Daily report for 23 June 1997

On the first day of the week-long session, participants at the UN General AssemblySpecial Session (UNGASS) to review the implementation of Agenda 21 heard speechesfrom 22 Heads of State and Government and 14 other governmental leaders. An AdHoc Committee of the Whole was created. It heard statements from 11 representativesof international organizations during the afternoon. Delegates also continued negotiatingthe draft outcome of UNGASS.

INFORMAL CEREMONY

UNGA President Razali Ismail introduced the two speakers for the informal openingceremony: Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso and US Vice-President AlGore. Cardoso noted the opportunity to renew the partnership formed in Rio and urgedparticipants to use it wisely. Gore noted that private capital flows are sky rocketing,bringing with them the promise of development. He said the FCCC Kyoto meetingpresents an opportunity to set binding emission limits, which should permit flexibility forimplementation and the participation of all. He supported a follow-up mechanism onforests, but no new negotiations.

OPENING PLENARY

Delegates to UNGASS were notified that 17 members were in arrears of payments and,according to the Charter, those whose arrears equal the amount of their assessedcontributions for the preceding two years shall not have a vote in the General Assembly.

Amb. RAZALI ISMAIL (Malaysia) was elected President of the 19th Special Session ofthe General Assembly. He welcomed the representatives of civil society, who wereparticipating for the first time in the GA. He noted the recession of spirit and political willto catalyze change since Rio. Developed countries emphasize environmental protectionbut have not reduced their consumption and production levels and developing countriesemphasize the right to development without the creation of transparent, participatorymechanisms. UN Secretary-General KOFI ANAN noted several issues that requireattention, including safe water, forests, fish stocks, atmosphere and desertification. Hesaid his programme for reform will usher in renewal at the UN, but more action isnecessary. MOSTAFA TOLBA presented the report of the Commission on SustainableDevelopment (A/S-19/14) and outlined the preparatory process leading up to UNGASS.He emphasized that genuine political will is required to deal with outstanding issues,which include financial resources, a financial mechanism for desertification, forests,climate change and the proposal for an aviation fuel tax.

UNGASS President RAZALI then presented the organization of work for the SpecialSession. MOSTAFA TOLBA, Chair of CSD-5, was elected as Chair of the Ad HocCommittee of the Whole. The Plenary also agreed to accord observer status tospecialized agencies and, without setting a precedent for other special sessions, to invitemajor groups, including non-governmental organizations, to participate in the Session.The provisional agenda (A/S-19/1) was then adopted, and debate began on Agenda Item8, on overall review and appraisal of the implementation of Agenda 21.

GENERAL DEBATE

President Fernando Henrique Cardoso of BRAZIL highlighted the importance of actionon forests, climate change, oceans and unsustainable patterns of consumption andproduction. He announced that Brazil was joining with Singapore, South Africa andGermany to help move implementation of Agenda 21 forward. President Robert GabrielMugabe of ZIMBABWE informed governments of the world solar programme for 1996-2005 adopted by the UNESCO World Solar Summit, hosted by Zimbabwe. He reiteratedthe need for developed countries to meet targets for ODA, and described the GEF as afailure. He called for an empirical study of the consequences of globalization andliberalization for developing countries. Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto of JAPANhighlighted the importance of combating climate change, and called on countries tocommit to reducing GHGs. He informed the Plenary about the Japanese “greentechnology and green aid” initiative to provide technology and aid to developingcountries in the area of climate change. He noted that Japan had surpassed its target forenvironment-related ODA. President Benjamin William Mhkapa of TANZANIA, onbehalf of the G-77/CHINA, pointed out that the decline in ODA since Rio underminedthe ability of developing countries to implement Agenda 21. He noted that while foreigndirect investment was important for developing countries, it could not be relied upon tofulfill the goals of Agenda 21. Similarly, technology transfer could not be achievedthrough the market or the private sector alone, but required public funds.

Prime Minister Wim Kok of the NETHERLANDS, on behalf of the EU, called fornegotiations on a forest convention, adding that they would provide money for thisundertaking, and for support to the global mechanism to implement the Convention toCombat Desertification (CCD). He insisted on fair burden sharing by traditional ODAproviders and those newly able to provide assistance. Jos Maria Aznar, President ofSPAIN, noted the need for an international economic environment, including tradepolicy, that favors sustainable development. He said educating young people was the besttool and stressed sustainable tourism. Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the UK, said hewould increase development assistance for forestry management and would encourage alllocal authorities in the UK to adopt Local Agenda 21s.

Helmut Kohl, Chancellor of GERMANY, called for: the industrial countries to adopt theEU-proposed cut of 15% of GHGs by 2010; internationally binding protection for forests;and a global umbrella organization for environmental issues. Jacques Chirac, President ofFRANCE, hoped GEF contributors, at their September meeting in Paris, would agree to afair replenishment. He proposed to host a conference for all actors in water managementpolicy making to contribute to the action plan he said the CSD should adopt at its nextsession. PERUVIAN Vice-President Ricardo Mrquez discussed national initiatives,including the “Peruvian Agenda” and a reforestation project. He expressed concern thatthe declining ODA trend may become a permanent feature of globalization.

Nursultan Nazarbaev, President of KAZAKSTAN, called for the rejection of attempts toachieve economic growth at all costs. He proposed an international fund to rehabilitatepopulations affected by nuclear testing. Prime Minister Romano Prodi of ITALY calledon developing countries to follow development paths that did not repeat the mistakesmade by the industrialized world. He highlighted the need to agree to realistic,quantifiable, and legally binding targets at Kyoto, as well as the need to set up an INC forforests. President Carlos Saul Menem of ARGENTINA highlighted the critical need forfreshwater management and noted the importance of private capital to redress waterproblems. Preservation of marine biodiversity remained crucial. He also noted thatfinancial mechanisms, which could periodically be reviewed to reassess priorities, wereneeded.

Speeches continued in the Plenary during the afternoon.

Editor’s Note: The Earth Negotiations Bulletin will follow negotiations on the draftoutcome. Plenary statements are posted on the Internet at <<gopher://gopher.un.org:70/11/ga/docs/S-19/ statements/gov.>>

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

Chair Tolba outlined the procedure for discussions on cross-sectoral issues and the draftPolitical Statement. Delegates elected the following Bureau: Idunn Eidheim (Norway),John Ashe (Antigua and Barbuda), Bagher Asadi (Iran) and Czeslaw Wieckowski(Poland), who will serve as Rapporteur. The G-77/CHINA requested time for discussionsprior to negotiations. The Chair asked them to begin negotiations with breaks for groupconsultations when necessary.

An informal group, chaired by John Ashe (Antigua and Barbuda), considered cross-sectoral issues. On 100 (implementation and compliance), the G-77/CHINAproposed a reformulation noting, inter alia, that implementation of commitmentsunder international treaties and other instruments in the field of environment hinge onsecure, sustained and predictable financial support, sufficient institutional capacity,human resources and adequate access to technology. CHINA noted the readiness ofdeveloping countries to join the North in remedying environmental damage. With SAUDIARABIA and COLOMBIA, he noted that implementation and finance must be linkedbecause financial support is essential for successful environmental protection.

The US expressed difficulty with linking implementation to financial support whenmaking a general statement about international treaties because it implies financialsupport is necessary in all cases. The EU proposed that implementation “can be promotedby” instead of “hinge on” financial support. NORWAY appealed to the G-77/CHINA toview this paragraph as pertaining to strengthening instruments rather than technologytransfer. SWITZERLAND questioned whether repeated references to financialobligations lessened their impact. CANADA underscored the importance of science-based decision making.

The EU and NORWAY, supported by SWITZERLAND, the US and CANADA,proposed language noting the importance of improving reporting and data collectionsystems and developing compliance regimes. The G-77/CHINA stated that itsformulation captures the EU/NORWAY proposal. CHINA said that pressing forcompliance obligations without making good on financial commitments is “tragic.” TheChair will draft a revised paragraph.

The US reformulated NORWAY’s proposed 101 (develop law regarding liabilityand compensation) to call for legal instruments regarding liability for environmentaldamage. The G-77/CHINA proposed deleting the text. On 102 (strengtheneddata collection), the WOMEN’S CAUCUS reminded delegates of a recent decision by theComission on the Status of Women regarding gender disaggregated data. The G-77/CHINA proposed deleting the Canadian-proposed reference to gender disaggregateddata. CANADA and NORWAY objected. A US reference to information that makesvisible the unremunerated work of women also remains bracketed. A reformulatedPERUVIAN reference to support of national and international scientific andtechnological data centers with appropriate electronic communications links betweenthem was agreed.

IN THE CORRIDORS I

With back benches beckoning in the British House of Commons, former UKEnvironment Minister, John Gummer MP, has turned star lobbyist. His target Mondaywas David Hales, USAID. With TV cameras running, Gummer cornered Hales to conveysuspicions that the US plans to wait until the last minute to produce minimal proposalsfor the FCCC COP-3 and force the others to go along. Hales countered by questioningother States’ ability to achieve their declared targets. Gummer also “catagorically” ruledhimself out of the running for the top job at UNEP.

IN THE CORRIDORS II

German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, flagged support for establishing an authoritative worldenvironmental organization Monday. At a four-nation press conference, he invitedconsideration of a “global environmental umbrella organization of the UN with UNEP asa major pillar.” There is some NGO support for a UN environmental superbody to act asa counterweight to the WTO. With US resistance to the idea, given Chancellor Kohl’spreference for funding on an assessment basis, some expect that attention will continue tofocus on strengthening bodies like UNEP.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR TODAY

PLENARY: Approximately 50 speakers are expected to offer statementsregarding implementation of Agenda 21 during morning and afternoon meetings in theGeneral Assembly Hall.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE: Statements will be given in Conference Room3 from 10:30-1:00. Informal consultations on cross-sectoral issues will be held inConference Room 5 from 11:00-1:00. Informal consultations on the draft PoliticalStatement will be held in Conference Room 3 from 3:00-6:00. Informal consultations oncross-sectoral issues will continue in the evening in Conference Room 5.