Commission on Sustainable Development

Fifteenth Session

9^th & 10^th Meetings (AM & PM)

NEW, DIVERSE ENERGY SOURCES MUST BE EXPLORED TO PUT WORLD ON ‘GREENER PATH’

TO ECONOMIC GROWTH, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TOLD

While fossil fuels would continue to satisfy the lion’s share of the world’s growing energy needs in the coming decades, new and diverse energy sources must be explored in order to put the world, and developing countries in particular, on a greener path to economic growth, the Commission on Sustainable Development was told today, as it continued the high-level segment of its fifteenth session.

Energy demand was projected to increase more than 50 per cent by 2030, requiring an estimated $20 trillion in cumulative investment, of which 40 per cent was needed in the oil and natural gas sectors, said Abdalla Salem el-Badri, Secretary-General of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).  Cleaner fossil fuel technologies were needed to urgently tackle climate change, he said, noting that carbon capture and storage had the potential to contribute to up to 40 per cent of greenhouse gas emission reductions by the middle of the century. 

Industrialized countries, equipped with financial and technological capabilities, should take the lead in developing and deploying such technology.

Katherine Sierra, Vice-President of Sustainable Development for the World Bank, agreed, stressing that rich countries should substantially step up financing for developing countries in order to help them afford new technologies and sustain economic growth.  The international community could not penalize poorer nations for the fossil fuels-dependent path of growth pursued by rich countries.  Developing nations, notably in Africa, needed more energy, not less, to achieve prosperity and social balance.  The $30 billion global carbon market was part of the solution.  Since 2002, more than $8 billion went to developing countries through the carbon market, leveraging an extra $16 billion in clean energy investments.

Several speakers pointed to biofuels as a potentially viable energy source that could alleviate climate change, particularly in the developing world.  The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was conducting work in bioenergy and biofuels, its representative stated, noting that some countries with favourable climates and a relative abundance of labour were considering becoming biofuel producers.  That raised the question of whether biofuels would be developed for security purposes or for broader use, and whether they were compatible with national infrastructure.

Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), said there were promising new technologies in the world but insufficient clarity or empirical bases to develop guidelines for employing them.  Brazil had created more than one million jobs around the ethanol industry, and other countries had aspirations to enter the biofuels market.  But it was unclear if Governments were prepared to handle the expansion of that market.  The Commission’s session would serve as an important impulse for bioenergy partnerships.

The Deputy Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), David Harcharik, said the rapid shift to bioenergy was converting land use from food to fuel production, causing prices to rise.  While biofuels could reduce greenhouse gas emissions, generate new income opportunities in rural areas and improve energy access, the situation was complex and required an in-depth analysis of the end benefits and drawbacks of biofuel use, among other things. 

Suleiman Jasir al-Herbish, Director-General of the OPEC Fund for International Development, also urged caution, saying there was no one-size-fits-all model to satisfy the basic energy needs of the poor, who must rely on diversified fossil fuels as well as such renewables as water, wind, sun, geothermics and biomass.  He noted that biofuels had negative side effects such as reducing food production, distorting food market prices and exacerbating water shortages.  Renewables could only cover a limited share of the energy mix for the poor, and their increased use could only be achieved with substantial financial and technical assistance from industrialized countries.

The Commission Chair and Minister of Energy of Qatar, Abdullah Bin Hamad al-Attiyah, opened today’s debate, which also included statements from senior Government officials and representatives of the Central African Republic, Zimbabwe, South Africa, New Zealand, Japan, Sweden, Singapore, Ireland, India, Republic of Moldova, Turkey, Bangladesh, Denmark, Algeria, Cambodia, Ghana, Poland, Belarus, Oman, the Philippines, Brazil, Belgium, Cameroon, Iceland, Cape Verde and Tunisia.  The Observer of the Holy See also spoke. 

Also presenting their views were officials of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the Global Environmental Facility, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the United Nations Development Programme, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the World Health Organization, the International Energy Forum, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Energy Agency, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the World Trade Organization, the International Organization for Migration and the International Maritime Organization.

The Commission also held an interactive dialogue with representatives of major groups –- business and industry, women, non-governmental organizations, trade unions, farmers, the scientific and technological community, local authorities, indigenous people, and youth and children -- on the four issues before the current session, namely energy, industrial development, air pollution and climate change.

The Commission will meet again at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 11 May, to conclude its fifteenth session.

Background

The Commission on Sustainable Development met today to continue the high-level portion of its fifteenth session, focusing on the themes of energy, industrial development, air pollution/atmosphere and climate change.  Today’s discussions will be on “turning commitments into action: working together in partnership”.

For background on the Commission’s fifteenth session, see Press Releases ENV/DEV/925 and ENV/DEV/927 of 26 and 30 April, respectively.

Opening Remarks

Opening the session, ABDULLAH BIN HAMAD AL-ATTIYAH, Minister of Energy of Qatar and Chairman of the Commission’s fifteenth session, said that following their opening statements, heads of United Nations organizations, regional commissions, and the Bretton Woods institutions would hold an interactive dialogue on their initiatives and activities in the four areas of energy for sustainable development, industrial development, air pollution and climate change, particularly as they concerned the theme “Turning commitments into action, working together in partnership”.

In order to facilitate the discussion, he suggested that participants address six questions.  Noting that poverty eradication and economic growth were overriding priorities in developing countries, he asked what measures and actions the United Nations system and relevant international organizations could take to help ensure that measures to combat climate change and to achieve other sustainable development goals were compatible.

Also, how could the United Nations system and relevant international organizations effectively help mobilize financial resources, including through increased official development assistance (ODA), and market-based mechanisms, and scale-up investments to meet the urgent need for modern energy services in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa?  In addition, how could the United Nations system and relevant international organizations effectively address the special needs of energy-importing developing countries, especially the least developed countries and small island developing States?

Despite a great deal or research, vulnerability assessments and policy development, there was a sense in many quarters that real action on adaptation was lagging, he stated.  What concrete actions and policies could the United Nations system and relevant international organizations take to help accelerate implementation of adaptation measures?

Fifthly, how could the United Nations system and relevant international organizations effectively support developing countries in diversifying and upgrading industries of developing countries?  Lastly, what specific types of capacity-building did organizations intend to undertake in support of developing countries in making real progress on the ground in the areas of energy for sustainable development, industrial development, air pollution and climate change?

Statements

ANNA KAJUMULO TIBAIJUKA, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), said access to affordable, modern energy services was a prerequisite for sustainable development and poverty alleviation, and achieving the Millennium Development Goals.  Lack of access to reliable, safe and environmentally-friendly energy was a strong constraint on human development.  However, energy needs of the urban poor had not received the same attention as their rural counterparts. 

It was widely assumed, she said, that because the urban poor resided in cities, close to the electricity grid and other modern energy sources like liquefied petroleum gas, they did not have energy needs or challenges.  Recent studies showed that proximity did not mean accessibility by the urban poor and that slum dwellers were particularly hard hit by the lack of access to modern energy.  On the contrary, they paid more for cooking fuel, water and sanitation than wealthier people connected to service networks.  They paid a heavy penalty in terms of poor health and loss in productivity because they were poor.  Poor energy access was in fact a major factor of entrenched poverty in urban areas and a major impediment to attaining the millennium targets.

Seventy-five per cent of global energy consumption occurred in cities, she continued, as did 80 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions that caused global warming.  Half of that 80 per cent came from fossil fuels for urban transport, the other half from energy use in buildings and to fuel industry and appliances.  Climate change and urbanization were inseparable.  It was crucial to recognize that cities and their residents were not just seen as victims of climate change –- such as in terms of rising sea levels -- but also as part of the problem and, therefore, as part of the solution.  It was important for the ministers attending the session to recognize the role of UN-HABITAT in the struggle to achieve the millennium targets. 

UN-HABITAT, she added, had set up a Water and Sanitation Trust Fund to help attain the millennium water and sanitation targets, and was implementing two special initiatives -- the Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation Initiative in Africa and the Mekong Delta Water and Sanitation Initiative in Asia -- to help local authorities provide pro-poor water and sanitation services.  Focus was also put on using locally available sources of energy, particularly in the Lake Victoria region of East Africa, where people spent up to 80 per cent of their revenue on electricity bills.

ACHIM STEINER, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), said that in addressing sustainable development and environmental sustainability, the world needed to look at the full spectrum of where people lived, settled, and practiced agricultural and industrial activities.  The issues being discussed by the Commission were focused on how the international community could join efforts.

Partnership with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was essential, he continued.  The Convention was focusing on the needs of developing countries by creating access to development mechanisms.  Equally, it was collaborating with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to address adaptation, which was being addressed slowly today.

He drew attention to the discussion of biofuels, a central issue for the Commission.  The international community found itself with promising new technologies but insufficient clarity or empirical bases to develop guidelines for employing them.  The fact of the matter was that Brazil had managed to generate over 1 million jobs around the ethanol industry, and other countries had aspirations to enter the biofuels market.  At the same time, questions had been raised in the consumer world.  Were Governments prepared to handle the expansion of that market?  Discussions during the Commission’s session would serve as an important impulse for bioenergy partnerships.

KANDEH YUMKELLA, Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), echoed the United Nations Secretary-General’s statement that stressed that climate change and energy were closely linked to industrial development.  The international community had the opportunity to ensure that developing countries did not follow the old path of polluting for the sake of industrial development.  They must focus on reducing the intensity of resource use and focus more on industrial energy efficiency. 

He said UNIDO had been actively pursuing partnerships with industry over the years on many topics related to industrial development.  It had formed partnerships with FIAT in the auto components manufacturers sector in India; with BASF on the adaptation and dissemination of a BASF tool for assessing the sustainability of products, using its National Cleaner Production Centres (NCPC); and with Microsoft, where it started with a partnership on information communication technology, and was now looking at extending that partnership to a “green industries” programme.

UNIDO was also extending partnerships within the United Nations system, he said, recalling that its partnerships with UNEP in the NCPC programme began in 1994.  Partnerships were being extended to other areas, such as mercury, persistent organic pollutants and bioenergy.  UNIDO also had a new partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on bioenergy, and was in the process of setting up a Vienna-based partnership, the Vienna Energy Forum, that would bring together agencies in Vienna involved in energy, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).  It also had partnerships with the Global Environment Facility.  He stressed that whatever conventions were agreed to must be implemented at the country level.  The key challenge was to take global decisions to the country level and to the factory floor.

MONIQUE BARBUT, Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson of the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), said that the Facility had undergone an institutional transformation.  Last year, the Facility was replenished for $3.13 billion; that money, invested by Governments, had come with the understanding that it would be used by a more transparent and robust Facility.  A key feature of the Facility’s reform was to find ways to incorporate the integrated nature of global environmental issues.

The Facility was in a unique position to create an integrated approach, allowing Governments to implement solutions across sectors, she said.  It could help Governments look at broad energy programmes that integrated concerns for climate, persistent organic pollutants and the ozone layer, she said, noting that the Facility was also working to address forest management and chemical management.  Of the $3.13 billion, $1 billion would be used for climate change -- a small amount to address that enormous problem.  Those funds must be invested wisely. They must also serve as a catalyst for transforming international policies and moving forward the market for new technologies.

The Facility supported the mitigation efforts of countries, she continued, noting that the GEF clean energy portfolio had grown to $2.3 billion.  There was an urgent need to finance adaptation activities.  The GEF was the only source of grant money to developing countries for climate change, and it had mobilized nearly $200 million for adaptation in developing countries.

JOSE LUIS MACHINEA, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), speaking on behalf of all United Nations regional commissions, said that his delegation had worked to identify emerging policies and niches of opportunity for furthering regional coordination on the issues of energy, industrial development, air pollution and climate change.

Regional priorities and policies differed along with varying circumstances, he said.  In developing countries, energy access for the poor was central in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, he said, noting that improving that access would require reduced prices or subsidies in urban and rural areas.  In that context, regional commissions should support regulatory changes to create the right incentives to foster public-private alliances for energy supply, as well as for sustainable development in rural areas through better use of biomass and other renewables.

On climate change, he noted that regional commissions could contribute to advocacy efforts by analyzing the economic and social externalities of climate change on the primary sector, study adaptation measures to vulnerabilities, study economic costs of inaction and support the elaboration of national adaptation strategies.  In that regard, he said the Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol was mobilizing resources and could play a more important role.  Regional commissions, through technical assistance, could help countries better understand market dynamics and explore larger-scale initiatives.  They could also contribute to disaster assessments, an area in which ECLAC had developed solid experience.

He said that cleaner production policies should be supported for industry, and regional commissions could help support countries in their cooperation at the regional level on environmental standards.  In Asia and Latin America, the role of cities and transport as energy consumers and air polluters was a growing concern.  Regional commissions should promote the replication of best practices in mass transit systems.

KATHERINE SIERRA, Vice-President of Sustainable Development for the World Bank, said a critical mass of support for urgent global action was building due to several factors.  Among them was a greater consensus on the science, thanks to the reports produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); a clearer picture of the economic effects of inaction, thanks to the Stern Review and the recent IPCC report presented last week in Bangkok; and increased pressure from the business community about the need to create a long-term regulatory framework as a way of increasing the predictability of investments, particularly through the growing carbon market.  Also a factor were informal processes such as the engagement between the Group of Eight and the Plus Five Countries –- Brazil, Mexico, China, India and South Africa –- as a result of the 2005 Gleneagles Summit, and parallel dialogues involving legislators from those countries as well as business leaders and civil society.

The Bank was working closely with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in the run-up to the Bali conference on climate change later this year, she said.  It saw energy access and its links to climate change as a global issue that must be incorporated into the development paradigm.  However, the Bank supported the right to development claimed by developing countries.  The international community could not penalize emerging markets and poor nations because of the fossil fuels-dependent path of growth pursued by rich countries.  Developing countries, particularly in Africa, needed more energy, not less.  Energy was critical to accelerate economic growth and, thereby, prosperity and social balance.

Rich countries must lead by example, she stated, adding that if the international community wanted to encourage a greener growth path in developing countries, it must substantially increase the flow of financial resources to help them afford new technologies and sustain economic growth.  At least $30 billion was needed annually in the power sector to move to a lower carbon economy, plus another $165 billion annually for electricity in developing countries.  The global carbon market -- at $30 billion in 2006 or triple the amount in 2005 –- was part of the solution.  Since 2002, more than $8 billion went to developing countries through the carbon market, leveraging an extra $16 billion in clean energy investments.

AD MELKERT, Associate Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said that despite the abundance of available energy, access for many remained as elusive as ever.  Nearly two billion people currently lived without access to modern energy services, a number that had hardly changed in the past 20 years and was likely to grow.  That entrenched billions of people, particularly women, in poverty.  Climate, he noted, was an energy challenge, with roughly three quarters of greenhouse gas emissions due to the burning of fossil fuels.  Mitigation and adaptation measures were needed.  Those challenges were not insurmountable.  It was possible to finance and deliver access to energy services.

It was essential to deliver on promises, he said.  UNDP was supporting United Nations Resident Coordinators in more than 160 countries.  Priorities on energy included helping countries to mainstream the energy needs of the poor in their poverty reduction strategies; supporting developing countries to align their budgets and development assistance to meet the needs of the poor; and translating resources into results.  In that regard, developing countries needed local institutional capacity to improve energy access for the poor.  In Africa, UNDP was helping the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the East African Community to develop regional capacities.  He added that UNDP was committed to boosting cooperation with the World Bank to deliver coordinated results on the ground, particularly in Africa.

ABDALLA SALEM EL-BADRI, Secretary-General of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), strongly supported dialogue between energy producers and consumers, while pursuing its longstanding objective of greater market stability.  Both policies had a positive impact on the prospects of sustainable development for both developing and developed countries.  OPEC welcomed greater diversity in the energy mix.  Energy should be used more effectively and efficiently.  Access to modern energy services was essential for poverty eradication and sustainable development, and played a crucial role in achieving the millennium targets.  The introduction of new fuels, such as biofuels, could be a good step forward.  However, their ability to meet the world’s energy needs would remain modest at best.  Moreover, their expansion would create greater competition for land, water and food, which was detrimental to achieving the Millennium Goals. 

Fossil fuels would continue to satisfy the lion’s share of the world’s growing energy needs for decades to come, he said.  Energy demand was expected to increase by more than 50 per cent by 2030, and most of that increase would be met by fossil fuels.  Cumulative total investment required in energy was estimated at $20 trillion, of which 40 per cent, or $8 trillion, was needed in the oil and natural gas sectors.  If the international community was to tackle climate change with the sense of urgency that was called for in many quarters, it was important to continue to promote the development and deployment of cleaner fossil fuel technologies.  Carbon capture and storage was an existing technology, with the potential to contribute to up to 40 per cent of emission reductions by the middle of the century. 

However, he added, industrialized countries, equipped with financial and technological capabilities, should take the lead in developing and deploying that technology through large-scale demonstration projects.  With today’s technology, petroleum provided the most accessible, useable and affordable energy source for many countries seeking to develop and modernize their economies.  Fuel derived from petroleum had become increasingly cleaner over the years.

AHMED DJOGHLAF, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, noting that Canada, Australia, Costa Rica and many parts of Europe were experiencing warmer temperatures and increased dryness, said the current concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere was greater than had been observed in history.  Climate change and human activity was the cause.  Touching on the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, he said the impact of climate change on the planet had led to an unprecedented extinction of biological diversity.

According to the IPCC, some 20 to 30 per cent of plant and animal species studied could be at increased risk of extinction if average global temperatures increased by more than 1.5° to 2.5° C.  Climate change and the loss of biodiversity were linked, as recognized by the roundtable discussion held in March among IPCC experts and the Bureau and Chairs of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice.  The upcoming Group of Eight Summit in Germany might be the first time the question of climate change and biodiversity was on the Group’s agenda.  The cost of inaction on climate change was enormous, and postponing it was not an option.

SULEIMAN JASIR AL-HERBISH, Director-General of the OPEC Fund for International Development, said energy was central to economic development and social progress.  More than two billion people, or one-third of the world’s population, lacked access to modern energy services, mainly in rural Africa, Asia and Latin America, where they often relied on firewood, dung and plant residue.  According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1.5 million people died every year from inhaling biomass smoke.  Without electricity, it would be difficult to provide education and health services to the world’s poorest.  It was necessary to ensure continuous access of the poor to affordable modern energy services.  That could be achieved through a variety of technical and financial assistance programmes.  The global battle against energy poverty was intertwined with the battle for economic growth and social development, both key ingredients to achieve the Millennium Goals.  That required appropriate and balanced energy policies.

Global warming and other effects of climate change, which were mainly the result of past industrial development activities, were hurting everyone, particularly the poor due to their geographical location and increased vulnerability, he said.   Environmental protection was a global issue beyond the rich-poor divide.  Consequently, all countries, and particularly the industrialized nations, should continue to bear their proportionate share of the burden, under the accepted principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities”.  On the basis of that principle, the poor’s access to energy should not necessarily be preconditioned by a stringent low-carbon industrialization model -- a model which even developed countries were having difficulty implementing.

There was no one-size-fits-all model to satisfy the poor’s basic energy needs, he continued.  The energy mix for the poor needed to rely on diversified fossil fuels, as well as renewables.  Some renewables such as water, wind, sun, geothermics and biomass, though limited, could provide interesting sustainable local solutions.  He noted that biofuels produced negative side effects such as reducing food production, distorting food market prices and exacerbating water shortages.  Renewables could only cover a limited share of the energy mix for the poor, and their increased use could only be achieved with substantial financial and technical assistance from industrialized countries.

GREGOIRE DE KALBERMATTEN, Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, said climate change was challenging basic assumptions about production and consumption patterns.  Some 1.8 billion people lived in dry lands and growing environmental scarcity in those endangered ecosystems could have wide-ranging geopolitical consequences.  Yet, those areas also offered opportunities for carbon sequestration in soils and re-vegetation.  Local populations had no choice but to make a living from natural resources, and it was a challenge to meet their requirements for sustainable livelihoods while combating desertification in a manner that was adaptive to climate change.  Key areas including science and education, agriculture and forestry represented platforms for synergistic efforts to meet that challenge.

Desertification was caused by climate change and human factors, he continued.  Climate and desertification interacted through a series of complex feedback loops, he said, noting that the inclusion of emissions from deforestation, a form of land degradation, in the climate change equation was a manifestation of that.  Mitigation and adaptation strategies should be designed to address both aspects through synergistic programmes.

HALLDOR THORGEIRSSON, Director of Sustainable Development Mechanisms, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said that the United Nations system was focusing on ways to push forward the sustainable development agenda.  It was pushing for clean economic growth across the board through the use of fossil fuels and renewable sources of energy.  Some of the worst effects of climate change could be staved off with immediate and appropriate international action.  The meetings of the Climate Change Convention’s subsidiary body next Monday in Bonn would focus on long-term cooperative action to address climate change by enhancing implementation of the Convention.  The Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism was stimulating investment in developing countries, reducing emissions and giving signatories to the Protocol some flexibility in how they could meet their emission reduction targets.

A host of strategies, including market-based tools like the Clean Development Mechanism, were needed to counter climate change, he said.  The carbon market, and financing for it, was important in that regard.  The Climate Change Convention was collaborating with UNEP, UNDP and the World Bank to focus on the needs of developing countries, including addressing the issue of adaptation.  He lauded the fact that so many United Nations organizations were participating in the current session, stressing that active involvement would pave the way to action on climate change.  While progress had been made and organizations were partnering for sustainable solutions, the task ahead was enormous. 

DAVID HARCHARIK, Deputy Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), was concerned about the low prices of agricultural products and the impact that had on farmers to be able to move out of poverty.  Today, the rapid shift to bioenergy was converting the use of land from food to fuel production, which was resulting in increased prices, and creating different challenges.

While biofuels could reduce greenhouse gas emissions, generate new income opportunities in rural areas and improve energy access, the situation was complex and not easy to resolve, he said.  First, more research, particularly by Governments, was needed on non-food biofuels.  Further, there was a need for in-depth analysis on which food crops held the most potential for biofuels.  What would be the energy output from production?  Who would benefit, and who would be negatively impacted?  Those were areas needed to be investigated.

Also, he felt that addressing such complex issues should be done in an integrated, holistic manner, as food security could not be examined in isolation.  It should be looked at in terms of jobs and Government budgets, among other things.  He called attention to a United Nations partnership that had proposed a framework for decision-makers on bioenergy.  A sustainable bioenergy report was available, which attempted to give guidance to decision-makers on bioenergy and all related issues.

ARNAFI ASAMOA-BAAH, Deputy Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), said the world’s energy crisis was impacting health at all levels of society.  The lack of clean energy sources and improved technologies for the use of traditional fuels were responsible for the deaths of 5.1 million people per year, most of them women and children in the world’s poorest communities.  At the city level, air pollution was impairing the health of millions and causing the death of approximately 800,000 people, mainly in large cities in developing countries.  Globally, climate change was negatively impacting public health on many fronts, from heat waves to increases in communicable disease.  Climate change was threatening access to water and food security, and resulting in diseases and conditions the health community had been fighting for years such as malaria and malnutrition.  That was a health security issue that the world could not afford to neglect.

It was necessary to continue to monitor progress in reducing solid fuel use under the umbrella of the Millennium Development Goals, she said.  Health could be used as an indicator of progress in all areas of energy use.  Public health tragedies cost 1.5 million lives every year.  For the first time, WHO had estimated the toll of death and disease on a country-by-country basis, revealing a shocking picture.  In the 21 worst-affected countries -- all of them concentrated in Africa and South Asia, approximately five per cent of the total burden of disease and death was caused by indoor air pollution.  Feasible and affordable solutions to switch away from unhealthy practices were available.  The time for diagnosis was indeed over.  She called on developing countries to commit to reviewing national policies, including Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers, to address the health risks caused by cooking and cleaning.  She also called on industrialized countries to commit to reviewing their national development cooperation strategies with the same aim, and called for better partnerships with the United Nations to assess health vulnerabilities.

ARNE WALTHER, Secretary-General of the International Energy Forum, said energy ministers recently had confirmed that energy security was a shared responsibility.  As the world would continue to rely on an ample supply of fossil fuels, there was a need to develop carbon capture and storage technology, and to step up investments across the energy chain.  More energy, used in a more efficient way, and accessible by more people was an essential goal.

However, energy objectives could only be met in partnership, he continued.  Energy issues went to the core of national interests.  Decisions would be taken by the Commission, but dialogue must continue beyond the session.  Ongoing dialogue had acquired increasing importance in order to synchronize thinking, not least to avoid misunderstandings.  He was looking forward to continued involvement in addressing crucial issues and shared the desire to achieve global consensus.

The representative of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) noted the strong need for resources to support sustainable development.  Transport services were crucial for economies to compete in the global marketplace, and the international aviation industry must continue to reduce the environmental impacts of its operations.  The industry had a long history of improving efficiency.  Aircraft today were 70 per cent more efficient than early-stage jet airplanes, and new aircraft promised to be even more efficient than hybrid vehicles.

He said ICAO was formed in 1944 and comprised of 190 Member States.  Its Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection had recently agreed to reduce the environmental impacts of international aviation.  ICAO was developing operational measures to cut fuel burn, drafting guidance on an open emissions trading scheme and working to offset carbon emissions from aviation.  Further, it would host a colloquium to promote dialogue on international aviation and environmental topics.

The representative of the International Energy Agency (IEA) said today’s energy trends were worrisome.  Continuing on a business-as-usual basis would result in a significant increase of global carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.  The Agency’s Governing Board had mandated strategies aimed at a clean and competitive energy future.  In 2005, Group of Eight leaders had asked the Agency to play a major role in delivering the Group’s plan of action for climate change, clean energy and sustainable development.

The Agency had created a major programme of work on all aspects of achieving a more sustainable energy future, which included transforming the way energy was used in buildings, surface transport and industry, he said.  That programme also focused on transforming the way energy was supplied through carbon capture and storage, developing and deploying renewable energy, and boosting energy grids.  The way forward would combine all of those aspects, he stressed.  The Agency had published analysis of energy technologies, showing how those technologies could be used to ensure a more sustainable energy future.  Further, the Agency would report to the G-8 Summit next year.

JOSÉ ANTONIO OCAMPO, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, recapping the statements by the heads of United Nations organizations, regional commissions and the Bretton Woods institutions, said the Commission’s session had to pay due attention to the impact of climate change on sustainable development and poverty reduction.  Scientific analysis showed there was a great need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  Mitigation efforts and technology should be a priority.  He underscored the “win-win” character of energy efficiency.  Cleaner fossil fuel technology was crucial to combating climate change, given the fact that all scientific estimates showed that fossil fuels would continue to be dominant in the energy mix in the foreseeable future.

The Secretary-General’s report to the Commission, he noted, stressed the importance of conducting more research and development on climate change, and to make renewable energy more economically viable.  Speakers had emphasized the need for ODA and the long-term energy potential of the carbon market.  Providing capacity-building for low-income countries was necessary so that they could participate in clean development mechanisms.  He also stressed the importance of the discussion on biofuels, including consideration of commercial opportunities for agricultural producers. 

The representative of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) stressed that the energy challenge today was in providing affordable energy services, particularly for the world’s poor.  That challenge could not be met without an increase in innovation.  While development of new energy sources could not solve all energy problems, it could help alleviate some problems related to climate change, particularly in developing countries.  Within that context, she said UNCTAD was conducting work in bioenergy and biofuels.

Some countries with favourable climates and a relative abundance of labour were considering becoming biofuel producers, she added, noting that important questions must be asked.  Would those fuels be developed for security purposes or for broader use?  Countries also should consider the compatibility of biofuels with national infrastructure and the realistic use of available land.

Moreover, she continued, countries must examine the most appropriate investment-promotion measures, export prospects and possible markets for biofuels.  The UNCTAD biofuel initiative aimed to help developing countries answer those questions.  Further, UNCTAD was working with academia, the private sector and other United Nations agencies within the United Nations energy framework.  She added that biofuels would figure prominently on the agenda of UNCTAD’s 2008 Ministerial Conference in Ghana.

The representative of the World Trade Organization (WTO) said the first component of negotiating and strengthening multilateral environmental agreements was rule-making.  That fell squarely within the traditional mandate of the WTO.  It had to do with the opening of markets to environmental goods and services.  Trade negotiators were becoming environmental experts, which was good news for the international community.  There had been 140 items that could be negotiated as environmental goods, representing a $750 billion annual trade.

The export market for such goods was growing rapidly and developing countries have a stake in that market, she said.  It was not enough for negotiations to just benefit trade and the environment; they should also benefit development.  Results must be balanced.  She expressed hope for a quick resolution to negotiations in the foreseeable future in order to turn commitments into action.

COME ZOUMARA, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Central African Republic, said that the accelerating warming of the planet was a main concern of the international community today.  Climate change was worsened in large part by an increase in carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide gases derived from human activities.  To remedy that situation, the Central African Republic had, since 2003, included in its national strategy a programme of adaptation.

The world was witnessing temperature extremes, as seen in the growing number of heat waves, he said.  Furthermore, worsening droughts, especially in the southern Saharan region, would curb the ability of countries to deal with that phenomenon.  Global warming also had consequences for economies, particularly agricultural sectors, which could be devastated in many countries with terrible repercussions.  To avoid the drying up of water sources, the Central African Republic needed international assistance, he continued, particularly in the area of technology transfer.  The world was witnessing the devastating effects of climate change.  “Science without a conscience destroys the soul,” he added. 

F.D. NHEMA, Minister of Environment and Tourism of Zimbabwe, said about 1.6 billion people in the world lacked access to modern energy sources and still relied on biomass energy for domestic use.  That type of energy negatively affected human health and the environment.  There was a need to promote improved access to modern, affordable, more efficient and cleaner energy technologies, particularly for rural communities.  Industrial development was necessary for sustained growth, poverty eradication and employment creation in developing countries.  However, unsustainable production and consumption patterns could negatively impact the environment through overexploitation of natural resources.

The session, he said, should foster action to address those challenges.  The international community must support improved, less polluting public transportation and use of cleaner energy sources in industry.  Developed countries should accelerate technology transfer on concessionary and preferential terms, build capacity, fund research and development, provide new and additional financial resources and promote market access for goods from developing countries.

MARTHINUS VAN SCHALKWYK, Minster of Environmental Affairs and Tourism of South Africa, said that as energy, industrial development, air pollution and climate change were closely related, they should be considered in the context of the overriding priorities of developing countries:  poverty eradication, social and economic development, and environmental protection.  South Africa was committed to ensuring an action-oriented outcome for the current session.  That was critical for turning the commitments of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation into action.

To create the foundation for long-term success, he said institutional arrangements for sustainable development must be strengthened.  The Commission should guard against institutional and political stagnation, and avoid “mandate drift,” to ensure no disconnect between the “review” and “policy” years of the cycle.  Additionally, the Commission must overcome the lack of trust between North and South.  To build that trust, it needed to address the resource gap.  The session must conclude with commitments on realizing the objectives contained in the Monterrey Consensus, wrapping up the Doha Round of trade talks and removing barriers to the adoption of sustainable development technologies.

DAVID PARKER, Minister of Energy and Minister Responsible for Climate Change Issues of New Zealand, stressed the importance of carbon markets.  The cost of carbon was a measure of the cost of reducing or avoiding greenhouse gas emissions.  The Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol and international carbon pricing were crucial to reducing emissions in both developed and developing countries.  A price for carbon provided a necessary incentive for low emission alternatives, including renewables, carbon capture and storage.

In order for the Clean Development Mechanism to be sustained and funded by developed countries, it was necessary to avoid wasting precious resources.  For example, large amounts of the Mechanism’s funds were spent on HFC-23 from refrigerant manufacturing, which should be controlled by regulations given economic alternatives.  Sustainable development was a priority for New Zealand, whose energy strategy focused on a renewable energy future.  Already about 70 per cent of New Zealand’s electricity was generated from renewable sources, the third highest level in the developed world.

TOSHIRO KOJIMA, Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs in the Ministry of the Environment of Japan, said climate change and air pollution must be addressed in an integrated manner, as they were closely interrelated.  Japan would host the Tokyo International Conference on African Development in 2008, further promoting dialogue.  It was important for the more than two billion that lacked access to modern energy services to gain the access they needed.

Economic development, he noted, had come about through heavy fossil fuel consumption which had caused climate change and air pollution.  As such, all countries were required to deal with those issues.  Climate change should be recognized as an issue that seriously affected the global ecosystem, he said, noting the need to take sufficient action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible, since negative climate change impacts were thwarting efforts to eradicate poverty and sustainable development.

He said that to deal with rapid warming trends, the post-2012 framework should enable all countries to participate in reducing emissions according to ability, and create a practical framework to encourage the maximum possible emissions reduction for countries that were major emitters.  Regarding Japan’s activities ahead of the 2008 Group of Eight Summit, he said his country was promoting the concept of “reduce, reuse and recycle”.

OLA ALTERÅ, State Secretary to the Minister for Enterprise and Energy of Sweden, said a problem with the Commission was that it needed to deal with a full range of United Nations issues at the same time.  The three dimensions of sustainable development called for working not only across national borders but also across sectors.  Policymakers needed to accept a holistic approach and work in close cooperation with Governments, the business community, civil society and other stakeholders.  The possibilities of such an approach included renewable energy and clean technology, which was needed to fight climate change; support to developing countries, such as improved mechanisms for technology transfer; and energy efficient measures, which reduced costs for industry.  Sweden had concrete and good experience with recovering waste energy in heating and cooling processes.

The challenges of energy for sustainable development were in many ways overwhelming, he said.  The international community was far from reaching the Millennium Development Goals.  Combining environmental and industrial policies was both necessary and possible.  Combining economic growth and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions was also possible.  With resources and knowledge greater than ever before, he hoped leadership would prove to be enough.

TAN YONG SOON, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources of Singapore, said close to 80 per cent of the island State’s electricity was generated from natural gas.  Singapore was promoting green, energy-efficient buildings, with the Government taking the lead in undertaking energy audits.  Further, the Government would mandate energy labelling this year to encourage consumers to select energy saving air-conditioners, and put in place incentive schemes to encourage industry to adopt energy-efficient equipment.

Prevention, monitoring and enforcement were cornerstones of Singapore’s air quality management strategy, he said.  Although Singapore enjoyed good air quality, it was located in a region where deforestation was carried out using slash-and-burn techniques, which had resulted in increased greenhouse gas emissions.  While Southeast Asian countries were working together to address that issue, a long-term solution would involve international assistance and expertise.

On industrial development, he said Singapore had established an office dedicated to making the island State a global hub for environmental promotion.  On climate change, Singapore was promoting clean-fuel vehicles and was a party to the Kyoto Protocol.  His country would continue to seek innovative ways to promote sustainable development.

TOM O’MAHONEY, Assistant Secretary, Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government of Ireland, noted that contributors to the discussion had acknowledged the interlinkages between the issues with which the Commission was dealing.  Each of the issues was closely linked to the achievement of sustainable development and internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals.  Everyone knew what needed to be done.  It was now a question of demonstrating that commitment to do it. 

Ireland’s official aid programme, Irish Aid, was committed to reducing poverty through environmentally sustainable development, he said.  Irish Aid had recently launched its Environment Policy for Sustainable Development, which would guide it in integrating environmental sustainability into its development programmes and partnerships.  Ireland was on target to reach its commitment to provide 0.7 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in ODA by 2012.  At the national level, while there had been a transformation of Irish society as a result of exceptional levels of economic growth in the last ten to 15 years, Ireland’s policies had been underpinned by the principles of sustainable development.  Sustainable development policies could work effectively without slowing economic development.

PRODIPTO GHOSH, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests of India, said a rapid but sustainable increase in energy use per capita was essential for developing countries, if national development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, were to be realized.  For industrialized countries, it was imperative to ensure that growth was accompanied by rapidly declining environmental impacts of the energy cycle.  Both challenges would require enhancing available technologies, large investments in energy infrastructure and significant policy and institutional changes.

He called for diversifying energy sources; increasing technology research and development; enhancing the current intellectual property rights regime to balance the interests of both innovator and end-user; and mainstreaming practices of sustainable production and consumption in all countries.  On climate change, he said the current level of scientific understanding should lead to deeper commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by industrialized countries.  Policy-making must take into account a country’s historical experience, institutional capacity and political structure, among other things.  Developing countries faced challenges far more complex than did the industrialized countries at the corresponding stages of their development.  They needed space to manage those challenges, and it would be a great mistake to constrain their policy options, he stressed.

CONSTANTIN MIHAILESCU, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Moldova, said his country was a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.  Despite the fact that it was a non-Annex I party and had no commitments to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, it had reduced industrial emissions by more than 25 per cent in the last 15 years.  In order to implement the Convention, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and the National Committee had developed a strategy to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in priority sectors, including by promoting renewable energy, water recycling and biogas collection and reforestation and energy efficiency.  His country had set up a regional database to track the frequency of hazards occurring in the Black Sea region.  Such data was important and useful in developing mechanisms to predict and mitigate the occurrence of hazards in the future.

BAKI ILKIN (Turkey), noting that the issues before the Commission were interlinked, said that addressing them in an integrated manner could provide an opportunity to use more energy efficient industrial technologies and address the cross-cutting issues of poverty eradication, health and gender equality.  Turkey hoped the outcome of the session would contribute to achieving the Millennium Goals and promote sustainable development at the global level.

Energy was vital for achieving economic growth, environmental protection and social welfare, he continued.  Turkey had introduced the concept of sustainable development into its national planning processes since the 1990s.  Sustainable development could only be achieved if a secure and affordable energy supply was ensured, he said, noting that cooperation in energy had a positive effect on security.

Widespread adoption of cleaner and renewable energy technologies could mitigate the effects of climate change, he said, attaching importance to switching to biomass fuels.  In line with the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation commitments, Turkey had enacted necessary legislation in the area of renewable energy.  The country had established an International Centre for Hydrogen Energy in Istanbul, committing $40 million.  The challenges were huge and global action was needed, he concluded.

MUHAMMAD ALI SORCAR ( Bangladesh) said that according to the fourth assessment of the IPCC, Bangladesh was projected to be among the countries worst affected by climate change.  The adverse impact of climate change was evident in the agricultural sector and development infrastructures.  For example, Bangladesh was already experiencing a substantial reduction in food grain production due to unusual rainfall and temperature patterns.  The consequences could be unprecedented.  A global post-2012 Kyoto framework was urgently needed.  He underscored the importance of ensuring easy access to the Adaptation Fund by developing countries, particularly the least developed countries and small island developing States.  He also emphasized the importance of a comprehensive framework to operationalize policy options and possible actions at all levels to address climate risks and adaptation.

CONNIE HEDEGAARD, Minister of the Environment of Denmark, calling on States to follow through on their sustainable development commitments, said Governments must introduce the most efficient actions in their national plans.  It was necessary to separate economic growth from energy consumption, she said, noting that Denmark had succeeded in increasing its gross national product (GNP) by 70 per cent in the last several years without having increased its energy consumption.  Governments should adopt targets to access renewable energies.  If politicians were to participate in future sessions, the current session must make progress, particularly in taking decisions that responded to the needs of each country.

CHAKIB KHELIL, Minister of Energy and Mines of Algeria, said the Commission must reach agreement on the actions that need to be implemented, thereby strengthening its credibility.  The least expensive action would be the establishment of legislative frameworks, he said, noting that a proper framework would inspire public and private agents to conserve energy resources.  Support from developed countries was needed in providing knowledge for implementation efforts.  Sustainable development also required establishing energy infrastructures.

He reiterated Algeria’s commitment to realizing its sustainable development goals.  In that context, Algeria had made efforts to develop liquefied petroleum gas projects.  In the area of renewable energy, Algeria had started a solar electrification programme for isolated populations.  Further, it had undertaken the reduction of gas flaring, as well as a carbon capture project in the Algerian Sahara.  Those actions were part of a national energy policy framework.  An institutional framework for promoting renewable energy had been established, he noted, stressing that nuclear energy should be promoted as it did not emit greenhouse gases.  A law to ensure its use was being prepared.

MOK MARETH, Minister of Environment of Cambodia, said energy was crucial for sustainable development.  The international community should adopt the means of integrating energy access into national sustainable development strategies, poverty reduction strategies, development planning frameworks and development cooperation policies.  Increased use of renewable energy, improved energy efficiency, energy saving measures, cleaner fossil fuel technologies and clean coal technologies, supported by effective policies and technology transfer, was essential.  Industrial development must be achieved in a sustained manner, hand in hand with economic growth, social development and environmental protection.

Air pollution, he continued, was a major threat to human health.  Financial resources must be provided to prevent the adverse health effects of indoor air pollution in developing countries.  As an agrarian and least developed country, Cambodia was very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and it had limited means to prepare and adapt.  Cambodia had developed the Cambodian National Adaptation Programme of Action to Climate Change.  Its next challenge was to mobilize resources to implement the Programme. 

LULAMA XINGWANA, Minister for Agriculture and Land Affairs of South Africa, said her country had hosted the Fourth World Congress of Rural Women this year, which called on Governments, civil society and corporations to take responsibility to work with rural women and support their economic empowerment.  The Congress had agreed that rural poverty should be addressed in a comprehensive and holistic manner.

On peace and security, the Congress had concluded that women should participate in peace talks to end wars and conflicts, she said.  Further, “empowerment, employment and education” were required to ensure that women were aware of their rights.  On governance issues, the Congress had called for the representation of rural women in the public and private sectors, including in leadership positions.  Moreover, it urged leaders to take forward the mandate of the Congress by mobilizing financial resources.  Rural women maintained a strong voice in moving sustainable development agendas forward.

ABRAHAM DWUMA ODOOM, Deputy Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment of Ghana, said regional cooperation was vital for achieving sustainable development.  Ghana worked with other African countries on integrated socio-economic development and environmental protection through the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and African Union structures.  He called for mobilizing financial and human resources from internal and external sources to implement programmes on the session’s four themes. 

He encouraged countries to monitor and evaluate performance of their strategic plans through peer reviews of their national sustainable development strategies.  Such an approach was an effective tool and served as an indicator of international cooperation.  It was important to deepen partnerships and cooperation with development partners, particularly international financial institutions.  He urged developing countries, particularly in Africa, to practice good governance and to create friendly investment environments.  He called for effective participation of women in decision-making to help implement sustainable development policies.  Ghana was committed to gender mainstreaming in all Government policies and strategies.

AGNIESZKA BOLESTA, Under Secretary of State of the Ministry of Environment of Poland, said the important and still unresolved issue of energy security was a priority.  That issue had given rise to questions on the future development of the global economy, and joint action based on solidarity to stop the adverse impacts on the global ecosystem was needed.

It was necessary to work out a realistic global approach, she said.  Poland attached particular importance to atmospheric air pollution and climate change, and party to the Kyoto Protocol.  In 2005, Poland achieved a 32 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and other complimentary methods to combat climate change, including sequestration, could be undertaken.  Further, the country had achieved significant reductions of air pollutants through public approval of costly energy sector reforms.  In the future, biofuels –- which development Poland supported -- would play an increasingly important role in the energy balances of particular countries and regions.

TATIANA STARCHENKO, Deputy Minister of the Economy of Belarus, said Belarus paid particular attention to the development of the energy sector and enhancement of energy efficiency.  The Government planned to invest more than $5 billion within five years in the energy sector in order to decrease amortization of basic production assets and energy consumption; achieve rational use of energy resources through energy savings; and increase the share of local and renewable energy resources.  Like other importers of energy resources vulnerable to commodity and fuel market fluctuations, Belarus had bilateral and multilateral mechanisms to ensure energy market stability and prevent drastic price fluctuations.  Most developing countries and economies in transition experienced acute shortages in investments and new technologies in the energy sector.  She called on developed countries to use available economic mechanisms to stimulate the flow of investments and advanced energy-saving technologies to developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

BIN AHMED AL-HARTHY ( Oman) said his country had sought to comply with the principles of sustainable development, as well as with regional agreements to ensure environmental safety.  Oman was keen to use renewable energy, for which it was necessary to change the pattern of consumption to rely more heavily on liquefied petroleum gas.  The country had been using lead-free gasoline since 2001 and was establishing new projects that relied on natural gas.

On industrial development, he said the necessary regulatory frameworks had been created to give incentives to the private sector and for the use of environmentally clean energy.  Those efforts complemented other initiatives to promote industrial quality control that would bring companies and communities in line with international norms.

The question of air pollution was drawing adequate attention, he continued, noting that a regional framework had been developed.  As climate change was considered the most serious challenge, Oman had endorsed the Kyoto Protocol and the Climate Change Convention.  Further, it had complied with the basic principles of sustainable development, and hoped the Commission’s outcome would be commensurate with the challenges ahead.

MARGARITA SONGCO, Deputy Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority of the Philippines, said the millennium targets and the sustainable development agenda were embodied in the Philippines National Sustainable Development Strategy.  On energy development, she said that President Arroyo had signed the 2006 Philippines Biofuels Act, creating a policy environment that would allow for diversification of energy sources and expansion of livelihood opportunities by mandating the use of biofuels as a measure to develop and utilize indigenous, renewable and clean energy sources.  That would also reduce dependence on imported oil, mitigate toxic and greenhouse gas emissions, increase rural employment and income and ensure the availability of alternative and renewable clean energy without harming the natural ecosystem, biodiversity and food reserves of the country.

Notwithstanding those efforts, she said that challenges remained, concerning technology development and transfer, financing and capacity development.  She supported the promotion of clean and environmentally friendly energy sources, as well as diversification of the energy mix through the development and use of indigenous, alternative and renewable energies.  That would not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but would also facilitate energy access, especially in remote and isolated areas common to archipelagic States such as the Philippines.

RONALDO MOTA SARDENBERG ( Brazil) said that, while it was encouraging that sustainable development issues were being mainstreamed, it was regrettable that the concept of sustainable development had not yet been fully applied to all contexts encompassing economic and social dimensions.  Brazil was firmly committed to combating poverty and promoting sustainable development, he said, noting that developing countries had an overriding obligation to take their citizens out of poverty through sustainable development.  Coordinated actions in the areas of energy, climate change, industrial development and air pollution were critical.

A global response to climate change that addressed the principle of common, but differentiated responsibilities was needed, he stated.  Developed countries had a historical and ethical responsibility to take the lead in mitigating emissions of greenhouse gases.  Brazil was strongly convinced of the link between climate change and energy.  Liquid biofuels were playing an increasing role, and Brazil had recently launched the International Biofuels Forum.  The country’s record showed that it was possible to combat poverty and advance industrial development, while also reducing air pollution.  It was not enough to reaffirm commitments to eradicate poverty; concerted international efforts to implement those commitments were needed.

JOHAN VERBEKE (Belgium), speaking on behalf of the Belgian State Secretary for Sustainable Development, said that policy decisions on the themes of the Commission’s current two-year cycle were linked to consumption and production patterns.  The European Union had recently underscored the need to address climate change and energy security internally and externally.  Energy accounted for 80 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union, and was therefore at the root of tackling climate change.  Energy for sustainable development and climate change were key interlinked challenges that must be addressed today for the benefit of future generations. 

He also stressed the crucial role of energy access, renewable energy sources and energy efficiency and savings in enhancing energy security.  He emphasized the need for more resources for research and development for renewable energy technologies, which were still receiving less attention than unsustainable alternatives.  He also stressed the need for a stable investment framework for renewable energy technology to allow for the phase-out of unsustainable forms of energy production. 

AUGUSTIN FREDERIC, Minister of the Planning and Development Ministry of Cameroon, said that for decades, the world had faced air pollution and climate change problems, the results of which had included rising sea levels.  Africa faced the additional problems of poverty, insufficient technological capacity and lack of access to financial and energy sources.  In crucial sectors such as energy, where sub-regional, regional and international cooperation was indispensable, Cameroon appealed to industrialized countries to give decisive support to ambitious development programmes in Africa.  He stressed that energy was essential for achieving the Millennium Development Goals.  It was important to make improvements to the current situation, and create a win-win partnership based on access to renewable energy and clean technology.

HJÁLMAR HANNESSON ( Iceland) said that at present, nearly all the stationary energy and more than 70 per cent of total energy production in Iceland came from renewable sources.  Iceland had developed from being at the receiving end of a transfer of industrial, technological know-how to being at the forefront of transferring knowledge in sustainable development to developing countries.  The key to that success was partnerships, including regional partnerships to create peace and security, political partnerships for a Nordic welfare society and trade partnerships with European and North American countries.

Iceland, he said, had successfully been able to achieve sustainable use of fisheries and energy for economic benefit, and had also increasingly taken part in various development and capacity-building projects in partnership with stakeholders in developing countries.  For decades, Iceland had been at the forefront of developing technologies for harnessing climate friendly, renewable energy sources, such as geothermal power.  Through the United Nations University Geothermal Training Programme, Iceland had provided training and education to harness geothermal energy to hundreds of experts from developing countries.  Iceland was supporting public-private partnerships with stakeholders in the Caribbean to develop a pilot project in the geothermal energy sector.

MARÍA DE FÁTIMA LIMA DA VEIGA ( Cape Verde) said sustainable development issues were extremely relevant for developing countries, least developed countries and land locked countries.  Since energy, industrial development and air pollution impacted each other, balanced policies and effective partnerships to accelerate implementation of commitments were needed.  All major actors should be involved in defining policy guidance through an inclusive and flexible process.  Promoting development and dissemination of renewable energy technologies was essential.  Cape Verde supported European Union proposals to increase energy efficiency and access.

In Cape Verde, only three per cent of the total energy produced came from renewable energy sources, in spite of the country’s large potential for developing solar and wind energy.  Although national targets had been set for wind and solar expansion by 2011, funds were needed.  While expanding electrification projects, Cape Verde was also seeking partnerships to replace biomass with more efficient forms of energy.

ALI HACHANI ( Tunisia) said sustainable development must be addressed in a holistic manner, integrating the four main themes of the current session: energy, industrial development, climate change and air pollution.  The issues involved must be dealt with collectively.  Responsible energy use was clearly a decisive factor in economic and social development, improving living standards and alleviating poverty.  Since the energy deficit from the 1980s was due to the constant demand for energy, Tunisia had set up a whole range of financial incentives for energy control, mitigation of greenhouse gases and improvement in air quality.  It had conducted training and awareness-raising on the issues involved.  Also, it was launching environmentally-friendly reforms in the business and industry sectors, as well as better air quality standards in partnership with various stakeholders in the private and public sectors.  He called for greater support from the international community and comprehensive bilateral and multilateral mechanisms to address the impact of climate change.

CELESTINO MIGLIORE, Observer of the Holy See, said the consequences of climate change were already being felt and would most impact the poorest and weakest due to their limited resources or the fact that they lived in areas at greatest risk.  Many of the most vulnerable societies facing energy problems relied on agriculture, the very sector most likely to suffer from climatic shifts.  Recently, the Security Council met to discuss energy, security and climate.  The sobering fact was that the world was witnessing a struggle for control of oil and water, both of which were becoming increasingly scarce. 

He said there had been some economies that grew while reducing energy consumption, evidence that economic growth did not necessarily require greater consumption.  However, technology, ingenuity, determined political will and common sense were needed, as was technology transfer to developing countries.  National education schemes would also help people alter consumption and production patterns in a more responsible way, as well as demand similar change throughout construction, transport, businesses and other institutions.  Through such education, citizens could grasp the urgency of what needed to be done.

A representative of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said recent reports indicated that by 2010 there would be an additional 50 million environmental migrants in the world, forced to move from their habitual homes to temporary or durable new homes because of environmental changes that adversely affected their livelihoods.  While disaster response had been high on the international community’s agenda in recent years, comparatively little attention had been paid to the long-term migration consequences of predictable environmental forces such as global climate change, the greenhouse effect, deforestation, desertification, drought, river erosion and other relatively predictable climate and environmental trends. 

Those changes would put at risk inhabitants of coastal regions, islands and areas susceptible to drought, as well as permanently alter the livelihoods and lifestyles of people living in such areas, or those who depended on plant and animal species or particular natural environments that were in jeopardy.  Migration was not just linked to earthquakes and other natural disasters.  Gradual climate change was already uprooting communities and transforming cultures at an alarming rate. 

JAMAL SAGHIR, Director of Energy, Transport and Water at the World Bank, said that enhancing cooperation and harmonization with stakeholders was not an easy issue, as all States were guilty of not doing enough to foster partnership.  The “intergovernmental constellation” of organizations to which the Bank was attached, was constrained by the inherent limitations of a structure based on the political economy of a foregone time.  Today, States were called on to adopt new approaches to public policymaking, and decisions needed to be based on consultation so that actions fostered accountability.

An example of such a network-based approach was provided when leaders at the Group of Eight Summit at Gleneagles mandated the World Bank to engage with other multilateral development banks to harness funding for clean technologies in developing countries.  The Summit also initiated a “Dialogue on Climate Change, Clean Energy and Sustainable Development”.  Since then, the Bank had developed an Investment Framework for Clean Energy Development, a financing and knowledge management initiative, and worked with UNDP to sponsor the Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme.

Similarly, the Bank had developed an Action Plan for Energy Access in Africa, which aimed to ensure energy access, connect public facilities and meet basic energy needs.  There were also real possibilities to better align lending programmes of international financial institutions with private investments in energy infrastructure, which in turn could foster the commercialization of new technologies.

A representative of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said that shipping was a very positive force in the context of sustainable development, making a major contribution to global prosperity in a way that had a small negative impact on the environment.  More than 90 per cent of global trade was carried by sea.  Both rich and poor benefited from seaborne trade.  Developing countries could and had become major participants in the industry itself, generating income and creating wealth along the way.  The majority of seafarers today were from developing countries, and their remittances had a very real impact on poverty reduction at the grassroots level. 

The IMO was working to further reduce emissions from ship exhausts, through the revision of a treaty that set the related limits and prohibited the emission of ozone-depleting substances and the installation of ship-board systems containing such substances.  In 2006, the IMO adopted a work plan and timetable on further reducing carbon dioxide emissions from international shipping.  The IMO continued to pursue a long-term strategy to ensure that shipping maintained and improved its contribution to global sustainability, a strategy that involved Governments, the shipping industry, environmental interests, engine manufacturers, oil producers, scientists and other relevant actors.

Interactive dialogue with major groups

During the interactive dialogue that followed with the representatives of major groups, a speaker from the scientific and technological community said more research in understanding climate change at regional and local levels was urgently needed, noting that mitigation and adaptation efforts should be vigorously pursued.  The North-South gap in science and technology continued to widen, and partnerships should be significantly enhanced.  The representative of business and industry stated that Governments had been too reluctant in introducing both regulation and legislation for emissions reduction and energy efficiency.  Indeed, it was better to have regulation than uncertainty.

The representative of workers and trade unions noted the relevance of issues such as HIV/AIDS which cut across environment and health sectors, while the speaker representing local authorities said it had been proactive in addressing energy concerns.  Moreover, they would continue to fill the leadership void passed down to them by other levels of Government.

Representing non-governmental organizations, another speaker said countries had avoided setting targets.  The current document before the Commission read more like “an oil spill”.  He hoped more leaders would emerge to address the climate crisis.  Moreover, non-governmental organizations were disappointed that the nuclear energy option was being added to the script, and believed it should be removed.  He called for internationally harmonized rules for polluting industries.  Another speaker underscored that petrodollars did not translate into positive impacts for people, particularly in his country.  Years of pollution had destroyed local communities’ ability to cultivate their crops. 

The representative of indigenous people noted that today’s market-driven economies were not sustainable.  He cited the need for mandatory standards on corporate responsibility and corresponding legal safeguards to uphold the rights of local communities.

The speaker representing youth and children asked for a show of hands of those who needed food and water for survival, enjoyed skiing and drank caffeine, and used the example to point out that the issues at hand were no longer abstract.  Developing countries must transition quickly to clean energy sources in ways that were regionally and culturally appropriate.  Another representative later added that marginalized communities were already feeling the impacts of unwise energy choices.  Following comments by the Commission Chair from Qatar, she extended an invitation to Qatari youth to join her delegation to discuss pertinent issues.

Still another representative urged that mechanisms be put in place to ensure that ethical principles were upheld during countries’ transition from fossil fuels to renewable energies.  Moreover, she said youth could participate in developing sustainable businesses.  She encouraged States to invest in holistic education to integrate sustainable development concepts into curricula.  Governments were also essential to enabling youth entrepreneurship, especially through developing micro-finance schemes and hosting business competitions.

The representative of women said gender mainstreaming required commitments to ensure that women’s needs were taken into account in energy strategies.  Clear targets, timeframes and gender-sensitive budgets that would ensure transparent energy policies were needed.

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For information media • not an official record