3 June 1997
Revised Draft Political Statement
for consideration by the Special Session of the General Assembly
proposed by the Chairman of the CSD and
the Vice-Chairperson, Ms. Monika Linn Locher
1. At the Special Session of the General Assembly in June 1997, we, Heads of States and Governments/1 and other Heads of Delegations, have gathered here to review progress in the implementation of Agenda 21 which addresses the pressing problems of today and also aims at preparing the world for the challenges of the next century.
2. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), held at Rio de Janeiro in June 1992, was a landmark event. At our Summit Meeting at that Conference, we launched a new global partnership for sustainable development - a partnership which respects the interests of all, and protects the integrity of our global environment. It reflects a global consensus and political commitment at the highest level for cooperation on environment and development.
3. We reaffirm that human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development. We confirm our commitment under Agenda 21 to the empowerment and full participation of civil society and we underline, in particular, the critical role of women in the achievement of sustainable development. We recognize the contribution of local authorities to the implementation of Agenda 21 and support the promotion of Local Agenda 21 initiatives.
4. We acknowledge that a number of positive results were achieved in several social, economic and environmental components of sustainable development since Rio. Some progress has been made in terms of institutional development, international consensus- building, public participation, private sector actions, and in curbing pollution and slowing the rate of resource degradation. However, we are deeply concerned that the overall look for sustainable development is not much better today than what it was in 1992 in many parts of the world, especially in the least developed countries. We want to ensure that the next comprehensive review of Agenda 21 in the year 2002 demonstrates greater measurable progress in achieving sustainable development.
5. We emphasize that given the accelerating pace of the globalization process, the persistence of poverty, unemployment and violent conflicts, the growing gap between developed and most developing countries, and the continued deterioration of the environment, the comprehensive implementation of Agenda 21 as a programme of action for achieving sustainable development worldwide remains vitally important and is even more urgent now than ever. We reaffirm that all the principles contained in the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, in Agenda 21 and in the Forest Principles continue to guide us in this comprehensive implementation. We also reaffirm the commitments we made at Rio, we consider them all as the foundation and long-term framework for sustainable development. We pledge to work together in good faith and in the spirit of partnership to fulfill our commitments. We decide to move now from words to deeds.
6. We are deeply convinced that economic development, social development and environmental protection are interdependent and mutually reinforcing components of sustainable development. We are also convinced that peace and security are prerequisites for achieving sustainable development. We will all work, at the national level, to ensure good governance and respect for human rights.
7. We shall seek to ensure that globalization trends have a positive impact on sustainable development in all countries and regions. To this end, we intend to develop, strengthen and implement national and international environmental and social policies and integrate them with economic policies. We also intend to promote within the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO) the integration of sustainable development within the multilateral trading system and ensure that trade rules are compatible with strong and effective environmental policies. We will also ensure that the international economic climate is conducive to helping developing countries and countries with economies in transition to produce goods and services and have access to markets. We support all efforts to ensure that goods and services produced by all countries and the means of their production are environmentally friendly.
8. We acknowledge that unsustainable and wasteful patterns of consumption and production negatively affect the quality of life and well-being and inhibit sustainable development. We commit ourselves to accelerate moves to change such patterns. We further acknowledge that achieving this requires, inter alia, a considerable reduction of the use of raw material and energy in the production processes, internalization of environmental costs in the prices of goods and services, and changes in human behaviour through education and public awareness, applying the best cultural and moral attitudes and environmental ethics as well as learning from the knowledge and practices of indigenous people/s.
9. We intend to formulate or strengthen national policies and strategies geared to substantially reducing absolute poverty in the shortest possible time, reducing inequalities and eradicating absolute poverty by a target date to be specified by each country in its national context. As a step in this direction, we encourage countries to adopt effective national policies that will be supported by adequate international assistance, including transfer of financial resources and of environmentally sound technologies and that will reduce by half by the year 2015 the proportion of people living today in absolute poverty.
10. We support the establishment of other achievable time-bound goals and targets for the next five and ten years as well as longer term targets for achieving sustainable development. These goals and targets should be differentiated according to levels of progress in different regions and of nations within regions, and they should be equitable and measurable through agreed measurement tools. We invite the Commission on Sustainable Development to promote the development of such goals and targets and to monitor their implementation during its multi-year programme of work.
11. To deal with the major problems facing the world in a concerted global effort, it is vital that more resources are devoted to sustainable development. We commit ourselves to mobilize domestic resources for that purpose. Developed countries commit themselves to support developing countries and countries with economies in transition with adequate financial resources from all sources. They reaffirm the commitment undertaken to reach the accepted United Nations target of 0.7% of gross national product (GNP) for official development assistance (ODA) for developing countries as soon as possible. We stress that we will work to put in place regulatory structures to ensure that investment, including domestic and foreign direct investments (FDI) contribute to sustainable development. We recognize the critical need for environmentally sound technologies (ESTs) in the pursuit of sustainable development, and that greater efforts are required for the development and use of such technologies. Developed countries confirm their intention to effectively assist in and facilitate the transfer of environmentally sound technologies and know-how, in particular to developing countries.
12. We recognize that global observation and/or monitoring systems and international research cooperation regarding global change are essential for achieving sustainable development. We therefore reaffirm our commitment to promote international cooperation in global change research and global observation and to promote sharing information on global environmental issues.
13. We commit ourselves to the expeditious conclusion of on-going and planned negotiations on international legal instruments and agreements related to environment and sustainable development (climate change, biodiversity, ozone depletion, desertification, hazardous waste, prior informed consent procedure for trade in chemicals, persistent organic pollutants, forests) and to ensuring the participation of all States in relevant existing conventions, in their full implementation and in compliance with their provisions. We also recognize and reaffirm that the codification and progressive development of relevant international law are fundamental for achieving the objectives of sustainable development.
14. We confirm the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) as a central forum within the United Nations system for integration of economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability. We also reaffirm the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as the principal UN body in the field of environment and that we will strengthen its standing and reform it to become the leading authority in that field.
Time of the essence. We need every hand to reverse the deterioration trend. The attached programme for further implementation of Agenda 21 is our vehicle to achieve that. We will do all we can to ensure that the public at large feel ownership of this programme. Only then can the programme be fully implemented.
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Note:
1/ When the term "Governments" is used, it will be deemed to include the European Community within its area of competence.