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Late Breaking News from CSD-5

Updated 22 April 1997

CSD Vice Chair Monica Linn Locher (Switzerland).
On Tuesday, delegates to CSD-5 met in two Drafting Groups and three informal groups during the morning, afternoon and evening. Drafting Group I dealt with energy, oceans and transport. Drafting Group II dealt with trade and environment, population and health. Informal consultations continued on the CSD's work programme for the next five years, institutional issues and forests.

After holding informal informal consultations over the past two weeks, CSD Vice Chair Monica Linn Locher (Switzerland) distributed a draft "declaration/political statement/statement of commitments" to be adopted by the Special Session.The 20-paragraph draft addresses a number of issues including:

  • reaffirmation of commitment to the Rio agreements
  • acknowledgement of the positive results since Rio
  • importance of global partnership and cooperation for achieving sustainable development
  • the need to reverse the trend of environmental deterioration, natural resource depletion, inequitable distribution of wealth, and inequitable terms of international cooperation
  • the need to integrate sustainable development into all economic policies
  • the importance of major groups, particularly women, in the achievement of sustainable development
  • the need to move from words to deeds
  • the need to change patterns of consumption and production
  • the importance of sustainable development policies in avoiding global and regional political conflicts
  • eradication of poverty, as a first priority
  • establishment of other achievable time bound goals and targets
  • expeditious conclusion of meaningful agreements in the ongoing negotiations related to sustainable development
  • commitment to the implementation of Agenda 21, while bringing particular focus in the CSD's work
  • developed countries commit themselves to providing adequate financial resources from all sources to developing countries and countries with economies in transition
  • ensuring that investment contributes to sustainable development
  • the importance of integrating sustainable development principles within the multilateral trading systems
  • confirming the CSD as the main forum within the UN system for ensuring the full integration of economic and social development considerations with those of environmental protection
  • confirming that UNEP shall continue to be the principle UN body in the field of environment
  • commitment to lending full political and financial support to the CSD, UNEP and the GEF
  • commitment to supporting the efforts of the UN system in capacity building for sustainable development

Wednesday's issue of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin summarizes Tuesday's meeting. You can also download the Earth Negotiations Bulletin in either text or PDF format.