NEWS                                                OUTREACH 1997

                           The Voice of the NGO Community at CSD*
                                     Countdown to Earth Summit II
LETTER

Vol. 1  No. 9
Thursday, 4 March 1997                       CSDI SPECIAL EDITION

                    SECOND DAY OF FINAL WEEK
AT A GLANCE

COMMENTARY

MEETING CALENDAR

NEWS FROM THE CONFERENCE ROOM - Energy

DID YOU KNOW?
Monopoly Pricing Rates

FEATURES
On Finance

NGO WORKSHOP

RIO GRINDS

NGO CORNER
Introducing the Indigenous Caucus

DOUBLE FEATURE
Local Agenda 21 on the Agenda - A Challenge for the EU Parliament

-=-=-=-

COMMENTARY:

     "I see little merit in the impatience of those who would
     abandon this imperfect world instrument [the UN] because
     they dislike our imperfect world.  For the troubles of a
     world organization merely reflect the troubles of the world
     itself ... Those [UN] members who are willing to contribute
     their votes and their views - but very little else - have
     created a serious deficit by refusing to pay their share of
     special UN assessments."

                                        President John F. Kennedy
                      State of the Union Address, 11 January 1962

So ... week two of the Intersessional starts and we find
governments looking for the mystical "thing" that will please
their Heads of State when they arrive in June.

NGOs have been pushing the answer, to paraphrase James Carvel,
"its the money - stupid."  The deal at Rio was when the
industrialized countries moved out of their recession, funds
towards the 0.7% GNP target would start flowing again.  Instead,
money has been cut from $60 billion in 1997 to around $55 billion
today.  In addition, on the issue of full replenishment of the
GEF, rumor has it that Germany and France may not support
replenishment.  Will the idea of an air fuel surcharge bring new
money on the table?  The European Directive allowing it to charge
for domestic flights within Europe comes up for renewal in
December.  Europe could make an important announcement in June -
but will they?  There is obviously a need to politicize the
debate around new financial mechanisms.  The experts panel has
done a great job, but we now need an Inter-governmental Panel on
Finance to take the next steps and to prepare for Earth Summit
III in June 2002.

NGOs are calling for the development of policy instruments that
will secure commodity prices which reflect the true environmental
and social cost of their production and the withdrawal of
escalating tariffs on primary commodities exported from
developing countries.

A focussed Indigenous Caucus has rekindled a set of achievable
recommendations from the review process.  It is our hope that
this week, governments will support these recommendations.

The NGO Energy Caucus has been lobbying for a 20% reduction in
CO2 by 2005 and strongly believes that a 40% reduction is
possible.  The caucus has been calling for governments to
calculate the real internal economic costs of fossil fuels by
taking into account the enormous public subsidies, both direct
and indirect, that support fossil fuel production and
consumption.  In addition to this, the caucus believes that even
if we consider only the current market prices, renewable
technologies, especially solar, wind and fuel cell, are cost
effective now!

On the Oceans issue, NGOs are calling for a mechanism possibly an
Inter-Governmental Panel on Oceans, to bring together the
disparate bodies and programmes dealing with Ocean-related
issues.

At the end of this week, NGOs will be preparing a new position
paper which will be sent out widely and negotiated over the
weekend of the 5th/6th of April.  This will form the basis of the
main NGO input to the CSD.

-=-=-=-=-

                       STEERING COMMITTEE
                        MEETING CALENDAR

For more information on other side events and meetings, consult
the newsletter "ISWG-CSD Today" which can be obtained every
morning in Conf. Room C and in the main meeting room.  Or contact
the CSD Secretariat - tel: 963-8811 / fax: 963-1267.

DAILY MEETINGS:
9:15 a.m.           Conf. Room C
CSD NGO Steering Committee

2:00 p.m.           Lunch Room
MEDIA CAUCUS

TUESDAY, 4 MARCH
3:00-5:00 p.m.      Conf. Room C
NGO Committee on Information, Communications and Technology

NEWS FROM THE CONFERENCE ROOM

                  EXCERPTS OF NGO INTERVENTIONS

ENERGY

   ENERGY NGOs URGE CSD TO SELECT ENERGY AS PRIORITY FOR JUNE


Excerpts from the Statements of the NGO Energy Caucus to the CSD
made by Deling Wang -- Metropolitan Solar Energy Society (27
February)

Reducing energy use and transitioning to sustainable energy was a
foundation of both Agenda 21 and the Framework Convention on
Climate Change at Rio. Since 1992, there has been not only no
stabilization of carbon emissions, but there has been an
explosive growth of energy production and consumption both within
sustainable as well as unsustainable development.  The Energy
Caucus strongly urges the CSD to select energy as a priority
issue for the Special Session.

Last Sunday, in a discussion about an NGO call for a reduction of
CO2 emissions of 20% from 1990 levels by the year 2005, a high-
ranking participant remarked that while he felt there was
definitely support for a targeted reduction, he would be
"astonished" if countries would agree to 20%.

It was not surprising, because inevitably we hear the view that,
while renewable sources of energy like solar might be a good
prospect in the future, they are too expensive to be practical on
a large scale basis today.

Well, not only is a 20% reduction feasible by the year 2005, but
a reduction of 40% is feasible!

There are two reasons why. First,  policy decisions on financing
energy for development must  calculate the true costs of fossil
fuels and nuclear power. In particular, governments must take
into account the enormous public subsidies that support fossil
fuel production and consumption, and the external health and
environmental costs which have huge economic components.  A good
example is the cost of lost work time from increased cases of
asthma and bronchitis caused by environmental factors.

These subsidies might better be called "fossil fuel welfare" and
they include tax deductions, credits and funding for exploration
and generation of fossil fuels, and the roads and pipelines that
transport them. Estimates for such direct and indirect subsidies
range from $250 billion U.S. to $3 to $4 trillion per year. On
the other hand, subsidies for renewables such as solar, wind and
fuel cells are not more than $2 billion U.S., or less than 1% of
the lowest estimates for fossil fuel.  And these lowest estimates
do not take into account the huge subsidies for nuclear energy.
Second, even ignoring those subsidies and considering only the
current market prices, renewable technologies especially solar,
wind and fuel cells, are cost-effective NOW. In remote areas,
renewable technologies are already cost-effective and competitive
with fossil fuels. Solar photovoltaic panels for electricity and
solar cookers for cooking and water purification and other uses
cost much less than building an infrastructure to supply oil,
gas, or coal.

In both  urban and rural areas, various types of solar
technologies for building are already cost-effective. Passive
solar design has made it possible to reduce energy use by up to
80%. More advanced passive solar technologies, which add 
negligible cost to a building's construction, include sun spaces
and thermal storage walls.  Combined with energy efficiency,
these can reduce the heating, light and air conditioning costs of
a building to almost zero.

Some of these technologies may not be as feasible in a dense city
like New York, but even here, energy use can be reduced by more
than 50% by using passive solar design.  Other renewable
technologies that are more than cost competitive, include solar
thermal hot water heating, and wind energy with fuel cells, which
are especially apt for generating energy supplied by utilities.

Finally, the costs of all types of solar photovoltaics are
dropping 10 to 20% per year. One of the most promising of these
new cost-effective applications is building-integrated
photovoltaics, where the photovoltaics  actually comprise part of
the building materials. Increasing use should drive prices of
photovoltaics down even more rapidly.

An old Chinese saying states, "One sun can sustain us for 100
trillion years." Does anyone know another resource that can last
longer than that?

-=-=-=-=-

DID YOU KNOW...

Monopoly pricing rates proposed for NGO access to UN Optical Disk
System

Effective 3 March, the United Nations plans to make provisions
for public access to virtually all UN documents - in all
languages - through the World Wide Web - but at a price that will
be prohibitive for all but a few of the largest NGOs, namely
$1,500 per year for public access - even with a 25% discount for
DPI and ECOSOC NGOs, the resulting $1,125 is still an outrageous
price.

No doubt, the attempt to charge such prohibitive prices stems
from a sincere attempt to address the UN's deficit - but the
prices are based on a false sense of economy and economics - a
penny-wise, pound-foolish approach.  This does not recognize that
such a high price will choke off demand for a service whose real
costs are much lower than the cost of printing documents.  Nor
does it take into account that using information and
communication technology to enable full, affordable access to UN
documents can also foster stronger relations between the UN and
the NGO community.  This can also help to provide a much needed
support for the United Nations.  This is, by the way, called for
in ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31.

Perhaps the largest debtor nation - a nation that continues to
withhold payment of its arrears until reforms are made - could be
induced to pay what would amount to less than 1/10 of 1 per cent
of its  outstanding debt in order to underwrite the whole cost of
supporting the much needed measure of enabling online access to
United Nations documents?

-=-=-=-=-

ANNOUNCEMENTS

On Tuesday, 4 March, the US Delegation has called a meeting with
all NGOs to be held from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in Conference Room A.

On Wednesday, 5 March, UNA-NY has  organized a meeting with H.E.
Mr. Razali Ismail, President of the General Assembly, at the UN
Church Centre from 6:00-7:30 p.m.

The Sixth International Conference of The World Information
Transfer will be held at United Nations Headquarters on 17 -18
April 1997.  Running parallel to CSD V, this conference, which is
being co-sponsored by the Government of Chile, will focus on
"Environmental Degradation: Its Effect on Children's Heath." 
Further information can be obtained by contacting the following:

tel: (212) 686-1996 fax: (212) 686-2172
email: wit@igc.apc.org

-=-=-=-=-

                        "OUTREACH 1997"*
     ...speaking for the NGO Steering Committee for the CSD

The NGO Steering Committee for the CSD was established at the
Commission for Sustainable Development in 1994 to facilitate the
involvement of NGOs and other major groups, where appropriate, at
the CSD.  Membership of the Steering Committee is determined in
annual elections held at the CSD, and includes Major Groups,
grassroots organizations, regional, national and global NGOs and
networks.  Our work includes facilitating NGO Working Groups,
providing support for participation of southern and eastern NGO
representatives, and organizing facilities which strengthen the
voices of NGOs in the sustainable development debate.  The
Steering Committee is facilitating activities around the CSD
Intersessional, the CSD V and Earth Summit II.

-=-=-=-=-

FEATURES...

               Money makes the world go around...
                     but will it at the CSD?

We all know that money makes the world go around.  And no-one
knows it better than delegates at the Intersessional.  Time and
time again governments from all parts of the world have referred
to the issue of finance in all its various dimensions: aid, the
Global Environment Facility, technology transfer, the private
sector ...

For the South, the main concern is to gain access to more funds
for the right purposes and on the right terms.  The North's
response so far has been essentially to say either 'aid is a
dinosaur and the private sector will solve the problem', or 'the
private sector will solve almost all problems but there will
still be some aid, probably in declining amounts'.

Finding acceptable solutions on the finance issue will be crucial
to the success of the CSD and the Special Session.  This means
the developed countries will have to make real commitments on
both the quantity and quality of finance that convince the
developing countries that the North is still faithful to its Rio
obligations.  It will not be enough just to say that GEF
replenishment that will be 'adequate', to assume bluntly that aid
will fall, and private capital will step into the breech. 
Growing poverty and environmental degradation in the North show
just how sensitive the private sector and the free market can be
to the needs of people and the environment.

We need an approach that identifies problems clearly and then
matches them to a range of sources of financing, some private,
some public.  We need commitments to improvements in both the
quantity and quality of official development assistance - for
example by increasing the GEF and tackling the problems of
bureaucratic complexity that have so frustrated developing
countries (and others). And it will not be enough to broaden the
mandate of the GEF without giving it sufficient extra resources
to enable it to rise to the challenge.  If replenishment
negotiations produce a broader but smaller GEF, it will just do
more things less well.  As for official aid, the suggestion by Dr
Mostafa Tolba for a clear target to return to 1992 aid levels -
for example by 2002 - could be a way to focus action.

At the same time, broad debate is needed on how best to use other
sources of finance, public and private, to support sustainable
development.  Crucially, progress will have to be made towards
new financial mechanisms.  Several countries have supported this
in principle at the Intersessional - but it is not clear how they
think it can be done.

The time has come for an Intergovernmental Panel on Finance.  A
Panel could review all the issues mentioned above, and many more
besides.  It could move debate on new financial mechanisms such
as international taxation from the technical cloisters of the
Expert Group on Financial Issues of Agenda 21 into a broader and
more inclusive forum - involving government representatives from
environmental, social and finance ministries, NGOs and other
experts, and towards international political consensus.  It could
also address the urgent need for all countries to remove the
myriad subsidies from activities that cause environmental damage
- intensive agriculture, energy production and consumption,
forest exploitation, unsustainable fisheries, and more.

At the Intersessional, the CSD and the Special Session need to
demonstrate an international political willingness to address the
finance issue credibly.  We need clear commitments to targets and
timetables for increases in GEF and official aid, improvements in
the quality of all aid,  and the establishment of an
Intergovernmental Panel to make real political progress over the
next two or three years.  Rob Lake, UNED-UK

-=-=-=-=-

NGO WORKSHOP...

 GLOBALIZATION, SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION PATTERNS

During an NGO workshop on February the 27th a paper presented by
CAPSCAN was discussed. CAPSCAN is the Consumption and Productions
Systems Change Action Network. The NGOs facilitators are found in
Oslo, Norway and Harare, Zimbabwe- thus making this an
interesting North-South network NGO. We bring here an abbreviated
version of their position paper.

In Chapter 4 of Agenda 21, "sustainable consumption patterns" are
recognized as central to any discussion on sustainable
development and are relevant to all other chapters.  However, the
issue of globalization, though never explicitly addressed in
Agenda 21, is increasingly seen by politicians and people's
organizations as vital to achieving global sustainability.

Organizations working on the issue of sustainable production and
consumption have identified three major issues in order to reach
the objective of meeting basic human needs identified in Chapter
4 of Agenda 21.  These are:

     1. the need for reduced consumption of resources in order to
     maintain survival in the future,

     2. a fair distribution of resources as a matter of both
     ethics, long term sustainability, and conflict minimization,
     and

     3. the change from consumerism to a quality of life and
     lifestyle.

Globalization is not a new phenomenon. It is a long-term movement
of history itself. Throughout history people have moved from
food-deficit to food-surplus regions. This process was greatly
accelerated with improvements in communications, the development
of science and technology, and, beginning with the nineteenth
century, the global movement of capital in search of markets and
raw materials.

Globalization's twin is liberalization. Liberalization seeks to
free the world market of trade barriers. Tariffs and
protectionist policies have been the hallmark of national
development for the last three hundred years. Consequently,
domestic lobbies and pressure groups have arisen historically in
all countries, without exception, seeking national protection
from outside competition.

The twin processes of globalization and liberalization have a
different impact on various countries, depending on their level
of development and how they are integrated in the world market.
The assumption made by neo-classical writers that globalization
and liberalization will bring growth and development for all
people in the world is not tenable or self-evident.

We would like to introduce a number of principles on which
development should be founded:

Principle of Equity; Principle of High Thinking and Simple
Living; Principle of Environmental Security; The Principle of
Reciprocity; The Principle of National Self-determination; The
Principle of Democracy in Global Governance; The Principle of
Common and Differentiated Responsibility.

In order to fulfill our commitments on the grassroots level, we
have also identified several demands:

Country impact demand; Environment Impact Demand; People Movement
Demand; Long Term Demands.

-=-=-=-=-

RIO GRINDS...
overheard at the coffee bar

"Thursday's NGO meeting with UN-Reform Czar Strong ended with a
question on corporate responsibility. Time didn't allow for a
follow up in-depth question on Ontario Hydro.

Rumor has it that the small Costa Rica-based Earth Council event
at the Sheraton Hotel in Rio hasn't got poverty reduction on its
agenda because of the lack of interest among many of the non-NGO
invitees.  A big question asked in the coffee bar this week is,
will the 'poor' of Rio be removed before the invited participants
arrive.

There is some concern among governments about the support for
recycling aluminum doors which is in the final draft of the NGO
document.  The lack of any mention of Space Junk has also shocked
many.

With over 200 NGOs coming through these two weeks, the
Intersessional is turning out to be more like the CSD."

-=-=-=-=-

NGO CORNER...

     There are more than 550 accredited NGOs behind the NGO
     Steering Committee. Together they represent millions of
     people on all continents. We will be using this column in
     the next few days to introduce a few of these NGOs to you.

THE INDIGENOUS CAUCUS:

It is worth remembering that we are now in the International
Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples.  We are therefore,
pleased to begin our NGO Spotlight series by featuring the
Indigenous Peoples' Caucus, who have combined their energies to
speak on behalf of native inhabitants from every region of the
world.

In terms of international activity, this diverse group, made up
of hundreds of organizations, large and small, was formed (in
most recent times) in Geneva in 1977 under the auspices of the
UN.  And while the Caucus is represented by several organizations
at the current CSD Intersessional, they also participate in
various other fora no within the United Nations.

During the Intersessional, the Indigenous Peoples' Caucus is
represented by the following organizations:  The American Indian
Law Alliance; The Native American Council of New York City -
which represents four indigenous organizations; Cordillera
Women's Education and Resource Center; The Indigenous Peoples'
International Centre for Policy Research and Education (Tebtebba
Foundation); Asia Indigenous Women's Network (AIWN);  Bangladesh
Indigenous and Hill People's Association for Advancement; The New
South Wales Aboriginal Land Council - representing approximately
90-100,000 aboriginal people in New South Wales; The NGO
Committee on the United Nations International Decade of the
World's Indigenous Peoples - Ad Hoc Committee on the CSD; El
Consejo General de Tainos Boricanos; and the Wittenberg Center
for Alternative Resources.

The Caucus has developed a summary of recommendations which NGOs
and governments alike are invited to support.  Calling for the UN
System to play a more proactive and coordinated role in ensuring
the effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in achieving
Global Sustainability, they propose that;

1. The CSD should organize a day on Indigenous issues at a future
CSD (see para 41 of the Report of the Secretary General
E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.22);

2.   All UN agencies should ensure the dissemination of
comprehensible information in relation to Sustainability and the
associated processes of all levels;

3.   The mandates for the UN Voluntary Funds for Indigenous
Peoples and the International Decade for the World Indigenous
Peoples should be amended to facilitate Indigenous Peoples'
representation at he CSD and the associated processes;

4.   The Department of Policy Co-ordination and Sustainable
Development coordinate an Inter-agency task force directed at
ensuring more informed, active participation of Indigenous
Peoples in programs designed to contribute to Global
Sustainability (see para 42 of Add 22);

5.   The DPCSD and the CSD contribute to discussions on the
establishment of a Permanent UN Forum for Indigenous Peoples';

6.   The CSD should review the progress of UN agencies in
relation to the impact of Genetic Research programs on Indigenous
Peoples (see para 38 of Add 22) especially the Human Genome
Diversity Project;

7.   The CSD should examine the impacts on Indigenous Peoples of
the implementation of the policies, programs and activities of
the World Trade Organization and International Institutions and
other similar processes;

8.   The CSD should review the activities of National and
Transnational Corporations with a view to ensuring greater
corporate accountability;

9.   The CSD should be guided by Indigenous Peoples' own
principles and perspectives, as expressed in the UN Draft
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, especially
bearing in mind that there  has been a united call by Indigenous
Peoples worldwide for its early adoption, in its present form
(see para 33 and 39 of Add 22).

10. All UN bodies should recognize that Indigenous Peoples
worldwide have called for the adoption of the Draft Declaration
in its present form.

To sign on to their document, give your name, organization and
address to any of the Caucus members or consult the notice boards
around Conference Room C.

-=-=-=-=-

ALL CONTRIBUTIONS TO "OUTREACH" MUST BE SUBMITTED BY 4:00 P.M.
THE DAY PRIOR TO PUBLICATION.  PLEASE FORWARD TO JAN-GUSTAV OR
SHARON AT WFUNA.

-=-=-=-=-

DOUBLE FEATURE...

                  Local Agenda 21 on the Agenda

This Intersessional is just over a week old but already there is
enough evidence to show that Local  Agenda 21 is now firmly part
of the CSD's agenda for UNGASS.  This community-based initiative
seems to have been one of the more meaningful outcomes of the Rio
process.

The survey of international activity on Local Agenda 21, which
was carried out by ICLEI for the CSD Major Groups Secretariat and
which is referred to in the Report of the Secretary-General in
the paper No. E/CN.17/1997/2/Add.22, draws attention to the
significant progress on Local Agenda 21, namely that now around
2000 local authorities working in concert with their local
communities are preparing local plans for sustainable
development.  For example, in the UK over 70% of all local
authorities are engaged in the process.  This scale of activity
is replicated in other countries.

The CSD's survey shows that progress on Local Agenda 21 is more
widespread in those countries where national associations of
local government have organized national Local Agenda 21
campaigns.  Such campaigns have been up and running for a while
in Australia, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Denmark,
Finland, The Netherlands, Norway Sweden and the UK.  Similar
campaigns have started more recently in Malawi, South Africa,
Germany, Greece and in both Ireland and Northern Ireland.

In many other countries, including Brazil, Peru, and others in
Africa and Asia, Local Agenda 21 activity has occurred
successfully but sporadically in individual local authorities and
communities without such national campaigns.  It is also true
that more progress has been made in those countries which have
been generally supportive of Local Agenda 21 activity.  And so,
in recognition of the progress already made and to give further
impetus to the Local Agenda 21 initiative, it would seem
appropriate for national governments to support national
associations of local governments and to prepare a review of
measures by national governments which could provide support with
policies and, where appropriate, fiscal frameworks for successful
and continued implementation of Local Agenda 21's.

INDICATORS:  Much exciting work has been continuing since Rio,
particularly during the HABITAT II process, on indicators for
sustainable development.  In some countries, considerable work
has been put into the development of such indicators both at the
national and local levels.  As part of local Agenda 21, the
preparation of indicators with citizens and community groups has
been particularly exciting and worthwhile.  However, there may
now be real opportunities for national and local governments to
work together on sets of core indicators of sustainable
development.  National and local governments should, along with
NGOs, consider the development of such core indicators for use at
both the national and local levels.

JOINT WORKING: Of course, there are many areas where national and
local governments, other major groups and NGOs should work
together in:

- land use planning and management;
- human settlements planning;
- energy management and reduction campaigns;
- the preparation of local biodiversity action plans;
- the development of environmental management systems for
businesses and local government like EMAS and ISO 1400;
- the wide area of environmental education and empowerment.

CLIMATE CHANGE: One of the conventions that has received
considerable attention in the local government community is the
Framework Convention on Climate Change.  Since 1993, 165 cities -
representing 4% of global carbon dioxide emissions - have joined
together in the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign.  Aiming
for a general target of a 20% reduction in their greenhouse gas
emissions, these cities have prepared and are implementing local
climate action plans and are beginning to measure their progress. 
The City of Nagoya, Japan, will host the Fourth  World Conference
of Cities for Climate Protection in late November of this year,
on the eve of the third session of the Conference of States
Parties.  Representatives of cities hope to present their
findings and recommendations to this body and work with national
governments to establish processes for target setting in this
critical area.

More positive news and examples of good practice will be aired at
the dialogue session arranged for Local Agenda 21 and local
authorities at the 5th Session of the CSD in New York on 16
April.

                A Challenge for the EU Parliament

Lone Dybkjaer, the Chairperson of the European Union Parliament's
Committee on Environment and Health Matters and Consumer
Protection, is presently preparing a statement on behalf of the
Parliament regarding priorities for Earth Summit 2. The statement
is expected to be officially adopted by the Parliament next week,
but some of the Chairpersons opinions are already known.

The statement sets out by noting that since UNCED, we have moved
even further away from sustainable development and that making it
even more imperative to reevaluate the Rio-process and to engage
in much stronger commitments.  It is therefore troublesome that
the EU countries are not able to comply with the Rio commitments,
detracting credibility from the EU's work to ensure sustainable
development globally.

The main task for the upcoming Special Session is to improve the
partnership between rich and poor countries, while the main
problem remains the lack of commitment on behalf of the rich
countries. This, which is clearly shown by the lack of transfer
of resources to the developing countries, coupled with over
consumption in the North creates serious obstacles for fulfilling
commitments made in Rio.

Most of the EU member countries have not fulfilled their economic
commitment.  And although concern for this is expressed by both
the EU Commission as well as by its member nations, it is obvious
that asking the fulfillment to take place "as soon as possible"
is too strong a wording for the European Community to accept at
this time.  The cost of fulfilling these obligations will just
keep increasing if they continue to procrastinate.  The common
platform for the participating EU countries at the Special
Session ought to go further than suggested by the EU Commission
and the EU Council.

Obviously the draft for the statement was written before the
Intersessional, and in its present form is not completely up to
date with the latest statements; but on the issue of finance
mentioned as the main problem, the statement is sadly too valid:
in the statement delivered Friday by Van Hellenberg Huber, on
behalf of the European Union, paragraph 43 on Finance reads: "...
the DAC donors and others able to do so should, reaffirm our
commitment to meet the UN target for ODA flows of 0.7% of GNP as
soon as possible" (emphasis added).

Ms. Dybkjaer, "You've got 3 months! Good luck!"

-=-==-=-=-

EXTRA, EXTRA!

US Delegation calls a meeting with all NGOs on Tuesday, 4 March
from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in Conference Room A.

-=-=-=-=-

The opinions, commentaries and articles printed in OUTREACH are
the sole opinion of the individual authors or organizations,
unless otherwise expressed.

They are not the official opinions of the NGO/CSD Steering
Committee or of WFUNA.

-=-=-=-=-

The Steering Committee has a web page.
http://www.igc.apc.org/habitat/csd-97
There is also a general list server for those interested it is
csdgen@undp.org  To be added to he list, just send a message to
 with the one line message:
subscribe csdgen

The complete NGO statement referred to under "UPDATE" will be
posted on the web site in a couple of days.

-=-=-=-=-

OUTREACH '97
CSD NGO Steering Committee

World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA)

Editors
Jan-Gustav Strandenaes
Sharon McHale
David Fingrut

OUTREACH 1997
Please send material /enquiries to
Jan-Gustav Strandenaes
Fax (+1 212) 963-0447
Tel (+1 212) 963-5610
E-mail: wfuna@undp.org