COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT HEADQUARTERS, 19 - 30 APRIL
Press Release
ENV/DEV/498
COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT HEADQUARTERS, 19 - 30 APRIL
19990416 Background ReleaseThe Commission on Sustainable Development will hold its seventh session from 19 to 30 April at United Nations Headquarters in New York, with a focus on four substantive issues: oceans and seas, including overfishing, pollution and environmental degradation; sustainable tourism; consumption and production patterns; and the problems facing small island developing States.
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) (Rio de Janeiro, 1992). At its nineteenth special session, in June 1997, the General Assembly adopted the Programme for Further Implementation of Agenda 21, recommending measures to improve implementation of the document, which aims at reshaping human activities to minimize environmental damage and ensure sustainability in the development process.
The Commission's seventh session will be organized in a way to allow for general debate and interactive thematic dialogues. A high-level segment, from 21 to 23 April, will bring together government ministers and policy-makers from around the world to address each of the four substantive issues, consider emerging policy issues, and provide political impetus to the implementation of decisions.
Also during the two-week session, the Commission will hear presentations on national experiences from Iceland, Poland, Mexico and Kenya, among others, and presentations from its inter-sessional working groups on: oceans and seas and the sustainable development of small island developing states; and consumption and production patterns and on tourism. A dialogue among the various stakeholders in the tourism industry will be held, with participation from national and local authorities, industry representatives, trade unions and activist groups.
Oceans and Seas
The Commission's focus this year on protecting and utilizing the resources of the ocean in a sustainable fashion follows on the 1998 International Year of
the Ocean and the world exposition on the oceans held at Lisbon in 1998, both of which provided directed worldwide attention to the issues involved.
In considering oceans and seas, the Commission will focus on the urgent action needed to address priority areas, such as the unsustainable exploitation of marine life, the protection of fragile marine and coastal ecosystems, and the devastating effects of land-based pollution.
At least 60 per cent of the world's fisheries are fully exploited or overfished, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), while fragile marine and coastal ecosystems are assailed by agricultural run-off, sewage, industrial waste and other forms of land-based pollution. Over the past 14 months, over 40 per cent of the planet's coral reefs have been hit by severe to catastrophic bleaching, which weakens and can kill corals. It is not yet clear whether the high temperatures responsible for this alarming trend are caused by the El Niño phenomenon or by man-made global warming.
Despite numerous international bodies and instruments focusing on ocean issues, no single intergovernmental body oversees ocean-related political negotiations and research. Some parties are today calling for a new forum on oceans. In his 1997 report on reforming the United Nations, the Secretary- General endorsed a proposal put forth by the Government of Malta in 1990 that the Trusteeship Council be mandated to coordinate international protection of the common heritage of mankind, including the oceans and seas, the atmosphere, and outer space.
The Commission will be considering national efforts to implement chapter 17 of Agenda 21 on oceans, hearing national presentations on 26 April. It will also take up recommendations from the Ad Hoc Working Group on Oceans and Seas and on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States for possible inclusion in a draft decision (document E/CN.17/1999/17). The Working Group recommends that the Commission stress that action be taken on the basis of the "polluter-pays" approach and emphasize the importance of international cooperation in ensuring that biological diversity is conserved through integrated management. Other recommendations relate to the export of wastes and dumping; environmental aspects of offshore oil and gas operations; and international coordination and cooperation.
Tourism
From 19 to 21 April, governments, businesses, trade unions and activist groups will debate proposals on how to reduce the negative environmental, cultural and social impacts of the tourism industry. At its nineteenth special session, the General Assembly recommended that the Commission develop an action plan on sustainable tourism, to be defined in cooperation with the World Tourism Organization and other relevant bodies. In 1998, the Economic and Social Council declared 2002 as the Year of Ecotourism. At its current
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session, the Commission is to make recommendations to the Council, and through it to the General Assembly, on measures to ensure the success of the Year.
Tourism is one of the world's largest and fastest growing industries, with more than 260 million employees, according to UNEP. The tourism industry accounts for more than 10 per cent of the world gross domestic product (GDP). While it contributes to social and economic development, tourism can also have serious negative environmental impacts, resulting from resource consumption, and the pollution and wastes generated.
According to the report of the Inter-Sessional Ad Hoc Working Group, (document E/CN.17/1999/16), one of the challenges relating to tourism is that the concentration of services and profits into just a very few, large transnational corporations often leads to the development of enclaves without links to other socio-economic sectors. In a related report (document E/CN.17/1999/5), the Secretary-General states that the tourism industry must reorient its corporate philosophy and practice, in order to transform itself into a sustainable activity. The industry must address the concerns of communities involved and develop partnerships with the host community and governments. Further, tourism should be regulated, and prohibited in ecologically and culturally sensitive areas. He stresses the need for national strategies for tourism to provide focus and direction to all stakeholders.
Small Island Developing States
Also during the session, the Commission will act as the preparatory body for the General Assembly's upcoming two-day special session, to be held from 27 to 28 September, to undertake a comprehensive and full review of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, which was adopted in Barbados in 1994.
With delicate ecosystems and economies that are vulnerable to world economic fluctuations, small island developing States share a variety of concerns, including: the impact of climate change and sea-level rise; marine pollution from sewage; spills and ship wastes; and shortages of fresh water as demands grow, especially from tourism.
While many island nations have developed national plans to implement the Barbados Programme of Action, funding for those remains a key concern. To seek ways to improve development financing for islands, a three-day meeting was held in late February, involving donors and island nations. The Commission will have before it the Secretary-General's report on that meeting (document E/CN.17/1999/18), as well as reports on progress in implementing the Barbados Programme of Action (documents E/CN.17/1999/6 and Adds.1-16) on current donor activities, and the report of the Inter-Sessional Ad Hoc Working Group (document E/CN.17/1999/17).
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Consumption and Production Patterns
The Commission will also be discussing current patterns of production and consumption which generate waste and pollutants, and unsustainably tax the planet's natural resources. A report of the Secretary-General (document E/CN.17/1999/2) stresses the importance of mass media, marketing and sociocultural trends in consumption patterns. The factors shaping consumer choice and behaviour, including traditions, values and norms, must be better understood in order to make policy development effective.
The Commission will also have before it a draft expanded text for the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection for transmission to the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly for adoption (document E/CN.17/1999/L.1). The Guidelines are based on a number of principles, among them: that consumers should be protected from health and safety hazards and have access to information enabling them to make informed choices; and that sustainable consumption patterns should be promoted. The new text includes the original Guidelines adopted by the Assembly in 1985 and new elements on sustainable consumption.
Other Matters
In addition to the above, the Commission will have reports before it regarding education and sustainable development, voluntary initiatives, and the proposed programme of work in the field of sustainable development for the biennium 2000-2001.
Commission Background
The Commission on Sustainable Development was set up in 1993 as a functional commission of the Economic and Social Council to ensure follow-up to UNCED, as well as to enhance international cooperation and rationalize the intergovernmental decision-making capacity for the integration of environment and development issues. It was also mandated to examine progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 at the national, regional and international levels, guided by the principles of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and with the aim of achieving sustainable development.
The Commission has met annually at Headquarters for the past six years. It operates on the basis of a multi-year thematic programme of work, addressing such sectoral issues as human settlements, toxic chemicals and hazardous waste, and oceans and seas. At the same time, it considers cross- sectoral issues, such as financial resources and consumption patterns.
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Membership, Officers
The Commission consists of 53 member States elected for three-year terms. In 1999, the membership is as follows: Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, France, Gabon, Germany, Guyana, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Japan, Mauritius, Mauritania, Mexico, Mozambique, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Venezuela, United Kingdom, United States and Zimbabwe.
In May and June 1998, the Commission elected Simon Upton (New Zealand) as its Chairman; Tibor Farago (Sweden), George Talbot (Guyana), Largaton Ouattara (Côte d'Ivoire) and Navid Hanif (Pakistan) as Vice-Chairmen; and decided that Mr. Ouattara would also serve as its Rapporteur.
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