Daily report for 26 April 1995

PLENARY

The Chairs of the three drafting groups reported on their work and some of the draftdecisions were adopted ad referendum.

The Chair of Drafting Group B, Takao Shibata gave his report.

Decisions on Major Groups, Information for Decision-Making, IntegratingEnvironment and Development in Decision-Making, and Information Provided byGovernments and Organizations were adopted. Transfer of EnvironmentallySound Technology, Cooperation and Capacity Building: In paragraph 12(finance), references to new and additional financial resources and to the flow offinancial resources from all sources remain bracketed. Science for SustainableDevelopment: Sub-paragraph 10(3) (finance) remains unresolved.

The Chair of Drafting Group A, Magns Jhannesson, then reported on the work ofhis group. The decision on Demographic Dynamics and Sustainability was adoptedwithout amendment. Combating Poverty: In paragraph 4 (integratedapproach), Indonesia questioned the reference to 'women, as the majority of peopleliving in poverty.' After some discussion, the formulation 'women, as the majority ofpeople living in abject poverty, and who bear a disproportionate burden of poverty'was accepted. The text was adopted as amended. Financial Resources andMechanisms: It was agreed to move paragraph 22 (indigenous and farmers'rights) to the decision on biodiversity. In paragraph 26 (financing of biotechnology),brackets were removed and a reference to consultations among governments wasadded. The text was adopted as amended. Changing Production andConsumption Patterns: In paragraph 7 (role of governments), the secondbracketed option was accepted and a reference to the exchange of information andexperiences was added. In paragraph 16 (work programmes), brackets remain around areference to expert meetings. Trade, Environment and SustainableDevelopment: In paragraph 6 (multilateral environmental agreements), allbracketed text was deleted. Bracketed references to the OECD in paragraphs 16(international organizations) and 17 (eco-labeling and recycling) were deleted.Paragraph 20 bis, which refers to the OECD, was added. In paragraph 21,brackets were removed and references to exchange of experience and making tradeand environment mutually supportive were added. By mid-day, brackets still remainedaround a reference to sustainable development in paragraph 3 (Uruguay Round).

In his report on Drafting Group C, Henry Aryamanya-Mugisha noted that the text onforests contains many bracketed paragraphs and negotiations were still on-going. Thetext on Combating Desertification was adopted. Overall Considerations: Inparagraph 3 (national efforts), the EU specified Chapter 33 of Agenda 21 in a call forimplementation of financial decisions. Integrated Approach to LandResources: Brackets in paragraph 10 (time-frame) and paragraph 13(e) (ESTs)were removed. Brackets in paragraph 13(c) (cities and rural areas) remain.Sustainable Mountain Development: In paragraph 38 (marginalization),brackets remain around [protection] of indigenous people's interests.

HIGH-LEVEL SEGMENT

CSD Chair Henrique Cavalcanti noted the topics for consideration: financialresources and mechanisms, transfer of environmentally sound technology and capacitybuilding; consumption and production patterns; sustainable agriculture, ruraldevelopment and food security; forests; and major groups. He also requested guidanceon the CSD work programme for 1995-96.

Nitin Desai, Under-Secretary-General for Policy Coordination andSustainable Development, reviewed the role and impact of the CSD in catalyzingcross-sectoral policy actions. He also noted the impact of the CSD on the work of theUN system. Funding, regional and global-level implementation, andcooperation with external entities must be addressed.

DENMARK: Poul Nielson, Minister for Development, described how theWorld Summit on Social Development (WSSD) affirmed commitments made in Rio.Denmark advocates: statistical benchmarks to monitor Summit progress; dynamictargets; independent financial resources for the UN system; and follow-up by anindependent commission.

PHILIPPINES: Cielito F. Habito, Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning,said the Philippines has entered into debt-for-nature swaps with WWF andSwitzerland, and will be sponsoring: an Experts Meeting on Persistent OrganicPollutants, a meeting of sustainable development councils in Asia, and a conference onpopulation, environment and peace.

FRANCE: Michel Barnier, Minister of the Environment, on behalf of theEU, said the EU devoted nearly US$30 billion to ODA in 1993. The UN objective of0.7% of GNP for ODA remains a valid commitment. Such assistance should beincreasingly concentrated on the poorest countries, particularly in Africa.

INDONESIA: Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo, Minister for Forestry,recommended: criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management; furtherdialogue on trade in forest products and voluntary certification schemes; strengthenedinternational cooperation and mobilization of financial resources; and implementationof existing forestry-related instruments.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION: Danilov Danilyan, Minister for EnvironmentalProtection and Natural Resources, welcomed progress on forests and noted a Belarusproposal for a conference on sustainable development for countries with economies intransition.

NETHERLANDS: Jan Pronk, Minister of Development Cooperation, saidpoverty eradication should be financed by domestic resource mobilization. Privatecapital flows are impressive, but are volatile and unevenly distributed. New financialmechanisms are needed.

MOROCCO: Dr. Noureddi Benomar Alami, Minister of the Environment,noted Morocco's recent efforts to: establish an Environment Ministry, a committee tocombat desertification, and an environmental information system; implement thepolluter-pays principle; and prepare water resources and forest plans.

REPUBLIC OF KOREA: Zoong Wie Kim, Minister ofEnvironment, said his country has been using a Volume-Based Waste Collection FeeSystem to change consumption patterns and reduce waste. The Republic of Korea hasoffered to host an international workshop on this issue in September.

AUSTRALIA: John Faulkner, Minister for the Environment, Sport andTerritories, welcomed proposals to streamline national reporting, and noted that theCSD's work on agriculture and rural development provides an opportunity to examineagricultural trade reform's contribution to sustainable development.

URUGUAY: Juan Chiruchi, Minister of Housing and Environment, notedUruguay's advisory technical commission on the environment with the participation ofgovernment authorities and civil society. Uruguay is encouraging municipal authorities,local and regional governments to develop local Agenda 21s.

SRI LANKA: Mrs. S. Athulathmudali, Minister of Transport, Environmentand Women's Affairs, noted recent initiatives such as: the Clean Air 2000 ActionPlan; an Energy Conservation Fund; a forestry master plan; a coastal zonemanagement strategy; and a phase-out of ozone depleting substances by 2004.

PANEL DISCUSSION ON EMPLOYMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The moderator, Naresh Singh of the International Institute for SustainableDevelopment, noted that poverty, employment and social integration are central tosustainable development.

Poul Nielson, Denmark's Minister for Development Cooperation, called forpolicies on worker health and safety, working conditions, and education and training.He also noted that green taxes may contribute to employment and environmentalprotection, but that political action is needed.

Igor Khalevinski, Russian Deputy Minister of Labor, noted the factors thatpose problems in addressing unemployment. He referred to recent initiatives to: attractinvestment from Russian business; promote social sustainable development; and shiftattention from economic to social programmes.

Marius Enthoven suggested: integrating economic growth andenvironmental protection; stimulating the green industry; focusing on environmentalperformance rather than productivity; reviewing unsustainable subsidies; and reformingthe tax system.

Dick Martin, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canada Labor Congress, noted thepossible results if all 1.5 million ICFTU workplaces implemented a local Agenda 21.He suggested environmental audits and promoting workers' environmental rights.

Clement Millin, Texaco, recommended: the adoption of keybusiness principles to promote sustainable development and economic growth;promotion of market economies to promote investment; and the building of educationinfrastructure capacity.

In the discussion that followed, Paula DiPerna (Cousteau Society) noted the public'sfear of job loss. Nielson responded that education is key to change. Nielsen referred tothe jobs that were generated from the newly established exhaust-cleaning industry.Simone Bilderbeek (Netherlands Committee for the IUCN) highlighted the concept ofjob-sharing to ensure equitable resource-sharing. Martin responded that some peopleare working too hard, while some are not working enough. Richard Tapper (WWF)noted that a sustainable economy is more likely to support higher employment becauseit increases efficiency in resource use. Carol Lubin (International Federation ofSettlements and Neighborhood Centres) asked about women's under-employment.Martin said that women are usually at the bottom of the economic scale and thevictims of environmental neglect.

DRAFTING GROUP C

Drafting Group C met in an informal session on Wednesday night to completenegotiations on outstanding issues.

COMBATING DEFORESTATION: The US proposed a new formulationfor paragraph 24 that supports further study on the issue of certification andlabeling of forest products to contribute to a better understanding of their potentialrole. The Chair called for further consultations on this paragraph and paragraph 23(financial resources). Paragraph 26 (fora for forestry dialogue) was deleted.

OPEN-ENDED INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON FORESTS:There was a prolonged discussion on the two bracketed paragraphs 3.V.2on other arrangements for further implementation of the Forest Principles. The G-77/China removed brackets from the alternative paragraph, which calls on the Panel toadvise on the need for other instruments, including appropriate legal arrangements. Asa result, delegates deleted the brackets around the title of category V, which nowreads: 'International organizations and multilateral institutions and instruments,including appropriate legal mechanisms.'

The EU and the US called for the deletion of paragraph I.3, sinceprotection of traditional forest-related knowledge is being addressed elsewhere. The G-77/China and Canada wanted to retain the text. The final compromise text, proposedby Canada, states that consideration of this issue will be 'consistent with theConvention on Biological Diversity.' Reference to national law was deleted. Delegatesagreed to the first option for paragraph II (improving the efficiency andcoordination of bilateral and multilateral assistance), as amended by the UK and theG-77/China.

PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND RURALDEVELOPMENT: Agreement was reached after a minor amendment toparagraph 7 (environmental consequences), on social and economicconditions in developing countries.

ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND MANAGEMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY:Agreement was reached after the G-77/China replaced a reference inparagraph 5(e) (biosafety) to 'note' work on the development ofguidelines on biosafety.

CONSERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: There was aprolonged procedural debate about the status of paragraphs 7 and the newparagraph 9(j) on the protection of traditional knowledge and practices. Thelatter was transferred from the chapter on financial resources. Some confusion resultedand the Chair said he would consult with Cavalcanti.

SUSTAINABLE MOUNTAIN DEVELOPMENT: Agreement was reachedafter brackets were removed from 'protection' of indigenous people's interests.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR TODAY

HIGH-LEVEL SEGMENT: The High-Level Segment will continue thismorning and this afternoon.

INFORMAL MEETING OF THE PLENARY: The Plenary will meet thismorning in an informal session to consider outstanding decisions.

PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE MEDIA AND SUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENT: This evening's panel discussion will take place at 5:00 pmin Conference Room 1.