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MULTI-YEAR THEMATIC PROGRAMME OF WORK

Draft decision III contained the proposals for the multi-year thematic programme of work. The decision requests the Secretary-General to prepare a draft of a work programme for consideration and adoption by the Commission at its first substantive session. The only change to the proposed clusters was that freshwater was moved from cluster H (atmosphere and oceans) to cluster F (health human settlements and solid waste) as had been proposed by the EC. As suggested by the G-77, the timetable for discussion of the clusters was removed and a new paragraph 6, asking the Secretary-General to take into account the calendar of major forthcoming intergovernmental meetings when formulating his proposals for a timetable, was added.

The G-77 made only two minor amendments to paragraph 6 and these were acceptable to everyone. The US wanted to delete the phrase "within each cluster" from the end of paragraph 4, so that it would read, "Recommends that clusters A, B, C, D and E should be considered by the Commission on an annual basis, with a particular focus upon certain chapters of Agenda 21." A number of others argued for the retention of the phrase. Razali finally suggested that the US might want to consider using the famous UN phrase, "as appropriate" so that the end of the paragraph would read, "...Agenda 21, within each cluster, as appropriate." The US was able to accept this compromise, paving the way to the adoption of Draft decision III.