food security. The European Union supported the "from the bottom up" participatory approach proposed by the Convention. Participation by local people, particularly women, would have to be taken into account at every stage, from policy planning to decision taking and when projects and programmes were implemented.

The proliferation of natural disasters, particularly those connected with water, showed the value of international cooperation in that area, he said. Phenomena such as El Nino had regional, if not global, consequences. The Union welcomed that, under the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, the United Nations system was attempting to help countries deal with natural disasters and integrate disaster reduction and the advance planning of aid in their general development programmes. It was important to create and enhance early-warning measures as strategic objectives of the implementation of the Decade and the elaboration of a regional and subregional framework for the prevention of natural disasters.

ROGATIEN BIAOU (Benin), speaking on behalf of the African States, said Africa contained the largest arid and semi-arid areas in the world. Much of Africa was also covered with forest that absorbed greenhouse gases that affected climate change. Africa attached great importance to the problems of desertification, as well as to the protection of the environment in general. The Global Mechanism and financial flows must therefore be mobilized to

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implement the Convention. Resources must be channelled to developing countries, especially those in Africa, to enable them to implement the Convention. There was also a need to mobilize non-governmental organizations. In addition, the participation of civil society must be secured.

International organizations, financial institutions, regional groups and others must contribute to allow the Global Mechanism to take off in January 1998, he said. Those States which had not ratified the Convention must do so. There should be at least 150 States represented in Dakar. Environmental ministers in Africa would be meeting soon in Dakar to consider the outcome of the first Conference. Africans awaited changes through the implementation of the Convention. Individual and collective actions were important for change to occur.

ESPEN RONNEBERG (Marshall Islands) said the effects of global warming on natural disasters, such as tropical cyclones, needed to be studied, provided that a baseline level of excellence of knowledge could be established and maintained. His Government was very supportive of the various global observation projects that were currently in operation in order to improve its knowledge and its capacity to cope with natural disasters. It was also important to improve early-warning systems. The accuracy of those systems was not the greatest, but with better warning systems the international community would have a better chance to prepare. Those countries in a position to do so should contribute to assist those efforts.

His Government would like to draw attention to the El Nino observation system which was being developed in the Pacific by the South Pacific Regional Environment Program in collaboration with numerous international organizations, he said. That work was of vital importance, not only to the Pacific Island countries whose livelihoods might be affected by El Nino, but also for improving global understanding of the phenomenon. The effects of El Nino on fisheries could also provide information to predict what effects climate change might have on those valuable resources. The inter-linkages between the different species of fish, and the ecosystem as whole, must be better understood. The potential disruption that climate change might bring about would give the international community further reason to try to halt climate change before it was too late.

HIDEKI ITO (Japan) said it was significant that the First Conference of the Parties in Rome last month had agreed on a Global Mechanism and on housing the Convention secretariat at IFAD. Japan was giving serious attention domestically to the Convention.

Strengthening the activities of the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction was important to translate the Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action into concrete activities to be carried out through international cooperation at the domestic, regional and international levels, he said. Natural disasters caused severe human and material losses and economic and

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social disruption. To achieve the original objective of the Decade, the existing international framework must be strengthened. Japan had contributed substantial human and financial resources in support of the Decade. Japan intended to continue its active role in that area.

LEGWAILA J.M.J. LEGWAILA (Botswana), speaking on behalf of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), said the Convention recognized the linkage between the environment and development. It articulated strategies for sustainable development of dry lands and provided a sure path for fighting poverty caused by drought and desertification. All 14 SADC member States had ratified the Convention. The region had made the development of effective strategies to counter the grave effects of drought and desertification one of its highest priorities, and the Convention was essential for the success of regional efforts. Work on land degradation and desertification had started in 1991, when the SADC Environment and Land Management Sector began implementing the Plan of Action for the Kalahari-Namib Region.

The most important aspect of the Convention was its funding mechanism, he said. The realization of the objectives of the Convention would remain elusive unless the requisite funds were made available. The SADC countries had made an effort to finance their priority programmes for regional environmental protection and improvement, and sustainable development. The SADC countries, however, had limited manpower and financial resources to deal effectively with all the problems brought about by drought and desertification. The Global Mechanism must demonstrate the ability to leverage the requisite funding for implementing the Convention and provide the necessary accessibility and responsiveness to the needs of affected countries. He appealed to the international community to render financial and technical support to the SADC countries to implement the subregional programme of action. Support was also required to implement the national programmes developed by individual SADC member States.

SAMUEL NYAMBI, Director of the UNDP Office to Combat Desertification and Drought (UNSO), said the UNDP viewed the Convention as an important framework for promoting sustainable human development in the dry lands of the world. The UNSO and UNDP offices in the field had been providing support to affected developing countries, particularly in Africa, for the implementation of the interim activities of the Convention. Those included catalytic support for launching the process of elaboration of the national action programmes under the Convention in some 35 countries. They also developed concepts and methodologies to facilitate the implementation processes of the Convention on several issues, including strategies to strengthen the role of women at all levels in the implementation, drought preparedness, and mitigation environmental and desertification information systems.

The UNDP shared the strong wish of all who believed in the importance of the Convention that the Global Mechanism, as a critical instrument for promoting resources, would become fully operational as soon as possible, he

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said. The UNDP core of regular resources allocated to support development in the over 80 programme countries affected by desertification was estimated at $1 billion in the period 1992-1996. Support through the regular programme of UNDP would continue into its future programming cycles. In addition, substantial resources were mobilized and programmed annually in earmarked or trust fund resources for the same countries through other UNDP mechanisms and programmes.

GERARDO LOZANO (Mexico) said the hurricanes "Pauline" and "Rick" had recently caused great destruction in Mexico. Once again, the scourge of natural disasters had struck hardest at the most vulnerable of people. His Government had drawn from the lessons learned from those hurricanes and called for strengthening national and international strategies for preventing national disasters. Mexico had worked out sustainable development polices that included the principles of prevention, mitigation, preparation and relief. In devising those strategies, his Government also paid particular attention to devising programmes to fight and eradicate poverty and to create conditions to reduce the impact of any natural disaster. It had set up a National Council for Sustainable Development with the participation of civil society and academic institutions, among others. Mexico was trying to come to grips with the set of problems presented by natural disasters, with an emphasis on prevention.

The hurricanes "Pauline" and "Rick" were part of the phenomenon of El Nino, whose fallout had already been felt in other parts of the world, he said. Research had discovered a nexus between El Nino and the recent severe drought in south-east Asia. Mexico had pooled efforts with others to devise a draft resolution to deal with El Nino. The draft text called for the international community's attention to the impact that El Nino had and would have. The international community should coordinate measures to mitigate those effects.

Regarding climate change, he said the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" struck a delicate balance between protecting the environment and dealing with the right to development. It embodied the acknowledgement of the trend of environment deterioration which was attributable to a group of countries whose industrialization process had been under way for hundreds of years. Those countries needed to take the lead, and the other countries should follow that lead and adopt measures with backing and assistance of the industrialized countries. While the problem of climate change was global in nature and required a global solution, it was important to emphasize the principle of fairness.

DEPHALINEE RAHANTABOLOLO (Madagascar) said poverty forced people to over-exploit the land in which they lived. Africa was seriously affected by desertification. The adoption of the Convention by about hundred countries was therefore a source of hope. The Convention took a new approach to international cooperation, taking into account the needs of the people

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affected by desertification and encouraging equitable partnership. The Convention must be implemented. African countries had demonstrated political will to combat desertification, as in the African-Asian Forum to combat desertification.

Reviewing Madagascar's ecological programme, she said people were at the centre of the programme. Integrating people into development and environmental programmes and achieving sustainable utilization of natural resources were the objectives. Individuals, groups, non-governmental organizations and international organizations were being involved in the implementation of the programme. The southern part of Madagascar suffered from drought and desertification. A number of programmes involving non- governmental organizations, donors and international agencies had already started to address that problem. Only the implementation of the Convention could lead to a successful solution to the problem of desertification. Land degradation was both cause and consequence of poverty and that had to be addressed. People must be educated on ecological use of resources.

ARIEL KEREM (Israel) said Israel was actively implementing the Convention to Combat Desertification by investing in the prevention of desertification rather than in combating it, by stressing science and technology and at the same time respecting indigenous knowledge, and by adopting a bottom up approach to training. Nearly half of the Asian continent, to which Israel belonged, was dry land, some 19 per cent of which was desertified. The Middle East itself was one of the world's most extensive arid regions, with almost three quarters of the land from Egypt through Iraq being desert. Ninety per cent of Israel was dry land.

He said Israel was planning an International Centre for Combating Desertification in the Negev desert. The Centre would provide both long and short-term training in combating desertification and sustainable development of dry lands and would offer a programme to collect and disseminate regional information. Israel was currently participating in desertification initiatives with the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia and the World Bank on range management, afforestation, utilization of marginal water and conservation of dry land germ plasm. Israel had increased the number of training courses it offered to developing countries. It would continue to share its experience with others and invest in the fight against desertification and the promotion of sustainable development.

ABDERRAZAK AZAIEZ (Tunisia) expressed satisfaction at the entry into force of the Convention to Combat Desertification and the first steps taken by the Conference of the Parties to implement the Convention. The decisions to make IFAD the host of the Global Mechanism was in keeping with the best interest of the States parties. The next session of the Conference of the Parties would make it possible to consolidate the implementation of the Convention.

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There needed to be increased interest by the international community in the Convention so that it would be on par with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity, he said. The developed countries should mobilize financial resources, facilitate technology transfers and support the efforts of developing countries affected by desertification, particularly those in Africa, in implementing national action plans. It was important that all recognized the importance of international cooperation and partnership in fighting desertification.

Tunisia had worked for three decades to fight desertification and that work had brought some progress, he said. A result of that work was that there was a better understanding of how desertification and erosion worked. The complexity of the problem in Tunisia had prevented those efforts from halting the insidious forward march of that scourge. His Government had set up an observatory for the environment and development, which would supply precise and exhaustive data on the environment.

PAUL ROBERT TIENDREBEOGO (Burkina Faso) said the international community had the will to come up with solutions to combating desertification. Adequate resources must be channelled to the Global Mechanism for the implementation of the Convention. The international community must try to meet the various deadlines set for the functioning of the Mechanism. Some African countries had already suffered this year from one of the driest years in recent times, the effects of which would be felt in terms of water and food security.

He said it was important that traditional know-how be integrated with modern scientific and technological knowledge in combating desertification. International partnership was vital in the fight against desertification. Institutional partnership was also needed among the different United Nations. bodies.

THIMOTHY M'MELLA (Kenya) said desertification was of grave concern to Kenya and to Africa as a whole. With the support of the international community, his Government had put into place mechanisms for the implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification. One such mechanism was the establishment of the National Committee on Desertification and Drought, which was cross-sectoral in nature and had a membership drawn from both the public and private sectors. Its responsibilities included coordinating institutional networking and advising the Government on all issues related to the implementation of the Convention. As part of the National Action Programme, his Government, in collaboration with the Netherlands and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), carried out a national degradation assessment and mapping exercise covering two districts in northern Kenya. For Kenya to meaningfully implement the obligations of the Convention, it would require the provision of adequate and predictable financial resources and sound technology transfer.

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Natural disasters had adversely affected many developing countries, particularly small island States and those with fragile ecosystems, he said. His Government hoped that the Decade would see a more focused plan of action to mitigate the effects of such disasters and to assist those countries with preparedness. That could be achieved through enhanced technical assistance, provision of scientific support through relevant research initiatives, provision of adequate financial resources, improved access to technology, and capacity-building in hazard and risk management. His Government appreciated the $200,000 it received from UNDP to strengthen coordination for an immediate response to El Nino. The assistance had alleviated the suffering of many families that had been affected by that phenomenon.

SVEIN ANDREASSEN (Norway) said greater efforts were needed to improve the situation of the poorest segments of the population who were combating desertification. Emphasis should be placed on agricultural education and human resources development. A more just distribution of resources and increased contributions from the international community were required to combat poverty. The most important issue at the Conference of the Parties was to achieve a coherent and coordinated multilateral effort at the country level. Therefore, his Government was pleased with the agreement that was made between UNDP, IFAD and the World Bank to join forces in supporting the Global Mechanism. Those organizations had comparative advantages in combating desertification.

The Convention clearly stated that national action programmes should specify the respective roles of government, local communities and land users, as well as resources available and needed, he said. User groups and non- governmental organizations, including community-based organizations, needed to play an important role. The successful implementation of the Convention was dependent upon the broad and genuine participation of the people. Cooperation between all levels of government, communities, non-governmental organizations and landholders was needed to establish a better understanding of the nature and value of land resources and to work towards their sustainable use. Such cooperation was also needed to develop responsibility through participation. The non-governmental organization community should use the Convention to argue the case for gender equality, the rights of indigenous people and local participation.

RAE KWON CHUNG (Republic of Korea) said his Government was concerned that current climate change negotiations aimed at strengthening the commitment of Annex I countries (mainly developed countries and those with economies in transition) were degenerating into a game of "passing the buck". It was counterproductive to promote a global consensus in which the country with largest emission would accept a binding target only when low-emission countries accepted binding commitments at the same time. It was particularly ironic that high-emission countries, whose people enjoyed large private automobiles and lower gasoline prices, were claiming that not enough was being done by low-emission countries, whose population was still heavily dependent

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on public transportation and smaller cars and paid higher gasoline prices. Many developing countries had already adopted important measures and were making the necessary sacrifices. They paid gasoline and energy prices that were three to four times higher than those in the country with the largest emission.

His Government had adopted comprehensive energy efficiency programmes, he said. It had introduced one of the first energy efficiency grading systems for energy and electric appliances. It also had one of the highest gasoline and energy consumption taxes in the world, and its steel industry already maintained an extremely high level of energy efficiency. Half of the electricity in his country was generated from nuclear power; that generation capacity would be increased in an effort to reduce emissions. It was vital for Annex I countries to prove their commitment and set an example for others to promote concerted global action whereby all countries could participate based on common but differentiated responsibilities.

STEFAN L. STEFANSSON (Iceland) said his country was experiencing large- scale erosion and loss of vegetative cover. Its extremely fragile volcanic soils were highly susceptible to erosion. Desertification and rangeland degradation resulting from human activities, such as deforestation and excessive livestock grazing, had resulted in the loss of no less than half of the island's soil cover. Most of the island had been vegetated by woodland and open rangeland. Today woodland covered only a fraction of the country, and extensive areas formerly covered by fertile soil, supporting shrub and tree cover, were now wholly barren.

While desertification in cases such as Iceland might not fall under the customary definition of the term as qualified in the Convention, it was a global problem that called for global action and leadership. A global partnership was needed to find the most effective solutions. The harrowing experience of the Icelandic people in fighting desertification should be relevant. Iceland expected to learn more about how it could halt erosion and revegetate its land through cooperation with other countries under the Convention.

MESSIE AMOAH (Ghana) said the Convention was a major instrument for the eradicating of poverty and was a most significant achievement of UNCED. It adopted a pragmatic approach, including a methodology for the preparation and execution of national action plans. The Convention also recognized the need for a participatory approach, at both the national and international levels, advocating the involvement of people, as well as the active participation of bilateral and multilateral donors, international organizations, non- governmental organizations and the private sector.

The Convention was another framework for a new partnership for development cooperation between the North and the South, she said. The cooperation should aim to halt the further impoverishment of the people

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affected by desertification, arrest destruction of the ways of life and the socio-political instability that resulted from such destruction. It should also strengthen local empowerment and participation, particularly of the rural population and of women, and ensure food security through the maintenance of the productive capacity of the land. In pursuing that new partnership, priority attention should be given to Africa, without prejudice to action in other regions, because that continent was the region most vulnerable to desertification and to the effects of drought. Her Government called on all parties to fulfil their commitments under the Convention and to make the necessary contributions in order to ensure that the Global Mechanism could being operating, as scheduled, by 1 January 1998.

BURAK OZUGERGIN (Turkey) said the single most important cause of desertification in Turkey was erosion. About 80 per cent of Turkey's land faced various degrees of erosion. It lost about 550 million tons of soil a year and 9 million tons of precious minerals to erosion. The destruction of forests by fire, overgrazing by livestock, improper agricultural practices of farming on sloping terrain, uncontrolled burning of harvested lands and mindless logging had made the environment prone to erosion. The situation had led to declining productivity, floods and environmental pollution.

He said the Turkish Government and non-governmental organizations were addressing the problem. Social conscience was vital in the fight against desertification. Educational programmes directed at various audiences were being implemented. Activities such as rangeland improvement, reforestation and industrial plantation were being carried out through public-private partnerships and in cooperation with United Nations agencies.

BAI YONGJIE (China) said economic growth remained a major priority for the developing countries that suffered most from drought and desertification. Efforts to Combat desertification must be integrated into the overall plan on poverty elimination and economic development. Partnership was also essential in combating desertification. The expansion and seriousness of desertification required global collective efforts. While the formulation and implementation of action programmes at the national, subregional and regional level by the affected countries was of vital importance, the international community's support in providing financial resources and the transfer of technology on preferential terms was just as important. The developing countries were doing all they could to reach the objectives set by the Convention, and the developed countries should fulfil their obligations by taking concrete actions. The relevant international organizations should also do their part in the implementation of the Convention.

She said that in order to enhance the fulfilment by China of the relevant obligations under the convention, her Government had taken up an ambitious amount of work. They included the establishment of a National Committee for the implementation of the Convention, Training Centre for Combating Desertification, and a Centre for Research on Combating

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Desertification. Given the large area affected by desertification in China, greater efforts were required. Her Government would continue to try to honour its commitments to the Convention and was prepared to work with the international community to reach the common goal of effectively combating desertification.

ALOU HAOUA NA-ALLAH (Niger) said like other countries in the Sahel, his had been experiencing acute environmental problems which had serious consequences for food security. Productive potential was declining because of climate change and human activities. The situation was exacerbating conflicts between groups competing for the use of available resources. It was impoverishing the population and it had led to the over-exploitation of wood and pasture. The situation was serious but not desperate. The Niger Government was trying to overcome the situation.

She said her country had established a national environmental board for sustainable development which was preparing and submitting information on the environment, raising environmental awareness among the population, coordinating action on environment, executing the national environmental policy and monitoring the utilization of the resources. Niger intended to establish regional and subregional units of that board in the future. Efforts were being made by the Government to protect the environment. Niger lacked resources. It continued to rely on donors and on assistance from international organizations. The focus of its efforts remained on early- warning system, reforestation, management of water resources and land conservation.

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