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Upon
his arrival, Abdelaziz Boutefika, President of the Republic
of Algeria, was greeted by David Anderson, Canadian
Minister of the Environment and Chair of IGM-3 [left];
and by Klaus Topfer, Executive Director of UNEP [right]. |
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Next,
the Ministers and heads of delegation in attendance
were introduced to the President. |
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| Opening
Ceremony |
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David
Anderson, Minister of the Environment, Canada, and President
of the Governing Council of UNEP, said International Environmental
Governance (IEG) is emerging as one of the principal topics
for consideration at the WSSD in South Africa in 2002. He
noted that the presence of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika
of Algeria augured well for the future of IEG.
 Anderson's
welcome to the President (in the original French) |
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In
his opening address President Bouteflika highlighted factors
hindering effective implementation of the UNCED agreements
including, inter alia, poverty, consumption and production
patterns, and macro-economic constraints. He called for: efforts
and mechanisms to make MEAs more democratic; integration of
the environment into economic and social concerns; support
for a Southern NGO meeting to be hosted by Algeria in October
2001; and a reconstitution of the UNEP Environment Fund. |
Excerpts
of the President's address:
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| Plenary |
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The
President of UNEP's Governing Council, David Anderson, recalled
progress to date in the IEG deliberations. Sharing his own
perspective on the work of the third meeting of the IGM, Anderson
invited participants to reach a consensus on a framework for
the preparation of an agreed text, identifying as many areas
of convergence as possible.
Anderson's
opening statement |
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| UNEP
Executive Director Klaus Töpfer presented his revised
report (UNEP/IGM/3/2), prepared in accordance with Governing
Council decision 21/21 paragraph 4 that requests for the Executive
Director's report as a "living document" that evolves
to reflect discussions at IEG meetings, and highlighting areas
of consensus. Noting that this was the first time the IGM/IEG
process was meeting for two days to exclusively discuss this
issue, he urged delegates not only to exchange views but also
find solutions, and added that the Global Environment Outlook
(GEO 3) would be ready at the latest in May 2002. |
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Topfer's
presentation:
part one part
two
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Anderson introduced his "building blocks" proposals on IEG
(UNEP/IGM/3/CRP.1). He said the paper captures the essence
of converging opinions as expressed at the two previous
meetings of the IGM and enjoys the full support of the Bureau
of the UNEP Governing Council. He said the paper identifies
key pressures and imperatives for improving IEG and the
key challenges in the short-, medium- and long term, while
recognizing that there is no single "silver bullet" solution
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| Statements
from delegations |
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 The
G-77/China noted that deliberations on IEG have entered
a critical stage and announced the publication of G-77/China-commissioned
research papers from the Third World Network and the South
Centre. He highlighted a number of points, including: maintaining
the linkage between environment and development and approaching
IEG through the lens of sustainable development; using a
strengthened International Sustainable Development Governance
context to improve interactions with the multilateral trade
and finance institutions; and the status of the Commission
on Sustainable Development (CSD) as the main forum for high-level
policy debate on sustainable development, and a review of
the CSD in the context of the WSSD preparatory process (GA
Resolution A/55/199).
G77/China
opening statement: part
one part two
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Belgium,
on behalf of the European Union (EU), said the European
Council had identified IEG as a priority issue in the pursuit
of sustainable development at the global level. She said:
the institutional architecture for IEG should have sufficient
capacity, authority and credibility to address environmental
threats in a globalizing world; EU member states plan to
increase their ODA levels to 0.7% of their GDP by the 2002
WSSD and called on other partners to reciprocate; and added
that the Chair's proposals contained in the building blocks
formed a good basis for dialogue on the IEG.
Opening
statement of the EU
In response to delegates' comments at the close of
the discussion, she urged delegates to respond to the proposals
in the text, not what is imagined could be behind the proposals.
Second
statement by the EU
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| PALESTINE
praised UNEP for its role in supporting developing countries
and thanked Algeria for its moral, political and material
support during the occupation by Israel. He proposed the establishment
of an international environmental court and outlined the efforts
of the Palestinian Authority to protect the environment. He
said that Israel had shelled the Palestinian Ministry of the
Environment in Ramallah. Right: after his statement,
the Palestinian delegate distributed pieces of shrapnel to
the participants to illustrate the struggle of the Palestinian
people. |
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Raoul
Estrada-Oyuela (Argentina) moderated the afternoon session. |
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Jan
Pronk, The NETHERLANDS, suggested that participants were on
the right track to reach a consensus on strengthening and
reforming IEG, adding that the EU position states that IEG
ought to be at the service of international sustainable development,
including poverty reduction.
Listen
to the Netherland's intervention |
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Bangladesh
stated that the IEG reform and revitalization can only benefit
sustainable development by addressing emergency response
concerns, the root causes of environment degradation and
adherence to commitments, particularly regarding financial
contributions. He noted the need to clarify the roles, mandates
and structures of the GMEF and the EMG, noting however that
the latter is not a governmental organization but a body
of secretariats.
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SWITZERLAND
supported Chair Anderson's "building blocks" paper,
in particular his concern for coherence in IEG through a strengthened
political leadership role for the GMEF and stable funding
for UNEP. He said a strengthened EMG, operating within the
UN system, could reflect the legitimate desire of the G-77/China
to develop IEG within the context of sustainable development. |
| India
said the IEG should be viewed in the broader context of governance,
particularly the three pillars of sustainable development.
Regarding strengthening integration with existing financial,
trade and technical aspects, he said WTO has adequate capacity
to take up these issues, and expressed strong reservation
on the proposal to create a WEO, but was supportive of strengthening
UNEP and maintaining its location in Nairobi |
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Norway
said that the key challenge is to mainstream environment concerns
into development so that market forces work in favor of poverty
eradication proposals. She expressed disappointment at some
delegations' objection to seek finances for UNEP from the
UN regular fund. |
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United States said the paper on harmonization of national
reporting (UNEP/IGM/3/CRP.2) provides a rigorous assessment
of the problem, and noted that the system itself is not so
ill, but is self-correcting as the MEAs had already begun
to address inconsistencies, thus he supported a case-by-case
consideration of clusters, as well as coordination and implementation
at the national levels. |
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South
Africa described global poverty as the single most important
threat to sustainable development and announced that South
Africa would use the WSSD to call for a global compact between
governments, the private sector and civil society. |
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The
UNDP representative supported: a strengthened IEG; a strengthened
UNEP with sufficient financial resources, including both scientific
and technical apsects; and a broadening of the IEG debate
beyond Ministries of Environment. |
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The
WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION suggested that proposals
to strengthen UNEP's capacity on early warning and monitoring
systems will require elaboration because a number of agencies
are already involved in such activities. |
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| Summary |
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Estrada's
presents his recapitulation and conclusion of the day's discussion |
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Below:
a buffet-lunch fit for a minister (or his/her representative)
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