TOKYO DECLARATION BREAKS NEW GROUND IN INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO CULTIVATE 'ECO-SOCIETY' AT LOCAL LEVEL

Press Release
ECO/5
SOC/4454

TOKYO DECLARATION BREAKS NEW GROUND IN INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO CULTIVATE 'ECO-SOCIETY' AT LOCAL LEVEL

(Delayed in transmission.)

TOKYO, 29 May (Department of Economic and Social Affairs) -- The Tokyo Declaration, adopted today in Japan's capital city at the conclusion of the World Conference on International Cooperation of Cities and Citizens for Cultivating an Eco-Society (Eco-Partnership Tokyo), provides a comprehensive vision and action for local authorities, private enterprises, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and citizens to promote an eco-society in urban areas across the globe.

Approximately 2,000 participants from 100 cities of 55 countries represented local governments, municipal administrators, government officials, prominent experts, private citizens, NGOs, private enterprises, United Nations agencies and other intergovernmental bodies at the Conference, which was held from 26 to 29 May.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a videotape message, said that urban crises contributed significantly to the degradation of global commons. He emphasized that local governments had a critical role to play as the cities are emerging as centres of civilization, crossroads of ideas, economic growth and scientific progress, by strengthening partnership among all stakeholders to collaborate with one another towards that end.

Kezo Obuchi, Japan's Minister for Foreign Affairs, sent a congratulatory message. The President of Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly, Kozo Tanaka, and other distinguished guests delivered statements at the opening ceremony of the Conference.

The Governor of Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Yokio Aoshima, in his keynote speech, underlined that many urban activities contributed greatly to global environmental problems. He pointed out that it was essential for people to think globally and act locally with regard to both urban and global environmental problems. The Governor pledged the adoption of a proactive

recycling policy for Tokyo and declared that Tokyo will become a model city for cultivating an eco-society.

Nitin Desai, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, in his keynote address, explained the current status of the implementation of Agenda 21 adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), particularly its implication for cities. He said that the local authorities had the deepest understanding of the unique environmental issues of the communities, but often lacked the capacities needed to redress them.

The basic objective of the Conference was to explore how to cultivate an eco-society, through exchange of ideas and experiences and strengthening partnership and cooperation of all the players involved, such as municipal administrators, citizens, NGOs, business enterprises, academics, the media and others. Concrete methods to promote international cooperation among cities were vigorously discussed.

During the three-day Conference, a Mayors' Forum was organized in which governors and mayors from 31 major world cities reported and exchanged information on the policies and programmes that their cities have implemented.

A special symposium was also held on the reproductive health impact of endocrine disruptors, toxic chemical substances which are often found in the urban environment.

The three themes of the Conference were as follows: establishing regional recycling systems; international cooperation towards realization of an eco-society; and the civilization of an eco-society -- towards new patterns of consumption and production. Those themes were vigorously discussed in 11 sub-working groups. A comprehensive summary report, including various constructive suggestions from each working group, as well as from the Mayors' Forum, was submitted to the plenary session of the Conference.

At the end of the Conference, the Tokyo Declaration on Eco-Partnership was adopted, composed of 22 items. Among the items highlighted for follow-up activities, the participants:

-- Reaffirm their commitments to create an eco-society and sustainable civilization in cities by building on relevant conferences of the United Nations and others, on the environment, education, human settlements, human rights, population, social development, women and public administration.

-- Underline the importance of strengthening urban governance in resolving local environmental issues, including through enhancing the capacity of local authorities and empowering NGOs.

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-- Emphasize the wide scope for local authorities to adopt improved policy approaches, especially the use of economic instruments, social incentives and the provision of suitable public infrastructure to promote more sustainable production and consumption patterns.

-- Welcome the willingness of the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to jointly promote technical cooperation projects to assist cities in developing countries in achieving the goals of an eco-society.

-- Welcome the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's plan to support NGO initiatives, such as projects involving youth, between Tokyo and cities in developing countries for the purpose of promoting the eco-society concept.

-- Invite continuing support for various urban programmes of the United Nations system aimed at strengthening local governance for an eco-society, whose examples include those of the United Nations Centre on Human Settlements (Habitat) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in particular, their Sustainable Cities Programme and Urban Environmental Forum; the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), particularly its LIFE and Capacity 21 programmes; the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); and the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs.

-- Encourage initiatives of interested municipal governments, United Nations organizations, NGOs and the private sector to actively exchange information and experience and to promote technical cooperation towards building institutional and human capacities in cities aiming at the cultivation of an eco-society.

-- Invite the United Nations, in cooperation with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, to formulate new proposals for human resources development programmes, including workshops and training, aimed at building an eco-society, as well an information exchange programme on innovative practices which would complement and strengthen existing ones.

The entire text of the Declaration, as well as all technical and city papers submitted for the Conference, can be retrieved on the Internet at www.tokyo-teleport.co.jp/world-ccc/.

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