Daily report for 26 May 1994

CSD Chair Klaus T”pfer welcomed the delegates to the second day ofthe High-Level Segment. Country statements continued, however,T”pfer asked delegates to focus on the issues that had beenscheduled for discussion: finance issues during the morning andconsumption and production patterns and trade and the environmentduring the afternoon. To facilitate discussion, he inviteddelegates to raise both hands if they wanted to respond to anyintervention. Despite his plea, no discussion ensued.

JAPAN: Ichiro Kamoshita, Parliamentary Vice-Minister ofEnvironment, noted that the measures that have been taken as aresult of the UNCED process have been of a curative nature, and theroot of these problems must now be addressed. Japan willrestructure its own socio-economic system, so that futuregenerations may inherit favorable environmental conditions.

SRI LANKA: Wimal Wickramasinghe, Minister of Environment andParliamentary Affairs, stated that the CSD process has not metexpectations. He called for linkages and cooperation between allinternational institutions. He also proposed that the CSD beempowered with financial and technical resources and a desk officerfor each country.

CZECH REPUBLIC: Deputy Minister of Environment VladislavBizek noted that unsustainable patterns of consumption andproduction are at the core of global environmental problems. Heoffered to organize an intersessional meeting on economicinstruments for sustainable development.

AUSTRIA: Maria Rauch-Kallat, Federal Minister forEnvironment, Youth and Family, noted the importance of timely andmanageable information, the need to find reliable indicators, andthe advisability of a regional approach to work. She said thatmeetings sponsored by governments are the best forum for innovativeand creative thinking, and warned against the proliferation ofworking groups.

BURKINA FASO: Prosper Sawadogo, Permanent Secretary of theNEAP, stated the need to put into effect the activities that havebeen agreed upon. He emphasized the need to integrate the issues offinancial resources, technology access and capacity-building.

PAKISTAN: Begum Nusrat Bhutto, Special Representative, notedthe importance of the issues of lead poisoning and freshwater. Shestated that the paucity of financial resources is a major obstacle.She called for global action to implement international conventionsand to ensure financial and technical assistance.

CANADA: Clifford Lincoln, Deputy Prime Minister, stated theneed to be creative, pragmatic and pro-active. He noted that toachieve the agenda for sustainable development, the CSD must not bethe home of the converted, but should attract finance and economicministers.

POLAND: Bernard Blaszczyk, Minister of Environment, NaturalResources and Forestry, said that unemployment has delayed hisnation's sustainable development policies. He announced that Polandwill co-sponsor with UNEP a "cleaner production" symposium.

OECD: Deputy-Secretary-General, Makoto Taniguchi, noted fourcritical areas in which the OECD is undertaking major work or iswilling to do more: consumption and production patterns; trade andenvironment; national reporting; and finance and resource flows.

FRANCE: Minister of the Environment, Michel Barnier, statedthat to keep the CSD from becoming a paper tiger it needs to takespecific action. He noted that action is happening at theinternational, regional and national levels and called attention tothe Desertification Convention.

BARBADOS: Harcourt Lewis, Minister for the Environment,noted that the momentum of Rio has faltered and that there is agreat difference of views between the North and South. He statedthat the Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small IslandDeveloping States represents a significant attempt to translateAgenda 21 into practical actions.

SWEDEN: Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources,Olof Johansson, said that almost three hundred municipalities areat work to enact Agenda 21 in Sweden. He suggested that the CSDshow these locally active people what is being done at theinternational level, and proposed the preparation of a fact sheet.

KOREA: Yun-Heun Park, Minister for Environment, stated thattrade and the environment should be mutually supportive in thepursuit of sustainable development. The CSD should play animportant role on these issues by providing guidelines for relevantinternational organizations.

ISRAEL: Amb. Israel Eliashiv noted that Agenda 21 opened newvistas for achieving the objective of sustainable development. Hesaid that solutions are only viable if they are put into effect ona global scale. He emphasized the importance of regionalcooperation, citing the Mediterranean Action Plan as an example.

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF CONSUMER UNIONS: Maria-ElenaHurtado stated that the CSD should take leadership in coordinatinginternational financial institutions on trade and environmentissues. She encouraged the CSD to carry out assessments of theenvironmental impacts of the banks' structural adjustmentprogrammes.

BAHAMAS: Ivy Dumont, Minister of Health and Environment,called for the protection of land, water resources and humanresources. She noted that poverty and environmental degradationhave a symbiotic relationship. She stated that the promotion ofhealth and the prevention of disease must command global attention.

CHINA: China noted that the new global partnership requiresdeveloped countries to fully implement their UNCED commitments. Heasked how trade and technology transfer can broaden the number ofcountries that urgently need these products. He noted thatdeveloped countries account for 25% of the world's population yetconsume 75% of the world's resources.

NORWAY: The Minister of the Environment, Thorbj"rn Bernsten,noted that production and consumption must be sustainable at theglobal level and must be based on the polluter-pays principle. Herecommended that a CO2 tax be implemented.

PHILIPPINES: Cielito Habito, the Secretary for SocialEconomic Planning, noted that more economic and developmentministers must participate in the CSD process. The Philippines willhost a meeting on the economics of sustainability this July, whichwill focus on indicators.

INDONESIA: Mr. Sarwonon Kusumaatmadja, Minister ofEnvironment, noted that changing consumption patterns will requirea multi-pronged strategy focusing on demand, meeting the basicneeds of the poor and reducing waste. Indonesia is supporting aconference on sustainable forest management in preparation for nextyear's CSD session.

EGYPT: Mostafa Tolba questioned the authority of the CSD,and asked how it could become a powerful forum. He suggested thatthe CSD use this opportunity to have a real dialogue regarding whatcan be done to make this a political forum instead of just atalking shop. He stated the need for targets, asking what developedcountries are working toward with respect to their consumptionpatterns. Tolba also noted that there is no reference in the textsto the next two major conferences -- the Social Summit and theInternational Conference on Population and Development.

SINGAPORE: Mah Bow Tan, Minister for the Environment, notedthat it is a paradox that technology, which has caused muchenvironmental degradation, can also be used to reverse thisdegradation. Technology transfer needs partnerships betweendeveloping and developed countries and private industries.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION: The Russian delegate noted that the CSDis undergoing a difficult transition stage. He supported theproposal for two expert groups with renewable mandates and saidthat the effectiveness of their work will depend on the detailedtechnological work done on the different sectoral issues.

BELGIUM: The Belgium delegate noted that production andconsumption patterns and trade and the environment are thecornerstones of sustainable development. These are complex issuesand consequently progress will be slow. He discussed the use oftaxes and called for a CO2 tax.

ICELAND: The representative noted the importance ofconvincing consumers of the impact of their decisions, and calledfor education and economic instruments to assist in this. Theproduction and consumption patterns of women are also important,and their roles must be integrated into sustainable developmentpolicies.

URUGUAY: Julio Balino, Vice Minister, told delegates aboutmeasures his country has taken to implement Agenda 21. Heidentified the transfer of environmentally sound technology andchanges in consumption patterns as essential issues.

BULGARIA: Jordan Uzunov, Deputy Minister of the Environment,stated that the success of Agenda 21 will depend on action takenprimarily at the national level. He reported that, in implementinghis nation's environmental programmes, efficiency has been improvedby involving local communities.

TANZANIA: The Tanzanian delegate stated that action is themandate of this Commission and that it must move from the role ofconsensus builder to agent of change. He noted that financial flowsand arrangements remain inadequate and consumption and productionpatterns remain an issue on which little action has been taken.

PLENARY

CSD Chair Klaus T”pfer welcomed the delegates to the second day ofthe High-Level Segment. Country statements continued, however,T”pfer asked delegates to focus on the issues that had beenscheduled for discussion: finance issues during the morning andconsumption and production patterns and trade and the environmentduring the afternoon. To facilitate discussion, he inviteddelegates to raise both hands if they wanted to respond to anyintervention. Despite his plea, no discussion ensued.

JAPAN: Ichiro Kamoshita, Parliamentary Vice-Minister ofEnvironment, noted that the measures that have been taken as aresult of the UNCED process have been of a curative nature, and theroot of these problems must now be addressed. Japan willrestructure its own socio-economic system, so that futuregenerations may inherit favorable environmental conditions.

SRI LANKA: Wimal Wickramasinghe, Minister of Environment andParliamentary Affairs, stated that the CSD process has not metexpectations. He called for linkages and cooperation between allinternational institutions. He also proposed that the CSD beempowered with financial and technical resources and a desk officerfor each country.

CZECH REPUBLIC: Deputy Minister of Environment VladislavBizek noted that unsustainable patterns of consumption andproduction are at the core of global environmental problems. Heoffered to organize an intersessional meeting on economicinstruments for sustainable development.

AUSTRIA: Maria Rauch-Kallat, Federal Minister forEnvironment, Youth and Family, noted the importance of timely andmanageable information, the need to find reliable indicators, andthe advisability of a regional approach to work. She said thatmeetings sponsored by governments are the best forum for innovativeand creative thinking, and warned against the proliferation ofworking groups.

BURKINA FASO: Prosper Sawadogo, Permanent Secretary of theNEAP, stated the need to put into effect the activities that havebeen agreed upon. He emphasized the need to integrate the issues offinancial resources, technology access and capacity-building.

PAKISTAN: Begum Nusrat Bhutto, Special Representative, notedthe importance of the issues of lead poisoning and freshwater. Shestated that the paucity of financial resources is a major obstacle.She called for global action to implement international conventionsand to ensure financial and technical assistance.

CANADA: Clifford Lincoln, Deputy Prime Minister, stated theneed to be creative, pragmatic and pro-active. He noted that toachieve the agenda for sustainable development, the CSD must not bethe home of the converted, but should attract finance and economicministers.

POLAND: Bernard Blaszczyk, Minister of Environment, NaturalResources and Forestry, said that unemployment has delayed hisnation's sustainable development policies. He announced that Polandwill co-sponsor with UNEP a "cleaner production" symposium.

OECD: Deputy-Secretary-General, Makoto Taniguchi, noted fourcritical areas in which the OECD is undertaking major work or iswilling to do more: consumption and production patterns; trade andenvironment; national reporting; and finance and resource flows.

FRANCE: Minister of the Environment, Michel Barnier, statedthat to keep the CSD from becoming a paper tiger it needs to takespecific action. He noted that action is happening at theinternational, regional and national levels and called attention tothe Desertification Convention.

BARBADOS: Harcourt Lewis, Minister for the Environment,noted that the momentum of Rio has faltered and that there is agreat difference of views between the North and South. He statedthat the Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small IslandDeveloping States represents a significant attempt to translateAgenda 21 into practical actions.

SWEDEN: Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources,Olof Johansson, said that almost three hundred municipalities areat work to enact Agenda 21 in Sweden. He suggested that the CSDshow these locally active people what is being done at theinternational level, and proposed the preparation of a fact sheet.

KOREA: Yun-Heun Park, Minister for Environment, stated thattrade and the environment should be mutually supportive in thepursuit of sustainable development. The CSD should play animportant role on these issues by providing guidelines for relevantinternational organizations.

ISRAEL: Amb. Israel Eliashiv noted that Agenda 21 opened newvistas for achieving the objective of sustainable development. Hesaid that solutions are only viable if they are put into effect ona global scale. He emphasized the importance of regionalcooperation, citing the Mediterranean Action Plan as an example.

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF CONSUMER UNIONS: Maria-ElenaHurtado stated that the CSD should take leadership in coordinatinginternational financial institutions on trade and environmentissues. She encouraged the CSD to carry out assessments of theenvironmental impacts of the banks' structural adjustmentprogrammes.

BAHAMAS: Ivy Dumont, Minister of Health and Environment,called for the protection of land, water resources and humanresources. She noted that poverty and environmental degradationhave a symbiotic relationship. She stated that the promotion ofhealth and the prevention of disease must command global attention.

CHINA: China noted that the new global partnership requiresdeveloped countries to fully implement their UNCED commitments. Heasked how trade and technology transfer can broaden the number ofcountries that urgently need these products. He noted thatdeveloped countries account for 25% of the world's population yetconsume 75% of the world's resources.

NORWAY: The Minister of the Environment, Thorbj"rn Bernsten,noted that production and consumption must be sustainable at theglobal level and must be based on the polluter-pays principle. Herecommended that a CO2 tax be implemented.

PHILIPPINES: Cielito Habito, the Secretary for SocialEconomic Planning, noted that more economic and developmentministers must participate in the CSD process. The Philippines willhost a meeting on the economics of sustainability this July, whichwill focus on indicators.

INDONESIA: Mr. Sarwonon Kusumaatmadja, Minister ofEnvironment, noted that changing consumption patterns will requirea multi-pronged strategy focusing on demand, meeting the basicneeds of the poor and reducing waste. Indonesia is supporting aconference on sustainable forest management in preparation for nextyear's CSD session.

EGYPT: Mostafa Tolba questioned the authority of the CSD,and asked how it could become a powerful forum. He suggested thatthe CSD use this opportunity to have a real dialogue regarding whatcan be done to make this a political forum instead of just atalking shop. He stated the need for targets, asking what developedcountries are working toward with respect to their consumptionpatterns. Tolba also noted that there is no reference in the textsto the next two major conferences -- the Social Summit and theInternational Conference on Population and Development.

SINGAPORE: Mah Bow Tan, Minister for the Environment, notedthat it is a paradox that technology, which has caused muchenvironmental degradation, can also be used to reverse thisdegradation. Technology transfer needs partnerships betweendeveloping and developed countries and private industries.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION: The Russian delegate noted that the CSDis undergoing a difficult transition stage. He supported theproposal for two expert groups with renewable mandates and saidthat the effectiveness of their work will depend on the detailedtechnological work done on the different sectoral issues.

BELGIUM: The Belgium delegate noted that production andconsumption patterns and trade and the environment are thecornerstones of sustainable development. These are complex issuesand consequently progress will be slow. He discussed the use oftaxes and called for a CO2 tax.

ICELAND: The representative noted the importance ofconvincing consumers of the impact of their decisions, and calledfor education and economic instruments to assist in this. Theproduction and consumption patterns of women are also important,and their roles must be integrated into sustainable developmentpolicies.

URUGUAY: Julio Balino, Vice Minister, told delegates aboutmeasures his country has taken to implement Agenda 21. Heidentified the transfer of environmentally sound technology andchanges in consumption patterns as essential issues.

BULGARIA: Jordan Uzunov, Deputy Minister of the Environment,stated that the success of Agenda 21 will depend on action takenprimarily at the national level. He reported that, in implementinghis nation's environmental programmes, efficiency has been improvedby involving local communities.

TANZANIA: The Tanzanian delegate stated that action is themandate of this Commission and that it must move from the role ofconsensus builder to agent of change. He noted that financial flowsand arrangements remain inadequate and consumption and productionpatterns remain an issue on which little action has been taken.

PANEL DISCUSSION ON WOMEN AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The informal Ministerial Panel on Women and Sustainable Developmentprovoked a lively debate. The five female panelists were: NancyBarry (President, Women's World Banking); Sheila Copps (Ministerfor the Environment, Canada); Elizabeth Dowdswell (UNUnder-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNEP); Dr. NafisSadik (Executive Director of UNFPA and Secretary-General of theInternational Conference on Population and Development); and ChiefBisi Ogunleye (Nigeria). The Chair, Ms. Copps, opened thediscussion by asking why attempts to control reproduction alwaysfocus on women and not those who impregnate women -- particularlywhen women could have approximately 15 children in a lifetimewhereas men could have hundreds. Dr. Sadik recognized that womenhave a special role in decision making and asked what kind ofindicators could measure every member of the population, focusingon gender disparities. She noted that through the ages men havedominated women through control of fertility and that women shouldbe given real choice.

Elizabeth Dowsdswell noted that there is no more reliable strategythan empowering women to solve the problems of poverty andenvironmental degradation. She said that the CSD is stuck somewherebetween rhetoric and achievement. She noted that the time for setspeeches is past and that we need to move to action.

Chief Bisi Ogunleye asked what the CSD wants her to sustain inAfrica -- as there is nothing to sustain. She told the audiencethat if poverty is to be eradicated they must act. They must callwomen to the decision-making table and listen to them.

Nancy Barry noted that environmental degradation caused by povertyin the developing world and greed in the industrial world is at thecore of this meeting's documents, but at no point does the textaddress these two concerns. Tim Worth (US) asked what can belearned from this -- what recommendations can be made to help theCSD process? Barry replied that one step would be to have quarterlypanel discussions on women in each country and invite women to makeconcrete recommendations. Dowdswell called for the development offive to six key indicators.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR TODAY

HIGH-LEVEL SEGMENT: The High-Level Segment still hasapproximately 10 ministers on the speaker's list. The ministers arealso expected to discuss enhancing the role of the CSD, majorgroups, indicators and the third session. The timing of theelection of next year's Bureau may also be discussed.

PLENARY: The Plenary will reconvene to adopt all documents.It will also address Agenda Items 9 (Provisional agenda for thethird session of the Commission) and 10 (Adoption of the report ofthe Commission on its second session).