Commission on Sustainable Development

Ninth Session

2^nd Meeting (AM)

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION BEGINS NINTH SESSION AT HEADQUARTERS

Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Opens Session

The United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development began its ninth session this morning, hearing introductory statements and presentations on the outcome of the meetings of its inter-sessional working groups, agreeing on organizational matters, and electing a vice-chairperson from the Group of Asian States.

The Commission, consisting of 53 member States elected for three-year terms, is meeting at Headquarters from 16 to 27 April, with a focus on the issues of: energy; atmosphere; transport; information for decision-making and participation; and international cooperation for an enabling environment.  Established in 1993 as a subsidiary body of the Economic and Social Council, the Commission is charged with monitoring the implementation of Agenda 21, the action programme adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) (Rio de Janeiro, 1992).

In an opening statement to the session, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Nitin Desai said that for the first time an integrated discussion of energy as a sectoral issue was taking place at the United Nations.  That was one of the areas where the Commission had demonstrated its capacity to “add value” to Agenda 21, which should be central to the Commission’s discussions. The action programme of UNCED was a positive agenda for meeting environmental, developmental and social concerns.

Mr. Desai went on to say that one of the major changes in the world since 1992 was the growing concern about globalization and its social and environmental impact.  Energy was central to many of those concerns, for energy consumption had great consequences for the global environment and was closely connected to many other issues, including poverty eradication.  Clearly, the production and use of energy were among the areas of great concern.  Other important issues that required discussion included the management of environmental disasters, technology transfer, the impact of emissions on people’s health, and the fact that energy was a major consumer of financial resources.

He added that while the goal of the Commission was to bring about an agreement among governments, it should be mindful of the views of all stakeholders.  A strong process of stakeholder involvement was taking place now, and it was one of the important contributions of the Commission to international efforts.

Also this morning, the Commission adopted its agenda and the programme of work for the session, including its high-level segment, and elected Madina Jarbussynova of Kazakhstan as its Vice-Chairperson.  Election of a vice-chairperson from the Group of African States was postponed until a later date.  The rest of the Bureau was elected in May 2000:  Bedrich Moldan (Czech Republic) is the Commission's Chairman, and David Stuart (Australia) and Alison Drayton (Guyana) are Vice-Chairs.

Presentations were made this morning by:  David Stuart (Australia), Co-Chair of the Ad Hoc Inter-sessional Working Group on Transport and Atmosphere; Madina Jarbussynova (Kazakhstan), Co-Chair of the Ad Hoc Inter-sessional Working Group on Information for Decision-making and Participation and on International Cooperation for Development; and Irene Freudenschuss-Reichl (Austria) and Mohammad Reza Salamat (Iran), Co-Chairs of the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Energy and Sustainable Development.  Brief statements were made by the representatives of the Sudan (on behalf of the African Group of States) and Samoa (on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States).

The Commission also established three drafting groups, to be chaired by

Ms. Drayton (energy); Ms. Jarbussynova (decision-making and international cooperation), and Mr. Stuart (transport and atmosphere).  In other action, it approved the request for accreditation of the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety, as an observer at the session. 

A minute of silence was observed this morning in tribute to the memory of the late Co-Chair of the transport and atmosphere working group, Daudi Taliwaku (Uganda).

The Commission will meet again at 3 p.m. to begin its first multi-stakeholder dialogue segment on achieving equitable access to sustainable energy.

Background

At the opening of its ninth session this morning, the Commission on Sustainable Development was expected to complete its Bureau, adopt its agenda and programme of work and hear presentations on the outcome of the meetings of its inter-sessional working groups and other activities.  (For background information on the current session of the Commission see Press Release ENV/DEV/563 of

12 April.)

Opening of Session

The Chairman of the Commission, BEDRICH MOLDAN (Czech Republic), said that the Commission had already accomplished many important tasks.  In particular, it had prepared the “Rio + 5” special session in 1997 to follow up the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), and had proven to be a guardian of progress towards sustainable development.  The following two weeks presented extraordinarily difficult tasks for the Commission.  Among other topics, the Commission would consider the question of the atmosphere –- a subject of heated international discussion in connection with climate change.  He hoped, however, that the atmosphere at the Commission would be conducive to fruitful work. 

Other, equally important topics included transportation, international cooperation, information and energy, he said.  Good results had been achieved during inter–sessional meetings.  He had no doubt that the deliberations during the session would represent an important step towards implementation of world decisions on sustainable development.

Election

The Commission elected, by acclamation, Madina Jarbussynova of Kazakhstan as its Vice-Chairperson.  Election of a Vice-Chairperson from the Group of African States was postponed until a later date.

Opening Statement

Welcoming the participants of the session, NITIN DESAI, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, said that among the themes to be discussed during the substantive part of the session was the issue of energy for development.  That was one of the areas where the Commission had demonstrated its capacity to “add value” to Agenda 21, the action programme of UNCED.  For the first time, an integrated discussion of energy as a sectoral issue was taking place at the United Nations. 

Agenda 21 integrated various concerns, identified important issues and defined the ways of achieving international goals, he continued.  It was a positive agenda for meeting environmental, developmental and social concerns.  It was central in the discussion the Commission was to undertake.  The subjects before the session had to be addressed in an integrated manner, because the environmental consequences of energy use, for example, were inter–related with such issues as energy needs; access and availability.  Meeting the sustainable needs of all groups was as important a part of the discussion as overall questions of balance.  It was precisely in the energy sector that the Commission could make a positive and constructive contribution.

One of the major changes in the world since 1992 was the growing concern about globalization and its social and environmental impact, he said.  Energy was central to many of those concerns, for energy consumption had great consequences for the global environment.  Clearly, the production and use of energy should be among the areas of great concern.  Energy was central to the issue of poverty eradication, particularly in rural areas.  There was also a growing concern over the management of environmental disasters, for many risks were connected to the patterns of energy use.  The impact of emissions on people’s health needed to be addressed, as did the fact that energy was a major consumer of financial resources.

Promotion of sustainable development was also connected to the problem of technology transfer, he said.  The Commission should bring about an agreement among governments, but it should be mindful of the views of all stakeholders.  A strong process of stakeholder involvement was taking place now, and it was one of the important contributions of the Commission to international efforts. 

A discussion of the institutional issues of international cooperation was also taking place, he continued.  All decisions to be taken should be guided by the ethics of global responsibility.  Sustainable development would be impossible without cooperation and the creation of an enabling environment.  Those issues needed to be emphasized, taking into account the impact of globalization, poverty eradication, the risks of environmental disasters and finance for sustainable development.  Equally relevant were institutional issues, the involvement of stakeholders and upholding the ethics of responsibility.  The upcoming World Summit for Sustainable Development would consider all those issues.  He looked forward to the work of the Commission during its ninth session, which would also address many of those problems.

MUBARAK HUSSEIN RAHMTALLA (Sudan) said that Africa had not been accorded any responsibilities during the current session.  That was unfortunate.  He hoped that the Commission would compensate the African Group in its tenth session so that the Group -– the largest of the five –- should be given its share of responsibility in the undertakings of the Commission.

The CHAIRMAN assured the African Group that the situation had been considered by the Bureau.  He regarded the situation as of grave importance.  He wanted to use this opportunity to ask the African Group to nominate a Vice-Chairman as soon as possible.

The Chairman then outlined the structure of the high-level segment, saying that the sessions would be held in the morning and afternoon sessions on Thursday, 19 April and would conclude on Friday, 20 April.  He asked all delegations to remind speakers to adhere to the five-minute time limit when making presentations.  Following the general debate, the Commission would hold an interactive dialogue on two proposed themes selected by the Bureau.

TUILOMA NERONI SLADE (Samoa), speaking on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States, said that it had become tradition for the Alliance to contribute to the high-level segment.  Would the Chairman and the Bureau be able to accommodate the Alliance during the general debate?

The CHAIRMAN said that it was the intention of the Bureau to accommodate his request.

Presentations by Inter-sessional Working Groups

DAVID STUART (Australia), presenting the report of the inter-sessional ad hoc working group on Transport and Atmosphere (document E/CN.17/2001/16), said that delegations had made a number of proposals during the session, which provided a starting point for the current discussions.  He drew the Commission’s attention to an inadvertent omission of the word “transport” in the Journal.

MADINA JARBUSSYNOVA (Kazakhstan) presenting the report of the inter-sessional ad hoc working group on information for Decision-making and Participation and an International Cooperation for an Enabling Environment (document E/CN.17/2001/17), elements for possible draft decisions and summaries of the discussions here prepared under each topic.  The documents were available for consideration.  Not all elements were agreed upon by the working group.  Reservations were expressed on indicators of sustainable development.  She hoped the coming weeks would be fruitful and would result in constructive decisions, as the texts were a good basis for negotiations. 

IRENE FREUDENSCHUSS-REICHL (Austria), Co-Chairperson of the ad hoc open-ended Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Energy and Sustainable Development (document E/CN.17/2001/15), said that the work of the session had been based on a negotiated text that the co-chairs had been asked to produce following informal consultations held in December 2000.  The negotiations at the second session had produced a significant amount of agreed upon text.  Further work was necessary, however, on some portions of the text.  She was confident that the Commission’s two-week session would resolve the bracketed portions of the text.  In particular, Chapter F, entitled “International Cooperation” needed work.  Regarding the upcoming Conference on Least Developed Countries in Brussels, energy had been incorporated into the preparatory process and the conference agenda.

She expressed the hope that the Commission would use the opportunity to link the issue of energy with poverty eradication.  Internationally agreed development targets would not be reached unless significant progress was made on providing access to the 2 billion people currently without access to modern energy carriers.  The issue of climate change –- one of the largest problems confronting mankind -– also required bold decision-making.  

MOHAMMAD REZA SALAMAT (Iran), Co-Chair of the ad hoc Group of Experts on Energy and Sustainable Development, said that the report was a result of two years of work.  He hoped that progress achieved during the entire process would be maintained by the Commission.  The report of the second inter-sessional session had two parts.  The first was a negotiated text; the second a summary of proceedings.  The negotiated text was the session’s most important product.

Discussion had been based on a draft negotiated text prepared by the co-chairs.  The session had agreed on many sections of the negotiated text, with the exception of a few issues that could not be agreed upon, given the shortness of time.  The session had had no other option but to transmit bracketed paragraphs to the Commission for possible compromise. 

Agreement had not been reached on the issue of nuclear energy technologies, given the sensitive nature of that issue and the lateness of the hour, he added.  Chapter F of the text had also not been agreed upon.  That whole chapter was being transmitted to the Commission.  The chapter on the functioning of the market had also not been agreed upon.  That was an important issue in the eyes of the co-chairs.  The role of the market could not be denied and the issue required further discussion.  It was important to note that for the first time the Commission was considering energy issues in an integrated manner. 

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