Sixty-seventh General Assembly

Second Committee

33^rd Meeting (AM)

Economic and Financial Committee Approves Text Stressing Need

 

to Increase Share of New Energy Sources in Global Mix

 

Taking up 6 Other Draft Resolutions, Delegations Pass 4, Defer Action on 3

The General Assembly would stress the need to increase the share of new and renewable sources of energy in the global mix as an important contribution to universal access to sustainable modern energy services, according to one of four draft resolutions that the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) approved by consensus today.

By the terms of the draft, on the promotion of new and renewable sources of energy, the Assembly would call upon Governments, relevant international and regional organizations as well as other stakeholders, to combine increased use of new and renewable energy resources, more efficient energy use, greater reliance on advanced energy technologies, including cleaner fossil fuel technologies, and the sustainable use of traditional energy, in order to meet the growing need for energy services in the longer term to achieve sustainable development.

The Assembly would, by further terms of the text, call upon Member States to galvanize efforts to make universal access to sustainable modern energy services a priority, as such services contributed to poverty eradication, improved the quality of life, reduced inequality, saved lives and improved health while helping to provide basic human needs and curb environmental risks, including those associated with climate change.

Taking up another draft resolution relating to sustainable development, the Committee approved a text on the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, by which the General Assembly would stress the importance of the continued substantive consideration of the issue of disaster risk reduction, and encourage Member States and relevant United Nations bodies to take into consideration, the important role of disaster risk reduction activities for the achievement of sustainable development, among other things.

Also by its terms, the Assembly would stress the need to foster better understanding and knowledge of the causes of disasters, and build and strengthen coping capacities, particularly in developing countries, through exchange of best practices, transfer of technology and educational and training programmes for disaster risk reduction, among other things.  It would also strongly encourage giving appropriate consideration to disaster risk reduction and building resilience to disasters, within the development agenda beyond 2015.

By a draft resolution titled on industrial development cooperation, the General Assembly would stress that the lack of a dynamic industrial and manufacturing sector was one of the factors that could lead to a widening of the income gap between rich and poor, and to the erosion of social protection nets.  It would also stress the importance of the activities of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in support of efforts by middle-income countries to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and achieve their development targets, including the Millennium Development Goals, as well as sustainable development.

The Committee then approved a draft resolution on agriculture development and food security, by which the General Assembly would stress the need to address the root causes of excessive volatility in food prices, including its structural causes, and the need to manage the risks linked to excessively volatile prices in agriculture commodities and their consequences for global food security and nutrition, as well as for smallholder farmers and poor urban-dwellers.  It would also stress the need to increase sustainable agricultural production and productivity globally, noting the diversity of agricultural conditions and systems, including by improving the functioning of markets and trading systems.

Further by that text, the Assembly would stress that a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system would promote agriculture and rural development in developing countries while contributing to world food security.  It would also stress the need to significantly reduce post-harvest and other food losses and waste throughout the food supply chain through, inter alia, increased promotion of appropriate harvesting practices, agro-food processing and appropriate facilities for the storage and packaging of food.  The Assembly would urge national, regional and international strategies to promote the participation of farmers, especially smallholders, in community, domestic, regional and international markets.

The Committee postponed until 7 December action on a draft resolution titled, “Report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme on its twelfth special session and on the implementation of section IV.C entitled ‘Environmental pillar in the context of sustainable development’ of the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development”.  It also deferred action on two texts titled, respectively, “Follow-up to the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries”, and “Smooth transition for countries graduating from the list of least developed countries”.

Under its agenda item “Globalization and interdependence”, the Committee heard the introduction of a draft resolution titled, “Promoting transparency, participation and accountability in fiscal policies”.  By its terms, the General Assembly would invite Member States and relevant United Nations institutions to promote cooperation and information-sharing among all stakeholders to help Member States build capacity and exchange experiences with regard to transparency, participation and accountability in fiscal policies.

The Committee will meet again at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, 7 December, when it is expected to take further action on outstanding draft resolutions.

Background

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) met this morning to take action on draft resolutions relating to its agenda items on sustainable development; groups of countries in special situations; globalization and interdependence; industrial development cooperation; and agricultural development and food security.

Introduction of Draft Resolution

The Committee began by taking up a draft resolution titled, “Promoting transparency, participation and accountability in fiscal policies” (document A/C.2/67/L.12/Rev.1).

MAURICIO FERNANDO DIAS FAVERO (Brazil), introducing that text, described it as a “superior and balanced document” thanks to contributions from a number of partners, and expressed hope that, in the future, the United Nations could function as a forum for partners and stakeholders to share relevant experiences.  Transparency and accountability were key for strengthening global governance, he stressed.

A number of delegations then joined as co-sponsors of the draft, which would be considered at a later date.

Action on Drafts

The Committee then took up the draft resolution on the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (document A/C.2/67/L.50), submitted by Rapporteur Aida Hodžić ( Bosnia and Herzegovina).

JORGE LAGUNA ( Mexico), facilitator of consultations on the draft, thanked all those who had contributed to the negotiations.

Approving the text without a vote, the Committee withdrew a previous version (document A/C.2/67/L.16.)

The Committee turned next to a draft resolution entitled, “Report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme on its twelfth special session and on the implementation of section IV.C entitled ‘Environmental pillar in the context of sustainable development’ of the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development” (document A/C.2/67/L.44).

Mr. LAGUNA said the text contained amendments that were not completely faithful to the negotiated language and requested republication of the draft resolution.

The Committee postponed action on that text until 7 December.

It then took up a draft resolution entitled, “Promotion of new and renewable sources of energy” (document A/C.2/67/L.52).

CANDIDA NOVÁK HORŇÁKOVÁ (Czech Republic) made a number of oral amendments to the text before the Committee approved it without a vote, as orally amended, withdrawing the previous version (document A/C.2/67/L.26).

Taking up two draft resolutions entitled, respectively, “Follow-up to the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries” (document A/C.2/67/L.53) and “Smooth transition for countries graduating from the list of least developed countries” (document A/C.2/67/L.51), the Committee decided to reschedule its consideration of those texts to 7 December as they entailed budget implications requiring more time for Member States to consider.

The Committee then turned to a draft resolution on industrial development cooperation (document A/C.2/67/L.54).

TISHKA FRANCIS ( Bahamas) made an oral correction to the text before the Committee approved it without a vote, as orally corrected, withdrawing the previous version (document A/C.2/67/L.32).

The Committee then turned to a draft resolution titled, “Agriculture development and food security” (document A/C.2/67/L.48).

MARÍA DEL CASTILLO (Dominican Republic) proposed an oral correction to the text before the Committee approved it without a vote, as orally corrected, withdrawing the previous version (document A/C.2/67/L.31).

TERRI ROBL (United States) said her delegation’s concerns in respect of language on the “right to food” were well known, citing its explanation of position regarding a Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, Cultural) draft resolution on the right to food.

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For information media • not an official record