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CSD-9 Vice-Chairs David Stuart (Australia) and
Daudi Taliwaku (Uganda) |
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Co-Chair
Taliwaku with Alexander de Barros, Secretariat (left) and with CSD-9
President Bedrich Molden
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The
General Assembly Hall
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 Noting
that gender inequity in transport is a global problem, the Women's
Caucus stressed the need to: revise the definition and understanding
of mobility needs to reflect women's lives and responsibilities;
integrate gender impact assessments into environmental impact assessments;
focus on issues of over-consumption in developed countries as much
as on creating equitable access to resources and services in developing
countries; and support infrastructure for non-motorized transport
and pedestrians.
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The Institute
for Transportation and Development Policy noted that while
access to basic mobility is critical, infrastructure provision alone
is seldom an effective means of alleviating poverty and called for
improvements in the transportation of the poor.
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Discussion of the Draft Decision and Co-Chairs'
Summary on Transport
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On International
CooperationIran, on behalf of the G-77/China, called for
inclusion of language from Agenda 21 on phasing out of lead in
gasoline as soon as possible, with technological and economic
assistance to allow countries to make such a transition. On recommendation
at the national level, the Group proposed references to, inter
alia: incentives "as affordable"; decision making "in the
transport sector"; and transportation systems which "are responsive
to development needs and where affordable." He called for deletion
of reference to "promoting sustainability in the transport sector,"
and proposed replacing language on mitigating emissions from transport
with text encouraging countries to take further steps towards
developing environmentally sound technologies for transport.
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ENB
Managing Editor Kimo Goree and Felix Dodds, NGO Steering Committee
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On
recommendations at the national level, Australia, with Canada,
Norway, Turkey and the US (right), warned against emphasizing
one pillar of sustainable development over the others, and called
for mutually reinforcing solutions.
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With
Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland and opposed by Saudi
Arabia and G-77/China, she supported the elimination of lead in
petroleum.
New Zealand
in the GA Hall
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The G-77/China
stated that proposals deviating from agreed Rio+5 language,
-including overemphasis of one of the three pillars of sustainable
development, externalities or subsidies - would be unacceptable,
as these incur unwarranted costs in developing countries. China
concurred, stressing the need to consider country differences
in their levels of development.
China
in the GA Hall
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ENB writer
Wendy Jackson (left) with Iran (center)
The
G-77/China said to achieve progress, it had provided agreed
language on controversial issues, and stated that proposals deviating
from agreed Rio+5 language, including an over emphasis of one of
the three pillars of sustainable development, externalities or subsidies,
would be unacceptable, as these incur unwarranted costs in developing
countries.
|
| Discussion of the Co-Chairs' Summary and possible elements
for a Draft Decision on Atmosphere |
|
In
the afternoon, delegates were back in the ECOSOC Chamber
|
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The
EC (left) and India, Iran and Saudi Arabia (right) discussing the
Co-Chairs' text on Atmosphere
|
 |
On international
cooperation, the G-77/China proposed new text on assisting
developing countries to introduce cleaner fuels, on air pollution
abatement technologies and on promoting sustainable consumption
and production patterns, particularly in developed countries.
He said the private sector should be mentioned in promoting the
transfer of cleaner or alternative fuels and other traffic management
technologies. He also called for, inter alia, references to periodic
and adequate replenishment of the Multilateral Fund and cost-effective,
affordable and environmentally sound alternatives. The G-77/China
also proposed including a paragraph calling on the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change to support active and more proportionate
involvement of academics and experts from developing countries
in the preparation of its reports.
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On
decisions and policy options, the G-77/China supported language
taking into account the priority needs of developing countries for
sustained economy and poverty eradication. He called for additional
text on unsustainable patterns of consumption and production, equity
and historical share in increasing urbanization, emigration to urban
areas, the lack of financial and technological resources and the
interdependency of transport and atmosphere. He also urged reference
to, inter alia: impacts of natural disasters on human activity;
developed countries having the greatest share in polluting emissions;
and additional support by the international community. Opposed by
Norway, he supported deleting a reference to the damage caused by
air pollutants thousands of kilometers from the source.
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On
recommendations at the national level, the US supported the
proposal to refer to improvement of data compilations, noting that
the UNFCCC calls for establishment of emissions inventories.
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Denmark
and Australia look at text from Agenda 21 in discussing the Co-Chairs'
text on Atmosphere
On
international cooperation, Australia and the US stressed
that decisions on the Multilateral Fund should be left to the relevant
international bodies.
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Jose Romero (Switzerland) on the left
On
recommendations at the national level, Switzerland suggested
further developing and implementing air quality strategies, including
air quality indices, and stressed the need to identify and address
the adverse effects of air pollution on human health, in particular
on people living in poverty and disadvantaged groups. He suggested
calling on governments to continue UNFCCC implementation.
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CSD-9
President Bedrich Molden (Czech Republic) and Felix Dodds, NGO Steering
Committee (right)
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RELATED
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