ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ADOPTS TEXTS CONCERNING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT,

TRANSPORT OF DANGEROUS GOODS

 

Holds General Discussion on Economic and Environmental Questions

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 23 July (UN Information Service) -- The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) this afternoon discussed economic and environmental questions, including sustainable development, human settlements, the environment, the United Nations Forum on Forests and the transport of dangerous goods, before adopting texts concerning sustainable development and the transport of dangerous goods.

The Council adopted a decision on the dates of the meetings of the Commission on Sustainable Development during its 2008/2009 cycle, in which it decided that the sixteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development should take place from 5 to 16 May 2008.  In another decision, the Council took note of the report of the Commission on Sustainable Development on its fifteenth session and approved the provisional agenda for the sixteenth session of the Commission.

The Council also adopted a resolution on the work of the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, in which it requested the Secretary-General to circulate the new and amended recommendations on the transport of dangerous goods to the Governments of Member States, the specialized agencies, the International Atomic Energy Agency and other international organizations concerned.  The Council also requested to Secretary-General to circulate the amendments to the first revised edition of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals.  The Council also approved the programme of work of the Committee.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Council heard introductions to reports on a number of economic and environmental questions before opening the general discussion.

Hans Opschoor, Member of the Committee for Development Planning, said that the 2007 report of the Committee dealt with three issues, and focused on strengthening the international partnership for effective poverty reduction.  The 2007 report also examined the theme “climate change and sustainable development”, and dealt with efforts to improve the information exchanges between the Committee and the countries considered for inclusion in, and graduation from, the list of least-developed countries.  Climate change was adversely affecting socio-economic development, especially and most tragically in the most vulnerable developing countries.

Nikhil Seth, Director of the Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination, introducing the report on the United Nations Public-Private Alliance for Rural Development and the report on products harmful to health and the environment, said that with regard to the first report, it highlighted what had been achieved to date in Madagascar and the Dominican Republic, the two pilot countries, by national institutions and various development partners, donor countries, civil society organizations and the private sector and suggested ways to enhance the capacity of the national mechanisms in those countries to enhance partnership projects for rural development.  With regard to the report on products harmful to health and the environment, the list of products covered pharmaceuticals, agricultural and industrial chemicals, and consumer products regulated on account of their chemical composition, and contained both regulatory and commercial information on these products.  The report of the Secretary-General provided an overview of the format, scope and contents of the consolidated list and described the ways it had been disseminated and utilized. 

Axumite Gebre-Egziabher, Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) New York Office, introducing the report on the coordinated implementation of the Habitat Agenda, said that the report indicated that the efforts of UN-HABITAT in the coordinated implementation of the Habitat Agenda were increasingly focused on the Millennium Development Goal 7 targets on slum upgrading, water and sanitation, and slum prevention.  Urbanization was taking place at an unprecedented scale and pace.  The report of the Secretary-General recommended that urgent action be taken to mainstream sustainable urbanization and urban poverty reduction in national development strategies and poverty reduction strategies.

Olivier Kervella of the Secretariat of the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods at the Economic Commission for Europe, said the report on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification of Labelling of Chemicals was divided in parts.  One part contained resolutions to be adopted by the Council.  Another part contained a summary of the work done by the Committee and a third part contained the programme of work for 2007 and 2008. 

In the course of the general discussion, countries mostly raised issues with regard to the report on the work of the Committee on Sustainable Development, including that sustainable development and related issues were becoming more compelling and immediate challenges in today’s world.  Therefore, it was important that each country should take practical actions on national, regional and global levels to ensure environment protection and sustainable development.  The challenge of environmental degradation and climate change was huge and clearly beyond the capacity of the developing countries to address on their own.  Innovative new economic instruments would become increasingly important, not only in the area of water management, but also for biological diversity and the climate.

On the issue of the coordinated implementation of the Habitat Agenda, speakers said the growing importance and urgent need to focus on and address challenges of urbanization had never been greater than today.  With the increase of the number of people living urban areas, growth of slums and slum dwellers was accelerating exponentially. 

On the environment, one speaker highlighted the importance of developing countries having access to environmentally clean resources, while another stressed that the global environment was deteriorating further and further due to the indiscriminate use of natural resources.  Decision-making in one country affected the environmental balance in other countries. 

Speaking in the general discussion were representatives from Pakistan (on behalf of the Group of 77 and China), Portugal (on behalf of the European Union), Switzerland, Kazakhstan, Iraq, Barbados, Kenya, Belarus, Bolivia, Canada, Russian Federation, Papua New-Guinea, Madagascar, Indonesia, Ecuador, Samoa, China, Turkey, Benin, United States, Argentina and Guyana.    

ECOSOC will resume its meeting on Tuesday, 24 July at 10 a.m., when it will hold a general discussion on statistics, population and development, public administration and development, international cooperation in tax matters and assistance to third states affected by the application of sanctions and cartography.

Action on Decisions and Resolutions

In a decision on the dates of the meetings of the Commission on Sustainable Development during its 2008/2009 cycle, contained in document E/2007/29, and adopted without a vote, the Economic and Social Council, decides, inter alia, that there should be an intervening period of at least two weeks between the closing of the sessions of relevant intergovernmental bodies and the beginning of the session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, and decides that the sixteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (review session) should take place from 5 to 16 May 2008, the intergovernmental preparatory meeting for the seventeenth session of the Commission should take place from 23 to 27 February 2009 and the seventeenth session of the Commission (policy session) should take place from 4 to 15 May 2009.

In a decision on the report of the Commission on Sustainable Development on its fifteenth session and provisional agenda for the sixteenth session of the Commission, contained within the same document and adopted without a vote, the Economic and Social Council takes note of the report of the Commission on Sustainable Development on its fifteenth session and approves the provisional agenda for the sixteenth session of the Commission

In a resolution contained in document (E/2007/53) and entitled work of the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, adopted without a vote, the Council requests the Secretary-General, among other things, to circulate the new and amended recommendations on the transport of dangerous goods to the Governments of Member States, the specialized agencies, the International Atomic Energy Agency and other international organizations concerned; and to publish the fifteenth revised edition of the Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods: Model Regulations and the amendments to the fourth revised edition of the Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods: Manual of Tests and Criteria in all the official languages of the United Nations; and requests the Committee to study the possibilities of improving the implementation of the Model Regulations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods in all countries for the purposes of ensuring a high level of safety and eliminating technical barriers to international trade.

With regards to the work of the Committee regarding the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, the Council requested the Secretary-General, among other things, to circulate the amendments to the first revised edition of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals to the Governments of Member States, the specialized agencies and other international organizations concerned; and to publish the second revised edition of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals in all the official languages of the United Nations; invites Governments who would not yet have done so to take the necessary steps, through appropriate national procedures and/or legislation, to implement the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, as soon as possible, with a view to having the system fully operational by 2008; and encourages Governments, regional commissions, United Nations programmes, specialized agencies and other relevant international organizations and non-governmental organizations, in particular industry, to strengthen their support of the implementation of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals by providing financial contributions and/or technical assistance to capacity-building activities in developing countries and to countries in transition. 

With regards to the Programme of Work of the Committee, the Council decided to approve the programme of work of the Committee.

Documents

The Council has before it the report of the Secretary-General on the role of the Economic and Social Council in the integrated and coordinated implementation of the outcomes of and follow-up to the major United Nations conferences and summits, in the light of General Assembly resolutions 50/227, 52/12 B, 57/270 B and 60/265 (A/62/89-E/2007/76), which provides an overview of the major areas of progress and continuing challenges in the integrated and coordinated implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits at the global, regional and country level and proposes steps that could be taken to address them.  It highlights, in particular, the opportunities that the new functions of the Economic and Social Council, notably the Annual Ministerial Review, the biennial Development Cooperation Forum and the specific event of the General Assembly on development, provide for advancing the integrated and coordinated follow-up of conferences.

The Council has before it the report of the Commission on Sustainable Development on its fifteenth session (12 May 2006 and 30 April-11 May 2007) (E/2007/29), which contains two draft decisions calling for action by the Economic and Social Council.  It then sets out and matters brought to the Council's attention: the Chairperson’s summary of the fifteenth session of the Commission, which looks at policy options and practical measures to expedite implementation in energy for sustainable development, industrial development, air pollution and climate change; and the Division of Sustainable Development's draft programme of work for the 2008-2009 biennium.  It also gives an overview of the thematic clusters for the implementation cycle 2006/2007: energy for sustainable development; industrial development and air pollution/atmosphere; and climate change.  The provisional agenda of the sixteenth session is also provided.

The Council has before it the report of the Committee on Development Policy on the work of its eighth session (20-24 March 2006) (E/2006/33).  At its eighth session, the Committee addressed the following themes: creating an environment at the national and international levels conducive to generating full and productive employment and decent work for all, and its impact on sustainable development; coping with economic vulnerability and instability; and the triennial review of the identification of the least developed countries.  On the first theme, the international community should make the objective of reaching full productive employment and decent work an integral part of trade, financial arrangements and development assistance to developing countries, particularly the least developed countries.  On the second, it was emphasized, among other things, that developed countries should not undermine developing countries’ development by limiting market access, or by delaying reform of their agricultural policies and maintaining agricultural subsidies.  As to the third theme, three dimensions of a country’s state of development are taken into account: its income level, its stock of human assets and its economic vulnerability.

The Council has before it the report of the Committee for Development Policy on its ninth session (19-23 March 2007) (E/2007/33).  At its ninth session, the Committee addressed three themes: climate change and sustainable development; strengthening the international partnership for effective poverty reduction; and the procedure for inclusion of countries in and graduation from the list of least developed countries.  On the first theme, it is stressed that post-Kyoto arrangements will have to adopt a simultaneous two-track approach: the first aiming at very deep cuts of emissions by developed countries; the second providing a more central role to developing countries by enabling them to grow faster and to make the growth as decarbonized as possible.  On the second theme, while progress had been made, the existing framework of the global partnership – using the poverty reduction strategy papers as the main instrument – is found to be neither adequate nor effective.  The donor community must allow aid recipient countries to be able to choose from a range of policies, in accordance with their economic, social and cultural conditions.  As to the third theme, the Committee provides an elaboration of the procedures to be used and clarifies the steps to be followed in relation to the inclusion of countries in and graduation from the list of least developed countries, in order to enhance and facilitate communications between countries under review and the Committee.

The Council has before it the report of the Secretary-General on United Nations Public-Private Alliance for Rural Development (E/2007/61).  The report responds to Council resolution 2005/42 requesting the Secretary-General to report to it at its 2007 substantive session on the work of the United Nations Alliance in the two pilot countries (Madagascar and the Dominican Republic), covering work by national institutions and various development partners, donor developed and developing countries, United Nations system organizations, non-governmental/ civil society organizations and the private sector.  The report also presents policy recommendations to enhance the capacity of the national mechanisms in the pilot countries to fast-track partnership projects for rural development.

The Council has before it the report of the Secretary-General on coordinated implementation of the Habitat Agenda (E/2007/58), which provides an overview of key emerging issues and challenges facing a rapidly urbanizing world.  These issues are further analysed in terms of their consequences for attaining the commitments of the Habitat Agenda and relevant internationally agreed development goals.  The report highlights some of the key outcomes and activities undertaken by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) to enhance the coordinated implementation of the Habitat Agenda.  It assesses key obstacles to more effective response and proposes recommendations for the way forward.  Among other things, the report recommends that urgent action be taken to mainstream sustainable urbanization and urban poverty reduction in the national development strategies.  It also recommends that sustainable urbanization be introduced as a standing item of the agenda for the high-level discussions on sustainable development.

The Council has before it the report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme on its twenty-first session (16-20 April 2007) (A/62/8), which sets out the organizational details of the session, the provisional agenda for the twenty-second session and details of the high-level debate.  Annexes to the report include the decisions and resolutions adopted by the Council; the Secretary-General's message to the twenty-first session; summaries of opening statements; and summaries of panel discussions and debates; and a list of documents before the Governing Council at the session.

The Council has before it the report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme/Global Ministerial Forum on its twenty-fourth session (5-9 February 2007) (A/62/25), which sets out organizational matters, matters requiring the special attention of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, which include, aside from organizational or administrative matters, the topics of mercury; small island developing States; the declaration of the decade 2010–2020 as the United Nations Decade for Deserts and the Fight Against Desertification; and the updated UNEP water policy and strategy.  It also contains sections on the adoption of decisions; policy issues; follow-up to the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development: contribution of the United Nations Environment Programme to the forthcoming session of the Commission on Sustainable Development.  Decisions adopted by the Governing Council and the President’s summary of the discussions by ministers and heads of delegation at the twenty-fourth session are provided in annexes to the report.

The Council has before it the report of the Secretary-General on products harmful to health and the environment (A/62/78-E/2007/62), which is submitted in compliance with General Assembly resolution 39/229, in which the Secretary-General was requested to report every three years, through ECOSOC, on products harmful to health and the environment, including the review of the publication of the Consolidated List of Products Whose Consumption and/or Sale have been Banned, Withdrawn, Severely Restricted or Not Approved by Governments.  The report provides an overview of activities undertaken by United Nations entities and other major developments in the area of environmentally sound management of chemicals since the previous triennial review in 2004.  It also contains recommendations for consideration by the Council.

The Council has before it the report of the United Nations Forum on Forests on its the seventh session (24 February 2006 and 16-27 April 2007) (E/2007/42), which contains a draft resolution and three draft decisions for adoption by the Council, and a multi-year programme of work for the Forum.  It also contains sections on a non-legally binding instrument on all types of forests; multi-stakeholder dialogue; and enhanced cooperation and policy coordination, including the provision of further guidance to the Collaborative Partnership on Forests; as well as other organizational matters relevant to the seventh session.

The Council has before it the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (E/2007/53), which concerns the work of the Committee of Experts during the biennium 2005-2006 and the implementation of Economic and Social Council resolution 2005/53.  In accordance with that resolution, the secretariat has published the fourteenth revised edition of the Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods: Model Regulations, the amendments to the fourth revised edition of the Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods: Manual of Tests and Criteria and the first revised edition of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals.  All main legal instruments or codes governing the international transport of dangerous goods have been amended accordingly, with effect as from 1 January 2007, and many Governments have also transposed the provisions of the Model Regulations into their own legislation for domestic traffic.  The Committee adopted amendments to the Model Regulations and the Manual of Tests and Criteria, consisting mainly of new or revised provisions that concern the safe transport of radioactive material; harmonization and standardization of the transport of gases; harmonization with the Globally Harmonized System; the transport of infectious substances; transport of dangerous goods in excepted quantities; and new dangerous substances and articles.  The report also contains a draft resolution on its work for adoption by the Economic and Social Council.

Introductory Statements on Sustainable Development, Human Settlements, Environment, United Nations Forum on Forests,Transport of Dangerous Goods

HANS OPSCHOOR, Member of the Committee for Development Planning, said the 2007 report of the Committee for Development Planning dealt with three issues, and focused on strengthening the international partnership for effective poverty reduction.  The report also examined the theme “climate change and sustainable development”, and dealt with efforts to improve the information exchanges between the Committee and the countries considered for inclusion in, and graduation from, the list of least developed countries.  Climate change was already taking its toll, and the earth was only a few decades away from crossing thresholds of temperature rise beyond which even more dramatic impacts were to be expected. 

Climate change was adversely affecting socio-economic development, especially and most tragically in the most vulnerable developing countries.  The Committee was deeply concerned that the targets set by the Kyoto Protocol had not been met.  It was the view of the Committee that the Council could play a proactive role in taking on the climate change agenda for the United Nations.  It should initiate a process for revision of the Millennium Development Goals so that these could more appropriately reflect the threat posed by climate change on all development goals, and contribute to the post-Kyoto process by providing, within its new architecture, a platform for an overarching policy dialogue integrating climate within the development agenda. 

The final substantive item in the report was the Committee’s review of the procedures surrounding inclusion in, and graduation from, the list of least developed countries.  The aim of the Committee was to clarify and improve the procedures regarding the process of inclusion and graduation, especially the information exchanges between the Committee and the countries concerned.  It was hoped that the recommendations contained in the reports of the Committee would enhance the Council’s discussion on development issues.  The world had seen some manifest gains in achieving the Millennium Development Goals - but these were uneven, and serious development problems such as the implications of climate change for preserving the earth’s sustainable and human development remained ahead. 

Nikhil Seth, Director of the Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination, introducing the report on the United Nations Public-Private Alliance for Rural Development and the report on products harmful to health and the environment, said that with regard to the report on the United Nations Public-Private Alliance, it highlighted what had been achieved to date in Madagascar and the Dominican Republic, the two pilot countries, by national institutions and various development partners, donor countries, civil society organizations and the private sector and suggested ways to enhance the capacity of the national mechanisms in those countries to enhance partnership projects for rural development.  The present report examined the work of the Alliance, its accomplishments to date, and the continuing challenges and constraints in promoting partnerships for rural development.   The first part of the report provided a general overview of the importance attached to these initiatives by the Governments of the two pilot countries, Madagascar and the Dominican Republic.  Part two of the report described the establishment of national mechanisms in the pilot countries as well as the progress achieved in promoting partnerships with various stakeholders.

The third part outlined the importance of strengthening the capacities of Alliance Madagascar and the Presidential Commission, as well as the need for heightened global advocacy to allow the Alliance to perform as an effective platform for fast-tracking partnerships, he said.  The final section of the report raised some critical issues and also suggested measures to improve the work of the Alliance.  With regard to the report on products harmful to health and the environment, the consolidated list of products whose consumption and/or sale had been banned, withdrawn, severely restricted or not approved by governments, had been established in 1982 as part of an effort to disseminate information, already available within the United Nations system, as widely as possible in order to protect against products harmful to health and the environment.  The list covered pharmaceuticals, agricultural and industrial chemicals, and consumer products regulated on account of their chemical composition, and contained both regulatory and commercial information on these products.  The report of the Secretary-General provided an overview of the format, scope and contents of the consolidated list and described the ways it had been disseminated and utilized. 

The present report reviewed developments, since the previous triennial review of 2004, in the area of environmentally sound management of chemicals, and gave an account of activities undertaken by United Nations system entities and other intergovernmental mechanisms, including the Inter-organizational Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals and the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety, he said.  The report also examined progress in the areas of the Globally Harmonized system of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, heavy metals, including mercury, lead and cadmium, and on cooperation between the World Trade Organization and multilateral environmental agreements secretariats on various trade-related aspects.  The report highlighted the wide gap that existed between developed and developing countries in their ability to implement chemicals management policies, found improved cooperation among chemical conventions secretariats a very encouraging trend and considered region wide cooperation in Europe on chemicals management as an example worthy of emulation in other regions of the world.

AXUMITE GEBRE-EGZIABHER, Director of the UN-HABITAT New York Office, introducing the report of the Secretary-General on the coordinated implementation of the Habitat agenda, said the report indicated that the efforts of UN-Habitat in the coordinated implementation of the Habitat Agenda were increasingly focused on the Millennium Development Goal 7 targets on slum upgrading, water and sanitation, and slum prevention.  Urbanization was taking place at an unprecedented scale and pace.  Recent estimates indicated that about 2 billion people would be added to the number of urban dwellers in the developing countries over the next 25 years.  Slums were the hub of rising crime and violence, and when it came to climate change, urban poverty was one of the biggest polluters.  In the global village, somebody else’s poverty often became one’s own problem.  The plight of slum dwellers could no longer be ignored - or the Millennium Development Goals would not be achieved for a significant portion of the poor.

Urbanization of poverty posed a direct challenge for the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, and the attainment of the internationally agreed development goals.  The first challenge was that the battle for attaining the Millennium Development Goals would be won or lost in cities.  The second challenge that followed was the need to mainstream the urban agenda.  At the global level, a harmonized approach to monitoring the social, economic and environmental consequences of urbanization, urban poverty and deprivation would greatly improve advocacy and awareness-building, a key step to the mobilization of partners and resources. 

The report of the Secretary-General recommended that urgent action be taken to mainstream sustainable urbanization and urban poverty reduction in national development strategies and poverty reduction strategies.  It called for the revitalization of National Habitat Committees to mainstream the monitoring and implementation of the Habitat Agenda, and to develop inclusive sustainable urban development strategies.  It encouraged the review of macroeconomic policies that favoured pro-poor investment in housing and urban development, not only as a means for addressing the social consequences of rapid urbanization, but also for stimulating local economic development and employment generation.  This would contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals at the city level.  Sustainable urbanization should be introduced as a standing item on the agenda for the high-level discussions on sustainable development. 

OLIVIER KERVELLA, of the Secretariat of the Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods at the Economic Commission for Europe, introducing the report on the transport of dangerous goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, recalled that the Committee was created to improve the overall safety of the transport of dangerous goods.  The Committee’s mandate was extended in 1999.  The purpose of the extended scope was to refine the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals.  The report of the work of the Committee was divided in several parts.  One part contained resolutions to be adopted by the Council.  Another part of the report contained a summary of the work done by the Committee and in the last part of the report, the programme of work for 2007 and 2008 was contained.  The draft resolution encouraged Governments to strengthen their support for the implementation of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals.  Through the resolution, the Council would approve the programme of work of the Committee for 2007 and 2008.

General Discussion

FARHAT AYESHA (Pakistan), speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said that, this year in May, the Commission on Sustainable Development during its fifteenth session had concluded the second implementation cycle of its programme of work on the thematic clusters of energy for sustainable development; industrial development; air pollution/atmosphere; and climate change.  The critical importance of these four clusters in the context of the global development agenda for sustained economic growth and sustainable development was well recognized.  That poverty was rampant globally and on the rise in some countries and regions only lent greater urgency for seeking sustainable and development-oriented solutions to the challenges faced.  The challenge of environmental degradation and climate change was huge and clearly beyond the capacity of the developing countries to address on their own; working together was therefore an important and indispensable principle to adhere to. 

On the coordinated implementation of the Habitat Agenda, the growing importance and urgent need to focus on and address challenges of urbanization had never been greater than today.  With the increase of the number of people living in urban areas, growth of slums and slum dwellers was accelerating exponentially.  The challenge of sustainable human settlements and adequate shelter for all required the urgent attention of the international community, especially as it was closely intertwined with poverty, employment, transportation and the provision of basic services such as water and sanitation.  It was imperative for the international community to support the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, as it focused on critical aspects of human livelihoods, basic needs and poverty eradication.  The international community should also give due attention to the continuing challenge of human settlements, including the provision of the necessary means of implementation.

MIGUEL CRUZ SILVESTRE (Portugal), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that the European Union reiterated its deep regret for the fact that the fifteenth annual session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development was unable to agree on an ambitious text on energy, climate, air pollution and industrial development and therefore to deliver an agreed outcome.  The two-week session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, which took place last May in New York, also marked the end of a two-year implementation cycle, which dealt with some of the major challenges of today, such as climate change, energy for sustainable development, industrial development and air pollution/atmosphere.  Acknowledging that these areas required strengthened and more ambitious international policy commitments, the European Union considered nonetheless that the solutions proposed by the draft decision submitted by the Chair of the fifteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development fell short of addressing these impeding challenges and would not have provided an adequate and timely response neither to the aspirations of the European Union nor to the expectations of the outside world. 

The European Union remained, however, strongly convinced that global challenges could only be addressed through multilateral discussions and that the Commission on Sustainable Development, as a rather unique multi-stakeholder forum, could play an even more critical role in promoting sustainable development in an integrated manner at the global level.  In this sense, the European Union was also of the opinion that it was critical to find ways to ensure that future Commission cycles, within the existing policy mandate of the Commission, achieved progressive, clear and action orientated outcomes necessary for pursuing the common goal of sustainable development with a view to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.  The European Union would like to take this opportunity to renew its constructive and unambiguous engagement to this common endeavour.

THOMAS GASS ( Switzerland) said the fifteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development provided a unique opportunity to discuss and implement political solutions on climate change, energy for sustainable development, air pollution/atmosphere, and industrial development.  Access to energy and energy services in particular were essential for implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, and notably insofar as the eradication of poverty was concerned.  Despite two weeks of lively debate and intense negotiations between the delegations, it had not been possible to adopt the final draft document.  This non-result should serve as a warning and encourage the international community to breathe new life into the Commission. 

Innovative new economic instruments would become increasingly important, not only in the area of water management, but also for biological diversity and the climate.  The seventh session of the United Nations Forum on Forests had adopted two documents, and the work programme was a significant step forward.  If the international community were to successfully address the question of the financial means needed to achieve sustainable management of the forests, it would be important to begin by forming alliances in order to avoid the risk of failure. 

ZHANAR KULZHANOVA ( Kazakhstan) said that sustainable development and related issues were becoming more compelling and immediate challenges in today’s world.  Therefore, it was important that each country should take practical actions on national, regional and global levels to ensure environment protection and sustainable development.  Kazakhstan supported the leading role of the United Nations in promoting sustainable development of the world community based on outcomes of the Johannesburg summit of 2002 and Millennium Development Goals.  The main objective in this direction should remain the advancement of the three fundamental components of sustainable development – economic development, social development and environment.

While experiencing high economic growth and being one of the major oil-producing countries, Kazakhstan realized that the transition of its country to sustainable development was a vital necessity.  The policy of Kazakhstan was directed towards taking further steps in lowering irrational energy consumption by the national economy, improving the environment in the Central Asian region, and strengthening measures along with international efforts to prevent climate change.  Kazakhstan was an active member of the process of “Environment for Europe” and “Environment and Sustainable Development in Asia”.  Sustainable development process and all the related issues were thoroughly considered in Kazakhstan at the highest level.

MUHANNAD M. ALMIAHI ( Iraq) said the Government of Iraq supported the United Nations efforts and those of the specialized agencies to promote sustainable development.  All economic planners knew that sustainable development only produced economic growth when all benefits were shared equally between all social groups.  Development should build on the environment, rather than detract from it.  Sustainable development should empower the population, not detract from it.  Iraq had adopted sustainable development as a concept, and had participated in various international conferences with that in mind.  Its legislation and developmental strategies underscored the principle of sustainability of development, as well as integrated environmental management.

All projects should incorporate an environmental dimension.  However, the economic and social aspects remained important.  It was absolutely necessary to achieve all developmental goals, including the elimination of poverty and violence, fertile breeding grounds for terrorism.  Sustainable development plans could only be implemented in a safe and reliable environment of democracy for all.  The United Nations should play an enhanced role in Iraq, introducing all agencies and bodies, aiding Iraq to promote more decent economic conditions.  These conditions would only be met if there was action within the country.  The return of the United Nations and the specialized agencies was a pressing need to ensure consolidated democracy and to implement the programmes with regards to energy and others.

SELWIN HART ( Barbados) said that Barbados attached great value to the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development.  The Commission was the intergovernmental follow-up mechanism for implementation of and follow-up to commitments on small island developing states, including those contained in the Barbados Programme of Action and the Mauritius Strategy of Implementation.  While Barbados was disappointed that the Commission did not agree on a negotiated outcome at its fifteenth session, this failure was not a failure.  The issues before the fifteenth session of the Commission, particularly climate change and energy, were as complex as they were critical.  The absence of a negotiated outcome unfortunately overshadowed the emerging global consensus that business as usual on energy and climate change was no longer an option.

For Barbados as a small island developing state, the need for an urgent and coordinated global response to climate change could not be overstated, he said.  The Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community had expressed grave concern over the threat posed by global climate change to the sustainable development and future existence of the countries of the region.  They had highlighted that the priorities of the region in a post-2012 regime were the achievement of substantial and legally binding emission reductions in the shortest timeframe possible and significant increases in the level of resources available to developing countries, particularly small island developing countries, to assist them in adapting to the adverse impacts of climate change.

PHILIP RICHARD O. OWADE ( Kenya) said the issues under consideration, including sustainable development, the environment, human settlements and forests were of great importance to the global development agenda.  It was quite disappointing that the Commission on Sustainable Development at its fifteenth session had not reached a conclusive outcome - these issues were critical if the world was to address the problems of poverty eradication and the attainment of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals among others.  Climate change remained a major challenge to the international community.  It was now recognized as a global sustainable development challenge, with strong socio-economic and environmental dimensions.

With regards to human settlements, the global trend of urbanization called for the urgent attention of the international community.  There was an urgent need to implement the Habitat Agenda, particularly with regard to slum prevention and the upgrading and provision of water and sanitation and related infrastructure.  The environment was one of the pillars of sustainable development.  On the issue of forests, the recent decisions adopting a non-legally biding instrument and the adoption of the multi-year programme of work were welcomed, and it was hoped that this would lead to a strengthened international framework on forests for sustainable forest management.

SVETLANA MOSCHINSKAYA ( Belarus) said it was important that developing countries had access to environmentally clean resources.  It was necessary to arrange international cooperation in this field, to ensure alternate and diversified resources of energy.  Matters of fuel were important and the United Nations needed to take this issue into consideration.  Belarus wanted to reduce energy consumption and increase the share of renewable resources.  Bilateral and multilateral mechanisms had to be utilized to ensure stability of prices.  All countries had to undertake efforts for environmental protection.  On the item on environment, Belarus considered environmentally clean resources as very important.  That was because Belarus had tried to overcome the consequences of the biggest catastrophe ever in this regard – at Chernobyl.  Belarus had joined the Kyoto Protocol and was determined to make its contribution for the protection of the environment.

On the issue of UN-HABITAT, Belarus was pleased that the Programme had been adopted.  Housing for disadvantaged parts of the population and land planning programmes in environmentally disadvantaged areas was an important issue.  For its part, Belarus was developing a new policy for land planning.  Small towns and settlements would be set up in agricultural areas with appropriate housing infrastructure.  With regard to the protection of forest resources, Belarus was taking particular efforts to implement the strategic plan to the year 2015 and another plan for 2011.  Among the indicators determining the efforts, the most important task was to ensure that the forestry resources were maintained and both flora and fauna were preserved.

SORKA COPA ROMERO ( Bolivia) said the global environment was deteriorating further and further due to the indiscriminate use of natural resources and a lack of attention to the negative consequences for human beings.  The international community should recognize that the planet, although it had alternatives for increasing production, did not have unlimited resources.  Decision-making in one country affected the environmental balance in other countries, and they were therefore of a transboundary nature.  Actions to promote the environment should be focused primarily on sustainability.  The environment and development were indissolubly linked. 

The relationship between man and nature could be seen as an unending struggle for dominance.  Man’s attempts to control the environment had finally resulted in uncontrolled effects on nature.  The basic premise, based on long-term millennium traditions, was to take only what was needed from the Earth.  Individuals and society together should understand the complex nature of the environment and the complex nature of that link, Bolivia underscored.  In the developed countries, environments were affected by different levels of pollution; in the developing countries, there were other negative factors, such as a lack of services, with environmental effects.  The international community should work for sustained integrated development, harmonious and compatible, and accompanied by protection for the environment.

HUGH ADSETT ( Canada) said Canada had noted the concern expressed by the Commission of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals regarding the delay or denial of transport of radioactive materials.  Canada supported the safe transport of all dangerous goods, including radioactive materials.  However, Canada remained particularly concerned with denial or delays of shipments of short-lived medical isotopes used for the diagnosis and/or treatment of disease.  Some of those isotopes had a very short half-life, sometimes of hours or days.

When those isotopes were denied shipment or were delayed there were negative consequences to health, research, and the development of safe nuclear technologies.  Canada welcomed the work of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transportation of Dangerous Goods and the International Atomic Energy Agency Steering Committee in their efforts to facilitate the transport and quick delivery of short-lived medical radioisotopes and encouraged both groups to work closely together in that regard.

D. MAKSIMYCHEV ( Russian Federation) said the Commission on Sustainable Development was the fundamental link in the United Nations system for ensuring effective implementation of decisions of global forums in the field of sustainable development.  It was disappointing that a negative precedent had been set at the fifteenth session.  That was unsatisfactory.  At subsequent sessions, the necessary conclusions should be drawn from that.  There should be a real determination of all countries to take into account the realities in promoting balanced approaches by all to the negotiation process.  The Russian Federation supported the efforts of UN-HABITAT in various fields, including improving quality of life, preserving the environment in human settlements, and many others.

The Russian Federation supported the draft mid-term Strategic and Organizational Plan of UN-HABITAT.  The role of the United Nations Environmental Programme should also be strengthened, as it was the key organ in the United Nations system on environmental problems, and for solving global and regional problems in the environmental sphere.  The activities of the United Nations Forum on Forests should also be supported, in particular through efforts to find new modalities for its work, the agreement of strategic objectives on forests, and the adoption of a non-binding international instrument on forest management.

ROBERT GUBA AISI (Papua- New Guinea) said Papua New Guinea was currently in the process of completing its seventh general elections to the National Parliament, which would convene in early August.  In March 2006, the United Nations Committee for Development Policy had recommended that Papua New Guinea be included in the United Nations list of the least developed countries.  The Committee’s report addressed three areas: gross national per capita income, economic vulnerability, and human assets.

While Papua New Guinea’s economy has had its downturns and challenges over the past 30 years, the current state of the economy was robust.  Inflation had fallen from 11.8 per cent in 2002 to 2.9 per cent in 2006.  Like many other developing countries, data collection and collation continued to be institutional challenges.  However, Papua New Guinea remained committed to the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals and was cognizant of their importance.  The Government had adopted 15 targets and 67 indicators specific to conditions specific to Papua New Guinea, and to serve as performance benchmarks for tracking, monitoring and reporting on the implementation of all the Millennium Development Goals.  Papua New Guinea formally declined the recommendation for its inclusion into the list of least developed countries.

CLARAH ANDRIANJAKA (Madagascar), also speaking on behalf of the Dominican Republic, said the Economic and Social Council had approved the idea of strengthening the linkages among various stakeholders to promote rural development as part of its Ministerial Declaration in 2003.  At its session in 2004, it had endorsed Madagascar as the first pilot country of the ad hoc initiative called the United Nations Public-Private Alliance for Rural Development.  Top-level participation from partners in Madagascar had led to creation of Alliance-Madagascar as a recognized non-profit action group.

In 2005, the Council had endorsed the Dominican Republic as the second pilot country of the Public-Private Alliance.  The time had been ripe and the needs had been evident for a greater emphasis on public-private collaboration and multi-stakeholder partnerships to combat poverty and achieve the international development goals.  As had been made clear in the report, various United Nations agencies and other entities were now involved in public-private partnerships for rural development in Madagascar and the Dominican Republic.  To deal effectively with the challenge of poverty required action and interaction by all, and Government, civil society and the private sector should be partners, as there was much to learn and much to share as different partners adopted and expanded the multi-stakeholder approach. 

M. SOEPRAPTO ( Indonesia) said Indonesia associated itself with the statement made by Pakistan on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.  The need for sustainable development was clear.  More than 1 billion people were still surviving on incomes of less than $1 a day, with no access to basic services such as health care, education, water and sanitation.  The world was shrinking virtually through technological advances, but its population continued to multiply.  By 2050 the Earth would have to support another 3 billion people.  Most certainly, the growing population’s environmental footprint would have an increased impact as demand for natural resources such as oil, wood and water increased.  For that reason, future development could not simply follow the path of "business as usual".  Resources needed to be used more sustainably.  Cities and towns needed to be built without exceeding nature’s carrying capacity. 

On the issue of urbanization and poverty, which were central objectives of the Millennium Development Goals, Indonesia recalled that today half of the world’s population lived in cities and towns.  By 2050 that proportion would increase to two thirds, with most of the growth taking place in the developing countries.  At the same time, the correlation between urbanization and natural resources management needed greater emphasis.  It was significant that a non-legally binding instrument on all types of forests and a multi-year programme of work of the United Nations on Forests had recently been concluded.  Being a rainforest nation, Indonesia welcomed the adoption of those instruments at the seventh session of the United Nations Forum on Forests and it stood ready for their full implementation.  Furthermore, climate change was an emerging problem that called for joint efforts. 

LETICIA BAQUERIZO ( Ecuador) said that, almost three decades ago, the United Nations General Assembly had dealt for the first time with the topic of products harmful to the environment.  Ecuador had consistently supported the efforts of the international community in that regard.  The mechanism selected by the General Assembly was to request the Secretary-General to draw up a consolidated list of products whose consumption or sale had been, among other things, banned by Governments.  That list, which should be continually updated, had proven to be an important tool.

Colombia was carrying out aerial sprayings along its border with Ecuador, and that had had serious effects on organic and genetic health, caused agro-social destruction, loss of food resources, and negatively impacted on tropical networks and the food system.  Ecuador hoped that all countries would fulfil the commitments they undertook at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, namely to ensure that chemicals were not used in forms that damaged the environment.

ALIIOAIGA FETURI ELISAIA (Samoa) said that it had been exactly 15 months since Samoa had first been recommended for graduation from the least developed countries category by the Committee for Development Policy in its report on its eighth session to the Economic and Social Council.  During that period, Samoa had consistently argued that it was not ready to graduate from the least developed country category due to its inherent vulnerabilities, that a decision on the matter be deferred to the next review of the least developed countries criteria in 2009, and, more importantly, that the economic vulnerability index be one of the two criteria a country had to meet before it could lose its least developed country status.  On reflection, it was fair to observe that Samoa’s position on the graduation issue polarized the Council's membership.  In questioning the recommendation of the Committee for Development Policy, some had interpreted Samoa’s action as tampering with the status quo.

The only motive in re-capping the history of the graduation issue was to remind the Council of the genesis of the draft resolution now being negotiated in informal consultations among the main parties with an interest in Samoa’s graduation.  The draft resolution had three critical elements, namely the graduation of Samoa from least developed country status; the critical role of the three-year transitional period to cultivate durable partnerships to lay the foundation to ensure Samoa’s resilience to endure endogenous shocks, thus guaranteeing the long-term sustainability of Samoa’s development efforts; and to call the Committee for Development Policy to take full account, and to assess exhaustively the economic vulnerability index as a critical criteria in the inclusion and graduation of countries.

MUHAMMAD AYUB (Pakistan), speaking on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said the Group unequivocally supported the position of Samoa, and the move by Papua New Guinea to include itself on the list of least developed countries.  The issue of graduation of Samoa was critical, and should be addressed at the substantive session of the Council.  Samoa had made a reasonable proposal that the economic vulnerability index should be of two requisite criteria for graduation, and that proposal merited consideration.  No country wished to live in poverty forever.  However, the criteria for graduation should be fair.  Samoa’s willingness to graduate showed that it was not willing to put it off forever.  Samoa was economically vulnerable, and as a small island State, was also vulnerable to climate change.  The development partners should help to ease Samoa’s transition and continuing economic development.

YANG NINGNING ( China), speaking on the issue of Samoa’s graduation, said China endorsed the statement made by Pakistan on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.  In the report, it was clearly pointed out that the development of the small island pacific States was lagging behind.  Samoa often suffered from climate change and natural disasters.  China understood and sympathized with Samoa.  It was hoped that the Council would postponed the consideration of Samoa's graduation. 

On the issue of sustainable development, China also endorsed the statement made by Pakistan on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.  Sustainable development was in the long-term interest of all countries.  The fifteenth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development had carried out a comprehensive review.  No agreement had been reached, however.  For the first time in history, the Commission had failed to reach an agreement.  The relevance of the Commission on Sustainable Development in deliberating issues from the environmental and social point of view was a valid as before.  The achievements of the Commission were recognized.  The Commission remained an important platform to exchange dialogue and reach and develop partnerships.  The discussions on relevant issues should not be stopped.  The focus of international cooperation should be on how the developing countries could achieve the Millennium Development Goals.  For its part, China paid great attention to the protection of the environment.  Sustainable development strategies had been developed.  China was ready to continue further cooperation with all parties concerned.  With regard to the item on the environment, the reform of the United Nations Environment Programme had to be considered in a broader context.  With regard to the issue of UN-HABITAT, China endorsed the inclusion of poverty reduction in policies affecting urban areas.  Any human settlements policy had to be guided by a scientific approach and coordinated with the protection of the natural resources and the environment.

SIMLA OZKAYA ( Turkey) said that the arrival of the new millennium had brought recognition of the need for international efforts to improve the lives of the large portion of humanity who had been excluded from the growing global prosperity of recent decades.  It was high time to turn commitments into concrete actions.  Progress could be measured not by the formulation of policies and additional commitments, but rather by the realization of common goals through technology transfer, strengthening of capacities and other means.  Challenges regarding environmental protection were more crucial than ever before.  It had been proved that environmental problems were major threats to human safety and had direct consequences on health and productivity.  People lacking minimum living standards were the most vulnerable to the deterioration of natural ecosystems.

Turkey believed that energy issues were the bridging item that connected the issues of climate change, industrial development and air pollution.  Energy was the starting point for achieving the three pillars of sustainable development, namely, economic growth, social welfare and protection of the environment.  Industrial development and economic growth required a sustainable energy supply, which did not threaten the climate and did not cause air pollution.  Sustainable development could only be achieved if a secure, uninterrupted, reliable and affordable energy supply was ensured.  Taking into account the importance of the utilization of renewable energy sources and the development of energy efficiency technologies, Turkey had been implementing policies in order to increase the share of renewable sources into its energy mix, particularly through the use of hydropower.

FERNANDE HOUNGEBEDJI ( Benin) said that, with regard to the recommendations of the Committee on Development Policy, in Samoa and Papua New Guinea, every three years the Committee held a review, designed to identify countries that could meet the criteria to either join or be removed from the list of least developed countries.  The role of the Committee was therefore of vital importance, as it made it possible for the United Nations and the international community to determine where to guide action, and to identify countries where development and assistance needed to be concentrated.  The efforts of the Committee to improve its methodology were appreciated.

With regards to the Committee’s recommendations at its eighth session, Benin wished to congratulate Samoa for its progress in building an economy in which there were considerable levels of income and human development.  However, Samoa was economically vulnerable, and that could be a major challenge were its economic performance not to be sustained.  Benin hoped, and was convinced, that the Council, when saying that graduation from the list of least developed countries would not impede the normal development of that country, and should consider the possibility of examining economic vulnerability, and make it an essential criteria for its decision.

RICHARD T. MILLER ( United States) said that, with regard to the report on sustainable development, the United States was among the countries regretting that the Commission had not been able to produce a negotiated text.  But the important result had been what the Commission had accomplished, not how many pages it had produced.  The United States welcomed the section of the Committee for Development Policy report on the issue of graduation of least developed countries, and congratulated Cape Verde and Samoa on their successes.  Those countries could maintain and accomplish their successes by working with their development partners.

On the other chapters of the report, the United States shared the concerns expressed previously by Russia, especially with regard to the recommendations on climate change.  The Committee's report had taken the worst-case scenario with concern to the climate change.  Future work on climate change should take place under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.  With regard to the statement of the representative of Papua New Guinea, the United States respected the serious economic analysis undertaken by Papua New Guinea as a result of its recommendation for graduation, and the decision it had taken based on it.

GONZALO JORDAN ( Argentina) drew attention to inconsistencies or approximations in the Spanish translations of documents E/2007/72 and E/2007/53.  In the future, divergences in translation should be avoided.

TROY TORRINGTON ( Guyana) said that Guyana associated itself with the statement made by Pakistan on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.  In Guyana’s view, collaborative efforts needed to be redoubled and the measures to which countries had committed themselves should be implemented.  Guyana highly valued the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development.  Guyana’s natural development plan was capable of providing an important stimulus for the country’s development.

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For information media • not an official record