Summary report, 16 December 1994

1994 CSD Year-end Update

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Although the third meeting of the Commission on SustainableDevelopment (CSD) will not take place until April 1995, therehave been numerous intersessional meetings and activities sincethe last session of the CSD in May 1994. This special year-endissue of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin will review CSD-related intersessional activities during the past six months,summarize the results of the General Assembly"s consideration ofthe CSD, and highlight upcoming events. This issue of theEarth Negotiations Bulletin is published as part of aseries of year-end issues intended to summarize the current stateof play in the various sustainable development conferences andnegotiations reported on by the Bulletin in 1994.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CSD

Agenda 21 called for creation of a Commission on SustainableDevelopment as a means to ensure effective follow-up of the UNConference on Environment and Development, to enhanceinternational cooperation and rationalize the intergovernmentaldecision-making capacity, and to examine progress in theimplementation of Agenda 21 at the national, regional andinternational levels. In 1992, the 47th session of the UN GeneralAssembly set out the terms of reference for the Commission, itscomposition, guidelines for the participation of NGOs, theorganization of work, the CSD"s relationship with other UNbodies, and Secretariat arrangements, in resolution 47/191.

1993 SESSION

The CSD held its first substantive session at UN Headquarters inNew York from 14-25 June 1993. Amb. Razali Ismail (Malaysia) waselected the first Chair of the Commission. During the course ofthe session, the Commission addressed the following items:adoption of a multi-year thematic programme of work; issuesrelating to future work; exchange of information regarding theimplementation of Agenda 21 at the national level; progress inthe incorporation of recommendations of UNCED in the activitiesof international organizations and within the UN system; progressachieved in facilitating and promoting the transfer oftechnology, cooperation and capacity-building; and initialfinancial commitments, financial flows and arrangements to giveeffect to UNCED decisions. On 23-24 June 1993, over 50 ministersgathered to participate in the High-Level Segment on issuesrelated to the future work of the CSD and implementation ofAgenda 21.

AD HOC OPEN-ENDED WORKING GROUPS

The CSD held two ad hoc open-ended working groups onfinancial flows and mechanisms and technology transfer andcooperation from 22 February - 2 March 1994. Although the twoworking groups succeeded in preparing lists of recommendations tobe submitted to the CSD, these lists were not nearly as concreteand forward-looking as some delegates and observers had hoped.Some government-nominated expertscomplained that the discussions were not technical enough due tothe large number of representatives from UN missions whoparticipated in the meeting. NGOs commented that the discussionsrepeated much of the well-worn rhetoric from Rio and otherintergovernmental fora. Delegates noted that smaller fora, suchas the government- sponsoredintersessional meetings, are often more productive than all-inclusive inter-governmental working groups. Most delegatesagreed, however, that little progress was made towards resolvingthe North-South differences on these critical issues.

1994 SESSION

The second session of the CSD met in New York from 16-27 May1994. During the course of the session, the Commission, under itsnew Chair, Klaus Tpfer, Germany"s Minister for the Environment,examined the first cluster of issues according to its multi-yearthematic programme of work. Delegates discussed the followingcross-sectoral chapters of Agenda 21: Chapters 2 (acceleratingsustainable development); 4 (consumption patterns); 33 (financialresources and mechanisms); 34 (technology cooperation andtransfer); 37 (capacity building); 38 (institutions); 39 (legalinstruments); and 23-32 (roles of major groups). By theconclusion of the session, the Commission adopted seven decisionson: information provided by governments and organizations;decision-making structures; transfer of environmentally soundtechnology, cooperation and capacity-building; major groups;trade, environment and sustainable development; changingconsumption and production patterns; and finance.

On the sectoral side, delegates examined the progress inimplementing the following chapters of Agenda 21: Chapters 6(health); 7 (human settlements); 18 (freshwater resources); 19(toxic chemicals); 20 (hazardous wastes); 21 (solid wastes andsewage); and 22 (radioactive wastes). By the conclusion of thesession, the Commission adopted six decisions on: protecting andpromoting human health; human settlements; toxic chemicals;hazardous wastes; freshwater; and radioactive wastes. TheCommission also adopted a decision on intersessional work, whichcalls for the establishment of a new ad hoc open-endedintersessional working group to examine the sectoral issues thatwill be addressed by the Commission at its 1995 session (landmanagement, desertification, forests and biodiversity). Thesession concluded with a two-and-a-half day High-Level Segment,attended by over 40 ministers and high-level officials.

The members of the CSD determined that although some progress hasbeen made, until there is an increase in official developmentassistance and an improvement in the international economicclimate, it will continue to be difficult to translate the Riocommitments into action. Likewise, many participants who attendedthe two-week meeting agreed that unless the CSD"s format ischanged, it will be impossible to shift from rhetoric andspeech-making to dialogue and action.

INTERSESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

CSD Chair Klaus Tpfer convened two days of open-ended informalconsultations on the issues contained in the work programme ofthe CSD for 1995. During the course of the consultations, whichwere held in New York from 22-23 November 1994, representativesfrom governments, UN agencies and NGOs reported on intersessionalmeetings or activities that they have undertaken in preparationfor the third session of the CSD. Tpfer"s consultations wereconvened as a result of a G-77 initiative to foster greatertransparency during the intersessional period.

Tpfer opened the session by informing delegates that the thirdsession of the CSD will meet from 11-28 April 1995 in New York.The session will open with a presentation of the work of thead hoc open-ended working groups on finance and sectoralissues. On 12-13 April, there will be panel discussions on theissues considered by the working groups. The CSD will then havetwo days for the sharing of national experiences. Two members ofeach regional group will be asked to present their experiences sothat there will be a total of ten presentations and an opendiscussion. There will also be one day for sharing experiences onimplementing Agenda 21 at the local level. Three drafting groupswill then be established to address the cross sectoral andsectoral issues under consideration. During the High-LevelSegment, the Bureau will do its best to ensure productivedialogue. It is also hoped that finance and other developmentministers will participate in the High-Level Segment.

The following is a summary of the briefings on intersessionalactivies related to the sectoral and cross-sectoral issues to beconsidered by the CSD in 1995. The cross-sectoral issues will beoutlined first, to be followed by the sectoral issues, accordingto the order in which they appear in Agenda 21.

COMBATING POVERTY

Under-Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and SustainableDevelopment Nitin Desai reported on the preparations for theWorld Summit for Social Development, which will be held from 6-12March 1995 in Copenhagen. The Social Summit is addressing theissues of poverty, employment and social integration. The nextPrepCom will take place in New York from 16-27 January 1995. Withregard to poverty, which is to be considered by the CSD at itsthird session, the dominant theme in Agenda 21 is the need tointegrate poverty with aspects ofenvironmental protection. For example, rangeland managementprogrammes should contain an element on poverty reduction. Focusshould also be on increasing individual capacity building,changing institutions to empower the poor, expandingopportunities in rural and urban areas, and fulfilling basicneeds.

CHANGING CONSUMPTION PATTERNS

Joke Waller Hunter of the CSD Secretariat reported that at thenext session of the CSD a work programme on changing patterns ofproduction and consumption will be presented and developed inconsultation with governments. The Secretariat has identifiedfour major components of such a work programme: (1) a review oflong term trends on changing consumption patterns; (2) a reviewof commitments by industrialized countries; (3) a discussion onthe impact of changing consumption patterns in developedcountries; and (4) an overview of social and economicinstruments.

Norway informed delegates about the upcoming Oslo Roundtable (seeThings To Look For). The representative added thatpossible elements on sustainable patterns of consumption andproduction that could be included in the CSD"s work programmeare: (1) an introductory section; (2) setting a new course; (3)focus on the end-use needs; (4) delineation of how responsibilityfor sustainable consumption and production should be distributed;and (5) a concluding section on the major bottlenecks.

The Netherlands then announced the upcoming Workshop onFacilities for Sustainable Households (see Things To Look For).The OECDrepresentative said that the CSD work programme should: examineterminology and key concepts; assess trends and changes ineconomic and social effects; and identify policy options, drawingon the OECD"s body of work.

THIRD INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONFERENCE: Spain, Algeria andMexico organized the Third International Energy Conference inCartagena, Spain, from 19-20 September 1994. This dialoguebetween producers and consumers of energy began in France in 1991and continued in Norway in 1992. At the Cartagena meting, morethan 30 countries and international organizations examined energyand the environment, forecasts for the energy market, naturalgas, and improving the transparency, communication and efficiencyin the relationship between producers and consumers. Theprinciple objective was to strengthen understanding betweenenergy producers and consumers in the political, economic andenvironmental dimensions of energy. One of the main conclusionsof the Conference is that there is a need to achievecompatibility between economic development and preservation ofthe environment.

DEMOGRAPHIC DYNAMICS AND SUSTAINABILITY

Joke Waller Hunter reported that in preparing for the report ondemographic dynamics (Chapter 5) for the next meeting of the CSD,the Secretariat is making full use of the outcome of theInternational Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).David Payton from the ICPD Secretariat reported that there hasbeen significant progress on these issues since Rio. UNCED had apositive impact on the ICPD process by helping to broaden theICPD"s consideration of both population and development. The ICPDalso adopted the national reporting process from UNCED. TheSecretariat received 170 national reports, which have become amajor source of information. The Programme of Action is nowavailable as document A/CONF.171/13 and Add.1. During the UNCEDPrepCom"s negotiation of Chapter 5 on demographics, there was areal concern that population was one of those issues that was alittle too sensitive to be addressed. In fact, the PrepCom couldnot even use the "P" word ("population") and had to resort to aless controversial word, "demographics." Essentially, theinternational community was not ready to address the realities ofpopulation within the broader framework of development. On theother hand, the ICPD had little trouble talking about the "P"word, although the "A" word proved to be more problematic. Therewas a reluctance to discuss what had already been agreed to inAgenda 21 with regard to environment and development. The ICPDhas succeeded in broadening the concept of population and placingit firmly within the midst of the development debate.

TRADE, ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

UNCTAD, the task manager for this issue, reported that it hassponsored a number of meetings on trade, environment andsustainabledevelopment. The UNCTAD Trade and Development Board met inSeptember and discussed the effect of environment-basedactivities on market access. UNCTAD and UNEP co-sponsored, from21-25 November 1994, a high-level meeting on trade, environmentand sustainable development where over thirty experts attended.The GATT/WTO Committee on Trade and Environment also met forthree days at the end of November and the UNCTAD Ad HocWorking Group on Trade, Environment and Development met from 28November - 1 December 1994, in Geneva. UNCTAD and UNEP will alsoorganize a seminar on reconciling environment and trade issuesjust prior to the CSD meeting in April. Some 20 country casestudies in this field are in progress. While UNCTAD cannot saywhich policy issues will emerge, there is no doubt that theseissues constitute a broad and complex agenda. Possibleprotectionist impacts are a real concern that can undermineinternational cooperation. UNCTAD is confident that it will haverich material at hand when it prepares the report for the thirdsession of the CSD.

OECD WORKSHOP ON ECOLABELLING AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE:The UK Government hosted a workshop in London on 6-7 October1994, on ecolabelling and international trade under the auspicesof the OECD Joint Session of Trade and Environment Experts.Ecolabelling aims to identify those consumer products that doleast harm to the environment and provide information toconsumers to enable those who wish to buy "greener" products. Theworkshop focused mainly on the type of ecolabels that have beenclassified as Type I by the ISO: labels involving a third partygranting a seal of approval or a certification to products thatmeet defined criteria. The workshop looked at some of the ways inwhich ecolabelling schemes can have implications for trade byinfluencing the conditions of competition in the market. Otherissues included: motivations and approaches to ecolabelling;transparency, access and credibility; testing and certification;and harmonization and mutual recognition.

FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND MECHANISMS

Joke Waller Hunter opened the discussion by presenting theSecretariat"s ideas on how the report to the CSD on financialresources and mechanisms should be structured. It should include:the international policy environment and financial flows;national policies and mobilization of financial resources;innovative financial mechanisms and policies for sustainabledevelopment; financing for sectoral issues; and financing forcross-sectoral issues.

Ian Johnson from the GEF Secretariat gave a brief update on thestatus of the GEF. There are currently 100 projects that havebeen approved during the pilot phase and are up and running at acost of US$680 million. The GEF has now been restructured andreplenished with over US$2 billion for the next three years. In1995, the GEF will fund projects for a total of US$300-340million. The GEF must now ensure that the operational andstrategic modalities are in place and that a broad range ofactors can get access to funding. The GEF also has to workclosely with the Climate Change, Biodiversity and DesertificationConventions to ensure that the GEF adheres to the relevantprogramme priorities. They are also focusing on how to leveragethe GEF up rather than just dividing the pie. They are examininghow to generate additional resources through innovative means.

Malaysia announced the second meeting on financial issues ofAgenda 21 in Kuala Lumpur (see Things To Look For). TheCzech Republic announced an upcoming Workshop on EconomicInstruments forSustainable Development (see Things To Look For). Algeria,on behalf of the G-77, pointed out that the forthcoming report tobe submitted to the CSD should include a detailed account of thenational policies of developed countries after the Rio Conferencewith regard to mobilization of financial resources, external debtand ODA levels. The G-77 wants to see clearly what the situationis since Rio " what steps have been taken by the relevantparties, and the recommendations the Secretariat can make tofurther mobilize resources. The G-77 does not want a descriptivereport that echoes Agenda 21 or General Assembly resolutions.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON OPERATIONALIZING ECONOMICS OFSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: Sixty participants attended thisConference, which was held in Manila, The Philippines from 28-30July 1994. The Conference was divided into four workshops:finance, trade, technology and natural resources. Participantsadvocated the strong position that there should be nosubstitution of capital for natural resources. Another issueaddressed was the importance of efficient use of resources andmaximization of productivity. The question of alternative socialorganization was also brought up in the context of betterorganizing communities to address aspects of sustainability.International financial institutions can play an important rolein delivering financial resources that would enable thesecommunities to mobilize world class technologies and implementprojects. The Conference also expressed fundamental concern withregard to mainstream economics, social equity and integrity, andefficiency in resource allocation.

TOKYO CONFERENCE ON GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION: ThisConference, which was organized by parliamentarians, took placein Tokyo from 24-26 October 1994. The 20 participants includedMaurice Strong, Robert McNamara, Emil Salim, Nafis Sadik andElizabeth Dowdeswell. The Conference was convened to strengthenthe Rio momentum and provide new directions on four criticalissues: population and environment; trade and environment;financing and financial mechanisms; and private sectorpartnerships. Participants welcomed the ICPD Programme of Actionand called for immediate implementation. Participants stressedthe importance of involving the private sector in government-sponsored environmental initiatives. They proposed convening aGlobal Partnership Summit in 1997, prior to the special sessionof the General Assembly. On trade and environment, theparticipants recognized the view that environmental protectionand trade liberalization can be mutually reinforcing.Environmental preservation should not provide a cover forprotectionism. On financial mechanisms, they recognized that thefinancing presently available is inadequate and appealed todonors to fulfill their Rio commitments.

TRANSFER OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND TECHNOLOGIES, COOPERATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING

HIGH-LEVEL ADVISORY SEMINAR ON CLEANER PRODUCTION: Thisseminar, which was co-sponsored by the Polish Government andUNEP, was held in Warsaw from 12-14 October 1994. This was thethird in a series of seminars on cleaner production since 1989 toaddress the need to reduce industrial pollution and waste. Morethan 160 participants from 40 countries, including governmentofficials, NGOs, UN organizations and development banks,attended. The seminar reviewed and evaluated progress towardscleaner production over the past two years and recommended thefuture orientation for the UNEP Cleaner Production Programme.Cleaner production, in general, puts the focus on minimizingpollution and waste during the production process itself, ratherthan cleaning it up after it is generated. The seminar addressedpolicy initiatives to promote cleaner production, changes in theindustry, and financing cleaner production. The participants alsodiscussed challenges such as lack of proper institutionalmechanisms and stabilization of programmes. Participants calledfor high-level support for cleaner production, regulation,enforcement and use of financial instruments.

WORKSHOP ON THE PROMOTION OF ACCESS TO AND DISSEMINATION OFINFORMATION ON ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND TECHNOLOGIES: Thisworkshop was held in Seoul from 30 November - 2 December 1994.The workshop was devoted to creating practical plans of actionthat will enhance access to and dissemination of information onenvironmentally sound technologies (ESTs). Participants reviewedthe latest ESTs information systems, including inventory,database and networking experiences, and identified some of theobstacles and opportunities involved in ESTs information accessand dissemination through the experiences of the users andsuppliers. The report of this meeting and recommendations foraction will be presented to the CSD at its third session.

OECD WORKSHOP ON DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE AND TECHNOLOGYCOOPERATION FOR CLEANER INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION IN DEVELOPINGCOUNTRIES: The OECD, in cooperation with UNEP and UNIDO,brought together 90 experts from developed and developingcountries from 28-30 September 1994 in Hannover, Germany, toaddress cleaner industrial production in developing countries.Five priority issues were considered: (1) setting the rightpolicy framework, including increased coordination among donors;(2) putting increased emphasis on capacity development; (3)increasing access to information, especially on cleanertechnology options; (4) enhancing private sector action by aidagencies and recipient countries, including joint ventures andfeasibility studies; and (5) improving the finance for cleanerproduction.

SCIENCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

UNESCO, the task manager for Chapter 35 of Agenda 21, reportedthat science is an essential tool for finding solutions toenvironmental problems and moving towards sustainabledevelopment. As part of the preparation of the task manager"sreport, UNESCO hosted inter-agency consultations in March 1994.Generic issues included: building up scientific capacity andcapability to address needs of developing countries; improvinglong-term scientific assessment to ensure the best scientificinformation is used to transform policy making; and enhancingscientific understanding.

Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan invited the Heads ofState and their representatives to set up a Commission on Scienceand Technology for Sustainable Development in the South at ameeting that took place in Islamabad from 4-5 October 1994. Theobjective of this commission is to provide political and economicsupport to major scientific initiatives and the development ofinternational centers of excellence. The headquarters for thiscommission is in Islamabad.

INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT IN DECISION-MAKING

Maurice Strong reported on the Earth Council"s meeting of Inter-American Sustainable Development Councils, which was sponsored bythe Earth Council and held from 10-11 October 1994, in San Jose,Costa Rica. Governmental and non-governmental representativesfrom 25 countries attended. Participants agreed that they must beagents of change in implementing Agenda 21. The Earth Councilwill be holding similar meetings in Asia, Africa and Europe.Strong added that this is a good example of how cooperation amongthe various actors can make a contribution towards the goals ofRio and be a new instrument for enhancing cooperation at theregional and global levels.

Bolivia announced that it will convene a meeting in 1996covering sustainable development in the Americas. The meetingwill evaluate progress made since the 1994 Summit for theAmericas and the 1992 Earth Summit.

HIGH-LEVEL ADVISORY BOARD ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT:The Secretary-General"s High-Level Advisory Board onSustainable Development met in New York the week of 17 October1994. The High Level Advisory Board was created in July 1993 toact as an independent body of advisers to the Secretary-Generaland through him to the UN System. The board met in September 1993and March 1994 and submitted a report to the second session ofthe CSD. In October the Advisory Board held its third session andfocused on the following topics: sustainable food security; tradeand environment; capacity building; and forging alliances betweenthe UN system, governments and other actors (NGOs, science andindustry) in the field of sustainable development. During itsmeeting, the Advisory Board met with the CSD Bureau, UNDPAdministrator Gus Speth, Paul Kennedy, who is working on thereform of UN System, and UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali. The Advisory Board does not intend to produce acomprehensive review but rather a critical analysis of issuesrelated to sustainable development.

MED 21 CONFERENCE: Ministers from 16 Mediterranean States,along with representatives from UNDP, UNEP and otherintergovernmental organizations and NGOs met in Tunis on 1November 1994 to underline their commitment to sustainabledevelopment and address the innumerable threats facing theMediterranean ecosystem. The Ministers adopted the TunisDeclaration on Sustainable Development in the Mediterranean,which expresses their commitment to work together in the future.The Ministers also adopted an "Agenda 21 for the Mediterranean,"a resolution that establishes a Commission on SustainableDevelopment for the Mediterranean and a resolution establishing aprotection mechanism for the coastline.

INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKING

Joke Waller Hunter reported that Chapter 40 of Agenda 21 callsfor the development of indicators for sustainable development.Several organizations and governments have been working ondeveloping indicators for sustainable development, however, thiswork has not been coordinated. The Statistical Division of theUnited Nations (UNSTAT) and the DPCSD have developed a frameworkof indicators that could form the basis for a CSD programme ofwork to be considered at its third session. The framework isbased on work done by UNSTAT, UNEP, the World Bank, OECD, the NewEconomics Foundation/WWF, otherinternational organizations and national governments. Theindicators that will be proposed intend to monitor progress at anational level towards sustainable development through theimplementation of Agenda 21. The indicators will be presented ina Driving Force -State - Response framework. They will be groupedin categories covering economic, social, institutional andenvironmental issues. The goal is to have a full set ofindicators for sustainable development for use by nationalgovernments by 1996 so that governments could make use of theindicators, if they wish to do so, in the voluntary informationthey submit to the CSD at its 1997 session. Belgium announcedthat it would hold a workshop on this issue in January 1995 (seeThings To Look For).

MAJOR GROUPS

Michael McCoy, representative of the US Citizen"s Network forSustainable Development and co-chair of a steering committee ofCSD-related NGOs, said that there is a necessity to link thenational reporting process to overall agenda setting. Nationalreports should identify the problems that countries haveencountered in implementing Agenda 21 that require assistancefrom the international community. He noted that while governmentsmaintain missions here at the UN and international organizationshave staff to interface with the CSD process, many NGOs who arefollowing the issues to be discussed at this year"s session donot have the luxury of coming across the street to attend thesesessions. It would be useful to have calendars in advance ofinformal meetings and the CSD intersessionals so that NGOs canparticipate.

INTEGRATED APPROACHES TO LAND USE

Brazil reported that since 1990 it has been carrying out theNational Ecological and Economic Zoning Programme, whichaddresses land use based on different social, cultural andeconomic needs. Brazil needs international cooperation tostrengthen institutions at different levels, financial resources,and integration of development plans. UN agencies, such as UNDP,and the Bretton Woods organizations could play a significant rolein promoting capacity building for the management of landresources in developing countries. International cooperation forthe planning and management of land resources could include:specific financial arrangements to support national plans;reporting to CSD on a voluntary basis on national experiences inthis field; promotion of experience sharing meetings;identification of work being done by UN agencies; development ofcriteria and indicators for the land resources; and developmentof options for sustainable use of land resources that could betransferred to developing countries. Brazil intends to host aninternational workshop on land use with emphasis on methodologyand exchange of views on criteria for ecological and economiczoning to be held in early 1995.

Israel reported on the upcoming symposium on sustainable watermanagement, which it will co-host with Japan. The FAO and theNetherlands announced the workshop they will co-host onintegrated applications of tools and instruments for planning andmanagement of rural areas (see Things To Look For).

COMBATING DEFORESTATION

FAO, the task manager on forests, described its preparations forthe next session of the CSD. A draft report has been distributedwith information from UN agencies concerned with forests (WorldBank, UNDP, UNEP and ITTO) and a number of NGOs and governments.FAO held a Special Meeting of Bureaus of Regional ForestryCommissions in preparation for the 12th session of the Committeeon Forestry (COFO), which was held in Rome from 19-21 September1994. A high-level panel of External Experts in Forestry was heldin Rome from 19-21 October 1994, which advised on therevitalization of FAO"s normative activities and in particular inconnection with the role of FAO"s Forestry Department in thepost-UNCED period.

Brazil reported on the initiatives on forests involving theAmazon countries. This is not a formal process, but it doesinvolve cooperation among the Amazon countries, which has gainedstrength since the last meeting of the CSD. At its third session,the CSD should identify the specific areas of cooperation thatare needed on all types of forests. This exercise can be enrichedby some amount of voluntary reporting to the CSD. The outcome ofthe Indo-British initiative should be given appropriateconsideration at the CSD"s ad hoc working group meeting inFebruary. The CSD needs to identify the difficulties faced bycountries in the conservation, management and sustainabledevelopment of all types of forests. On the identification ofcriteria and indicators, Brazil mentioned the need to developreliable, responsible parameters based on specificcharacteristics of areas concerned, taking into considerationeconomic, social, cultural and environmental aspects. There is aneed to ensure that the utilization of criteria and indicatorswill not resort to discriminatory practice. Brazil has beendeveloping a set of criteria and indicators for assessment ofsustainability in general and forests in particular. Theindicators of sustainable development should include threedimensional indicators: economic sustainability, socialsustainability and environmental sustainability.

EXPERT LEVEL FOLLOW-UP MEETING TO THE HELSINKI CONFERENCE:The Helsinki Process, which began in 1990, developed thegeneral guidelines for the sustainable management of forests inEurope. The need to identify measurable criteria and indicatorsfor the evaluation of how different countries have progressed intheir efforts to follow the principles of sustainable forestmanagement and conservation of the biological diversity ofEuropean forests became the most pressing issue in theinternational follow-up of the 1993 Helsinki Conference. A coreset of criteria and indicators was adopted at the first expertlevel follow-up meeting, which was held in Geneva in June 1994.The six European criteria are as follows: (1) maintenance andappropriate enhancement of forest resources and theircontribution to global carbon cycles; (2) maintenance of forestecosystem health and vitality; (3) maintenance and encouragementof the productive functions of forests (wood and non-wood); (4)maintenance, conservation and appropriate enhancement ofbiological diversity in forest ecosystems; (5) maintenance andappropriate enhancement of protective functions in forestmanagement (notably soil and water); and (6) maintenance of othersocio-economic functions and conditions.

NEW DELHI FORESTRY WORKSHOP: The UK and India jointlyhosted a workshop on forestry in New Delhi from 25-27 July 1995.The workshop was attended by representatives from 39 countries aswell as observers from most of the major international agenciesinvolved in forestry and a number of NGOs. The workshop agreed ona standard framework for countries to use in reporting to theCSD"s 1995 session. The workshop found the following headings tobe useful in these reports: (1) promotion and implementation ofthe conservation, management and overall sustainable developmentof forests; (2) promotion and implementation of the sustainableuse of forests and related aspects of economic development,including harvesting and processing of wood and non-wood forestproducts, recycling of waste, recreation and tourism; (3) therole of major groups and social aspects of forests; (4)institutional building and capacity building; and (5)international and regional cooperation and support. The workshopalso noted the work being undertaken on the development ofinternationally agreed criteria and indicators for sustainableforest management.

WORKING GROUP ON CRITERIA AND INDICATORS FOR THECONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF BOREAL ANDTEMPERATE FORESTS: This working group (also known as theMontreal Process) has met five times since Rio, where governmentsmade a commitment to develop criteria and indicators that wouldcharacterize sustainable forest management. Nine countries(Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, theRussian Federation and the United States) are members of thisworking group that covers over 40% of worlds forests. At themeeting that was held in Tokyo from 17-18 November 1994,participants reached agreement on a first draft of seven criteriafor the sustainable development and management of boreal andtemperate forests. At its next meeting in February, the sevencriteria and associated indicators will be reviewed andfinalized.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL WORKING GROUP ON FORESTS: The secondmeeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group on Forests (IWGF)was convened in Hull, Canada, from 10-14 October 1994. The firstmeeting was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 18-21 April1994. Participation in the second meeting was expanded to covertechnical and policy experts from 32 countries, fiveintergovernmental organizations and 11 NGOs. The objective of theIWGF is to facilitate dialogue and consolidation of approaches tothe management, conservation and sustainable development of alltypes of forests leading to the review of forest issues by theCSD at its third session. The IWGF has been considering sevenissues: (a) forest conservation, enhancing forest cover and therole of forests in meeting basic human needs; (b) criteria andindicators for sustainable forest management; (c) trade andenvironment; (d) approaches to mobilizing financial resources andtechnology transfer; (e) institutional linkages; (f)participation and transparency in forest management; and (g)comprehensive cross-sectoral integration including land useplanning and management, and the influence of policies externalto the traditional forest sector. By the conclusion of the secondmeeting, the participants had produced synthesis papers on eachissue that include the key points raised during the meeting and aset of suggested options, approaches and opportunities specificto each topic.

POLICY DIALOGUE ON SCIENCE, FORESTS AND SUSTAINABILITY:The Centre for International Forestry Research and theGovernment of Indonesia are co-hosting this policy dialogue inIndonesia from 10-16 December 1994. The dialogue brought together50 scientists, key persons from the post-Rio processes, NGOs,indigenous people, industry, government and development agencies.Participants are expected to visit industrial logging areas,lands degraded by fire and shifting agriculture, communitiesdependent on forest products and an area protected for biologicaldiversity. The primary objective was to review the results of thevarious forest initiatives, determine if they adequatelyincorporate the latest scientific information and determine theirimplications for future research and information needs.Participants were expected to discuss: the roles of forests in aworld of 10 billion people with increasing food production needs;the potential of information technology for decision making oncomplex forest systems; how different systems of ownership andstewardship of forests influence sustainability and productivity;the implications of fossil fuel depletion and carbon dioxidebuild-up for forests; and the implications of the present movestowards globalization and multilateralism on forests.

COMBATING DESERTIFICATION AND DROUGHT

Joke Waller Hunter said that the CSD"s consideration of Chapter12 of Agenda 21 is closely linked with the work underway in thecontext of the Convention to Combat Desertification. Beninreported on the negotiations of the Convention, which was adoptedin June 1994 and opened for signature in October in Paris. Over900 million people in more than 100 countries are affected bydesertification, which does not mean solely the advancing ofdeserts, but rather the degradation of arable lands in arid andsemi-arid lands. As called for in Chapter 12 of Agenda 21, anIntergovernmental Negotiating Committee was established in 1992to negotiate the Convention, which is the first instrument to benegotiated out of the Rio process. The Convention establishes theprinciples that underlie international and regional action tocombat desertification and articulates the obligations. Thenational action programmes outline the specific action to betaken. A global mechanism was created to mobilize financialresources for the implementation of the Convention. The GEF mayalso play a major role in this regard. He also noted that theConvention has regional implementation annexes for Africa, Asia,Latin America and the Northern Mediterranean. Priority wasensured for Africa through a special resolution. The nextmeeting of the INCD will be held in New York from 9-20 January1995.

SUSTAINABLE MOUNTAIN DEVELOPMENT

The FAO, as task manager, held interagency consultations onChapter 13 in March 1994. FAO is also supporting regionalworkshops, the first of which is being convened by ICIMOD for theAsia region in Katmandu, Nepal, from 13-15 December 1994. TheInternational Potato Centre will be organizing the regionalworkshop for Latin America in Lima, Peru, from 10-14 April 1995.

PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

The FAO"s point of departure as task manager is the realizationthat conceptualizing this chapter benefits from the den BoschConference on Agriculture and Environment, which was held inApril 1991. At this stage, FAO is not planning on holding anymore general meetings. Informal workshops are envisaged, but notyet confirmed, on agrochemicals with IFPRI in March 1995 and onincorporating environmental issues into agricultural policy,hopefully with UNEP, in May 1995.

A representative from the Women"s Food and AgricultureOrganization, Kathy Lawrence, said that the CGIAR system has puttogether a consultative process to enable farmers to have inputinto the work of the CSD. They met with FAO and provided themwith comments on the first draft of the report, specifically thatthe tone was too positive and lacked the urgency as befits thefood and agriculture situation in the world today. The majorreason for the slow adoption of SARD principles has been omittedfrom the FAO report. SARD principles have not been adoptedbecause the export- driven model of development is still thedominant model. The potential impact of GATT in developed anddeveloping countries must be addressed.

INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON DECENTRALIZED RURALELECTRIFICATION: This workshop was held in Paris from 20-22September 1994. Participants were technicians and managers whoare directly involved in the implementation of decentralizedelectrification programmes of significant size. The overall aimwas to enable participants to compare their experiences andclarify the main implementation options of these programmes andidentify guidelines for conducting other larger-scale operations.The workshop facilitated an exchange between Francophone andAnglophone teams from nine countries/regions regarding theirexperience in the field. The projects discussed during theworkshop are the outcome of ten years" experience and a consensusdeveloped around the idea that enough information is nowavailable to allow these actions to be extended and replicated inother regions and countries. Nevertheless, the adaptation offinancial mechanisms on a case-by-case basis is a key to large-scale penetration of decentralized rural electrification. Afollow-up meeting will be held in 1995.

BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

EXPERT WORKSHOP ON THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE CONFERENCE OF THEPARTIES ON THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY TO THE 1995SESSION OF THE CSD: The Government of Spain convened thisexperts group meeting in Madrid from 11-14 October 1994. Expertsfrom 22 countries, the European Commission, UNEP, FAO, the UNSecretariat and six NGOs participated. Two working groups wereestablished to consider the obligations of the Convention andstrategies and processes by which the Convention can contributeto the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity withinthe context of the cluster of topics to be considered by the CSDin 1995. The experts group agreed on the following points. (1)The need to sustain biodiversity must be fully integrated intooverall plans for sustainable development and into sectoral planssuch as those for forestry, agriculture, marine areas and ruraldevelopment. (2) The implementation of the Convention and Agenda21 will involve many tasks of a similar nature, such asinformation exchange, capacity building and the redefining ofrights and obligations. For international efforts to be fullyeffective and to ensure wise use of scarce resources,international implementation of the Convention and Agenda 21should be closely coordinated and integrated. (3) The CSD shouldencourage member States to ratify the Convention and focus onimplementation.

LATIN AMERICAN CONFERENCE ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: ThisConference was held in Lima, Peru, from 7-8 November 1994 andparticipants developed a common position for the Latin Americanand Caribbean countries for the first Conference of the Partiesof the Convention on Biological Diversity. Participants agreed onthe following recommendations. (1) The Conference of the Partiesshould meet on an annual basis to expedite the adoption of themeasures needed for the effective and efficient application ofthe Convention. (2) The decision-making system should beconsistent for all dealing with the application of theConvention. (3) The Global Environment Facility should be adoptedas an interim institutional structure. (4) Projects financedthrough the Convention"s financial mechanisms should support andbe compatible with national development priorities. (5) Anysubsidiary bodies should be open to membership of all Parties.(6) Access to and transfer of technology should be carried outunder fair conditions, in an appropriate and secure manner, andunder the most favorable conditions possible.

INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL FORUM ON BIODIVERSITY: UNESCO, incooperation with the International Union of Biological Sciences,the International Council of Scientific Unions and the FrenchGovernment, hosted this international forum in Paris from 5-9September 1994. Over 200 scientists, industry representatives,NGOs and policy makers attended. The Forum consisted of threepanels on scientific issues, one on in situ and exsitu conservation, three panels on the economics ofbiodiversity, one on the importance of urban environments, andone on the ethical, cultural and educational aspects ofbiodiversity. Biodiversity is a high stakes economic actormeasured in billions of dollars. Participants also agreed on theimportance of the ethical value of biodiversity and thateducation and awareness-raising activities related tobiodiversity need to be stepped up. The forum also called forclose partnerships between the major stakeholders forbiodiversity, educationalists, major groups, scientists,industry, policy makers and media.

BIOTECHNOLOGY

UNIDO, the task manager for Chapter 16 of Agenda 21, said thatthey convened inter-agency consultations in September 1994 togather information on actions moving towards the goals of thischapter. There have been a number of meetings of experts ofgovernments, regional groups and at the global level relating tobiotechnology and sustainable development. There have beenpositive developments in new initiatives and interagencycooperation since UNCED on biotechnology, in addition to newpartnerships between private and public sectors. The Netherlandsand the UK announced that they are co-hosting a meeting onbiotechnology in January 1995 (see Things To Look For).

GENERAL ASSEMBLY HIGHLIGHTS

The Second Committee of the 49th United Nations General Assemblybegan its consideration of Agenda Item 89, "Environment andSustainable Development," from 19-21 October 1994. Most delegatesnoted a number of areas where progress has been made over thelast year, including: the entry into force of both the FrameworkConvention on Climate Change and the Convention on BiologicalDiversity; the negotiation and adoption of the Convention toCombat Desertification; the successful conclusion of theConference on the Sustainable Development of Small IslandDeveloping States; the restructuring and the replenishment of theGlobal Environment Facility (GEF); and the conclusion of the GATTUruguay Round and its decisions in the area of trade andenvironment. Many delegates stated, however, that in spite ofthese accomplishments much more needs to be done to see Agenda 21translated from words to action, especially in the areas offinancial resources, transfer of technology, poverty alleviationand changes in production and consumption patterns.

Under-Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and SustainableDevelopment Nitin Desai opened the debate by noting thatsince the Second Committee met last year, the CSD has held itssecond session. The high level of participation in the work ofthe Commission and the commitment of the NGO community are asource of great encouragement. The Inter-Agency Committee onSustainable Development and the High-Level Advisory Board onSustainable Development are both functioning and represent themajor institutional developments out of the Rio process. Desaialso noted other achievements since Rio, including thenegotiation of the Convention to Combat Desertification. On14-15 October 1994, 86 countries signed the Convention in Paris.The Framework Convention on Climate Change entered into force on21 March 1994. The INC is making good progress towards the firstConference of the Parties in Berlin next year. The GlobalConference on the Sustainable Development of Small IslandDeveloping States was a landmark event that recognized theimportance of a systematic effort to help SIDS move towardssustainability. In addition to these negotiations, there areother things happening with regard to coastal zone management,marine pollution, toxic chemicals, the ban on the export ofhazardous wastes from OECD to non-OECD countries, and thepreparations for the first Conference of the Parties to theConvention on Biological Diversity. Nevertheless, there is asense that the momentum of Rio is being lost. Some perceive thatthere is a lack of implementation on the commitments on financeand technology transfer, and this is true. In the year after Rio,ODA declined by 10%. He urged governments to demonstrate greaterpolitical will and commitment to action. Desai also highlightedthe important role of the non-governmental community in UNCEDfollow-up and the work of the CSD.

The Chair of the Commission on Sustainable Development, KlausTpfer, also gave a report on the work of the CSD. Hehighlighted the central points of the 14 decisions taken by theCommission at its second session in May 1994 and then proceededto list a number of ways in which the work of the Commission canbe improved:

Greater weight must be given to the political profile of the Commission.

The intersessional period must be used intensively to implement the decisions of the second session and prepare for the third.

The CSD will only be successful if it makes progress in the cross-sectoral issues of particular importance, namely finance, technology, trade and environment, and consumption and production patterns.

The next session of the CSD must be in a position to decide as clearly and concretely as possible what needs to be done in a global perspective in order to enhance the implementation of the Forest Principles and Chapter 11 of Agenda 21.

National experiences must be incorporated into the work of the CSD.

The development of indicators for sustainable development must be discussed at the next session.

The CSD must continue to expand its contacts with other bodies inside and outside the UN system.

All major groups must continue to be involved in the work of the CSD.

ALGERIA: On behalf of the G-77 and China, Mourad Ahmiasaid that it has now been two years since Rio and that theresults of the implementation of Agenda 21 have beendisappointing. The principle of common but differentiatedresponsibilities has not been translated concretely, and therehave been no great signs of new and additional funding andtransfer of environmentally-sound technology. The developingcountries feel bound by their commitments taken at Rio and theyhave a huge political interest in the implementation of thesemeasures.

GERMANY: On behalf of the European Union, Dr. WolfgangRunge said that there must be more concrete commitments by theinternational community with regard to sustainable development.The EU also feels that the working methods of the CSD mustimprove " the CSD needs dialogue instead of debate and anintegrated approach to the inter-related questions of sustainabledevelopment. Close cooperation with NGOs and the businesscommunity are also of great importance. The CSD should be thepolitical motor of sustainable development.

ICELAND: Amb. Ossur Skarphedinsson, on behalf of theNordic countries, said that among the most important means toreduce the pressure on the environment are radical changes in theprevailing patterns of consumption and production. He alsomentioned the importance of promoting sustainable developmentthough trade. Countries must take effective steps towardsrendering their economic policies conducive to sustainabledevelopment and constructive collaboration must be established tomake trade and environment mutually supportive.

MALAYSIA: Amb. Razali Ismail said that while considerableprogress has been made at the organizational level, much moreremains to be done on the substantive level. Sustainabledevelopment for the South is contingent upon the provision of newand additional financial resources by the developed North, but sofar the US$2 billion replenishment of the GEF is the only newmoney available and it is a mere fraction of figures estimated atRio. The issue of transfer of technology also remains plagued.While the North claims that all countries have a right to sharesuch natural resources as forests, it will not allow the sharingof man-made resources. He also highlighted the importance of theparticipation of women, NGOs and indigenous people.

REPUBLIC OF KOREA: Wonil Cho expressed satisfaction withthe CSD and its year-round intersessional work. He informed theCommittee that the Republic of Korea will be hosting a meeting ofexperts on access to and dissemination of environmentally soundtechnologies from 30 November - 2 December 1994.

AUSTRIA: Gerhard Doujak expressed Austria"s concern aboutpreserving the Spirit of Rio. The Rio Conference laid down amilestone for the implementation of sustainable development.These goals more than ever demand unconditional commitment by allpartners. He thanked the Secretariat for producing its bi-monthly"CSD Update," which makes the intersessional process moretransparent. Austria will continue its initiatives on sustainabledevelopment and international law.

UNITED STATES: Herman Gallegos said that the last sessionof the CSD highlighted the need for some improvements in the wayit carries out its work, including: the use of a set ofindicators of sustainable development that would simplifynational reporting and facilitate comparisons; encouraging andfacilitating the preparation and use of national sustainabledevelopment strategies; and more effective coordination of the UNsystem"s support for the implementation of Agenda 21.Intersessional activities should continue to be characterized byfreedom and flexibility. Any effort to restrain or restrictintersessional activity, for example by imposing unnecessarybureaucratic formalities, will be counter- productive.

JORDAN: Faris Ammarin said that in the context of theimplementation of Agenda 21, the three components that need to berespected are human integrity, environmental integrity and theprinciple of economic efficiency.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION: The representative said that on thewhole a great deal has been achieved and the CSD is working well.In this process, a number of major legal instruments have beenharmonized or are already in force. He called for greaterintegration and cooperation between the CSD, ECOSOC, the BrettonWoods institutions and other organizations.

CANADA: Amb. John Fraser noted that although significantprogress has been made in the two years since UNCED, there isstill great distance to go. With regard to the CSD, Canadasupports the idea of convening panel discussions, theparticipation of ministers of development and planning as well assectoral issue ministers, and greater opportunities forgovernments and major groups to showcase national reports. The1995 session of the CSD presents the opportunity to clearlydefine what needs to be achieved by 1997. Canada supports the useof intersessional meetings. He proposed that, where possible,draft texts for the CSD should be prepared in advance, perhapsshortly after intersessional meetings. The CSD needs indicatorsof success and open and inclusive dialogue.

NEW ZEALAND: John McKinnon said that while the objectiveof restoring the environment and sustainable development has notslipped from the international agenda, the focus must remainsharp in order to make the best use of available resources. Whilethe CSD has inherited the Rio mantle, it is still not really thevoice of the post-Rio world and its functions need to be betterdefined. It should be both an instrument for review of thenational implementation of Agenda 21 by individual States andserve the role of a "clearing house" for further internationalnegotiations. He emphasized the importance of preparatory workbetween the annual meetings of the Commission.

COLOMBIA: Amb. Julio Londoo said that in Rio it wasrecognized that international cooperation is crucial for reachingthe targets of Agenda 21. There have been various obstacles anduncertainty. The industrialized countries have not fulfilledtheir commitments. Some progress has been made at the sectorallevel, but these outstanding achievements could be spoiled if thedeveloped countries do not remove restrictions on financial andtechnological flows. A favorable international environment isfundamental in order to move along the sustainable developmentpath. Only if external obstacles preventing a sustained economicreactivation are removed can the developing countriessuccessfully apply environmental protection policies.

MEXICO: The representative said that the CSD has allowedclose monitoring of the follow-up to UNCED and the progress thathas been made in the various areas. Still, there is a great dealto do since the necessary political impetus apparent at the High-Level Segment needs to be translated into concrete internationalaction. An important step was taken by linking the issues oftransfer of technology and resources to specific themes.

CHILE: The delegate said that despite past successes, itis still necessary to make progress on the issues of financialresources and transfer of technology. In this area, no adequateprogress has been made and efforts to that end should include allsectors of society, including the private sector. From aninstitutional standpoint, the task of the CSD is to strengthenthe resolve of the international community and to retain itsdemocratic character.

BANGLADESH: The representative said that developingcountries lack the financial resources and technology toimplement the provisions of Agenda 21. Continued and enhancedcooperation and solidarity are essential to make UNCED follow-upactions successful. The question of finance and the issue oftechnology transfer on concessional and preferential terms shouldreceive priority and the commitments of the internationalcommunity must be implemented. The establishment of the CSD isencouraging, but measures taken so far have fallen short ofcommitments.

CHINA: Yan Yanyi said there is still no sign ofimprovement with respect to the various negative factors thatseriously constrain the efforts of developing countries toachieve the goals of economic development and environmentalprotection. The question of environment and trade hasincreasingly become a hot point in the field of environment anddevelopment. The environmental question should not lead toprotectionism.

ROMANIA: The representative addressed the issues ofnational implementation, the CSD and the GEF. He called for bothvertical integration, between the Secretariat and the otherorganizations, and horizontal integration among the thematicelements. He expressed his satisfaction with the work of the CSDand said that sustainable development should go beyond the Rioagreements and consist of lasting human development, peace,economic growth, social justice and democracy.

PANAMA: On behalf of the Central American States, thedelegate highlighted the importance of forest development andidentified the rich biodiversity of fauna and flora in thisregion. The Central American countries believe that theinternational community must meet its financial commitments inorder to respond to new urgencies. He also stressed theimportance of a fresh approach to sustainable development thattakes into account human characteristics, new technologies andappropriate production patterns.

POLAND: Wojciech Ponikiewski said that the CSD should havethe highest political profile and other ministers, includingministers of finance, should participate in its work. The CSDneeds active dialogue and an integrative approach. Poland hopesthat the new set of guidelines elaborated by the Secretariat willfacilitate the preparation of national reports and improve theircomparability. Poland supports the need for indicators, but anysituation leading to simplistic conclusions drawn from suchmeasures will have to be avoided. The GEF budget does not meetexpectations, but if recipient countries prepare good projectsthey will, in a way, oblige contributors to increase theirpledges. There is also a need for a more focused approach in thesharing of environmentally sound technologies and Poland is readyto contribute to this endeavor.

TURKEY: Levent Murat Burhan commended the work done by theCSD so far and hoped that a broader perspective has been broughtinto its work on sustainable development. He announced thatTurkey will continue to support the GEF in the amount of about 4million SDR. Turkey is engaged in the preparation of Agenda 21"sfor the Mediterranean region and with the Central Asian republicsand Balkan countries. He invited all related international,financial and other organizations, especially the GEF, UNDP, UNEPand the World Bank, to support these efforts.

BULGARIA: The representative said that his country hasadhered to the goals and commitments of Agenda 21, but a lotstill remains to be done to achieve the necessary momentum. Hesupported debt relief initiatives and indicated that hisGovernment had tabled a proposal for a debt for nature swap,which he hoped will be implemented. He called for greatertransfer of resources and capacity building, as well as thetransfer of environmentally sound technology on concessionalterms.

SRI LANKA: Amb. Stanley Kalpage said that Agenda 21 hasnot been fully implemented by the developing countries becausethey have not been supported with means of implementation. Littleprogress has been made with regard to trade and private sectorflows, which are important sources of funding. The CSD could playa leading role in developing a consensus to elaborate rules toensure that international trade is free and fair and anappropriate linkage between the CSD and the WTO should beestablished. Efforts to address sustainable development will onlybe achieved if poverty and unemployment are addressed globally.

ISRAEL: Amb. Israel Eliashev stressed the need to ensurethat the CSD is an efficient and effective body and supported theview that within the next CSD session, interested parties coulddiscuss national experiences in developing and applyingsustainable development strategies. The importance of adequatefunding mechanisms cannot be overemphasized. Technology must becarefully selected and adapted to the specific needs ofcountries. He invited all countries to join Israel in the ventureof desert research to find practical solutions todesertification.

INDONESIA: Marwah Daud Ibrahim noted the importantactivities that have taken place since the Rio Conference. Sheregretfully noted that the issues of financial resources andtechnology transfer are still problematic and that much moreneeds to be done if the commitments made in Rio are to be met.

MYANMAR: Amb. U Hla Maung said that UNCED stands as alandmark, but the environmental degradation caused by negligenthuman activities is threatening our very existence on earth and,unless timely action is taken, the future of mankind could be injeopardy. He highlighted the ways in which policies can beadopted to ensure that both the imperative of environmentalprotection and the opportunity for economic development reinforceeach other. He added that in Myanmar, as in many other countriesof the region, the source of the problem lies not in industrialdevelopment and unsustainable lifestyles, but in under-development and poverty. He called on all States to meet theircommitments in good faith.

JAPAN: Amb. Shunji Maruyama noted that it is essentialthat the CSD receive the political support necessary to enable itto tackle the major issues in the area of sustainabledevelopment. It must address the root causes of these problemsand express its views on controversial issues such as productionand consumption patterns and trade and development. Environmentand trade policies must be mutually supportive and theinteraction between the CSD, the World Trade Organization, UNCTADand UNEP is important. It is also useful to have the opportunityto share different national experiences in the implementation ofAgenda 21 and it might be useful to conduct case studies. TheCSD"s working methods must also be improved, including shiftingtime allocated from general debate to discussion and dialogue.Japan is organizing a number of intersessional activities tosupport the CSD.

MICRONESIA: Amb. Yosiwo P. George said that as theinternational community moves from negotiating to implementationof the Rio and post-Rio agreements, those nations havingpossession of the resources required to achieve our common goalsmust not apply those resources grudgingly or with hesitation.

BOLIVIA: The representative highlighted the necessity fordeveloping countries to achieve fair and sustainable development.He called on developed States to reach their ODA target of 0.7%of GNP and called for institutions that are manageable. He alsoemphasized the political dimension of sustainable development. Amove to participatory democracy means changing the patterns ofdevelopment, production and consumption alike. He alsohighlighted the need to ensure that the most vulnerable Statesare protected.

BELARUS: The delegate called on the establishment ofcloser ties between the CSD and other regional organizations,such as the UN Economic Commissions. As one of the mostenvironmentally vulnerable States, Belarus has not been able tocarry out all the measures that it has agreed to, since it isfacing humanitarian crises and conversion requirements. He thendescribed his Government"s proposal to hold a conference on thesustainable development of countries with economies intransition.

IRAN: The representative noted that ODA has reached itslowest level since 1983, GEF resources have fallen short ofexpectations, and the question of transfer of environmentallysound technology on preferential and concessional terms hasreceived only lip service. The CSD must focus on critical issuesand not become merely a talk show. Priority should be accorded tostrengthening the CSD"s relationship with the GEF Council. Iranhas established a high-level committee on sustainable developmentand a special commission on desertification.

CZECH REPUBLIC: Karel Zebrakovsky said that the CSD hasnot succeeded in mobilizing enough political will to generatestronger commitments. The CSD intersessional activities need tobe more systematic and coordinated. Greater cooperation betweenUNEP and the CSD is also needed. The Czech Republic isimplementing the Climate Change and Biodiversity Conventions, isconsidering signing the Convention to Combat Desertification andwill support a dialogue towards a possible new convention onforests.

UKRAINE: The representative said that an important step inimproving the work of the CSD is to integrate sectoral and crosssectoral issues. It is also important to link the elaboration ofsectoral agreements and the finances to implement them. He saidthat the proposal made by Belarus to hold a conference on thesustainable development for countries with economies intransition is an interesting one.

NEPAL: The representative pointed out the need foradditional efforts in the areas of finance and technologytransfer. Nepal has ratified the Climate Change and BiodiversityConventions and participated in the negotiation of the Conventionto Combat Desertification. It has set up an environmental policycouncil and is working on a regional action plan.

PAKISTAN: Samiya Waheed Junejo stressed the importance ofthe CSD"s decisions on changing consumption and productionpatterns, since the CSD is the only intergovernmental forumdealing with this issue. In order for the developing countries torealize the goals of sustainable development, specific policiesneed to be formulated for a conducive international economicenvironment. The recent stress on environmental conditionalitiescontradicts the principles of an open and free multilateraltrading system. While the CSD intersessional sectoral meetingshave contributed to a thorough analysis of some of the sectoralareas, they should not affect the holistic review of Agenda 21.

GUYANA: On behalf of the Caribbean Community, therepresentative expressed concern about declining ODA flows andsaid that the specific nature of the GEF financing scope must beemphasized along with the call for new resources. The GEFreplenishment is a first step at a minimum level. Changingconsumption and production patterns rests with developedcountries, but our own societies are confronted with detrimentalpatterns of production and consumption. Attention should be givento the special situation and needs of developing countries,including eradicating poverty and meeting basic human needs. Itis not premature to begin discussion of the format and scope ofthe special session of the General Assembly to reviewimplementation of Agenda 21 in 1997.

VENEZUELA: The representative highlighted the extent ofthe progress that has been achieved in the short time since Rio,particularly the Conference on the Sustainable Development ofSmall Island Developing States, the Convention to CombatDesertification and the entry into force of the Conventions onBiodiversity and Climate Change. The CSD must be theintergovernmental forum where decisions are taken and, so far,the general speeches have taken too much time and have not leftenough room for actual negotiations. It is not enough to havemerely a reiteration of the objectives of Agenda 21.

NAMIBIA: The delegate said that sustainable development isa global concern that should be addressed with global action. Thedelegate described the plans that Namibia has implemented toachieve sustainable development and also called for financialcommitments to be implemented. She highlighted the importance ofthe Women"s Conference and Habitat II.

URUGUAY: The representative said that just because theproblems are stated does not mean that they are solved. Uruguayhas taken a number of measures to implement Agenda 21, butclimate change is a global problem and it should be addressed bythe international community as a whole.

BRAZIL: Amb. Ronaldo Mota Sardenberg said that Brazilcontinues to support strengthening the role of the CSD, althoughit has not reached most of the targets established. He said hewas happy with the conclusion of the Convention to CombatDesertification, although it fell short of some legitimateconcerns of African States. Its success will depend on thecredibility of the international community, with regard to ODAtargets and transfer of resources and technology. Unilateraltrade measures to protect the environment will jeopardizesustainable development.

KENYA: C. M. Kang"e expressed concern over the lack ofimplementation of Agenda 21. Despite limited financial andtechnical resources, Kenya has set up a National EnvironmentalAction Plan, embarked on a review of environmental legislationand integrated environmental considerations into overall nationaldevelopment plans. UNEP headquarters in Nairobi should not beweakened as a result of strengthening UNEP"s regional offices.

DEBATE ON ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Greater weight must be given to the political profile of the Commission.

The intersessional period must be used intensively to implement the decisions of the second session and prepare for the third.

The CSD will only be successful if it makes progress in the cross-sectoral issues of particular importance, namely finance, technology, trade and environment, and consumption and production patterns.

The next session of the CSD must be in a position to decide as clearly and concretely as possible what needs to be done in a global perspective in order to enhance the implementation of the Forest Principles and Chapter 11 of Agenda 21.

National experiences must be incorporated into the work of the CSD.

The development of indicators for sustainable development must be discussed at the next session.

The CSD must continue to expand its contacts with other bodies inside and outside the UN system.

All major groups must continue to be involved in the work of the CSD.

CSD RESOLUTION

A draft resolution on the "Report of the Commission onSustainable Development on its second session" (A/C.2/49/L.8),was first introduced by Algeria, on behalf of the G-77 and China,on Tuesday, 8 November 1994. This draft resolution became thefocus of rather intense informal consultations by members of theSecond Committee. It was criticized as being highly negative,with too great a focus on the lack of new and additionalfinancial resources and transfer of technology on concessionaland preferential terms. There was little, if any, reference tothe work done by the Commission so far and the numerousinitiatives undertaken by governments and the UN system withregard to implementing Agenda 21 and supporting the work of theCSD. After nearly four weeks of consultations, the Vice Chair ofthe Second Committee, Arjan Hamburger (Netherlands) submitted anew draft resolution, A.C.2/49/L.58. This resolution was adoptedby the Committee on Wednesday, 7 December 1994. The resolutionis expected to be adopted by the General Assembly Plenary justbefore Christmas.

After the resolution was adopted, Algeria, on behalf of the G-77and China, said that the text does not meet all the concerns ofall delegations, but that they have joined the consensus. Hereiterated the need for support for the implementation of Agenda21 and the work of the CSD, which must follow the Rio commitmentsand the concept of common but differentiated responsibilties.Sustainable development is inseparable from new and additionalresources and technology transfer. Germany, on behalf of the EU,Austria, Finland and Sweden, said that his group still hadmisgivings on the paragraph on new and additional resources. Twoyears after Rio we need to register progress such as the triplingof the size of the GEF core fund and the fact that a number ofdeveloping countries have contributed to the GEF. The presentresolution fails to reflect this. Furthermore, the positivepolicy recommendations of the CSD should have been mentioned tobalance the resolution. The Ukraine and Belarus expressed theirsupport for the resolution, but noted that the difficulties ofStates with economies in transition are not mentioned.

The operative part of the resolution, as contained inA/C.2/49/L.58 and orally amended, endorses the report of the CSDon its second section, welcomes actions taken in many countriestowards elaborating national sustainable development strategiesand action plans, and notes the ongoing work on the elaborationof sustainable development indicators. The resolution expresses"deep concern" that the financialrecommendations and commitments of Agenda 21 are short ofexpectations and requirements and could undermine the basis ofthe global partnership for sustainable development. Theresolution stresses the critical need for and importance of theprovision of means of implementation, especially those relatingto new and additional financial resources and the transfer ofenvironmentally sound technology to developing countries.

The resolution also: calls on the CSD to promote the adoption ofurgent steps to implement the relevant chapters of Agenda 21related to the crucial issue of unsustainable patterns ofconsumption and production; reiterates that national authoritiesshould endeavour to promote the internalization of environmentalcosts and the use of economic instruments, taking into accountthat the pollutor should, in principle, bear the costs ofpollution; notes the work done so far by the GATT/WTO, UNCTAD andUNEP in the fields of trade, environment and sustainabledevelopment; stresses the importance of the decisions adopted bythe CSD as concrete steps in the implementation of Agenda 21; andencourages the participation of ministers in the work of the CSD.

The resolution also: calls upon the CSD to develop close andclear relationships with other relevant internationalorganizations and entities; urges the international community tofurther strengthen the funding capacity of internationalfinancial institutions, regional banks and other internationalorganizations; recommends that the governing bodies ofinternational financial institutions take the necessary steps toensure their programmes and activities better reflect Agenda 21;endorses the recommendation of the CSD to draw up a matrix ofpolicy options and financial instruments and mechanisms tofacilitate the formulation of optimal financing strategies;requests the Secretary-General to promote further involvement ofthe High-Level Advisory Board on Sustainable Development in thework of the CSD; and underlines the need for balanced,transparent and coherent intersessional processes. The resolutionconcludes by underlining the need for effective follow-up of thedecisions taken by the Commission at its second session, notingthe role of major groups and supporting the work of the Inter-Agency Committee on Sustainable Development.

RELATED RESOLUTIONS

The General Assembly also adopted a number of other resolutionsrelated to UNCED follow-up. These include:

Support for the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Programme (A/C.2/49/L.10/Rev.1). This resolution welcomes the GLOBE initiative launched by the United States on 22 April 1994, which aims to enhance the collective awareness of individuals throughout the world concerning the environment, increase scientific understanding of the Earth, and help all students reach the highest standards in science and mathematics education.

Dissemination of the principles of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (A/C.2/49/L.17). This resolution urges all Governments and the organs and bodies of the UN system to promote widespread dissemination of the Rio Declaration at all levels.

International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer (A/C.2/49/L.18). This resolution proclaims 16 September as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, commemorating the date, in 1987, when the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed.

Observance of World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought (A/C.2/49/L.19). This resolution proclaims 17 June as World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, to be observed beginning in 1995, commemorating the date, in 1994, on which the Convention to Combat Desertification was signed.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN 1995

AD HOC OPEN-ENDED INTERSESSIONAL WORKING GROUPS: Atits second session, the CSD agreed to continue the work of thead hoc open-ended intersessional working group on financeand established a new working group to address the sectoralissues that will be examined by the CSD in 1995 (land management,forests,desertification and biodiversity). The Ad Hoc WorkingGroup on the Sectoral Themes will meet from 27 February - 3 March1995. The Ad Hoc Working Group on Finance will meet from6-10 March 1995. Both meetings will be at UN Headquarters in NewYork. For more information, contact the CSD Secretariat at+1-212-963-5949; fax: +1-212-963-4260; e-mail: dpcsd@igc.apc.org.

THIRD SESSION OF THE CSD: The third session of the CSDwill meet from 11-28 April 1995 at UN Headquarters in New York.Focus will be on the following cross-sectoral components ofAgenda 21: Chapters 3 (poverty); 5 (demographics); 8 (integratingenvironment and development in decision-making);16(biotechnology); 22-32 (major groups); and 40 (information).Financial resources and mechanisms (Chapter 33) and the chapterson transfer of environmentally sound technology, cooperation andcapacity building (34), science (35) and education (36) will alsobe discussed. The sectoral cluster for this session includes:Chapters 10 (land management), 11 (forests); 12 (desertificationand drought); 13 (mountains); 14 (sustainable agriculture); 15(biological diversity); and the Forest Principles.

The proposed schedule is to open the session with a presentationof the work of the ad hoc open-ended working groups onfinance and sectoral issues. On 12-13 April, there will be paneldiscussions on the issues considered by the working groups. TheCSD will then have two days for the sharing of nationalexperiences. Two members of each regional group will be asked topresent their experiences so that there will be a total of tenpresentations and an open discussion. There will also be one dayfor sharing experiences of implementing Agenda 21 at the locallevel. Three drafting groups will then be established to addressthe cross sectoral and sectoral issues under consideration. Thisprogramme of work is subject to change and for more informationcontact the CSD Secretariat (see above).

CSD MEETINGS

CSD-RELATED INTERSESSIONAL MEETINGS

WORKSHOP ON ECONOMIC INSTRUMENTS FOR SUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENT: The Czech Republic is organizing a workshop on"Economic Instruments for Sustainable Development," which will beheld in Pruhonice from 12-14 January 1995. Topics for discussioninclude: framework for the application of economic instruments;evaluation of economic instruments applied in national policies;public expenditure for sustainable development on the nationallevel; possible roles for economic instruments on theinternational level; and private/public partnerships on thenational and international levels. For more information, contactZdenek Such nek, Ministry of Environment, Vrsovicka 65, 100 10Prague 10, Czech Republic; tel: +422 6712 21 09; fax: +422 673100 14.

FINANCIAL ISSUES FOR AGENDA 21: Japan and Malaysia willco-host a second meeting on financial issues for Agenda 21 inpreparation for the CSD"s Ad Hoc Working Group on Finance.This meeting, which will take place in Kuala Lumpur from 24-26January 1995, will address the following issues: ODA; privatefinancing; the role of the Bretton Woods and other developmentinstitutions; national policies; and the mobilization offinancial resources. Participants will utilize the results of theCzech meeting to discuss innovative financing mechanisms. Themeeting will also review and evaluate economic instrumentsrelated to environment and taxation, reducing military expensesand specific sectoral and cross sectoral financing. For moreinformation, contact the Mission of Malaysia to the UN at+1-212-986-6310.

SECOND EXPERT LEVEL FOLLOW-UP MEETING OF THE HELSINKICONFERENCE: This meeting (the Helsinki Process) will be heldin Antalya, Turkey, from 23-24 January 1995, with the objectivesto finalize the Pan-European interim follow-up report on thesustainable management of forests in Europe and to consider, onthe political level, the circumstances for organizing the nextministerial conference and what achievements have been made sincethe Helsinki Conference in June 1993. The meeting will alsocomplete the European List of the most suitable quantitativeindicators for sustainable forest management.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION ON FORESTRY: The European Commissionon Forestry will meet in Antalya, Turkey, from 25-28 January1995.

OSLO ROUNDTABLE ON SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION: The Norwegian Government is hosting a meeting on sustainableconsumption and production patterns that will serve as a follow-up to the symposium that it hosted in 1994. The Roundtable willtake place from 6-10 February 1995 in Oslo. The main subjects fordiscussion will be the elements for the CSD programme of work.The Roundtable will also analyze concepts and trends, viaexamination of supply chains from cradle to grave, to discussionsof possible measures and their effects. The effects of proposalson developing countries will also be addressed. Challenges andtrends, options for change as well as suggestions for action willform the point of departure for discussion of elements for thework programme. For more information, contact the NorwegianMinistry of Environment, Myntgt 2, PO Box 8013 Dep., 0030 Oslo,Norway; tel: +47-22-34-90-90; fax: +47-22-34-95-61.

WORKSHOP ON FACILITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE HOUSEHOLDS: TheGovernment of the Netherlands is organizing a Workshop onFacilities for Sustainable Households, which will be held at theend of February or the beginning of March. The Workshop willdiscuss the results of the Oslo meeting and focus on: definitionof the obstacles that currently prevent more sustainable behaviorin households; identification of the key actors to overcome theseobstacles; and identification of opportunities and incentives toencourage actors to change. Participation will be limited to 50officials from ministries, intergovernmental organizations andNGOs to allow for interactive discussions.

WORKING GROUP ON CRITERIA AND INDICATORS FOR THECONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF BOREAL ANDTEMPERATE FORESTS: The Working Group (the Montreal Process)will hold its sixth meeting in Santiago, Chile, from 2-3 February1995, to review and finalize the criteria and indicators for theconservation and sustainable management of boreal and temperateforests.

FAO EXPERT MEETING ON THE HARMONIZATION OF CRITERIA ANDINDICATORS FOR SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT: This meetingwill be held in Rome from 13-16 February 1995, to seekinformation and concurrence on a limited set of core conceptsrelated to sustainable forest management. The meeting willinclude experts from countries and organizations involved in theinternational initiatives currently underway on forestmanagement, as well as representatives of those regions and/orecological zones that presently are not involved in internationalpost-UNCED forestry initiatives. The objectives of the meetingare to review, discuss and report on: thematic and geographicalcoverage of on-going international initiatives on the formulationof criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management;specific aspects of, and conditions for, sustainable forestmanagement in countries and co-regions/regions not covered by on-going initiatives; substantive technical and policy level issuesrelated to the harmonization of initiatives on sustainable forestmanagement at the global level; development of a minimum core setof criteria and indicators for sustainability; and proposedmodalities and a time frame for global harmonization of effortsin this respect. For more information, contact Richard Lydiker,Director of Information Division, FAO at +39-6-5225-3510.

FAO COMMITTEE ON FORESTS: The FAO Committee on Foreststs(COFO) will meet in Rome from 16-17 March1995. Its agenda includes: major issues for CSD attention relatedto sustainable management and development of forests; regionalperspectives on implementation of UNCED agreements for theattention of the CSD; a summary of post-UNCED initiatives inforestry; efforts towards harmonization of criteria andindicators for sustainable forest management; and a review ofadvantages and disadvantages related to initiating the evolutionof the Forest Principles into a legally-binding internationalinstrument or convention on forests.

COFO will be preceded by a private sector meeting in Februaryand an NGO meeting in March, both of which will focus onpreparations for the CSD. Ministers responsible for forestry willmeet on 17-18 March 1995, in Rome, in a high-level segment tosearch for agreement on major issues to be considered by the CSD.For more information, contact Richard Lydiker, Director ofInformation Division, FAO at +39-6-5225-3510.

SYMPOSIUM ON SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT: Israel andJapan will convene a symposium on sustainable water management inearly 1995. The seminar will address policies, strategies,capacity building, research and development, irrigation,sustainable agriculture, use of treated sewage water, efficientutilization of rainwater and run off. Approximately 30-35 high-level experts will be invited to participate. For moreinformation, contact the Mission of Israel to the UN at+1-212-351-5208.

WORKSHOP ON INTEGRATED PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF LANDRESOURCES: The Netherlands and the FAO are organizing aworkshop on the subject of Chapter 10 of Agenda 21. The workshop,which will be held in Wageningen, the Netherlands, from 30January to 1 February 1995, aims at formulating a set ofrecommendations and policy options that will be presented to theCSD session in April 1995. The main focus will be on integratedapplication of tools and instruments for planning and managementof rural areas and possibilities for sustainable economicactivities within as well as outside the agricultural sector.

SCOPE/UNEP WORKSHOP ON INDICATORS FOR SUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENT:The Government of Belgium will host this workshop from 9-11January 1995 in Gent. The workshop aims at bringing togetherusers of sustainability indicators. These users and dataproducers will examine indicators as sources of information thatcan measure national sustainability and policy goals. Thisworkshop will contribute to the process of developing indicatorsfor sustainable development within the context of the CSD.

MEETING ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY: TheNetherlands and the UK are organizing a meeting whereinternational experts attending in their personal capacities willshare views on the development and use of biotechnology. Thepurpose is to collect information and views on focusing on theobjectives in Chapter 16 of Agenda 21. The meeting will run from11-13 January 1995. Experts have been invited from UNCED"sworking party on biotechnology, the Biotechnology AdvisoryCommittee of the Stockholm Institute and members frominternational organizations, NGOs, UN agencies and secretariats,and governments, while trying to achieve a North-South balance.

Further information

This issue of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin) <enb@igc.apc.org> is written and edited by Pamela Chasek <pchasek@pipeline.com> and Langston James Goree VI Kimo (kimo@iisd.org), with assistance from Charlotte de Fontaubert (acvdf@chopin.udel.edu). Funding for this issue of the Bulletin has been provided by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (iisd@web.apc.org), the Government of Denmark, the World Bank and the Pew Charitable Trusts through the Pew Global Stewardship Initiative. The authors can be contacted at their electronic mail addresses and by phone and fax at +1-212-888-2737. IISD can be contacted by phone at +1-204-958-7700, by fax at +1-204-958-7710 or at 161 Portage Avenue East, 6th Floor, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B 0Y4, Canada. The opinions expressed in Earth Negotiations Bulletin are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of IISD and other funders. Excerpts from the Earth Negotiations Bulletin may be used in other publications with appropriate citation. Electronic versions of the Bulletin can be found on the gopher at <gopher.igc.apc.org> and in searchable hyptertext through the Linkages WWW-server at <http://enb.iisd.org/> on the Internet. This volume of the Bulletin is uploaded into the APC conferences <enb.library> and <env.islands>. The Earth Negotiations Bulletin may not be reproduced, reprinted or posted to any system or service outside of the APC networks and the ENB listserver, without specific permission from the International Institute for Sustainable Development. This limitation includes distribution via Usenet News, bulletin board systems, mailing lists, print media and broadcast. For more information, send a message to <enb@igc.apc.org>.

Participants

National governments: Algeria; Austria; Bangladesh; Belarus; Bolivia; Brazil; Bulgaria; Canada; Chile; China; Colombia; Czech Republic; Germany; Guyana; Iceland; Indonesia; Iran; Israel; Japan; Jordan; Kenya; Malaysia; Mexico; Micronesia; Myanmar; Namibia; Nepal; New Zealand; Oman; Pakistan; Panama; Poland; Republic of Korea; Romania; Russian Federation; Sri Lanka; Turkey; Ukraine; UK; US; Uruguay; Venezuela
Negotiating blocs: African Union; Caribbean Community; European Union; Group of 77 and China; Small Island Developing States
Non-state coalitions: NGOs