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For
Coverage of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, PrepCom-1
(CSD-10), visit http://enb.iisd.org/2002/pc1/
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CSD9
Chair Bedrich Moldan
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Consensus
reached and decisions adopted at CSD-9 early Saturday morning.
Friday
morning began with a Plenary session to take stock of progress
made in the Drafting Groups and to determine the organization
of work for the remainder of the day. Following the Plenary,
informals on atmosphere and nuclear energy convened. In
the afternoon, informals convened on an enabling environment.
John Ashe (Antigua and Barbuda) chaired the contact group
on outstanding issues, which met throughout the day until
5:30 pm. The group reconvened at 12:00 midnight to discuss
text on information, energy and transport, while informals
on atmosphere and enabling environment continued throughout
the night and into the early morning hours. Due to the cross-cutting
nature of some of the issues in the five draft decisions,
many of the contentious issues were traded as "package deals"
through informal bilateral agreements.
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| John
Ashe (Antigua and Barbuda) chaired the Contact Group
on outstanding issues. |
The
Contact Group concluded its work at approximately 6:00 am and the
texts with some remaining brackets were sent back to the Drafting
Groups for approval. The Drafting Group Chairs Alison Drayton (Guyana)
and David Stuart (Australia) then worked through the text to clear
the remaining brackets and sent them to Plenary for adoption. Most
of the text remaining in brackets was subsequently dropped. The
Closing Plenary of CSD-9 adjourned at 8:45 am on Saturday morning.
The five decisions on transport, atmosphere, energy, information
for decision-making and international cooperation for an enabling
environment were adopted at 8:20 am, and CSD-9 was gaveled to a
close at 8:45 am.
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ENB
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Recap of
CSD-9
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| JoAnne
DiSano, Director, Division for Sustainable Development, CSD-9
Chair Bedrich Moldan (Czech Republic) and Vice-Chair and Rapporteur
Madina
Jarbussynova (Kazakhstan). |
The
ninth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development took
place at UN Headquarters in New York from 16-28 April 2001. Over
500 participants, who included ministers, representatives of business
and industry, local authorities, the scientific and technological
community and non-governmental organizations attended. In accordance
with the Commission's multi-year programme of work for the period
1998-2002, the session reviewed the sectoral themes of Energy
and Atmosphere, the economic sector theme of Transport, and the
cross-sectoral themes of Information for Decision making and Participation
and on International Cooperation for an Enabling Environment.
After consideration of the agenda and organizational matters,
four Multi-stakeholder Dialogues were held (16-18 April), at which
the scientific and technological community participated for the
first time. Subsequently, a High-level Segment comprising of a
Special panel, two interactive dialogues and general debate (18-20
April) took place. On 19-20 April, Ministers and heads of delegations
also held two-hour informal exchanges with the nominated CSD-10
Bureau members with a view to provide political guidance on the
preparatory process of the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
The work of the Session was conducted in three drafting groups
(23-27 April), which prepared five draft decisions on energy,
information for decision making and participation, transport,
atmosphere, energy and international cooperation for an enabling
environment. There was protracted debate during the drafting sessions
concerning procedural and substantive issue. The G-77/China consistently
objected to the numerous new proposals introduced by the European
Union that had not been debated at the intersessionals. The substantive
concerns included the use and transportation of nuclear energy,
sustainable development indicators, Rio Principle 10 and recommendations
for action at the national level for an enabling environment,
on climate change and to the Kyoto Protocol.
Friday Morning Plenary
Plenary
convened briefly on Friday morning, 27 April to take stock of
the progress made in the Drafting Groups and to determine the
organization of work for the day.
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| The
Plenary Hall in the morning |
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Saudi
Arabia (left), Brazil and Egypt expressed concern that many developing
countries cannot participate in three parallel meetings.
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The
US said that for the enabling group to take on all enabling issues
in other groups could be problematic. The EU supported establishing
one broad negotiating mechanism to take up all outstanding matters.
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The
bureau consults to determine how to proceed with informal negotiations
for the day and decides
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In
the light of comments from delegates, Chair Moldan announced the
Drafting Group on atmosphere would meet immediately. The informal-informal
group chaired by Gustavo Ainchil (Argentina) consulting on nuclear
issues relating to energy and transport also convened after the
Plenary session. A contact group, chaired by John Ashe (Antigua
& Barbuda) was also established to deal with all outstanding issues.
The
bureau meets with the Sweden and Iran.
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Mohammad
Reza Salamat (Iran),
Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa) and John Ashe (Antigua and Barbuda)
Mohammad
Reza Salamat
facilitated the informals on information for decision-making
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Informals
on nuclear energy
Gustavo
Ainchil (Argentina) facilitated the contact group on nuclear energy
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Consultations
on transboundary movement of nuclear waste
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Late
Friday afternoon, delegates in the contact group on nuclear issues
achieved consensus on text under the draft decision on transport.
In noting awareness of the risk to human health, safety and the
environment from transboundary movements of hazardous substances,
delegates agreed to remove a proposed reference to nuclear wastes.
They also agreed to language stating that States should act in
a manner consistent with their respective obligations under relevant
international "instruments," rather than international "agreements
and standards."
Contact
Group on outstanding issues
Chair
on Outstanding Issues, John Ashe (Antigua Barbudos)
opens the midnight session by stating that the group will
discuss remaining text on Energy, Information for an Enabling
Environment and Transport.
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ENB
writer Wagaki Mwangi speaks with Chair John Ashe
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During
the energy discussions, Japan, supported by the EU and Australia,
reported that informal agreement was reached in the Group dealing
with atmosphere on the need for integrated global observing systems.
Nigeria and Egypt inquired about the purpose for such observing
systems and the cost implications of the proposal, which Japan indicated
was the result of the observation of the IPCC in its 3rd Assessment
Report regarding the need for coordination and cooperation between
the satellite and ground-based data systems. The G-77/China objected
to the proposal as the report referred to climate change, which
should not be discussed in the CSD.
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G-77/China
members consulting
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Transport:
Transport of nuclear waste was the most contentious issue,
with Japan and the Russian Federation opposing any reference
to it. New Zealand proposed a broader formulation including
"hazardous substances" borrowing language from the International
Atomic Energy Agency terms and proposed additional text
on notification and consultation. A final decision on
this issue resulted from the informal-informal consultation
on nuclear energy. Discussions on international cooperation
focused inter alia on: the availability of financial resources
to developing countries and countries with economies in
transition; the relationship between transport, environment
and health, and safety; phasing-out of lead in gasoline;
and, international organizations actions to address climate
change, air pollution and other impacts.
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| The
Czech Republic and Saudi Arabia consult on transport |
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| The
Swedish delegate during discussions on energy in the
contact group meeting |
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Chair
Ashe suggested deleting this section on eco-efficiency,
arguing it was covered in other sections of the document.
The EU (left) said they would prefer maintaining a reference
to this issue with the G-77/China opposing, arguing agreed
paragraph 28-UNGASS language. The EU was flexible to chair's
suggestion and the subparagraph reference was deleted.
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Informals
on Atmosphere
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Informal
consultations on atmosphere facilitated by David Drake (Canada);
The
most contentious issues in the text related to: guidance to the
Parties to the Montreal Protocol and the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), as well as language on
the Kyoto Protocol; equity and the historical share of developed
countries in contributing to polluting emissions; the effects
of air pollution on cultural heritage; private sector involvement
in technology transfer; air pollution in the context of human
settlements; atmospheric emissions and air pollutants; monitoring
of the Earth's atmosphere; and regional cooperation, including
capacity building.
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All night
long!!
Kim
Girtel and Dick Ballhorn (Canada) speak with Joanne DiSano
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Perusing
the daily ENB
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Vice-Chair
Alison Drayton (Guyana) speaks with Australia
Richard
Ballhorn, Canada
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Chairs
David Stuart, Bedrich Moldan and Alison Drayton
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At midnight,
the contact group on outstanding issues reconvened
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The
EU meets to consolidate its position (left) and the EU meets
with JUSCANZ
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The European
Union states its position on the inclusion of text.
Chair
John Ashe consults with Sweden before convening the midnight session
to discuss package proposals on on information, energy and transport
The
final decision on information for decision making and participation:
highlights general considerations; describes guidance to the multilateral
system, including on improvements in functioning, coherence and
coordination, and training and capacity building; outlines indicators
for sustainable development; and gives recommendations for activities
at the national level.
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Chair
John Ashe consults with groups on the energy text
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Iran,
speaking for the G77/China, opposes the inclusion of new text
proposed by Australia.
Australia
explains the nature of the W3C guidelines for providing accessible
information on the internet.
Nigeria
voices concern over this issue.
Mohammed
Reza Salamat, facilitator of enabling environment informals, speaking
with the South African delegate
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International
Cooperation for an enabling environment: A number of contentious
issues were discussed during informal talks. The G-77/China preferred
references to: economic growth, social development and environmental
protection; development of a strategy and action plan to reverse
the decline in ODA; ways in which ODA could be complemented by private
sector resources; and control of capital and investment flows for
the purpose of maintaining financial stability. The EU supported
text on the integrated and coordinated follow-up of major UN conferences
and summits and on good governance at the national level. The US
preferred text referring to efforts to reverse the decline of ODA
"for countries who have so agreed" to meet targets and to efforts
of developing countries to "effectively employ" capital and investment
flows.
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Delegates
discussed atmosphere informally throughout the night, facilitated
by David Drake (Canada) but were unable to reach consensus on how
and if to reference the Kyoto Protocol
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Delegates
review the documents before the Drafting Groups reconvene
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Energy:
Delegates look over the final text on energy; pictured here are
the Co-Chairs of the Energy Expert Group Irene Freudenschuss
Reichl with the EU (left) and Co-Chair Mohammad Reza Salamat with
Russia.
Of the many contentious issues, those that generated protracted
debate necessitating two days of informal consultations were on
recommendations regarding: the importance of taking into account
Principle 16 of the Rio declaration in the context of energy policies;
the effects of environmental standards on poverty eradication; the
internalization of external environmental costs; nuclear safety
and waste management, and regulation to govern transportation of
nuclear waste; energy efficiency codes and standards; the phase
out of harmful energy subsidies; resources to support energy for
sustainable development; and networking among centers of excellence
competent on energy technologies. Consensus on many of these issues
was reached through informal consultations that considered related
issues contained in the other draft decisions concurrently. Issues
on which consensus was not obtained were dropped by the Drafting
Groups as they adopted the decisions. These are on energy efficiency
codes and standards, the phase out of harmful subsidies in developed
countries, promotion of atmospheric pollutant reductions, and references
to the development of policies supporting energy for sustainable
development.
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India,
Nigeria and Iran review the documents
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Drafting
Groups reconvene to approve decisions forwarded from the contact
group
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Chair
Alison Drayton gavels through the decisions on energy, information
and enabling environment and Chair David Stuart (bottom right)
sends approved text on transport and atmosphere to Plenary
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Closing
Plenary
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Joanne
DiSano, Director, Division for Sustainable Development (left), and
CSD-9 Chair Bedrich Moldan
In
closing, Chair Moldan expressed thanks to delegates for their hard
work and gratitude at the conclusion of an extreme process, noting
that the CSD is a critical stage, preparing for the World Summit
on Sustainable Development.
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As
the sun comes up and shines through the window, the Closing Plenary
begins and one delegate still sleeps.
Alison
Drayton with South Africa (right)
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Sweden,
for the EU, and Iran, for the G-77/China, give closing statements;
the South African delegation (right) will have a strong presence
at the organizational PrepCom for the World Summit on Sustainable
Development
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Conference
Room 2 during the Closing Plenary; applause as the session closes
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The
Closing Plenary adjourned at 8:45 am
Goodbyes
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