COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CONCLUDES SESSION, APPROVING TEXTS ON RANGE OF ISSUES

1 May 1998

Press Release
ENV/DEV/479

COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CONCLUDES SESSION, APPROVING TEXTS ON RANGE OF ISSUES

19980501 Addresses Question of Freshwater Management, Transfer of Environmentally Sound Technologies

The Commission on Sustainable Development this afternoon urged governments, the private sector and institutions of developed countries to identify barriers to technological cooperation and to provide opportunities for such cooperation with developing countries, as it concluded the work of its 1998 session.

The Commission took that action through its approval, without a vote, of 10 texts relating to its work this year.

The Commission remained a forum for consensus-building on global sustainable development policies, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Nitin Desai told the closing meeting. During the session, it had produced very important statements on freshwater management and on other issues before it, he said.

The Commission is charged with monitoring the implementation of Agenda 21, the programme of action adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. At its nineteenth special session, held in June 1997, the General Assembly adopted a Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, which recommended several measures to improve the implementation of UNCED's programme of action.

In addition to its action concerning the transfer of technology, the Commission made recommendations on the role of industry and sustainable development, the situation of small island developing States, consumer protection guidelines, and freshwater management.

This year's session was the first to include an industry segment including the participation of representatives of many sectors, including trade unions, non-governmental organizations and industry. In its decision on

the topic, the Commission recognized a mutually-reinforcing relationship between social and industrial development, and that industrialization had the potential to promote such social objectives as employment creation.

With respect to freshwater management, the Commission urged governments to address gaps in the management of water resource development. It encouraged riparian States to cooperate on matters related to international watercourses and it acknowledged the importance of including all sectors of society in forming water management policies.

A number of delegations expressed some concern over the provision in the freshwater decision relating to riparian States. While they supported the text in general, they said the measure should not be interpreted in a way that could impede their country's use of shared water resources. Statement on that topic were made by the representatives of India, Turkey, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Rwanda.

The Commission also adopted texts relating to its inter-sessional meetings and the modalities for sharing national experiences in implementing sustainable development strategies. In addition, it approved an oral draft decision on the holding of the third session of the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests.

Speaking after adoption of the texts, the representative of the United States said that while the results of the deliberations had not been perfect, they acknowledged the Commission's principle concerns relating to freshwater management and industry. He said the highlight of the session was the industry round table, which allowed participation of many sectors. For the next session, greater efforts should be taken to include representatives of developing countries.

The representative of the United Kingdom, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the industry segment should continue in future sessions. Next year, however, more balanced representation of developed and developing countries was needed. More consideration should also be given to the management and timing of the high-level segment to allow the best possible contributions from ministers.

The representative of Indonesia, speaking on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said the industry segment had been very positive and that more effort should be taken to ensure a balance of participants from developing and developed countries. The representative of Hungary also spoke after the action on the draft texts.

Sustainable Development Commission - 3 - Press Release ENV/DEV/479 16th Meeting (PM) 1 May 1998

Immediately following the close of the session, the Commission opened its seventh session and elected Simon Upton (New Zealand) as Chairman, and Tibor Farago (Hungary) and George Talbot (Guyana) as Vice-Chairmen. The election of two remaining Vice Chairmen was postponed to a later date.

Commission Decisions

The Commission approved the Chairman's summary of its two-day industry segment (document E/CN.17/1998/L.3). During that segment, the Commission took up the role of businesses in sustainable development. For the first time in the Commission, a round-table discussion was held between representatives of industry, trade unions, governments and non-governmental organizations. During the discussions, speakers stressed corporate responsibility and accountability. Many speakers also said that voluntary initiatives by businesses to improve their practices should be encouraged by Governments. However, Governments and other bodies should monitor those initiatives to ensure their effectiveness.

It was stressed during the segment that government and industry should work together to create standards for sustainable development. The view was expressed that in developing a policy agenda for sustainable development, governments should act as facilitators rather than as regulators. Another matter that arose during the segment was the issue of charging users market prices for water. The proposal stimulated considerable discussion for the remainder of the session. While some speakers said that a price must be assessed on water to recover the costs of delivery, many others said that charging for water would unfairly burden the poor, as well as indigenous communities.

Discussions also centred on business management tools and practices that supported sustainable development, and on the transfer of environmentally sound technologies.

By its decision on small island developing States (document E/CN.17/1998/L.5), the Commission urged all such States to continue and enhance their preparation for the 1999 special session of the General Assembly on the sustainable development in small island developing States. It called upon the international community, United Nations agencies and intergovernmental bodies to provide assistance to such States for practical and concrete actions. All such States were encouraged to put in place national sustainable development strategies that took into account the links between economic, social and environmental indicators on an ongoing basis.

The decision recognized that small island developing States were a special case with respect to both environment and development, because they were ecologically fragile and vulnerable. It called upon all national

Sustainable Development Commission - 4 - Press Release ENV/DEV/479 16th Meeting (PM) 1 May 1998

governments to help ensure effective coordination of efforts by donor and recipient countries.

Also, by that text, the Commission called on all relevant bodies, including the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), to accord priority to the continuation of work on a vulnerability index. The proposed index would measure constraints arising from a State's small size and environmental fragility. The decision also addressed problems facing small island developing States in regard to climate change and increases in sea level rise, the management of wastes, freshwater resources, and technological assistance.

By a text on matters related to the Commission's inter-sessional work (document E/CN.17/1998/L.6), the Commission decided on the topics to be discussed by the 1999 sessions of its inter-sessional ad hoc working groups. The working groups will consider the oceans and seas, the sustainable development of small island developing States, and consumption and production patterns. The Bureau of the Commissioner's next session shall conduct transparent and open-ended consultations to prepare for that session, as well as for those of the inter-sessional working groups. The Commission urged that consideration be given to providing financial support to members of the Bureau to allow them to participate in planning activities, as well as in the inter- sessional meetings.

By its decision on the exchange of national experiences (document E/CN.17/1998/L.8), the Commission encouraged governments to continue providing voluntary national communications or reports on the implementation of Agenda 21 at the national level, with the broad involvement of all sectors of society. Governments were also encouraged to continue making voluntary national presentations in the framework of the Commission's sessions.

Also by that text, the Commission asked the Secretariat to process and compile, on a sectoral basis, the information provided by governments. The task managers of the sectoral areas were asked to make more comprehensive use of that information in the preparation of reports for future sessions. A similar sectoral review will be made on freshwater for the comprehensive review to be carried out by the General Assembly in the year 2002.

By its decision on consumer protection guidelines for sustainable consumption (document E/CN.17/1998/L.9), the Commission made recommendations for actions to be taken by the Economic and Social Council. The Council would invite governments to undertake national consultations with appropriate stakeholder groups on guidelines for sustainable consumption, and to submit their views on the proposed guidelines to the secretariat so they could be made available to all States.

Sustainable Development Commission - 5 - Press Release ENV/DEV/479 16th Meeting (PM) 1 May 1998

By its decision on industry and social development (document E/CN.17/1998/L.10), the Commission recognized that there was a mutually reinforcing relationship between social and industrial development, and that industrialization had the potential to promote such social objectives as employment creation. The Commission noted that industrialization increased environmental pressures, and it acknowledged that environmental sustainability and industrial development were mutually supportive. Eco-efficiency, cost- internalization and product policies were tools to make consumption and production patterns more sustainable, the Commission noted. It also recognized the value of interactive dialogue between all government and civil society actors for sustainable development.

By an oral decision on the third session of the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests, the Commission recommended that the Economic and Social Council approve the holding of the session at Geneva from 3 to 14 May 1999.

The Commission also approved a draft text on the Chairman's summary of the high-level segment of the Commission's sixth session (not yet issued). (The high-level segment is reviewed in the "Session Highlights" section of this Press Release.)

By its decision on strategic approaches to freshwater management (not yet issued), the Commission reaffirmed that water resources were essential for satisfying basic human needs and urged governments to address gaps in the integrated management of water resource development. It encouraged riparian States to cooperate on matters relating to international watercourses. It also acknowledged the importance of such elements of the integrated management of water resources as the availability of data for decision-making, capacity- building and participation of all stakeholders, technology transfer and research cooperation, financial resources and mechanisms, and follow-up and assessment.

Another decision (not yet issued) concerns the following cross-sectoral issues: the transfer of environmentally sound technology; capacity-building; education and public awareness; and science for sustainable development. By its terms the Commission recognized that those elements as critical to a national enabling environment for the achievement of sustainable development, which included economic and social development and environmental protection. It called for urgent fulfilment of the Rio Conference commitments and urged governments, the private sector, and developed countries institutions to identify barriers and provide opportunities for technological cooperation with developing countries.

By the terms of that text, the Commission urged funding agencies to support national capacity-building activities and urged that more resources be

Sustainable Development Commission - 6 - Press Release ENV/DEV/479 16th Meeting (PM) 1 May 1998

devoted to training and information-sharing. It also urged the scientific community to work with other actors in overcoming communication gaps between scientists, policy-makers and the general public.

Session Highlights

Opening the session, Chairman Cielito Habito (Philippines) said that sustainable development was not something that governments or international organizations could do for people; it was something that people did for themselves. The Commission was not just a collection of governments; it was people coming together and sharing their concerns about sustainable development.

Setting the tone of the debate, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Nitin Desai said the central message of Agenda 21 was that sustainable development was not just about environment. It was also about development in all sectors, including economic and financial development. He challenged the international community to make a commitment to finding integrated strategies for freshwater management, the sectoral theme of the session.

Addressing that question, countries discussed such problems as water scarcity and the effects of population growth on freshwater resources. They also stressed the need to include all water users in the formulation of water management plans. The view was expressed that sound water management must be based on proper control, close monitoring, improved efficiency and reduced pollution.

Towards the end of the session, the Commission held its annual high- level segment, which also involved representatives of trade unions, industry, non-governmental organizations, and major groups, as well as State Ministers. During those discussions, some representatives of developing countries said the steep decline in official development assistance (ODA) should be addressed. Many said that the decreasing ODA was eroding the only source of development finance and propelling a drift into deeper poverty and marginalization for developing countries.

Stressing the importance of freshwater management, some representatives said that mechanisms must be developed to ensure a continued and adequate supply of freshwater and that new sources should be explored. Some speakers said that more attention should be paid to problems that arose over water sources that were shared by more than one country. One speaker said the building of dams and other projects in one country could often effect the water flow in another, as well as increase pollution.

Sustainable Development Commission - 7 - Press Release ENV/DEV/479 16th Meeting (PM) 1 May 1998

The topic of industry also arose in the high-level segment. The Chairman said that industry was the most dominant user of the earth's natural resources and could be the main contributor to sustainable development or its chief obstacle. Speakers also stressed the need for cooperation among various sectors of society as key for sustainable development.

Officers, Membership

The officers of the Commission were as follows: Cielito Habito (Philippines), Chairman; and Michael Odevall (Sweden), Rogatien Biaou (Benin) and Marta Ines Galindo (Colombia), Vice-Chairmen. Ms. Galindo was also elected to serve as Rapporteur.

The members of the Commission are: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Guyana, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Mozambique, Netherlands, Niger, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

* *** *