COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES FOR DEVELOPMENT APPROVES DRAFT RESOLUTION ON WATER
Press Release
ENR/4
COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES FOR DEVELOPMENT APPROVES DRAFT RESOLUTION ON WATER
19990409 In contribution to the preparation of the Secretary-General's report on progress made in providing a safe water supply and sanitation for all during the 1990s, to be submitted to the Commission on Sustainable Development at its eighth session, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for Development this afternoon approved a draft resolution on water.By the terms of the text, which was approved, as orally revised, without a vote, the Committee would have the Economic and Social Council request the Secretary-General, in preparing his report, to ensure that the connections between water supply and sanitation and other sectors are explored, and to focus on analysing shortfalls, including barriers to progress in providing water supply and sanitation.
The Secretary-General would also be requested to explore how inadequate attention to an integrated approach to water and land management can exacerbate problems of water supply and sanitation and vice-versa. He would also emphasize the analysis of issues, explore topics where adequate progress has not been made and identify actions and provide examples of successful efforts.
Further, the Council would request that the following issues elaborated in the Committee's decision, and annexed to the resolution, be included in the analysis: mobilization of political will; economic sustainability and private sector involvement in water supply and sanitation; community participation and social mobilization; sanitation, sewage treatment and wastewater recycling; communication and awareness raising; gender issues; protection of water resources; and water conservation efforts.
A subsidiary body of the Economic and Social Council, the Committee was created through resolution 1998/46 of 31 July 1998, annex I, which merged two committees -- the Committee on New and Renewable Sources of Energy and on Energy for Development and the Committee on Natural Resources -- into a single 24-member expert body. During this first session, it is taking up items on issues in the water and energy sectors that have emerged since the cancellation of the sessions of the two former Committees.
Natural Resources Committee - 2 - Press Release ENR/4 3rd Meeting (PM) 9 April 1999
Wilhemus Turkenburg of the Netherlands, Chairman of the Committee's subgroup on energy, presented an update of the subgroup's discussions held over the past days. A draft text on the subgroup's work was expected to be presented to the Committee next week.
John Michael Matuszak of the United States, Chairman of the Committee's subgroup on water, introduced the text on water.
The Committee will meet again at a date to be announced.
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