Subject: Earth Negotiations Bulletin Vol. 05 No. 83 UNGASS, New York
Greetings Colleagues,
The following is the first issue and important coverage of
the Special Session in New York UN heaquarters. This
Bulletin will be sent to the list server daily for the
entire meeting. Please excuse any cross postings
Cheers,
EARTH NEGOTIATIONS BULLETIN
PUBLISHED BY THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (IISD)
WRITTEN AND EDITED BY:
Chad Carpenter, LL.M.
Peter Doran
Aarti Gupta
Lynn Wagner
Editor
Pamela Chasek, Ph.D.
Managing Editor
Langston James Goree VI "Kimo"
Vol. 5 No. 83
Monday, 23 June 1997
SPECIAL SESSION OF THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR THE OVERALL
REVIEW AND APPRAISAL OF AGENDA 21: 23-27 JUNE 1997
The 19th Special Session of the United Nations General
Assembly
(UNGASS) begins its overall review and appraisal of the
implementation of Agenda 21 at UN Headquarters in New York
today, five years after the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development (UNCED) in Brazil. Agenda 21 is
the
Programme of Action for Sustainable Development agreed to
at
UNCED and endorsed by the General Assembly in its
resolution
47/190. In the same resolution the GA decided to convene a
special session to review and appraise Agenda 21
implementation.
Approximately 60 Heads of State and Government are expected
to
address the Assembly during the week. Negotiations on the
texts
to be adopted at the conclusion of UNGASS began at the
CSD's
Ad
Hoc Open-Ended Intersessional Working Group and continued
at
CSD-5. Further progress was made at informal consultations
in
New York during the week leading up to UNGASS.
CSD AD HOC OPEN-ENDED INTERSESSIONAL WORKING GROUP
The CSD's Ad Hoc Open-Ended Intersessional Working Group
met
from 24 February-7 March 1997 in New York. The Working
Group
focused on the format and substantive content of the
document
to
be considered at UNGASS. The main output was a draft
"Proposed
Outcome of the Special Session" prepared by Co-Chairs Derek
Osborn (UK) and Amb. Celso Amorim (Brazil) after feedback
from
delegates on a first draft. The re-draft provided a basis
for
consultations prior to CSD-5. Most delegates highlighted
freshwater, energy and transport, forests and oceans as
issues
of new or priority concern. Delegates noted the importance
of
the cross-sectoral issues of poverty and changing
consumption
and production patterns.
FIFTH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
The fifth session of the UN Commission on Sustainable
Development (CSD-5) convened from 8-25 April 1997 at UN
Headquarters in New York to complete formal preparations
for
UNGASS. It began with a High-Level Segment and a review of
reports from the Intersessional Working Group and the CSD
Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF).
Delegations continued to identify and elaborate the
emerging
priority issues that they had considered at the
Intersessional.
Voluminous amendments to the draft "Proposed Outcome of the
Special Session" were considered. Intersessional Co-Chairs
Derek
Osborn (NGO UK) and Amb. Celso Amorim (Brazil) chaired
Drafting
Groups I and II, respectively. Drafting Group I considered
text
on "Sectors and Issues" and "Assessment of Progress Reached
after Rio." Drafting Group II considered text on
"Integration
of
Economic, Social and Environmental Objectives" and "Means
of
Implementation." Informal groups negotiated text on
forests,
institutional arrangements and the CSD Programme of Work
for
the
next five-year period.
CSD-5 Chair Tolba and Vice-Chair Monika Linn-Locher
(Switzerland) also began consultations on a draft political
statement for the Heads of State and Government expected to
attend the Special Session. Their informal modus operandi
was
questioned by a number of G-77 delegations at the closing
Plenary. They invited Governments to send amendments to a
draft
distributed at the close of the Session and undertook to
circulate a new version by early June.
At the conclusion of CSD-5 numerous brackets remained in
the
draft documents, including unnegotiated paragraphs dealing
with
international legal instruments and information and tools
to
measure progress.
INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS BY THE CHAIR OF THE CSD
CSD Chair Tolba convened informal consultations at UN
Headquarters from 16-21 June. Delegations used the Report
of
the
CSD on Preparations for the UNGASS including the revised
draft
political statement (A/S-19/CRP.1) and the draft proposed
outcome (A/S-19/14) as the basis for their deliberations.
DRAFT POLITICAL STATEMENT: The draft circulated by Dr.
Tolba
and
Ms. Linn-Locher attracted extensive amendments from
delegations.
The G-77/CHINA submitted an extensive set of amendments,
including calls for acknowledgment that UNCED's
international
commitments remain largely unfulfilled, and that the
overall
outlook for sustainable development is "worse" today than
it
was
in 1992. The EU and US noted that delegations were re-
negotiating issues in the draft proposed outcome. The
consultations were adjourned until delegations had further
considered related issues in the draft proposed outcome. A
new
draft was expected Sunday, June 22.
CROSS-SECTORAL ISSUES IN THE DRAFT PROPOSED OUTCOME: In
paragraph 16 (implementing areas requiring urgent action),
delegations agreed that a major new effort will be required
on
cross-sectoral matters. SWITZERLAND and the EU supported a
reference to enhanced job opportunities from implementing
sustainable development in paragraph 18(c). The G-77/CHINA
objected. In paragraph 20, (enabling international economic
environment), the US and EU re-stated the view that the
UNCED
principle on common but differentiated responsibilities
refers
only to global environmental issues. The EU agreed to
consider a
G-77/CHINA proposal to reference the "report of the Fourth
World
Conference on Women" in paragraph 21(e) (poverty, women and
Beijing PFA). In paragraph 22(a), (consumption and
production
patterns), the EU agreed to consider JAPAN and the
G-77/CHINA's
call for the deletion of text on pricing natural resources
in
a
way that reflects full costs. In paragraph 22(f) (energy
and
material efficiency), the EU pressed for acceptance of
clear
time-bound goals. On paragraph 23(h) (the WTO and trade
rules),
the G-77/CHINA objected that the paragraph subordinated
trade
to
environmental policies. On paragraph 24 (population), the
EU
objected to the bracketed formula referencing the "report"
of
the International Conference on Population and Development.
On
paragraph 25 (lead poisoning), delegations agreed to a call
for
accelerated elimination of unsafe uses. Brackets were also
removed from a paragraph on the health impacts of tobacco.
On paragraph 74 (domestic financing for Agenda 21), the US
refused to re-negotiate a G-77/CHINA proposal to change
text
agreed at CSD-5. On paragraph 75 (phasing out subsidies),
the
G-
77/CHINA agreed to replace a reference to the "principle of
common but differentiated responsibilities" with text on
taking
account of levels of development. On bracketed text on
trade
in
paragraph 76 (economic instruments), the US said he was not
prepared to discuss trade "in this forum." On paragraph 98
(access to information and right of complaint), the
G-77/CHINA
challenged its relevance to Agenda 21.
SECTORAL ISSUES: At the conclusion of informal discussions
on
sectoral issues, many of the key issues had been resolved,
with
the exception of those requiring high-level political
input.
A
reference to customary use of water in the section on
freshwater
use has proved controversial and is likely to be debated
further. The section on energy was agreed ad referendum. In
paragraph 35 (reducing the impact of fossil fuels),
brackets
were removed from "appropriate national action." In
paragraph
39(d) (technology transfer), the EU and US agreed to
consider
a
compromise formulation after prolonged discussion on the
inclusion of "time bound" commitments for the transfer of
relevant technology to developing countries. Delegations
also
reformulated paragraph 39(g) on environmental cost
internalization to achieve a more sustainable use of
energy.
On
paragraph 39(h) (atmosphere), the G-77/CHINA agreed to
accept
a
reformulation recognizing that the commitments under
article
4,
paragraph 2(a) and (b) of the FCCC as one critical element
of
the Berlin Mandate are inadequate and need to be
strengthened.
Forests (paragraphs 31-34): Bagher Asadi (Iran) circulated
a
Chair's text at the conclusion of informal-informal
consultations on forests that will be the basis for
negotiation
at UNGASS. The text calls for continuation of the
intergovernmental policy dialogue on forests through the
establishment of an ad hoc open-ended Intergovernmental
Forum
on
Forests under the aegis of the CSD, with a focused and
time-
limited mandate. Some delegations opposed a paragraph
suggesting
that the proposed Forum elaborate possible elements of and
build
the necessary consensus for a decision to initiate
negotiations
for a legally-binding instrument on forests, and to report
on
its work to the CSD in 1999 for appropriate action. The EU
objected to the absence of a reference to an INC in this
formulation.
Radioactive Waste (paragraphs 49-51): Chair Osborn produced
a
compromise text for further consideration at UNGASS. Key
elements call for: radioactive wastes to be disposed of in
the
territory of the State in which they are generated as far
as
is
compatible with safe management; international efforts to
prohibit the export of radioactive wastes to countries that
do
not have appropriate waste treatment and storage
facilities;
States not to promote or allow the storage or disposal of
radioactive wastes near the marine environment; the
finalization, ratification and implementation of the IAEA
Joint
Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on
the
Safety of Radioactive Waste Management; and improved
assistance
for SIDS. RUSSIA and the UKRAINE reserved on elements of
the
text.
CSD WORK PROGRAMME (1998-2002): An informal-informal group,
chaired by Czeslaw Wieckowski (Poland), made some progress
but
did not take final decisions on bracketed text.
OUTSTANDING ISSUES: The remaining issues for negotiation in
the
draft proposed outcome include: the chapter on Means of
Implementation (trade, mobilization of domestic resources,
the
role of ODA); a financial mechanism for the Convention to
Combat
Desertification (CCD); a reference to the third Conference
of
the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change
to
be
held in Kyoto, Japan, in December, 1997; the follow-up to
the
work and recommendations of the CSD's Intergovernmental
Panel
on
Forests, including consideration of a possible Convention
on
Forests; and a proposal to introduce an international tax
on
aviation fuel to fund sustainable development. A number of
these
issues could not be resolved ahead of related discussions
at
the
G-7 Summit in Denver and high-level political input at the
UNGASS.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR TODAY
INFORMAL CEREMONY: US Vice-President Al Gore and Brazilian
President Fernando Henrique Cardoso will host an informal
ceremony at 9:40 am in the GA Plenary Hall.
OPENING PLENARY: Ambassador Razali Ismail, President of the
General Assembly, and Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General,
will
address the opening Plenary, which will take place from
10:00-
1:00 pm. The Plenary will also consider the establishment
of
an
Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole. CSD-5 Chair, Dr. Mostafa
Tolba
(Egypt), will present a progress report on negotiations of
the
"Programme for Further Implementation of Agenda 21."
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE: The Ad Hoc Committee of the Whole
is
expected to meet from 3:00-6:00 pm, in Conference Room 3.
After
the election of officers, the Committee will hear
statements
from international organization representatives. A parallel
meeting will conclude negotiations on the "Programme for
Further
Implementation of Agenda 21" and the draft political
statement
by Heads of State attending UNGASS. Consultations on cross-
sectoral issues are expected to commence at 4:00 pm.
This issue of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin
is written and edited by Chad Carpenter, LL.M.
, Peter Doran , Aarti Gupta
and Lynn Wagner .
The
Editor is Pamela Chasek, Ph.D. and the
Managing
Editor is Langston James "Kimo" Goree VI .
French translation by Mongi Gadhoum
. The sustaining donors of the Bulletin are the
Netherlands
Ministry for Development Cooperation and the Government of
Canada. General support for the Bulletin during 1997 is
provided by the Overseas Development Administration (ODA)
of
the
United Kingdom, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark,
the
European Community (DG-XI), the German Ministry of
Environment,
Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, the Ministry of
Environment of Sweden, the Swiss Federal Office of the
Environment, and UNDP. Specific funding for coverage of
this
meeting has been provided by the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs
of
Norway. Funding for the French version has been provided by
ACCT/IEPF. The Bulletin can be contacted at tel:
+1-212-644-
0204; fax: +1-212-644-0206. IISD can be contacted at 161
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Avenue East, 6th Floor, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 0Y4, Canada;
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in
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